An exhibit to honour veterans from Wellington and Hillier is on display at the Wellington Heritage Museum.

The exhibit shares the lives and experiences of those who served in WWI and WWII. Items loaned by veterans’ families are combined with pieces from the museum’s collection to give a vivid picutre of life on the front lines as well as here at home.

Each of the four walls are laden with pictures of veterans with close local ties. Each photograph has a biography attached. Newspaper clippings of lost 19-year-old soldiers and letters home about bloody battles provide a sobering look into life in wartime.

“We hope the stories shared will help visitors to comprehend the multitude of experiences faced during wartime, and the significant impact these conflicts had on our little corner of the world,” said Jessica Chase, Curator for The County Museums. “These stories help those of us who have never been directly affected by conflict to better understand its devastating impact on those who served and their families. Every family in PEC has a story, and the more perspectives shared, the better.”

Memorabilia in cases around the room suggest elements of life both on the European and the home fronts. Baseball caps worn by a veteran playing for a Wellington team, or instruments of the time, remind us it was everyday people who put their lives on the line in service and defence of their country.

Special contributions such as the Royal Red Cross, Second Class, show just how significant the local community was to war efforts.

“Royal Canadian Legion Branch 160 in Wellington recently donated a Royal Red Cross, Second Class (medal) that was presented to WWI Nursing Sister Mabel Hubbs in 1918 – likely after she survived an air raid and explosion at No. 1 Canadian General Hospital where three other nursing sisters were killed. We’re thrilled to include it in the display this year,” Ms. Chase said. 

The combination of the retellings of the horrors of war, juxtaposed with elements of life at home  makes for a powerful exhibit. It puts the visitor in a place of solemn reflection and admiration. It is a reminder not only of sacrifice, but why it was made, and more importantly, what got left behind.

“Wellington Remembers highlights the stories behind the faces on the memorial banners. It isn’t just a series of black and white photographs – they were people with childhoods, careers, hobbies, and families,” says Ms. Chase.

Wellington Remembers runs until November 29. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 1-4 p.m.