This week’s ‘Everyday Hero’ — Canadians who make a difference, but are too modest to sing their own praises — is a Canadian who bonded in a special way with a First World War soldier who died nearly a century ago.
Kevin Newman reports
Related: The ‘Soldier’ song
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KANATA, ON — For most kids of his age, ‘heroes’ come in the form of 3D animated characters blasting away aliens on gaming console.
It’s one the biggest worries for many Canadian veterans, who fear that Canada’s history of wartime commitments is being lost as more of our soldiers pass on.
But for 16-year-old Lucas Weisman, ‘hero’ comes in the form of Private Joseph Dunlop, who joined Canada’s military to liberate the German-fortified Vimy Ridge in northern France — a battle that many credit to Canada’s coming of age.
“He gave so much, like he was married, had a job, had four kids,” said Lucas. “And he gave this up to go over and be with the local men.”
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The Battle of Vimy Ridge began at dawn on April 9, pitting 30,000 Canadian soldiers against an unknown number of German combatants. The battle lasted three days, and by the end of it, Canada had suffered heavy losses: over 3,500 soldiers killed and 7,000 wounded.
But April 9 is also significant for three other reasons: it was the day when Pte. Dunlop was born, the same day he was injured on the first day of battle, and it is also the same day, some 80 years later, that Lucas was born.
“When I found out his birthday was on April 9, 1880, the same as mine and the same as the Vimy Ridge assault which he participated in, it was just one of the most amazing coincidences of my life,” says Lucas, who has spent the past five years researching all he can find about the famous battle.
But not the only coincidence.
In an apparent twist of destiny, the principal of Lucas’ school in Kanata, Ontario, is also the great-grandson of Pte. Dunlop.
“I think there is an affinity between the two,” said Peter Atkinson, who notes that few family stories remain of Dunlop and that Lucas’ interest is bringing the former Toronto brewery worker back to life. “I take Col. John MacRae’s famous poem ‘to you from failing hands is passed the torch,’ and I think that is what’s happening.”
On Saturday, Lucas will take part in an annual Remembrance Day march — to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, but also to raise money in the hopes of being one of 3,000 young Canadians who will have the chance to don a First World War uniform and travel to Vimy Ridge to mark the battle’s 90th anniversary memorial this coming Spring.
The name he hopes to wear on his uniform: Pte. Joseph Dunlop.
“Its going to be something I’ll remember the rest of my life,” said Lucas. “That I’ll tell my kids about. My grandkids about.”
…And holding the promise that the sacrifices of Everyday Heroes 90 years ago, will be bridged by this Everyday Hero: Lucas.
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