‘SYMBOL OF COURAGE’: Alex Decoteau went the distance for freedom

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At a time when Canada cared so little for him, Pte. Alex Decoteau gave everything to free the people of Belgium in the First World War.

And now the Cree man’s legacy will live on forever in the town where he laid down his life on a blood-soaked battlefield in Flanders Fields thanks to a monument that was unveiled on the road to Passchendaele in Zonnebeke on Indigenous Veterans Day.

It was a fitting and long overdue tribute complete with a piper, buglers and Indigenous singing.

“As a Cree Canadian, athlete, officer with the Edmonton Police Service, and soldier, he symbolizes the courage, resilience and dedication of so many who fought far from home for the freedom of others,” Zonnebeke Mayor Ingrid Vandepitte said during the unveiling Friday.

“With this new memorial, we aim not only to honour Alex Decoteau’s bravery, but also to keep alive the memory of all First Nations who gave their lives during the First World War,” she said. “This plaque reminds us of how people from every corner of the world united in the fight against oppression an injustice, often far from their homelands.”

“This monument encourages us to honour that shared commitment and to remember the sacrifices made by so many, regardless of background or culture,” Vandepitte added.

About 100 people gathered for the ceremony, including a delegation from Canada of Indigenous representatives and family members of Indigenous Canadian soldiers.

And while it was a frigid, damp day, everyone in attendance was fully aware that the conditions were nothing compared to the horrors soldiers endured between 1914-18 while liberating Belgium from the Germans — including nearly 425,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders, more than 4,000 of whom were First Nations, Inuit and Metis people.

About 30,000 of those soldiers were killed in Belgium — and one of them was Alex Decoteau.

Born in Saskatchewan on Nov. 19, 1887, Alex Decoteau developed a love for various sports while at a residential school, especially long-distance running. His track career took off after moving to Edmonton in 1909 and he embarked on a career in policing two years later.

He would go on to compete for Team Canada in the 5,000-metre race at the 1912 Summer Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, where he finished in sixth place.

“Before stepping onto the battlefields of Europe, Alex was called to a life of service,” Corps Sgt.-Maj. Christa Laforce, of the Edmonton Police Service, said during Friday’s ceremony.

Laforce, who helped raise the funds to pay for the memorial in Decoteau’s name, explained that he proudly patrolled the streets as a constable, “breaking barriers as Canada’s first Indigenous police officer,” before being promoted to sergeant in 1914 and given command of his own police station.

He would also become one of the first motorcycle cops in Canada.

Laforce described Alex Decoteau as “a man whose courage, perseverance and dedication to his community and country continue to inspire us all.”

When the Great War broke out, his sense of duty prompted him to leave policing and join the 202nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He later transferred to the 49th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (Edmonton Regiment).

Decoteau’s atletic prowess led to him becoming a trench runner, an extremely dangerous job that involved relaying messages back and forth between officers on the frontlines and in rear positions.

Sadly, it was while running a message during the Battle of Passchendaele that he was killed by a sniper on Nov. 30, 1917.

Remembrance Day is a time for reflection and Rick Decoteau, who was on hand for the tribute to his great-uncle, said seeing his great-uncle recognized in such a big way is another “small step” on the road to reconciliation for Canada and the world.

“Everybody is learning from this,” he said.

After the monument was unveiled, the ceremony continued at Alex Decoteau’s gravesite 400 metres up the road in the Passchendaele New British Cemetery where 650 Canadians are laid to rest.

Rick Decoteau, and many others in attendance, took a quiet moment at the grave and left a tobacco offering on the headstone.

“Personally, I felt the feeling of his spirit going home,” Rick Decoteau said afterward. “It was heartwarming.”

“Family is a big thing when it comes to something this extraordinary, and the delegation is my family overseas, and I really appreciate what the delegation has done, all of the hard hours put in to make this happen,” he said. “I’m sure my family back home will appreciate it as well.”

Canada’s ambassador to Belgium also spoke during the ceremony, calling Alex Decoteau “a hero.”

“It is impossible to overstate the significance of Decoteau’s decision to fight for his country at a time when many Indigenous people were denied full citizenship rights,” Nicholas Brousseau said. “Alex Decoteau volunteered not just for Canada, but for the ideals of freedom, sacrifice and shared humanity.”

“In many ways, Alex’s journey represents the untold story of Indigenous soldiers who fought in the Great War,” he said. “Their contribution, often overlooked the in mainstream narrative, were immense and vital.”

We will remember them.

– The Toronto Sun’s Chris Doucette, a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces who served in the Royal Canadian Regiment, is in Belgium and will be visiting memorial sites and attending ceremonies leading up to Remembrance Day.

cdoucette@postmedia.com

@sundoucette