(Flags honouring Canadian soldiers fly on pathway at Fort George Park.  Photos 250 News)

Prince George, B.C. – One hundred and fifty-nine Canadian soldiers who went to war and paid the ultimate price were honoured at Fort George Park Saturday at the 5th annual Red Shirt Marathon.

Branch 43 of the Royal Canadian Legion hosted the Walk of Honour and set up 159 Canadian honour flags for the fallen soldiers, including one bearing the name of Corporal Darren Fitzpatrick of Prince George, one for Corporal Matthew McCully whose father lives in Prince George, and one recently made for Master Corporal Greg Matters, who served in Bosnia.

As the Canadian Maple Leaf honour flags fluttered in a breath of air in the cool shade beneath the Cottonwood trees in Fort George Park, members of the Prince George families led off the 5 kilometre walk, or run, which raises funds for Winch House in Vancouver.  That’s a facility that houses veterans, first responders and family member of verterans who are receiving care in Vancouver.

The Red Shirt Marathon is organized by a six-member committee comprised of chair Diane Parnell, Harry and Wendy Ulch, who have been involved for four years, Betty Pearson, Floyd Crowley and one of the founding members, Stephen Goes, who was taking part in his final marathon.

Harry Ulch says “having this full compliment of flags, honouring all Canadian soldiers who died in Afghanistan, is an initiative of the Prince George Legion.  He says other Canadian branches honour in other ways.  Ulch says this is the first year all of the flags were set up for the event, adding “it will continue if enough people help out.  It’s a big job to set the flags up, take them down and then box them up exactly right.”

Turnout this year was not very strong and Ulch says “it’s kind of disappointing.  I thought we did a good job getting the word out.  It was well-advertised and covered by the media and I thought we’d have hundreds of people taking part.  It’s disappointing.  And it’s really only a donation thing.  We ask for $20 (entry), but it’s a donation, that’s all.

He also says a flag honouring former Prince George newspaper reporter Michelle Lang, who was killed in a bomb blast covering the war in Afghanistan in 2009, should be arriving soon.  It will be permanently displayed at Branch 43, along with the flags of the eight British Columbia soldiers who also gave their lives.