(Submitted photo/Mike Underhill)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Remembrance Day

P.A. veteran thinking of family who served overseas as Remembrance Day approaches

Nov 1, 2021 | 3:00 PM

A Prince Albert resident is thinking of several family members ahead of Remembrance Day.

Mike Underhill, Store Leader at the city’s Princess Auto, is a veteran himself as he served six months in Alert, Nunavut as a mechanic in the early 2000s.

The community is the most northerly, permanently inhabited area in the world, located 817 km from the geographic North Pole.

When he enlisted in the 1990s, he started training to go to Bosnia, however, his tour ended up being cancelled with Underhill then turning his attention to Afghanistan, though health issues forced him to stay home.

In the end, he wasn’t able to serve overseas like his two grandfathers who both fought in the Second World War.

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“I’m remembering their sacrifices because their sacrifices are a lot more than mine,” he said.

Their names were Vern Maurice and Charles Underhill. Each received multiple medals for their time during the War.

To this day, Mike has them enclosed alongside the two he earned during his service time.

Along with his grandfathers, Underhill also had other members of his family serve overseas. While not blood-related, some of the individuals he trained with fought in Afghanistan.

Not being there with them was tough to overcome.

“You do those things because your friends are doing those things, you want to be with your friends and your family,” he added.

Fortunately, all his friends returned home. Some have been able to live normal lives, while others have struggled.

Even though no one he personally knew died, it still hit Underhill hard knowing 158 individuals never got the chance to come back.

“I was at that time, in Afghanistan, in the military where all the soldiers were dying and that was heartbreaking to hear. It’s like losing part of your family even though you didn’t know them,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Underhill plans on being in person at P.A.’s Remembrance Day ceremony.

Last year was the first time in over 20 years he wasn’t able to as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the local Legion to hold the ceremony virtually.

“That was heartbreaking that I had to watch it on TV. It’s going to mean even more this year.”

A small ceremony will be held at P.A.’s City Hall courtyard with personal and business wreaths being laid before the ceremony due to COVID-19 precautions.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow