Special Ceremony Commemorates Veteran
"To honour and protect in death seems but a small return to those who have protected their country in life."
A special ceremony to unveil a new marker and name-plate on a commemorative monument for an unmarked veteran took place at Mountain View Cemetery on Saturday, March 11, 2006
The money needed for the marker was raised by 12-year-old Amanda Neil from Ladner. Amanda was inspired to raise the funds following an event last summer where 13 new monuments commemorating 939 unmarked veteran graves were dedicated in Mountain View Cemetery.
“Amanda’s initiative and determination in response to the commemoration of the unmarked veterans is fantastic. It is inspiring that a 12-year-old would make this kind of effort to commemorate a stranger. The cemetery is very grateful,” said Glen Hodges, Manager of Mountain View Cemetery.
Amanda raised the money by collecting bottles in her neighbourhood and through donations from relatives. She was on hand to help unveil the marker and install a brass plate behind the name on the commemorative monument.
The grave marked is that of Albert A. McMullen, a private in the 29th
Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces who was awarded the British
War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service. He enlisted in 1915 at the
age of 34 and was wounded by shrapnel on October 6, 1917 in France. After
hospital recovery, he was evacuated to Canada on October 14, 1918. He died
in 1923 at the age of 42.
If you'd like to help mark a veteran's grave, your donation can be sent to Mountain View Cemetery, c/o Mountain View Veterans Project, 5455 Fraser Street, Vancouver, BC V5W 2Z3. Please remember to make your cheques payable to the City of Vancouver
For more information:
Glen Hodges
Manager, Mountain View Cemetery
604.325.2623
