In a ceremony in May, members of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment brought home an unknown soldier who died during the First World War over 100 years ago.
Someone's Son: Repatriating Newfoundland's Unknown SoldierIt started 100 years ago, with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment's padre, Thomas Nangle. He wanted an unknown soldier from Newfoundland repatriated to honour all the men killed. It didn’t happen in his lifetime, but a small but mighty team worked to fulfil his dream.
For Sullivan, repatriating an Unknown Soldier from France is personal. His great-uncle, Pte. Charles Canning, served with the regiment in France and was killed in 1918."I was in the military when Canada brought home the remains of an Unknown Soldier, and in the foyer of Parliament buildings while he lay in state," Sullivan told CBC News.
At the same time, the legion was working on its own project: refurbishing the National War Memorial in downtown St. John's to mark its centennial anniversary. "It was one that was conveyed to me long after we started this process. When Gary and Frank came into the office and made a brief pitch, I was on board right away. But I never thought I would occupy such an important role in the province's history."The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, an organization that cares for the graves of 1.7 million Commonwealth soldiers across the world, had to be convinced.
Frank Sullivan was part of the team that was instrumental in establishing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in St. John's. Here he holds the flag that Newfoundland soldiers served under during the First World War. The flag will be placed on the casket while the soldier lies in state. From the First World War, about 820 men from Newfoundland — serving in all branches of the military — have no known grave.
The chosen pallbearers spent days drilling and planning every movement leading up to the moment their fallen comrade would be handed over by the French military during a ceremony at Beaumont-Hamel on May 25. "I'm immensely proud to say that that I'm a part of this beyond the capacity that I hold as the commanding officer," he said.
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