Winnipeg man finds grandfather’s name at memorial decades after his death

This Remembrance Day was especially meaningful for one Winnipeg man, who recently discovered a personal connection to the First World War.

Wayne Suggitt typically spends November 11 at his father’s grave, but after recently learning from a family member that his grandfather served in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, he decided to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony on Sunday.

“I knew he was in World War One, but I had no idea he fought at Vimy Ridge,” he said.

In the 19 years Suggitt spent with his grandfather, it was never mentioned.

“It’s not something that was talked about when we were young,” he said.

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According to current personnel, it was common for veterans to keep their war memories to themselves.

“They might have felt that they didn’t want to burden their family members with the memories of their service overseas,” Capt. William Huculak told Global News. “But people are interested.”

Someone had told Suggitt about a memorial at Winnipeg’s Vimy Ridge Park, and a plaque that likely includes his grandfather’s name.

After Sunday’s event on Valour Road, he drove to the park where he found Willam Hill, his grandfather’s name, engraved on a plaque sitting in the middle of the grounds.

Suggitt also discovered that his grandfather was a prisoner of war.

“Emotional, very emotional,” he said.

“I’ll probably come here every year.”