The St. Thomas University T-Ring dates back to the 1940s. After the Second World War, the father of former minister of post-secondary education, training and labour Tom Mann used it to propose to Mann’s mother, according to Jeffrey Carleton, STU’s associate vice president of communications.
With Remembrance Day around the corner, stories like this often come to mind.
Names of former STU students and faculty are etched on a plaque dedicated to fallen soldiers on STU’s lower campus. The story of Raymond Young is one of them.
Young was a sergeant with the North Shore New Brunswick Regiment who died on June 28, 1944, according to Veteran Affairs. Young survived D-Day, one of the pivotal events of the Second World War, according to records by the North Shore New Brunswick Regiment
Another man, Father Raymond Hickey was part of STU’s faculty when he joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a chaplain for the North Shore New Brunswick Regiment in September 1939. He wrote a novel titled Scarlet Dawn in 1949, which recalls his wartime experiences. Hickey was awarded a military cross for bravery under fire on D-Day. He died September 1987.
To Benjamin Hallewell, a second-year STU student and member of the Canadian Armed Forces, Remembrance Day is the most important day of the year.
“It is a time that the public not only goes and give gratitude to the fallen who have paid the ultimate cost, for which there is an un-payable debt to, but they also show support to Canadians who are currently first responders and current members of Canadian Armed Forces,” Hallewell said.
Hallewell is a naval combat informative operator with the naval reservists in the Canadian Armed Forces. He enrolled in the military in April 2015 and completed basic training in February which included the history of the Canadian Armed Forces, ethic values, drill training and three weeks at bootcamp.
“[This] is among the biggest achievements I have accomplished in life to this date,” he said.
Hallewell moved to Canada four years ago and is a first-generation Canadian. When he lived in the United Kingdom, Hallewell was part of the Air Training Corps which is similar to Canada’s cadets. He said part of the reason why Hallewell joined the military was because of his family’s history.
Hallewell’s grandfather served in the British Royal Navy during the Second World War. On D-Day, he was on a warship where he fired shots at the beach.
When Hallewell’s grandfather passed away, he inherited his medals from the war. His grandfather’s role in the war was one of the reasons Hallewell decided to join the navy.
This year’s Remembrance Day service will take place on Nov. 8 at 11 a.m. Carleton said the ceremony is an opportunity for students to reflect on former STU students.
“Take a moment to reflect on peace in our land and peace in our time and what that means.”
With files from Jasmine Gidney
