A young Drumheller man saw first hand the sacrifice of Canadian Soldiers last spring when he visited one of the most hallowed beaches in France.
Dalan Wilson graduated last spring from St. Anthony’s School. Not only was he a standout as a Drumheller Titan he was also a standout Sea Cadet. He joined a group of cadets from Western Canada that designed a tour that took them from Paris to Normandy, and Belgium to Vimy Ridge. This was to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the battle.
Drumheller Sea Cadet Dalan Wilson (right) joined more than 10,000 young Canadians to mark the 95th anniversary of Vimy Ridge.
“It was something I wanted to do as long as I could remember, and when the opportunity came with cadets, I hopped on,” said Wilson.
He said the most powerful part of the trip was seeing the ridge.
“The day we went it was a really miserable day, it was raining and we were in full uniform. I remember we were driving up this little gravel road to the town of Vimy and just coming over the hill you could see the two white pillars of the monument and it is just awe striking,” said Wilson.
Wilson saw first hand the battlefield that 95 years ago Canada, through extensive preparation and modern tactics, established a national identity and played a tactical role in the victory of World War I. He explains the battlefield, with trenches, craters and tunnels has remained intact. The only change is the fields of mud have been grown over by grass. In some areas, the Canadian and German trenches were less than 100 yards apart.
“The main message I take away from it is freedom is not free,” he said.
As part of the trip each cadet was to research two soldiers; one from World War I and one from World War II.
“Reading about it in a book, they are just names, but when you get there and see the actual headstones, see the writing on them, you realize they were fathers, husbands, brothers,” he said.
The soldier he researched from World WI was Private J.W. Jenkins.
“He was no older than 16 when he hit the ridge, unfortunately he only lasted two hours, It really puts a perspective on the impact of what they did, you really can’t take it for granted,” said Wilson.
He travelled alongside of 19 other cadets of his age however on the commemoration day there was more than 10,000 Canadian youth, making it a powerful experience.
While Wilson has graduated from high school and is beginning college this fall, he is also carrying on as Coxswain for RCSCC Furious. He hopes others will be able to experience seeing Vimy.
“The 100th anniversary is coming up in only five years so it would be great to send a cadet from here,” said Wilson.
