Discovering Saskatoon’s hidden war museum - BERITAJA

The Nutana Legion has been successful Saskatoon since 1926 arsenic a spot for veterans to gather, but what galore group whitethorn not cognize is the hidden gem that lives successful the basement.

Walking down conscionable a fewer steps leads to 1 of the about historically rich | spots successful Saskatoon — the Saskatoon Museum of Military Artifacts (SMMA).

On Thursdays and Saturdays, visitors could spot Canadian subject artifacts from the First and Second World Wars, on pinch the warfare successful Afghanistan. Anyone looking to grow their knowledge could book unrecorded tours of the depository to observe in-depth really the men and women of Saskatchewan served their country.

Veteran Kevin Hicks, the task head of the museum, says the depository began arsenic a postulation of artifacts donated by veterans astatine the legion. As the postulation expanded, items were moved from the artifact room to the basement, wherever bigger displays could beryllium made.

“So, group travel here, they will spot what their Saskatoon is, their Saskatchewan, their Canadian forefathers really did,” says Hicks.

The depository besides serves arsenic a memorial for the galore men and women who mislaid who person mislaid their lives for Canada’s freedom.

“I’m wished to make judge that their names, their faces, are not forgotten,” shares Hicks. “We’ve had a mother of 1 of the fallen travel here, and the tears from her were genuine.”

Every point connected show has a very unsocial story, immoderate reliving the about gruesome times successful history. One that stands retired is simply a show called “A Father’s Letter,” sharing a father’s speech pinch his son’s commanding serviceman during the First World War.

“He says acknowledgment for the missive and the money you sent. It was 2 pounds backmost pay,” Hicks says. “And he said, for letting maine cognize that my boy had been killed, I didn’t know. And past he says, could you interaction the stretcher bearers and spot if my boy said thing earlier he died? Only I mislaid my different boy past year. And we person nary sons left.”

Vaughn Teasdale, the museum’s curator and archivist, goes done each donated item, tracing it backmost successful clip and helping families observe their ain history.

“We do characteristic stories about Saskatoon group here. You ne'er cognize if they travel here. They mightiness conscionable move up thing connected a past comparative of theirs,” says Teasdale.

If you are looking for a unsocial acquisition this summer, aliases conscionable looking to study much about Canadian history, the depository is the cleanable spot to visit. You whitethorn moreover get to meet Hicks adorable work dog, Ollie.

Watch the video supra to spot footage from immoderate of the exhibits.