Centenary News in Brief this week includes: America marks its Memorial Day at cemeteries around the world; Canada announces funding to restore its Japanese Canadian War Memorial; the Help for Heroes 4×4 challenge reaches £750,000 in fundraising; and Australia commemorates the disappearance of submarine AE1.
American Memorial Day
Memorial Day was observed in America and at its military cemeteries around the world on the 26th May.
Services were held in particular prominence in America’s European cemeteries, notably in France.
Japan-Canada
The Canadian Minister for Veterans Affairs, Julian Fantino, has announced funding to help restore the Japanese Canadian War Memorial in Stanley Park. It honours Japanese Canadians who served and lost their lives in the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War.
Linda Kawamoto Reid, Chairperson of the Japanese Canadian War Memorial Committee said: “By restoring the cenotaph, we continue to remember, and honor the determination and sacrifices made for our great country, Canada”.
Help for Heroes
The Help for Heroes charity has raised £750,000 so far for its European 4×4 rally, which will see drivers set off on the 14th June 2014 on a twelve day rally to mark the anniversary of the D-Day landings and the Centenary of the First World War.
The teams will follow the path invading Allied troops made through France during the Second World War, and will also cover sites on the on the First World War Western Front.
Australia’s lost submarine
One of Australia’s first submarines, AE1, disappeared a month after the British Empire’s declaration of war on Germany in August 1914.
Vice Admiral Ray Griggs of the Australian Navy addressed dignitaries and family members of the submariners at a service held on the 24th May – the centenary of the launch of the submarine.
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News