ESTEVAN - Elyse Mantei’s ongoing effort to educate young people about the sacrifices of Canada’s veterans continued on Thursday.
The No Stone Left Alone program held a ceremony at the Estevan City Cemetery. Students from Pleasantdale School and St. Mary’s School gathered to place poppies at the tombs of Canadian soldiers buried at the cemetery.
The students braved the frigid temperatures to participate. The ceremony was supposed to happen on Nov. 7, but was postponed due to adverse weather conditions that gripped much of the province that day.
Mantei’s father, John Wilkinson of Moose Jaw, brought No Stone Left Alone to Saskatchewan and runs it for the province.
“It’s just a way of thanking the veterans for their service, showing them that we’ll never leave them forgotten, and their stones will never be left alone,” Mantei said.
The event began with words from Mantei and local military historian Craig Bird, who spoke to the youths about the Dieppe Raid in France in 1942. He told them the South Saskatchewan Regiment had a lot of members fighting in the ill-fated battle. Nine soldiers from Estevan, 12 from Weyburn and others from southeast Saskatchewan died during Dieppe. Many others were injured or taken as prisoners of war.
Students read poems. The Last Post was played, followed by two minutes of silence and Reveille. A special wreath was laid that was previously placed in Europe where Canadian soldiers fought in the Second World War.
“He [John Wilkinson} was picked as one of the recipients of one of the wreaths,” said Mantei.
Wilkinson was supposed to be at the service on Nov. 9 but couldn’t be at the event on Nov. 17. He said he started No Stone Left Alone because he thought the young people were starting to lose touch with Remembrance Day.
“It’s based on getting the kids out and getting them to remember,” said Wilkinson.
Their grandparents or great grandparents might have served their country at some point. Wilkinson’s father fought in the Second World War, and a cousin also served.
“I had direct knowledge of it, whereas kids nowadays, with the exception of Afghanistan and maybe a couple of other UN missions, they really haven’t had any knowledge of wars or what the soldiers went through or sailors or air personnel. So I just think it’s good that they get out and realize all these graves are there for their freedom,” said Wilkinson.
He wants the kids to remember the soldiers who went overseas for the First and Second World Wars were young adults. Many who died were in their late teens or early 20s. He also wants people to remember those who don’t have a headstone because they died on ships that were sunk, on planes that were shot down or while trying to get to a beach as part of a mission.
Wilkinson saw the world and visited 34 different countries during his career. He spent four years in Germany and had two active missions, one in Haiti and the other in the naval blockade for Afghanistan. He was part of a drug bust on the HMCS Qu’Appelle, and went after pirates in the Philippines.
“When a military member goes away, their family is in Canada. When that member goes to sleep every night, he or she knows that they’re fine. Their family doesn’t always know.”
Mantei said she grew up in a military family and the military was a big part of her childhood.
“Remembering veterans and showing my support and thanks for them is a big part of my life,” she said.
A total of 14 ceremonies will be held for No Stone Left Alone in Saskatchewan.
Mantei noted last year they had a few people show up for the ceremony at the Souris Valley Memorial Gardens. Others have read about it in the Mercury and have stopped her to thank her for bringing the initiative to the Energy City.
“It’s been really good the last couple of years and I’m hoping it just keeps getting bigger,” said Mantei.
