Our Eternal Love And Gratitude Is With You Always

In Loving Memory of Braun Scott Woodfield. Braun remains a Canadian soldier who gave his life in Afghanistan so that others might live in freedom without fear. His name lives on, inscribed on the war memorial below which is located at Queen's Square, Cambridge, Ont. Visit him sometime...he would appreciate it.


                 

Pte. Braun Scott Woodfield, from Eastern Passage, N.S., was killed on Nov. 24, 2005 in Afghanistan when his LAV-III armoured vehicle flipped over.

His portrait, along with the other 156 Canadian soldiers, sailors and air crew who lost their lives in Afghanistan in the past decade, is now preserved on a mural called the Portraits of Honour.

Artist David Sopha, with the support of Kin Canada, has been bringing the mural across Canada. The tour began in May and is scheduled to wrap up in December. The tour has been stopping and visiting the hometowns of fallen soldiers so families and friends can have a chance to see their loved ones' images.

"You see the face, you can see his eyes, his smile. His smile is awesome," said Braun's father, Dan "Woody" Woodfield.

Woodfield, his wife Charline Collette and his step-son Sean Hicks came from St-Antoine to the Moncton Legion branch #6 yesterday to see the display. Having his son and all the other soldiers' memories preserved in this way is special because it puts a face on all the lives lost.

"This is a great honour to them," said Woodfield.

The Portraits of Honour is a way of preserving their memory, said Al Johnston, president of the Legion branch #6.

"To see the pictures of the folks that are there, you can really put a face to the name. To have their portraits there, it's great."

The 157 portraits are painted on a three-metre-by-16-metre canvas against a black background littered with poppy leaves.

Sopha is in the process of painting 116,000 poppy leaves to honour every Canadian who has been killed in combat since the First World War.

"Right now, I have 82,136 poppy petals done."

Being a Legion member, Sopha wanted to honour every person who sacrificed their life for our country, he said.

"I knew it was going to be a huge undertaking, but it has been very rewarding."

In December of 2008, Sopha heard there had been 100 Canadian troops killed in Afghanistan, he said.

"That morning, they had 100 little faces staring at me on the front of the newspaper and I just felt that I had to do something for them. I just felt compelled to do something for them."

Since touring across the country, Sopha said most people he's met had no idea there were so many Canadians killed.

"That morning there were 100, now we have 157 on there."

The biggest challenge for Sopha was capturing the soldiers' spirit, he said.

"As an artist you feel very passionate when you look into people's eyes. You get an idea of what the person was like. You feel their compassion, their way of feeling."

Sopha feels an obligation to each portrait and to each of their families to make it special and perfect.

He's taken the time to get to know each soldier, sailor and air crew as he's done their picture, he said.

"I know every one of them on a first-name basis. I want to know every one of them. I want to meet every family."

Bringing the Portraits of Honour on the road is a way of allowing everyone to come and show their respect to the people who sacrificed their lives in Afghanistan, he said.

"We're not just honouring the men and women who died. We're helping their families' grieving process. They know that their children aren't going to be forgotten. I think that's so important."

The Portraits of Honour is showing the world that Canada knows how to treat its fallen. Sopha has been contacted by people in the United States, England, France and Belgium, saying what a great thing Canadians are doing, he said.

"I feel very proud to be a part of it. Very proud. I have a hard time accepting praise for it because it's not about me, it's about them, these young men and women who have done amazing things in Afghanistan."

Sopha has been an air brush artist for 38 years, but has spent the last couple of years - or over 6,700 hours - volunteering his time to work on this mural, he said.

"Once I started painting this, I realized that it was too important. I realized that Canadians had to see it."

The most rewarding thing for Sopha is helping the families and friends of the fallen soldiers through the grieving process, he said.

"You've taken the number off my child and put a face to the name. You're keeping them alive in the hearts of everyone, by looking into their eyes."

Sopha has seen firsthand how the Portraits of Honour helps the grieving process, he said.

"I've had soldiers drop to their knees and cry and say 'thanks Dave, you've given me the opportunity to look into my buddy's eyes and say goodbye.'"

Today, the Portraits of Honour tour is on its way to Truro, N.S. For more information about the tour and to see its schedule, visit www.portraitsofhonour.ca.