Monument Badge Discs
-Lori Atkinson Smith
2011 will commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the "Battle of Hong Kong". At the Belledune, NB Municipal regular monthly meeting of Dec. 20, 2010, Council motioned to purchase 25 Hong Kong Veterans Monument Badge disc's for their local HKV's (from Belledune to Nash Creek, NB). All markers will be placed on HKV headstones before Dec. 08, 2011. Now that is an undertaking that is going to be accomplished. We thank Belledune for their proactive actions.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a Monument Badge disc mounted on every, single HKV’s gravestone??? The president of the Hong Kong Veterans Association, Phil Doddridge, has passed on his mission of the placement of HK Monument Badge Discs to a small committee of members of the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association. This has been and continues to be quite an undertaking.
Challenge to all Communities across Canada
Is your community ready to take a stand like Belledune, NB has taken? Are other municipalities across Canada interested in taking up the cause to ensure all Hong Kong Veterans have a "Monument Badge Disc" mounted on their individual headstones? We urge you to talk with your local members of Parliament, Town Councillors and local Legions. If you don’t suggest it, they won’t do it!
In the HKVCA December 2009 newsletter, we announced our goal to locate the final resting places of all HK veterans. Up till now, we have had a few pictures and some information sent to us. And we thank you for getting us started.
We still require your help. For each veteran the following information is needed:
Veteran’s Name
Regiment and #
Name of Cemetery/ Columbarium including Address and City/Province.
Next of Kin contact name
Next of Kin address/email
Picture of the gravestone
Picture of the veteran from after the war
A copy of the obituary
Provide any bits of information you have - even a few ‘clues’ will help in our further searching. Mail the information to:
Lori Atkinson- Smith at 946 Wyldewood Road,
R. R. #1, Sherkston, Ontario L0S 1R0
1.905.894.5368
email LoriR1952@gmail.com
If you have any questions or would like to help us out in this endeavour, please contact me.
We suggest the purchase of the monument badge disc for your family member or friend. Please consider this act of recognition. Check out the HKVCA website to see a picture of the grave disc.
| The 3" cast metal disc comes with a mounting screw, instructions to affix to the headstone and a registration form | $75.00 (including postage) | Cheque payable to HKVCA |
Ordering of the gravestone disc, along with your payment, should be sent to –
HKVCA, Suite 164, 1 Stafford Rd. , Nepean, ON K2H 1B9.
**** Remember, you must have prior cemetery authorization and an installation authorization form must be completed by a family member or a HKVCA member in order to place this disc on HKV head stones. ****