Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 25/02) - When a new poster for War Veterans Week was unveiled in Ottawa earlier this month, it featured an unlikely poster boy: a Grade 12 student from Yellowknife.

Brendan Matthews, a student at Sir John Franklin high school, is seen on the poster standing over the grave from which Canada's unknown soldier's remains were exhumed just over two years ago.

"I was kind of surprised. I had no idea I was going to be on this," Matthews said about his appearance on the poster commemorating Canadian war veterans.

The photo was taken in April of this year, when Matthews and 12 other teenagers from across Canada travelled to France to take part in a commemorative ceremony marking the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Looking at the photo, Matthews said he was thinking about the unknown soldier, now buried at a monument in Ottawa, as he stood over the grave.

"I just thought about how, a few years ago, this is where a soldier had been buried," he said.

"For someone to do that, go to war for us, I think is something we have to always keep in our minds."

Janice Summerby, a spokesperson for Veterans Affairs Canada, said the photo of Matthews was chosen for its symbolism.

"This shows the link between youth of today, remembering the sacrifices of the past," she said, adding that the average age of Second World War vets is 80 years old.

Summerby's message is echoed by Matthews.

"We must always remember the price paid by our forefathers in their fight for liberty and freedom," he said.

"I am always moved when I think of the many Canadians who died at Vimy, Beaumont-Hamel and other battles, who were the same age as I am. Their sacrifice can never be forgotten."