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September 19
Prepared by James Stoness with
the Bronze Plaque Tour in Waarde
On Sunday and Monday the South Alberta Armoured Regiment (SAR)
visited war memorials in Belgium and Holland. At Moerbrugge
they unveiled a bronze plaque. Moerbrugge was the site of one
of the top five European battles in which the Canadians were
involved. Moerbrugge is one of the SAR's Battle Honours. Here
is one of the more unusual memorials on the tour. It consists
of pieces of wreckage of Sherman tanks welded into a pillar.
In Brugge, one of the oldest and most historic towns of Belgium,
the SAR unveiled a bronze plaque which will be mounted in the
future Home of Veterans. SAR veterans and their families later
spent some free time walking among the stone walls of aged churches
and other ancient buildings. The author and his wife Sylvia
climbed the 365 steps of the Belfry to view the bells and to
look across the city.
 Monday
morning the SARs drove to Moerkerke to place a wreath at a memorial
to the great losses suffered by the Algonquins as they fought
to cross the Leopold Lyse Canal. In Holland, at Hulst, the SARs
unveiled another bronze plaque. Hulst was a major stop for the
regiment for rest and maintenance of equipment.
In nearby Waarde, the veterans of the South Alberta Armoured
Regiment received a warm welcome by students of the local schools
waving Canadian flags. A large crowd of adults waved and applauded
as the SAR veterans were escorted to the reception by a convoy
of WWII army vehicles. The SAR took this opportunity to thank
the Gould brothers for making the day such a success. |
