N.S. soldier who died in Afghanistan to be honoured by navy ship named for his hometown
CTV
A navy ship will honour Sgt. Jimmy MacNeil, a Nova Scotia soldier who died in Afghanistan in 2010.
When the captain and crew from HMCS Glace Bay visit the town the navy ship is named for this weekend, they will arrive with a special honour in memory of a Glace Bay, N.S., soldier.
Sgt. Jimmy MacNeil was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on June 21, 2010.
On Saturday, his father and other family members will be at the Branch 3 Royal Canadian Legion where the officers' mess onboard the navy ship will be named in MacNeil's memory.
"It just feels like yesterday,” said Jimmy MacNeil Sr., of his son’s death. “I go up the graveyard every morning, 6:30, and I'm back out there in the evening every day."
Sgt. MacNeil has been well-remembered not only by his family, but by his whole community. His death left a permanent mark on his hometown.
"He was a soldier's soldier, that's right. That's a good way to put it,” said Sheldon MacNeil, second vice-president of the Branch 3 Legion. "(Sometimes peoples’ contributions) and in this case, this young man gave his life, are slowly forgotten about. I hope that this is not the case. I hope that this will be a thing that will never be forgotten."
