Today is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada.

Each year, Canadians pause on September 30th to recognize the children who perished and the Survivors of Canada’s residential school system. It is a day which encourages public commemoration of the ongoing impacts of residential schools and the importance of intentional reconciliation.

Running from the 1800s to the late 20^th century, government-sponsored residential schools were operated by Christian churches to assimilate Indigenous children into mainstream Euro-Canadian society. First Nations, Inuit, Innu, and Métis children were forcibly separated from their families, systemically abused, and prohibited from expressing their heritage, cultures, identities, and languages.

Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has estimated that at least 6,000 children died as a result of physical abuse, malnutrition, disease and neglect in residential schools.

In recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which coincides with the Indigenous-led Orange Shirt Day, we would like to share the story of Wilfred Obediah of Six Nations of the Grand River – a Second World War Veteran who left the residential school system at 14 and enlisted in the Canadian war effort four years later.

Many thanks to Juno Beach Centre guide Inez Wirawan, who researched Obediah’s story as part of her work at the JBC.

Members of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders “holding the line” near Caen in June, 1944. (Photo: LAC-BAC)

On the night of July 7^th, 1944, Wilfred Obediah listened to the thunderous clatter as thousands of tons of Allied explosives were dropped on German defenses near Caen.

It was likely a night with little sleep, yet at 10:45am the next morning, Obediah and his comrades in the North Nova Scotia Highlanders began their advance towards the village of Authie. By 3:45pm, the town had been successfully captured by the Highlanders, but at great cost. Two-hundred-and-one men became casualties. About 55 of those died – including Wilfred Obediah.

Wilfred Obediah.

Born February 1, 1925 to Ada and Ernest Obediah, Wilfred grew up on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve in Ontario. As a child, he attended Mohawk Institute – one of Canada’s longest-running residential schools. The institution opened in 1831 and was operated by the Anglican Church of Canada. It finally closed in 1970.

The abuse of Indigenous students at Mohawk Institute is well documented. While no known records of Wilfred’s experience exist today, many Survivors have shared stories of abuse and neglect at the school.

“Our whole environment here and at school was one of violence,” Mohawk Institute Survivor Dawn Hill told the CBC in 2021. “They didn’t call me by Dawn. My number was 54, my sister was 34. So if they wanted to talk to me, they’d say, ‘number 54 come here.’”

After it’s closure, the Mohawk Institute building became the site of the Woodland Cultural Centre. The Centre serves to preserve, promote and strengthen Indigenous language, culture, art and history. (Photo: Woodland Cultural Centre)

Wilfred attended the Mohawk Institute until he was 14 years old, when he left to find work that would support his mother and siblings. He spent the next four years working in various factories until he was conscripted under the National Resources Mobilization Act after he turned 18. He immediately volunteered for overseas service.

Private Obediah landed in France three days after the D-Day landings as a reinforcement originally destined for the Highland Light Infantry (HLI) of Canada with the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade. But when the HLI took only light casualties in their first week ashore, Wilfred transferred into the North Nova Scotia Highlanders (also with the 9th) instead. After a successful landing, the 9th Brigade were ordered to advance towards Caen and despite intense opposition, held the line for over a month.

This map shows the battle for Caen in which Wilfred Obediah died. The movement of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders is shown with an arrow labelled “Nth N S HIGHRS.”

Then, on July 8th, while advancing towards Authie, Wilfred gave his life. Caen was liberated the next day.

Through the course of her research on Wilfred Obediah, JBC guide Inez Wirawan learned that in his spare time Wilfred liked to play pool, cards, and went to the movie theatre every week. He smoked heavily and got drunk occasionally. Mostly, Wilfred liked sports and was known to be an “enthusiastic and gifted athlete” who loved softball, hockey and swimming.

The epitaph on Wilfred’s headstone in the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery reads:

“Gone from us but leaving memories that will always linger while upon this earth we stay.”

…

Today, on Canada’s National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, we invite you to explore the resources below:

• Find out about Indigenous contributions to Canada’s Second World War effort
• Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action
• Learn More About Orange Shirt Day
• Explore this Truth and Reconciliation Educational Package from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and Canada’s History Society
• Read a diverse collection of in-depth articles about Indigenous peoples, their cultures, traditions, territories, history and more
• Learn more about the many facets of Reconciliation and discover related programs through the Indigenous-led charity Reconciliation Canada