The Inushuk at Bernièrs-sur-Mer

In the centre of Bernièrs-sur-Mer there is an Inukshuk which was erected by the town hall in memory of First National Canadians who died during the D-Day landings.

359 Canadian soldiers died on Juno Beach that day, and it is believed that 33 of them were First National Canadians. (First Nations are one of three recognised Indigenous Peoples in Canada, along with Inuit and Métis, and include Status and non-Status Indians.)

Accompanying the structure are the words ‘Inushuk, made on June 6, 2004 by Pierre Lebaron, of Bernièrs, in honour of Canada’s First Nations soldiers.

It is estimated that up to 8 000 Indigenous Peoples volunteered for the war effort in Europe with between 3 000 and 4 250 being Indians (including 72 women).

Participation was almost exclusively in the Army, as it was during WW1, as one of the criteria for joining the Airforce or Navy until 1942 and 1943 respectively, was that they be of pure ‘European descent and of the white race’. Add to this the substandard healthcare and schooling in the early 20th Century meant that few had the medical and educational standard required. Despite this, by mid war there were 29 members in the Airforce and nine in the Navy.

In the Army they mostly enjoyed respect and earned promotion through the ranks (the highest rank was a Brigadier), and immediately post-war their contribution was acknowledged and pressure led to reform, including changes to the Indians Act of 1951. However, after that the veterans were largely forgotten until a concerted campaign over many years led to a public apology and offers of compensation in 2001.  

At least 17 decorations for bravery in action were awarded after WW2.