TORONTO — Ontario Trucking Association board member Ellen Poll of Drumbo Transport recently spent a day with veterans of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion to dedicate a commemorative plaque in memory of Corporal Fred Topham, Victoria Cross.

The event took place at Sanctuary Park Cemetery, in Etobicoke, Ont. where Corporal Topham and his wife are buried.

OTA was asked to attend the event in recognition of the contribution of OTA members to a fund that kept the war hero’s Victoria Cross (VC) medal in Canada. In 2004 the family of the late Cpl. Topham placed the medal for sale and it was poised to be sold to an overseas buyer. Canadians who felt the VC of this great Canadian hero should remain in Canada took swift action to raise the funds required to buy the VC and keep it on domestic soil.

OTA member companies contributed $10,000 to the fund.

Poll represented OTA at the ceremony on behalf of the membership, from which she returned saying the generous support of OTA and its members was mentioned during the event by the emcee.

The ceremony was also attended by Ontario Minister of Transportation Donna Cansfied.