A new mural in South Burnaby is serving as a poignant reminder of Canadians who have served the country in war.
The painting on the side of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #83 depicts four soldiers in the clouds above a poppy field graveyard. A Canadian flag, the silhouette of a saluting cadet and the phrase “Lest we forget” also adorn the mural.
The four soldiers each represent those who died in combat in four different conflicts: the First World War, Second World War, Korean War and the War in Afghanistan. The painting does not depict specific fallen fighters but instead represents the many who fell in each war, Legion president Barry Schnerch explained.
Schnerch commissioned the mural from artists Ela Maftei and Mihai Darvasa.
The mural was painted to remind passersby of the sacrifices Canadian soldiers have made and the work the legion continues to do to support veterans and their families, he said.
“You have remembrance day, which is one day out of the full year,” Schnerch said, noting that the mural will stand year-round. “They didn't just fight one day. They fought all year round.”
Schnerch said he’s already heard parents and grandparents explain to youngsters the mural’s significance, meaning the art is having its desired effect.
