Today is the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War 1.

Bill Richards is the Former President of the Steinbach Legion. He says World War 1 is becoming distant history and is much more difficult to remember with the last veterans of the war passing away a number of years ago. He notes there were quite a few people from the Southeast that joined the war effort.

"Our estimates are between 25 and 40 and records are scarce because lets face it, it was 100 years ago. At that time the population of southeastern Manitoba was very small, the locals were very pacifist at that time as well and further, there was a need for agriculture to feed the troupes so that was what the people of the Southeast concentrated on was providing food."

Richards says there are three men from southeastern Manitoba that died in action in WWI that we recognize at our Remembrance Day service. He says they are Peter Friesen from Kleefeld, John Gory from Giroux, and Thomas Hasted.

Richards says he is one of the only direct descendants of a WWI veteran that he knows of here in the Southeast. He says his grandfather Hiram Neale enlisted and fought with the Black Watch at the Battle of the Somme.

"His regiment was tasked with relieving the Australians and New Zealanders who had not been able to break through the German lines and he was wounded in that course of action. My grandfather was also one of the first to be gassed when gas was first introduced in World War 1, he tells stories about being gassed, he also tells stories about the first tanks that came to the battlefield and how shocking they were."

Richards says WWI was a particularly horrendous war with terrible conditions including endless months in the trenches, trench foot, rats, and thousands of people sacrificed during the back and forth fighting that the war is known for.

Richards says it is especially important that Canadians remember WWI as it was important to our history. He notes at the beginning of the war in 1914, Canada only had a population of 8,000,000 and almost 500,000 served overseas.

"Canada, up until this point, was basically just considered a part of the British Commonwealth. Canada sacrificed a lot but we were a major participant in this brutal conflict and when the Treaty of Versailles was signed, Canada signed as a separate nation, not as part of the British Commonwealth so that was important."

Richards adds the Battle of Vimy Ridge was also a big moment in Canadian history as it was largely led by Canadians and was a tremendous victory that basically broke the back of the Germans. He notes even though WWI is now 100 years ago, it is important that we remember the huge sacrifice that thousands of men and women made for us.