Image of sculpture

By Connor Gunn

Exhibition Park unveils sculpture honouring Alberta war veterans

Dec 9, 2021 | 11:20 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – When you visit Lethbridge Exhibition Park you will now come across a beautiful piece of artwork honouring veterans of Alberta and Lethbridge as an Artillery City.

Created over the course of a year and a half, local artist Don Toney modelled the sculpture after the last Mons Gun to fire in WWI from the Lethbridge 39th Battery. It depicts a gun detachment of six horses and their riders towing a carriage and 18-pound field gun as used by the 20th, 39th, 61st and 78th Batteries of Lethbridge.

Glenn Miller, President, Lethbridge United Services Institute, says the artwork shows how significant Lethbridge was to WWI.

“This project celebrates the rich Alberta artillery heritage and, in doing so, honours the service, commitment and sacrifice of the Gunners throughout Alberta. The statue tributes their contributions to Canada, and ensure their stories live on through time.”

The statue will be permanently installed at Lethbridge & District Exhibition’s venue to recognize the Artillery units which first trained on the grounds.

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“Lethbridge & District Exhibition is proud to honour our historic roots that span over 124 years to our unique history with the armed forces,” explains Mike Warkentin, Chief Executive Officer, Lethbridge & District Exhibition.

“Our soil was originally home to the artillery during summer training before the Great War, and was activated as a staging area for the units which travelled overseas in both world wars. As we approach our 125th anniversary, we welcome Legacy of Alberta to its rightful home. We invite the community and all guests to our venue to experience this incredible work of art which celebrates our cultural significance in Canadian history in continued support of the men and women of the armed forces.”

A close-up image of the sculpture can be seen below.

Image from Exhibition Park

An Exhibition Park release notes, “The essence of this statue represents the heroic contributions which were made by all Gunners of Alberta. It commemorates the first truly Alberta Battery raised by Major John Stewart, the father of Artillery in Alberta, and those who he recruited from Edmonton, Calgary, and Lethbridge, to form the 20th Battery, which still resides in Lethbridge today.”

An image of the artist Don Toney can be viewed below.

Image of Don Toney