A5

By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

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Frederictonians will join a cross-ocean salute to Canada's First World War dead Tuesday as part of a week-long event leading up to Remembrance Day.

Starting Tuesday at 5 p.m. at the University of New Brunswick's Alumni Memorial Building, the names of 2,400 New Brunswickers who died during the Great War will be flashed onto the grey-green slate wall on the inside of the building. About 27,000 New Brunswick residents served overseas during the war.

For eight seconds at a time, the names of the men and women, soldiers and seamen who died on foreign soil will be remembered.

An official ceremony starts at 4:30 p.m. at 13 Bailey Dr. on the UNB campus.

In England, Queen Elizabeth will be at Canada House in Trafalgar Square on Tuesday at 5 p.m. for the launch.

"At 5 o'clock, we'll start here and at 5 o'clock in each city, it will happen," said Lee Ellen Pottie, executive director of the New Brunswick Provincial Capital Commission, which was asked by Premier Shawn Graham to co-ordinate the event in Fredericton.

"For instance, my grandfather had a relative and his name is going at 12:05 a.m. on (Wednesday)," Pottie said.

It's important to check the time if you want to see the tribute for your deceased relative, she said.

In order to find the name of your relative - grandfathers or grandmothers for many survivors - visit www.1914-1918.ca or wwww.historysociety.ca/vigil.

"What ties it in with UNB is the fact that there were 35 alumni and faculty who lost their lives," Pottie said. "When you consider the community in 1914-18, there were only a couple of faculties - arts, science, the forestry group and biology."

The Alumni Memorial Building was constructed in 1955 as a remembrance to UNB's fallen.

"The stained glass windows were donated by families," Pottie said. "It's a continuing memorial."

Toronto actor R.H. Thomson, who created the highly personal play The Lost Boys, based on letters written home by his five great-uncles who fought in the First World War, is the co-creator of this tribute project with lighting designer Martin Conboy.

Their concept was to honour the soldiers who died overseas and who are buried overseas or whose remains have never been found.

"It's a way to bring them home ... to repatriate the soldiers, and it's not just soldiers because there were women who died, sailors who died, women as nurses. It's not just men and it's not just soldiers. It was those who were involved in the Great War because they didn't bring them home then."

Students and teachers are invited to find lesson links on the national website, Pottie said.

The New Brunswick project is facilitated by the capital commission in partnership with UNB, Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, the premier's office, New Brunswick Command Royal Canadian Legion and Veterans Affairs Canada.