This refrain from Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘Recessional’ came into common use after World War I, urging us to remember the sacrifices soldiers made for our freedom. Sadly, the last resting places of some of these warriors have been forgotten over time. Fortunately, there is a way to rescue them from obscurity.

At a recent meeting of the Alberta Family Histories Society, a member spoke of his success in locating the grave of an ancestor who had served in WWI. This was no easy task as it had no marker and was overgrown. He was able to have a permanent marker placed there, which recorded his relative’s military service.

Should you find yourself in a similar situation, you can contact the regional Last Post Office. The Last Post Fund was created in 1909 to ‘ensure that no eligible veteran is denied a dignified funeral and burial, as well as a military gravestone, due to insufficient funds at time of death.’ Since 1998, it has run the Veterans’ Affairs Funeral and Burial Program. This organization also has an Unmarked Grave Program that can provide an appropriate military marker for the unmarked grave of a veteran of the Canadian Forces (right from Confederation onwards!). They must have passed basic military training and been honourably discharged. There is, of course, an application process and details of military service must be provided. Visit the Last Post website for details on the organization and the application process.

The contributions of our military personnel should never be forgotten and the Unmarked Grave Program can perpetuate and honour the memories of our veterans.

This article was originally printed in the Bergen News and is being reprinted with permission.