The Royal Canadian Legion in Ridgetown is planting an oak with its roots in the First World War.
After the Battle at Vimy Ridge was won 100 years ago, Canadian solider Leslie Miller surveyed the barren landscape in search of a souvenir. Not a tree was left standing.
"But he did find some acorns," says Larry Garside, a member of the Ridgetown legion. "He brought a handful of acorns home and planted them on his farm in Scarborough ... and today the trees that he planted are producing acorns."
Those acorns were subsequently collected a few years ago and raised in a nursery. The 'Vimy Oaks' are now being distributed to cenotaphs or legion halls from across the country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge this year.
"We just want to celebrate the battle. It was a fairly major accomplishment by the Canadians, albeit a bittersweet accomplishment," Garside says.
The Ridgetown Legion will plant its tree at the branch on Main St., at 2pm on Tuesday.
