Canwest News Service
The last known First World War veteran who served Canada, John Babcock, has passed away at the age of 109. In a statement released late Thursday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said: "I was deeply saddened to learn today of the death of John Babcock, Canada's last known First World War veteran. On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to Mr. Babcock's family and friends. As a nation, we honour his service and mourn his passing." The death of Babcock marks the end of Canada's last living link to the Great War, which marked the country's coming of age as a nation. "In honouring his service and mourning his passing, we honour the proud history of our country and pay tribute to all those who fought and died for Canada," Harper said. "The passing of Mr. Babcock marks the end of an era. His family mourns the passing of a great man. Canada mourns the passing of the generation that asserted our independence on the world stage and established our international reputation as an unwavering champion of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law."
No comments:
Post a Comment