Alexander Brass was able to return to his home and family, a family that supported his conviction to enlist. All soldiers know that their families volunteer with them. He returned with no recognition from outside his community. Alex and his family suffered from PTSD which ended up taking Alex's life, an unrecognized hero.
From Family - "When they volunteered, we volunteered to see them go and risk their lives for our freedom and the freedom of all Canadians. Is it freedom living with PTSD day to day though? Reliving the horror of death? We had no support, we were left to pick up the pieces ourselves. We were never the same again. There is hope and healing though in recognition of mental health and its effects on the soldiers and those who suffer alongside them."
Story shared with permission from family
Read about the accomplishments of a few of these good men in Remembrance of the Indigenous contributions in protecting Canada
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Charles Henry Byce, Chapleau, Ontario
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William Cleary, Innu, Pointe-Bleue, Quebec
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Edwin Victor Cook, Alert Bay, BC
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Sam Glade, Mi’kmaq, Nova Scotia
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David Greyeyes, Muskeg Lake Cree Band, Saskatchewan
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David Keesick, Ojibwa
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Tom Charles Longboat, Onondaga, Six Nations Grand River Reserve, Ontario
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George McLean; Nk’maplqs (Head of the Lake) Okanagan Indian Band, BC
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Oliver Milton Martin, Mohawk, Six Nations Grand River Reserve, Ontario
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Big Feather Dr. Gilbert Monture, Mohawk, Six Nations Reserve, Ontario
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Henry Louis Norwest, Metis, Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta
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Francis Pegahmagabow, Ojibway, Wasauksing First Nation, Ontario
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Joseph Roussin, Mohawk, Kanehsatà:ke Band, Quebec
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Alexander Jr. Smith, Six Nations, Ontario
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Charles Smith, Six Nations, Ontario
Noteworthy Reads
Canadian Indigenous Code Talkers Remain Unacknowledged
November 05, 2020
In WWII, the German's Enigma code was broken by the Polish and the Germans broke the British naval codes. "The weak links in coded messages were the reliance on recognized language and numerical systems ... Enter the Indigenous 'code talkers' whose messages were undecipherable" (ictinc.ca)
Indigenous Veterans: Equals on the Battlefields, But Not at Home
November 09, 2021
Teachings from Bob Joseph, President of
Indigenous War Heroes - More Than a Few Good Men
https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/indigenous-war-heroes-good-men
Reproduced with the permission of Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. www.ictinc.ca
Remembering those who never left the battlefield, those who freely left their homes, not knowing if they would ever be allowed back into their communities, to fight in wars to protect a Country that was not kind to them.
In the spirit of reconciliation, we settlers, and now Canadian's, stand with you for a unified Canada, we are sorry that you were treated so unkindly, please forgive us.
Meegwetch for your
honour, bravery, courage, discipline
and skills as code talkers
As a small token of gratitude, please select an image to save and tell the story of your loved one or honour someone that you know - Heart of the Nations would be honoured to display your family's story just as above or send back to you for your own personal use. If you'd like one made for you pls send an email.
Send your stories to reconciliation@heartofthenations.ca
