Monument in Nova Scotia Pays Tribute to Eight Brothers who Served in the Second World War

A new memorial was recently dedicated in a small Nova Scotia community to honor eight brothers whose story of service in the Second World War had been almost forgotten locally.

The Harvie brothers from Gormanville, N.S., all served in Europe—six returned home, while two died and are buried overseas.

A black granite monument now bears the names and photos of Avard, Burrell, Edmund, Ernest, Ervin, Garnet, Marven, and Victor Harvie. It is located in a small memorial park near their hometown, beside the Royal Canadian Legion branch in Noel, N.S.

The number eight is prominently inscribed in the center of the memorial.

The idea for the monument in the town, about 70 kilometers north of Halifax, came from legion president Jeff Thurber, who learned about the Harvie brothers’ story around the time of his branch’s Remembrance Day service last year. He found their names in a memorial book kept by the legion.

Thurber was intrigued by his discovery but realized that over the years, the brothers’ story had been forgotten. The last surviving brother, Garnet, passed away in 2000.

“There wasn’t even a plaque to commemorate them,” Thurber said in a recent interview. “I’m sure everyone in the area was aware of them at the time they served, but then of course, their story just disappeared.”

Victor Harvie, 83, whose father Ernest served with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders during the war, mentioned in an interview that he knew very little about his family’s wartime service.

“None of them ever told us anything,” Harvie said, adding that war veterans often kept silent about their experiences.

Harvie also served in the military and noted that many veterans preferred not to talk about their time in the battlefield.

While stationed in Germany, Harvie visited his uncle Marven’s grave several times at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, Holland.

The memorial in Noel, built through local fundraising, was dedicated in a ceremony attended by Harvie family members from across Canada.

Thurber believes that the monument will ensure that the Harvie family’s service is remembered for generations to come.