The Veteran Banner Program gained four new inductees yesterday, with the unveiling taking place at the Swift Current Museum. 

Started in 2016, the program has hung 41 banners in Memorial Park, with four new faces joining yesterday. 

John Burnett, Stoker 2/C Steven Senyk, Wallace M "Wally" Shirley, and Sgt Eldon Sidney Stewardson all served in World War II.

Mayor Al Bridal was in attendance, and said a few words before each man was introduced. 

"As an ongoing legacy project it ensures that future generations will have the opportunity to honor and remember local veterans with continued recognition and respect," he said. "The veteran banner project focuses on our community's veterans and service members who have unselfishly enlisted to protect and preserve our way of life from past to present. When the realization of their sacrifice hits closer to home, it elicits our emotions, our gratitude and awe, and these emotions in turn trigger remembrance."

museumbanners2Mayor Al Bridal saying a few words (photo by Kash Knight)

Museum Director, Melissa Shaw, introduced each veteran by sharing not only a bit of their journeys in the war, but also pieces of their lives outside of it.

"The Veteran Banner Program is so amazing because it helps us remember," she said. "It helps draw forward the importance of what these gentlemen and women did to bring forward our freedom. I really hope by hanging these banners in downtown, it helps our younger generations remember the importance. For the families, I truly hope that these banners give them the legacy and the pride that their families have served for."

To learn about John, Steve, Wally, and Eldon, read their write ups below:

John Burnett

John Burnett was born November 9th, 1919 to Walter and Jane Burnett. His siblings were Jean, Walter, David, Agnes and Isobel. He attended Swinton School, a small country school, southwest of Swift Current.

In 1941, John enlisted for military service in Regina. He joined the sixth Anti-Tank Regiment at Petawawa, Ontario, and sailed from Debert Camp on the Queen Mary, destined for England. John saw duty in Belgium, Holland, France and Germany. He was discharged in 1946 and headed home to the prairies and Saskatchewan. He farmed in the summer and did electrical work in the winter - a trade he learned in the army. He never talked about the War, but he did keep a large collection of red poppies in his desk.

He married Lillian Targerson and together they raised their five boys: Lester, Lyle, Douglas, Dean, and Garth. The boys all married and 12 grandchildren completed their family.

Stoker 2/C Steven Senyk

Steven Stanley Senyk was born March 5, 1919 to Joseph and Dora Senyk in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

He was the third of six children born in the family. Bill and Anne were his older siblings and Mike, Rose and Joyce joined the family after him. Steve attended school at Oman and S.C.C.I. and was a member of St. Stephen's Anglican Church where there is a plaque to his memory.

In 1939 Steve went to B.C. to visit his older siblings and on August 7, 1939 he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy at Esquimalt, B.C. before the outbreak of the Second World War. Steve's ship went to Hawaii in 1939 but he returned home on leave for Christmas that year which was the last time he saw his family.

In May of 1940 Steve was transferred to the HMCS Fraser, an escort to ocean convoys sailing from Halifax. He was a 2/C stoker on board the Fraser. The Fraser was tasked to join the destroyer HMCS Restigouche and cruiser HMS Calcutta on Operation Ariel to rescue 4,000 refugees trapped by the Germans on the coast of Bordeaux, France. Following the successful evacuation of St. Jean de Luz, the three ships were lining up to return to England, when in rough seas and poor visibility, the Fraser was in collision with the Calcutta. The Fraser split into three pieces losing 47 of its 181 sailors in the Gironde estuary on June 25, 1940. Steven Senyk, at age 21, was one of those lost in Canada's first naval disaster of WWII. He is remembered on the Halifax Memorial in Nova Scotia and in the hearts of his two surviving sisters and six nieces and their families.

Wallace M "Wally" Shirley

Wallace M "Wally" Shirley was born in Swift Current to Alma and Oscar Shirley on February 19, 1926. Oscar was a grain buyer and as a result, in dad's youth, they moved around southwest Saskatchewan. Wally went to school primarily in Scotsguard but also lived in Admiral and Beverley. In 1943, at the age of 17 1/2, Wally joined the Royal Canadian Navy, training at the Naval Training Base in Regina. He served as an electrician on the "HMS Jamaica" and later the "HMCS Ontario", which were cruisers. While on the Jamaica, he journeyed from Liverpool, England, with supplies, travelling in the Irish Sea to the Norwegian Sea to Spitzbergen, crossing the Arctic Circle. They then went back to Scapa Flow base on the north coast of Scotland, then to Iceland for convoy escort duty, sailing Murmansk, Kola Bay, mainly above the Arctic Circle, then back down to Scapa working their way to Edinburgh, then Portsmouth. After a brief leave back home, he was posted to a new ship "HMCS Ontario". There were five people on the ship from Swift Current. In 1945, they were the first and as it happened, last crew to board her since the war ended while on board. She was built in Belfast, Ireland. They sailed to Liverpool for supplies, then through the Irish Sea, south to the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean to Malta, picking up mail in Gibraltar. then back to the Mediterranean and to the Port of Valletta, Malta. They went through the Suez Canal by way of Port Said. Victory in Japan (VJ) was declared September 2, 1945. They sailed to the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to an anchorage Trin Colalea on the east coast. As peace had been declared their previous destination of Australia was diverted to the Indian

Ocean, Straits of Malacca, The Japanese had placed mines all through this area but they were the first ship in peacetime to pass through the Straits which lie between Sumatra and Malaysia. They then travelled north to Hong Kong and spend four months in the harbour for security as there were Japanese prisoners in Hong Kong. As an electrician he was not called ashore to do guard duty on the Japanese. After leaving Hong Kong they travelled to Manilla. Japanese ships and their crews were in port where they had surrendered. They covered up all their guns so that the Japanese could not see their new radar equipment as everything was new on the ship. They then travelled to Guam, followed by Hawaii, then docked at Esquimalt, on Vancouver Island. Wally was discharged January 30, 1946 at the "HMCS Queen" naval base in Regina and returned to Swift Current where he married Ellen Aitken on April 3, 1946. They had six children. He began working with Canada Post in 1947 as a letter carrier. He delivered the first door to door Canada Post letter in Swift Current. He enjoyed delivering the mail and talking to the people on his route. As only veterans could apply he took his job and service with great pride. He had a mind for addresses and associated people in the city with their addresses such as 500 block of 5th NW. He later took on becoming Postal Officer Supervisor. Wally remained with Canada Post for 38 years. Wally for a lifetime Legion member. In his spare time Wally enjoyed farming the land of one of his long time friends, travelling around the world with Ellen, and spending time with her and their friends and family. He was very passionate about garage sales. He was also very generous and thoughtful of others, putting their needs before his own.

In 2010 they moved to Prairie Pioneers Independent Living in Swift Current.. He passed away May 19, 2015 at the age of 89. His family is proud and honoured to unveil this banner in his remembrance.

Sgt Eldon Sidney Stewardson

Eldon lived in Saskatchewan in a family of 1 brother and 1 sister, and 2 half-brothers and 1 half-sister, in Shauvavon, Davidson, Regina, Swift Current, and Prince Albert. He enlisted at Dundurn and was placed in the 16/22 Saskatchewan Horse at that time. His brother recalls that the 16/22 was based in Swift Current at the time he enlisted. Eldon had spent time with the militia in Swift Current before WWII. He was sent to basic training after enlisting and somewhere along the line he was transferred to another unit and earned his sergeant stripes. He went overseas and was transferred to Europe after D-Day and served in front line unit. He was transferred to a British army tank battalion. Eldon was killed in Belgium on November 1, 1944 while with that British battalion, and he is buried at New Ostende Cemetery in Belgium, interesting enough as the only Canadian army in that cemetery. There is a lake named after Eldon, Stewardson Lake, north of Cree lake in Saskatchewan.