Our Association has chosen the Rifle with the helmet on top as our Symbol of Remembrance. In the wars it was used to mark a fallen soldier and we want to continue this tradition and have it symbolize ALL of Canada's fallen soldiers.

In a fierce battle such as Epsom, it is often the unexpected difficulty that can suddenly undermine the moral of new troops, and the problem of finding the wounded might have brought about a situation of that kind.

It may be recalled that the opening stages of this offensive were fought in fields of corn about 2-1/2 feet high. A soldier who is hit in this situation will fall to the ground and be invisible to stretcher-bearers who are looking for him. His comrades know this, but they have to go on with the advance. They are also well aware that a wounded man may die if he is left unattended to long.

Added to this knowledge, the sight and sound of the wounded can create tensions to great for soldiers unused to battle. In Epsom the simple and effective solution from the First World War was used. When a soldier was down a comrade would stop and stick the rifle with bayonet into the ground beside the wounded soldier, then place his helmet on top of the butt. The stretcher-bearers could then be guided to the wounded man quickly and from a distance. This drill has become almost universal. It was always a poignant sight to gaze on these rifles topped with tin helmets, which looked like strange fungi sprouting up haphazardly through the corn fields.