Field of Heroes: Sydney Mines space honours those who did not return from war

The Field of Heroes in Sydney Mines honours the men from that area who never came home after the war.

They call it the Field of Heroes – 138 white, wooden crosses on a patch of grass next to the cenotaph in Sydney Mines, N.S. It’s a space to honour the men from the community who went to war and did not return.

“They’re row on row, perfectly lined up,” said George MacIntosh, Sergeant-At-Arms at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 008. “The committee that does it does a great job.”

Seventy-six of the handmade crosses represent those who were killed during the First World War, along with 59 from the Second World War and one from the Korean War. There is also one cross each representing the merchant marines and the Unknown Soldier.

“People from all over Canada call wanting to know could they put up crosses for their father or mother as a veteran,” said MacIntosh. “We tell them no; it is only for the deceased members of the cenotaph but again the feedback in the community is awesome.”

The crosses were made by members of the Branch 008 Legion with help from a local contractor.

While the names are already engraved on the cenotaph next to the Field of Heroes, those behind the project say to see veterans’ names on the crosses hits a bit different – particularly during the community’s annual Remembrance Day ceremony.

“After the service, the people go down and they take pictures,” said Branch 008 president Bill Lannigan. “They take their grandchildren down, walk through and have a look. It’s amazing.”

“The cenotaph, people look at it as a monument,” MacIntosh added. “They pay more attention to the crosses.”

Each cross has been fitted with a light, giving the field a different look at night.

It’s a striking display in daylight too, particularly on a day when the flags that line the rows move in the wind.

“Beautiful and sad, but very proud to put them there,” said MacIntosh.

After each Remembrance Day, MacIntosh and Lannigan said the crosses are stored away until the next year and the Field of Heroes tradition is one that is expected to continue for years to come.

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