Colborne Legion hosts Knight Mendes Highway of Heroes Memorial Globe Nov. 11-12
COLBORNE — Colborne Legion is honoured to host the Highway of Heroes Memorial globe dedicated to the memory of Major Michelle Knight Mendes and the 158 Armed Forces veterans plus four civilians who travelled the Highway of Heroes after losing their lives in the war in Afghanistan.
The globe will be arriving at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, November 11, and remain on-site until Tuesday, November 13. All are welcome to visit this magnificent artistic tribute Remembrance Day afternoon, November 11, and during Colborne Legion open hours 2-6 p.m. Monday, November 12. Admission is free. All are welcome.
Metal artist Shawn Donnan of Horizon Metalworks, Stirling, with sister Kelly Baldock assisting, completed the metal globe called the Highway of Heroes Adoption Four One Hundred and Fifty Eight in Honour of Major Michelle Knight Mendes.
The work was commissioned by Kerri Tadeu who adopted the entire section of the Highway of Heroes, along with Cpl. Nick Kerr and Master Cpl. (Retired) Colin Fitzgerald. Twice a year for the last two years, the highway has been cleaned (344 km both ways) in honour of Tadeu’s good friend Major Michelle Knight Mendes who died in Afghanistan. Michelle was the daughter of Ron and Diane Knight of Grafton.
The memorial globe tells the grassroots story of how the Highway of Heroes started in 2002.
• The Highway of Heroes Memorial globe has four battle crosses to acknowledge the first four fallen soldiers of the Afghanistan war.
• The metal “ring” the memorial globe sits on has the 158 names of the fallen soldiers and the four names of the civilians killed in Afghanistan.
• The first four names of the fallen soldiers lines up with the four battle crosses.
• A Hercules aircraft with the image of soldiers carrying a fallen comrade on the aircraft is depicted in one scene.
• Six hearses acknowledge the devastating events on April 8, 2007 and July 4, 2007 when six soldiers were carried home along the Highway of Heroes (Hwy. 401 from Trenton to Toronto) with civilians and firefighters atop a bridge over the highway.
• An image of former Chief of Defense Staff General (retired) Walter Natynczyk saluting is on the memorial globe to acknowledge the incredible support Tadeu has received from him and acknowledge his service as the CDS during the time of the Afghanistan War.
* The letters “PPCLI” (Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry) are on the globe to acknowledge the first four soldiers that fell and the last soldier that fell were PPCLI.
• The damaged vehicle on the memorial is to acknowledge the civilians that were killed during the Afghanistan war.
• The Highway of Heroes image on the globe and the date “May 17 2006” acknowledge the death of ‘Canada’s daughter’, the first female to be killed in combat, Captain Nicola Goddard.
• A piece of metal from a military vehicle that was in Afghanistan encompasses the bottom of the memorial.
Donnan, like most Canadians, knows about the Highway of Heroes, but said it was a “very, very difficult design.mQuite a few hours of drawing to get it right. It was drawn on the globe three or four times and each time it would get better and better and the last time we went around we said – it’s perfect.”
Donnan said it was clear speaking to Tadeu about the passion she has for the fallen soldiers and Highway of Heroes: “It was an absolute honour to work on this. It was by far the most emotional globe I’ve done. Because of this (Afghanistan) and other world wars that were fought, I’m able to be in the shop doing this. This globe is a matter of national pride.”
— Pete Fisher
For more photos of the Highway of Heroes Adoption Four One Hundred and Fifty Eight in Honour of Major Michelle Knight Mendes click http://nesphotos.zenfolio.com/p264803370
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love