Historic piece of Canadian military history arrives in BC

SURREY, British Columbia, Nov. 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) is proud to announce today that the last known Centurion tank in Canada to be on the front lines during the Korean War arrived in British Columbia on Sunday, after a journey on CN’s network from Nova Scotia. The Centurion was loaded onto a rail car at the CN Yard in Dartmouth, NS on October 30 and arrived in Surrey, BC on Sunday morning. A.W. Liel, John Hunter Trucking Co., Total Transport & Rigging, Quiring Towing and Recovery, as well as Lumpy’s Lowbed Service all helped complete the coast-to-coast transfer.

Township of Langley Councillor Bob Long, and retired Major Ian Davidson Newby from the Western Museum of Armed Forces in Langley, reached out earlier this year to CN to help bring the tank to British Columbia. Through close collaboration between the Organization of Military Museums of Canada and the Cornwallis Military Museum Association, the Centurion tank was cleared for transfer. The tank had been on display at Cornwallis Park in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and would have served under the Commonwealth efforts in the Korean conflict, transferring to Canada in 1954.

 “We are incredibly proud of our Canadian Armed Forces and want to contribute to remembering the sacrifice of our soldiers and veterans,” said Keith Reardon, senior vice-president, consumer product supply chain. “This collaborative effort on behalf of the Western Museum of Armed Forces will keep this piece of Canadian military history on display for generations to come. I want to thank all of our supply-chain partners for their participation in this historic transportation. As we mark our 100^th anniversary, we are pleased to support this initiative that serves as a reminder of the role CN has played in moving goods, soldiers and the North American economy.”

Retired Major Ian Davidson Newby, who runs the Western Museum of Armed Forces in Aldergrove, was on hand to see the tank arrive in British Columbia.

“This Centurion tank is a cherished piece of Canadian military history, and I’m very thankful to CN and all the parties who helped bring it to our museum here in British Columbia,” said retired Major Newby. “Remembrance Day is about honouring those who served to help keep our country safe and secure, and this effort will ensure that we continue Canada’s strong tradition of being thankful for their sacrifice.”

After being lifted from the CN train, the tank will make its way to Langley to be on display during the Aldergrove Remembrance Day Ceremony on Monday. Langley regularly incorporates aspects of the Korean war into commemorations at Legions and during Remembrance Day events. The conflict saw more than 26,000 Canadians serve on land, at sea and in the air and cost 516 Canadians their lives.

CN is a true backbone of the economy transporting more than C$250 billion worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors, ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer goods, across a rail network of approximately 20,000 route-miles spanning Canada and mid-America. CN – Canadian National Railway Company, along with its operating railway subsidiaries – serves the cities and ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Chicago, Memphis, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America.