Yesterday five more veterans' banners were unveiled at the Swift Current Museum, ahead of Remembrance Day on Sunday.

This brings the total up to 20 that will be hanging in Memorial Park.

veteran banners 1 nov7

It was a unique year, as one of the veterans was still alive - present for the unveiling was 94-year-old Jerry Fyffe Smith, who was a wireless airgunner.

There was a good chuckle around the room when he helped lift the cover off his own banner, and joked "Hey, it's me."

jerry smith nov7

Jerry Smith, left, and Museum Director Lloyd Begley

Smith's son Gord was also there, and said it was a touching moment.

"I think it's a great idea, and like I said, it's especially special that my father can have a banner raised and he's still here to enjoy it. A lot of the service men didn't get that opportunity."

Gord said his father was deployed right at the end of the war to India and Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) where there were large bases, as there was thinking things would shift in that direction if the war continued. But the war did end without Smith seeing any active combat.

Lloyd Begley, who is the museum director, said it was only the second time a veteran was live for their banner unveiling.

The other veterans recognized were Ronald Murchie who was in the army during WWII, Donald Grant and Charles Griffin, who share a banner, were in the army during WWI, W.C. Les Armstrong, who was in the navy during WWII, and Robert C. Dahl, who was in the air force during WWII.