Where should the monuments come home to?

[The Bread Guy]

This piece in today's Kingston Whig-Standard raises a good question:

As the Canadian Forces abandon the desert base that was their staging area into Afghan -istan, they are bringing back one of the most important items there.

The centrepiece of Camp Mirage was a subdued but elegant cairn in the centre of the camp, outside the mess. On it were plaques commemorating each of the 152 Canadian soldiers who have died in the war, including three who grew up in this area.

The granite monument at Al Minhad Air Base, surrounded by carefully tended green grass that was an anomaly in the desert, is on its way home.

"It will be reinstalled in Canada, but we haven't selected a location for that yet," Capt. Jennifer Kellerman of the Canadian Expeditionary Force command confirmed Friday.

In 2009, when the Whig-Standard visited Afghanistan, military members were already discussing what should be done with the Mirage cairn and a similar memorial that had been erected on the grounds of the Canadian headquarters at Kandahar airfield.

Military personnel wanted to see the monument permanently reinstalled in a place of honour in Canada, such as the War Museum in Ottawa.

The spotless monuments are cleaned of desert dust twice a day and are visited by all families of casualties who are flown into theatre to see where their sons and daughters gave their lives.

Many of the plaques have tucked into their frames photos, letters or poignant little mementoes such as poppies left by loved ones.

A plaque erected in front of the cairn states that the monument is a memorial to those who died in support of the Afghan -istan mission and that "This cairn belongs to all Canadians and visitors who wish to pay their respects."

It also informs them that it is permissible to walk on the grass surrounding the memorial.

The cairn is large enough that it can be seen in satellite photos of the base on Google Maps.

Kellerman said the military understands the importance of the monument, not just to soldiers but as a permanent memorial to the campaign in Afghan - istan. She vowed that it won't just be put into storage somewhere.

"The decision on where it will go here in Canada will probably be made at the level of the chief of defence staff," she said ....

Even if it is a decision "made at the level of the (CDS)", any ideas for a home for this?  Or even the other monuments up in/around Afghanistan?

 

[Michael OLeary]

Perhaps the National Military Cemetery would be a fitting place for the monuments.

 

[Infanteer]

War Museum?

 

[Task]

Somewhere along the Highway of Heroes, where they all traveled?

 

[lethalLemon]

They should pool each the plaques and such and organize them into monuments for each city/town; create a monument to send to Montreal consisting of all fallen heroes from Montreal... and do so for Vancouver, New Westminster, Surrey, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa... Flin Flon, Quebec City, Trois Rivières, St John's etc etc

That way, all the families and friends will be able to pay their respects whenever they want to a formal monument for their fallen loved ones without having to fly to... let's say Ottawa... to see the "official" (?) dedications that were erected at KAF.

OR create duplicates to display at the National Military Cemetary, War Museum or whatever; or have a duplicate monuments (as mentioned above) sent to the cities rather than the originals; and have the originals at the War Museum etc.

It would be nice if they created another national monument/memorial in Ottawa as well, because if memory serves me correctly, there's a monument for Pre-Confederation victories of the British Empire, WWI, WW2, and Korea - Afghanistan being the largest and (I could be wrong) first combat operation of the CF since Korea.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

That's my  :2c:

 

[dogger1936]

War Museum?

I agree.

 

[the 48th regulator]

My Front yard.

I live 2 blocks away from one of the bridges that passes over the Highway of heroes. 

I agree with Infanteer, The War Museum would be  a perfect place, as they have plenty of space around the building.

dileas

tess

 

[Kirkhill]

I'm going to be a heretic and say they shouldn't come home.

There are memorials at home.

That memorial should be left in place in perpetuity for the Afghans to see the names of those who died trying to rebuild their country.  There is ample precedence in the military cemeteries scattered across the world and maintained by Canadians, Brits, Aussies, Americans....I don't know if other countries also maintain cemeteries..... but all of those cemeteries were maintained by locals, often in the face of opposition by their fellow countrymen.

 

[Task]

I'm going to be a heretic and say they shouldn't come home.

There are memorials at home.

That memorial should be left in place in perpetuity for the Afghans to see the names of those who died trying to rebuild their country.  There is ample precedence in the military cemeteries scattered across the world and maintained by Canadians, Brits, Aussies, Americans....I don't know if other countries also maintain cemeteries..... but all of those cemeteries were maintained by locals, often in the face of opposition by their fellow countrymen.

I believe this is the one in Dubai. I do not think leaving it there would serve them(UAE) and probably would be used to tether the aircraft bound for Canada on...

 

[mariomike]

I'm going to be a heretic and say they shouldn't come home.

There are memorials at home.

That memorial should be left in place in perpetuity for the Afghans to see the names of those who died trying to rebuild their country.  There is ample precedence in the military cemeteries scattered across the world and maintained by Canadians, Brits, Aussies, Americans....I don't know if other countries also maintain cemeteries..... but all of those cemeteries were maintained by locals, often in the face of opposition by their fellow countrymen.

I have an uncle interred ( In a Canadian war grave. There are four other Canadians buried there, and their two R.A.F. crew-mates. ) in a communal cemetery in France. It's not a military cemetery. The local people have been very kind and helpful when our families have visited ( my father actually vacationed there a few times after he retired ),  and were very brave in the summer of 1944. Liberation was still a few weeks away.
The tall white wooden crosses are French war graves. They ( the town people ) buried the Canadians front and centre facing their national flag.

I know it's not the same situation as Afganistan, but France made a very positive impression on my family.

 

[Franko]

I'm going to be a heretic and say they shouldn't come home.

There are memorials at home.

That memorial should be left in place in perpetuity for the Afghans to see the names of those who died trying to rebuild their country.  There is ample precedence in the military cemeteries scattered across the world and maintained by Canadians, Brits, Aussies, Americans....I don't know if other countries also maintain cemeteries..... but all of those cemeteries were maintained by locals, often in the face of opposition by their fellow countrymen.

When the Taliban take over again, because of short-sightedness of politicians, they will be destroyed. Remember the Buddha in central Afghanistan?

I can't see it surviving.

My $0.02 worth.

Regards

 

[HavokFour]

They should pool each the plaques and such and organize them into monuments for each city/town; create a monument to send to Montreal consisting of all fallen heroes from Montreal... and do so for Vancouver, New Westminster, Surrey, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa... Flin Flon, Quebec City, Trois Rivières, St John's etc etc

That way, all the families and friends will be able to pay their respects whenever they want to a formal monument for their fallen loved ones without having to fly to... let's say Ottawa... to see the "official" (?) dedications that were erected at KAF.

OR create duplicates to display at the National Military Cemetary, War Museum or whatever; or have a duplicate monuments (as mentioned above) sent to the cities rather than the originals; and have the originals at the War Museum etc.

It would be nice if they created another national monument/memorial in Ottawa as well, because if memory serves me correctly, there's a monument for Pre-Confederation victories of the British Empire, WWI, WW2, and Korea - Afghanistan being the largest and (I could be wrong) first combat operation of the CF since Korea.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

That's my  :2c:

Tip top ideas right here, have some points on me.

The original should be located somewhere here in Ottawa, and smaller versions put in each respective soldiers community.

Going on a small tangent, me and my great uncle have been discussing planting one red maple for every fallen soldier (152 trees in total) on our family land. Input greatly appreciated.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Screw Ottawa.  The only common denominator all those who were killed have in common is they all landed in Trenton.  Give it a place of honour there.

 

[the 48th regulator]

I'm going to be a heretic and say they shouldn't come home.

There are memorials at home.

That memorial should be left in place in perpetuity for the Afghans to see the names of those who died trying to rebuild their country.  There is ample precedence in the military cemeteries scattered across the world and maintained by Canadians, Brits, Aussies, Americans....I don't know if other countries also maintain cemeteries..... but all of those cemeteries were maintained by locals, often in the face of opposition by their fellow countrymen.

Very good point;

http://www.scotfot.com/BritishCemeteryWebsite/index.html

http://www.indian-cemeteries.org/cemetery_details.asp?town=peshawar&cem=tehkal%20cemetery

 

[PuckChaser]

I'm going to be a heretic and say they shouldn't come home.

There are memorials at home.

That memorial should be left in place in perpetuity for the Afghans to see the names of those who died trying to rebuild their country.  There is ample precedence in the military cemeteries scattered across the world and maintained by Canadians, Brits, Aussies, Americans....I don't know if other countries also maintain cemeteries..... but all of those cemeteries were maintained by locals, often in the face of opposition by their fellow countrymen.

Given that countries' state of flux, give them a duplicate and bring the real one back to Canada. I can't imagine the heartache and anguish that moment would cause if it was unceremoniously destroyed either by a ruling power taken over in civil war, or a suicide bomber.

 

[lethalLemon]

Screw Ottawa.  The only common denominator all those who were killed have in common is they all landed in Trenton.  Give it a place of honour there.

Even better then!

Tip top ideas right here, have some points on me.

The original should be located somewhere here in Ottawa, and smaller versions put in each respective soldiers community.

Going on a small tangent, me and my great uncle have been discussing planting one red maple for every fallen soldier (152 trees in total) on our family land. Input greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much

...and good luck to you with your Honour Trees

 

[vonGarvin]

Screw Ottawa.  The only common denominator all those who were killed have in common is they all landed in Trenton.  Give it a place of honour there.

Very good point.  I agree.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Very good point.  I agree.

But to be fair, you probably never made it past "screw Ottawa".    ;D

 

[vonGarvin]

But to be fair, you probably never made it past "screw Ottawa".    ;D

There was text after "screw Ottawa"?

;D

 

[The Bread Guy]

I like the idea of sharing the monuments across Canada (not everybody gets to Ottawa to pay their respects) the best.

It's also possible, though, that this option could get complicated with families where one parent lives in x and another lives in y, leading to potential "wishbone" issues.