Monument unveiled for eight Nova Scotia brothers who fought in World War II
The ringing of a bell echoed outside the Royal Canadian Legion in Noel, N.S., Saturday as a town crier summoned the crowd to gather for the unveiling of a memorial, dedicated to eight brothers from the region who all served in the Second World War.
The eight sons of Richard and Sarah Harvie from nearby Gormanville, N.S., are believed to be the most siblings from one family, from either North America or the British Commonwealth, to serve in World War II.
"This should have happened 80 years ago,” said master of ceremonies Jeff Thurber, who serves as the president of the Hants North Royal Canadian Legion.
The monument offers a chance to resurrect history and pay tribute to the Harvie brothers: Avard, Edmund, Ernest, Victor, Ervin, Garnet and their two siblings Marven and Burrell who died during the war.
None of the brothers are alive today to witness the ceremony but dozens of their family members attended the unveiling of the monument.
Thurber said he felt that too many people had forgotten the story of the Harvie boys when he attended the last Remembrance Day ceremony in the community. He said he felt obligated to get their story out there.
"What bothers me most is nobody knows about them,” said Thurber. "You do a Google search and their name doesn’t even come up.”
That inspired the effort to erect the monument. It displays the number eight in the centre surrounded by portraits of the brothers. Marven and Burrell, the brothers who died in the war are at the top with portraits of their six surviving siblings below.
"It’s very special to us. We traveled to get here, and we'd never miss it,” said Mark Harvie, the grandson of Avard Harvie.
Family came from across Canada to attend the ceremony, many meeting for the first time.
"We’ve met so many people in the last few days that we’d never met before,” said Mark. “It’s a moment we’ll never forget.”
Nor will the community, with the monument serving as a reminder and tribute to the sacrifice the eight brothers made nearly 80 years ago.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Federal funding finally comes through to replace one of Canada’s worst hospitals in the Far North
The federal government is providing $1.2 billion to help build a new hospital complex on the James Bay Coast, easing residents’ fears that construction wouldn’t start this year.
The cooking method you need to learn to get excited about vegetables this fall, expert says
'Eat more vegetables,' doctors and dietitians say over and over. But for many people, it’s hard to do, because they aren’t excited about veggies or just don’t like them.
British leader Starmer's chief of staff quits over reports about salary
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's chief of staff quit on Sunday, citing concerns that growing news reports about her role 'risked becoming a distraction to the government.'
Tropical Storm Milton could hit Florida as a major hurricane midweek
People across Florida were given notice Sunday that Milton, for now just a tropical storm off the coast of Mexico, could intensify rapidly into a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.
Officer arrested after allegedly stealing alcohol from store: TPS
A Toronto police officer has been arrested after allegedly stealing three bottles of alcohol from a store.
Frequent drinking of fizzy beverages and fruit juice linked to an increased risk of stroke: research
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton’s McMaster University.
Liberal, Conservative MPs to speak at Oct. 7 march to Parliament Hill
A Liberal MP and a Conservative MP will be part of a team delivering speeches at an event in Ottawa commemorating the one year anniversary of the attacks on Oct. 7.
Son charged with mother's murder on Vancouver Island
Police on Vancouver Island have made an arrest in the case of a 78-year-old woman found dead in her home almost two years ago.
opinion Tips on managing your financial stress
Financial strain can be an uncomfortable burden to bear, especially if you feel that you're doing as much as you can and are barely managing to stay afloat. Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew shares some tips for managing financial stress and digging your way out of debt.