On this day of Remembrance when we honour the men and women who have defended our country, we stand and pause for a moment at the eleventh hour. We give thought to the lives lost and to those forever changed. It is a time of sombre reflection and gratitude for the sacrifices that brave men and women made on behalf of our country. At the same time, we should also remember that it wasn't just the soldiers who had to suffer through untold hardships, but also the mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who lost loved ones.
The Albert County Remembers Exhibit at the museum helps capture these sentiments. The items pictured below help represent the sacrifice our ancestors gave for our country.
In the white Remembrance binder in the centre of the photo, we have collected the photos, names, ranks, and time and place of death of the 52 citizens of Albert County who died in the Great War. Next to it, on the right, the poppy-covered cross: the symbol of remembrance and of our continued thanks for their sacrifice.
The display case on the left contains medals from the Great War, including the Silver Cross medal. The Silver Cross was given to a mother of a soldier killed in the Great war. It represents the sacrifice of the family for their country. The cross on display was given to a mother in Albert County whose son is listed in the white Remembrance binder.
Lastly, we see the large Prince of Wales Victory Loans Flag, which was given to the people of Albert County for reaching their assigned goal of $117,00.00 in the Victory Loans drive of 1919. It symbolizes the sacrifices of the people and their hopes for the future and is a poignant reminder of what we can do when we work together. The people of Albert County raised an additional $200,000.00, for a total of $317,000.00 in the Victory Loans campaign of 1919. (In today's dollars that is equivalent to $3,920,000.00).
The citizens of Albert County raised a greater percentage over their goal than any other county in the province, and were rewarded with the large 10cm cannon currently displayed at the entrance of the museum. Stationed next to it, the smaller 7.7cm field gun was awarded to the citizens for their unmatched enlistment in the war. Albert County had more volunteers per capita than anywhere else in Canada.
Both these war trophies symbolize the best of Albert County and the courage and self sacrifice of its people. Please help us to restore them so that future generations can learn of the heroism and sacrifices of the past. You can donate here.