The City of London unveiled a new monument on Friday outside the Royal Canadian Regiment Museum on Oxford Street.
The monument is a replica of the LAV III and pays tribute to the service and sacrifice of the Canadian Armed Forces.
The vehicle is commonly used by Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan and is built in the General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) factory in east London.
Brigadier general Jocelyn Paul says he has fond memories of the vehicle, adding that a LAV III was like a soldier’s home away from home.
“We will eat in the vehicle, we will sleep in it, this is where your radios are so this is how you stay connected with the rest of the unit,” said Paul.
“You can be in the vehicle for days and days and days.”
A plaque that’s found on the side of the LAV III monument.
With the vehicles being constructed in the Forest City, Paul says he was very eager the first time he got to visit the hometown of the LAV III.
“The first time I had to come to London, my team told me, ‘we have to go to GDLS’,” said Paul.
“I was really, really impressed.”
During Friday’s unveiling, a tribute was held for fallen trooper Mark Wilson.
The London-born soldier was killed in action after stepping onto an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Wilson was only 39.
Speaking of the tribute, Wilson’s brother, Sean Wilson, said it was an honour to see his brother recognized.
“This monument also recognizes those men and women across our country… that went and did tours in Afghanistan,” said Wilson.
The LAV III monument is one of 33 that have been approved to be erected across the country, in order to honour the Canadian Armed Forces.
