Sylvan Lake man is pleading with the public after memorial plaques have disappeared from the Flags of Remembrance site.
Allan Cameron, founder of Veterans Voices of Canada Flags of Remembrance, recently discovered that several of the hero plaques honouring the 128,000 Canadian soldiers killed or missing in action have been stolen from the site in Sylvan Lake alongside Hwy. 11.
Cameron, who was at the site recently to add two more honour plaques discovered that seven plaques had been removed from the 128 flags alongside the highway. This has also happened at some of the other 12 Flags of Remembrance sites across Canada.
“Right now I am not the happiest,” he said in a facebook video post. “They are on tightly enough that the only way to take them off is by wire cutters or tearing them off, which is not easy. Common sense tells me these honour plaques have been taken.”
No remnants of the plaques or ties were present on site.
“Guys, all I can say is please, please don’t do that,” he said. “We have family members and businesses who honour these heroes by sponsoring these honor plaques. The reason for them being here is for people to walk the flag lines and read the names of people we wouldn’t necessarily hear of or read about at any other time. This includes some of my family members.
“This is disrespecting the people this site and the sites across Canada represent.”
Cameron pleaded with those responsible to leave the flag lines alone so the heroes can be paid their due tribute by the community.
“They are honouring our heroes and if you take these plaques or disrespect the flags, you are disrespecting them,” he said. “Please respect our veterans and heroes.”