It's safe to say that Christine Arbic and her helpers’ knitted poppies are now a local fixture and tradition in Halton Hills.
This year, their annual Remembrance Day ritual has evolved in two notable ways. The knitted poppies have an additional home, hanging from the railing of the Upper Sisnett lobby and greeting all who enter the Halton Hills Cultural Centre.
As well, purple poppies accompany the more common red ones at the Cultural Centre and on the Glen Williams bridge at Main and Confederation streets to honour all the animals who gave their lives for Canada.
“Perhaps they are the unsung heroes. We all know someone who serves or lost their lives. We tend to gravitate towards the way humans have participated in war,” Arbic said when asked why it was important to her to honour animals. “Animals didn’t have a choice to participate in war.”
Horses are perhaps the first that come to mind when discussing war animals, with the 2011 film War Horse suggesting as much. However, a wide array of animals took part in both World Wars. Dogs in multitudes of roles, pack mules, camels in desert theatres, cats as mousers aboard ships and carrier pigeons are some of the many who served the country with their human comrades.
Some eight million animals were estimated to have paid the ultimate price in the First World War. Figures on Second World War casualties are hard to come by, but it's safe to say that the sacrifice of these warriors, whether four-legged or feathered, was immense.
The purple poppy was created in 2006 by Animal Aid, a UK-based animal rights organization, to commemorate their work – which often saw them saving the lives of their bipedal companions.
Lt. Col. John McCrae, who penned the poem In Flanders Fields, served alongside his horse Bonfire. When McCrae died in 1918, his loyal steed led the funeral procession with his master’s boots reversed in the stirrups.
Bill, a goat, was the Fifth Canadian Infantry Brigade’s mascot during the First World War. He is said to have headbutted three soldiers to safety after his superior hearing detected incoming artillery shells, saving their lives and earning him the rank of sergeant.
A dog named Gander from the Newfoundland town of the same name served with the Royal Rifles of Canada. He and his human comrades faced down the invading Japanese army in the ill-fated defense of Hong Kong. Sgt. Gander made the ultimate sacrifice after picking up a Japanese grenade and running towards the enemy line with it. He was posthumously awarded the Dicken Medal, which is on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
A statue honours him in his hometown in the Heritage Memorial Park.
Arbic expressed gratitude to Puslinch hockey rink equipment retailer RinkMaster, who provided the netting used in the Sisnett Lobby display.
