An Unknown Soldier from Newfoundland who died more than 100 years ago on the battlefield in France is finally on his way home.

The remains represent every Newfoundlander and Labradorian who has made the ultimate sacrifice during wartime.

That soldier’s remains, accompanied by provincial and federal officials, as well as representatives with the Royal Canadian Legion, are scheduled to arrive from France on the Torbay side of St. John’s International Airport shortly before 7 p.m. this evening.

The Newfoundland Unknown Soldier is placed in the hearse… pic.twitter.com/Zzd7vPURyf

— Seamus O'Regan Jr (@SeamusORegan) May 25, 2024

A ceremony will be held on the tarmac, after which the remains will be taken through the streets of St. John’s, passing all points of significance along the way.

The Battle of Beaumont Hamel is perhaps best known by many, where wave after wave of young Newfoundlanders tucked their chins into their chests and ran across No Man’s Land, only to be felled in a rain of German bullets.

Among the hundreds who participated in the battle, only a handful of soldiers answered roll call on July 2, 1916.

While their sacrifices are remembered at the National War Memorial in St. John’s and at memorials and cenotaphs across the province, until now, Newfoundland and Labrador has not had a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Premier Andrew Furey and his family had a few minutes with the remains before formal ceremonies in France. He called it a spiritual experience.

“It’s overwhelming, and I think everybody at home appreciates the impact that the First World War and Beaumont Hamel had on us as a people, on us as a society, on us as an economy and on us as a country, ultimately leading to us joining Canada,” he said.

Newfoundland MP Seamus O’Regan, who is with the delegation that is accompanying the remains on their repatriation to the province, also described being at Beaumont Hamel as a moving experience.

The procession in St. John’s will take the following route:

– Right onto Torbay Road;

– Left onto Newfoundland Drive;

– Right to East White Hills Road;

– Right onto The Boulevard past Camp Pleasantville, the old training area for members of the Newfoundland Regiment;

– Up King’s Bridge Road to Ordnance Street;

– Right onto Duckworth Street;

– Left down Cochrane Street;

– Slow pass in front of the National War Memorial on Water Street;

– Right turn up Prescott Street;

– Left turn onto Duckworth Street;

– Up Church Hill, past the Sergeant’s Memorial;

– Right turn onto Queen’s Road through Rawlin’s Cross;

– Left turn onto Military Road;

– Straight onto Harvey Road, passing the CLB Armoury;

– Right onto Parade Street, passing RNC Headquarters.

The remains will lie in state at Confederation Building as of June 28th, ahead of Memorial Day on July 1st, when the soldier will be re-interred in his final resting place at the National War Memorial.