New monument in Winnipeg commemorates the war in Afghanistan

Winnipeg’s Army Reserve unit is paying tribute to Canadians who fought on the front lines with a new memorial.

On Sunday, the Fort Harry Horse Regiment unveiled a memorial to the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) 3 used by the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan during the war.

“The LAV 3 was used extensively by our troops in Afghanistan to carry out their missions, and often became their home away from home,” said Marie Claire Ouellette, managing director of Canada Company, one of the presentation partner organizations. “They were always supported by the LAV machine.”

More than 40,000 CAF Regular Forces and Reserve personnel served in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014, according to the unit. Of these, more than 150 people died, including several Manitobans.

“(The monument) honors the service of our Afghan soldiers, but not just the soldiers who served, but the soldiers who returned, who were wounded, both physically and mentally,” said former honorary Colonel Bob Williams. “Now we have a place where you can nod to say thank you.”

Members of the regiment believe that this monument is the only one in all of Winnipeg dedicated to operations in Afghanistan.

“We have six soldiers from Manitoba who made the ultimate sacrifice serving in Afghanistan for their country. We will remember this,” Williams said.