Alberta students help replace WWII vet’s war medals

At a Remembrance Day assembly at Veteran Elementary School in Veteran, Alberta, Dave Pennington shared with students stories of his World War II experience.

The 91-year-old veteran was a 20-year-old private when he left for Italy with the First Edmonton Regiment.

He earned five medals for his military service, but lost them all when his sister accidentally threw them out more than 20 years ago, CBC News reported.

"The doggone mice got in there and they made a nest and chewed up my ribbons," he said. "So she threw them out."

Eighteen junior high students were moved by his story and secretly petitioned Veteran Affairs to get replacement medals. Veteran Affairs sent the school new medals at no cost and praised the students for taking the initiative to have Pennington's medals replaced.

"Acts like these are the finest examples of a new generation of Canadians who are making remembrance an active part of their lives," said spokesperson Niklaus Schwenker in a statement.

The students surprised Pennington with his medals in a ceremony last week.

"It was just exciting, but also exciting that they were going out beyond themselves as teenagers and looking to make somebody else's day better," principal Debbie Letniak told CBC News.