OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 10/17/11 -- Members of the media are invited to attend the military funeral of Private Alexander Johnston to be held in Sailly-lez-Cambrai, France, on October 25, 2011. Private Johnston served with the 78th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, and died during the Battle of the Canal du Nord on September 29, 1918. His remains were discovered in July 2008, and identified through mitochondrial DNA testing on March 31, 2011.
When: Tuesday, October 25, 2011, starting at 9:00 a.m. (CEST)
Where: Religious ceremony to take place at l'Eglise Saint-Aubert de
Sailly, followed by the interment service at Cantimpre
Canadian Cemetery, Sailly-lez-Cambrai, France.
What: The military funeral and burial of First World War soldier,
Private Alexander Johnston.
In the presence of family members, a Canadian Forces contingent, Mr. Marc Lortie, Canadian Ambassador to France along with other French dignitaries, Private Johnston will finally be laid to rest with the honour he deserves.
Notes to editor / news director:
Access to the religious ceremony inside l'Eglise Saint-Aubert de Sailly will be restricted to family members and the public only. However, members of the media will have full access to the interment service at Cantimpre Canadian Cemetery, Sailly-lez-Cambrai. Please note that broadcast quality video of the religious ceremony will be available to the media through DND's Combat Camera website at: http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca.
For more information on the identification of Private Alexander Johnston, please visit: http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=3833.
For more information on the Department of National Defence's casualty identification process, please visit: http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?cat=00&id=3725.
Contact information:
Media interested in attending are asked to contact DND's Media Liaison Office at: 613-996-2353 or 1-866-377-0811.
Contacts:
Information: 1-866-377-0811/613-996-2353
www.forces.gc.ca
