What’s the Latest: Veteran whose daughter died in military training exercise named Silver Cross Mother
The Royal Canadian Legion has named Virginia Hicks the 2026 National Silver Cross Mother, in recognition of her daughter Mariebeth Short, who died during a military training exercise in Petawawa, Ontario, in 2002. Hicks will lay a wreath at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Remembrance Day, November 11.
The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, supported by the RCMP, is conducting a full investigation into the recent training exercise tragedy that resulted in the deaths of four soldiers at CFB Wainwright. Virginia Hicks will participate in the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on November 11, where she is expected to place a wreath on behalf of mothers who have lost children in military service.
The Royal Canadian Legion has appointed Virginia Hicks as the 2026 National Silver Cross Mother, recognising her loss during a military training exercise in 2002. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the investigation into the recent deaths of four Canadian soldiers during a training exercise is being led by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, supported by the RCMP.
What remains unclear — The details surrounding the ongoing investigation by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service into the recent training exercise incident have not been disclosed.
Veteran named 2026 National Silver Cross Mother after daughter’s death in training
Virginia Hicks, a veteran whose daughter died during a military training exercise in 2002, has been appointed as the 2026 National Silver Cross Mother by the Royal Canadian Legion. This role involves placing a wreath at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Remembrance Day, commemorating mothers who have lost a child in military service.
Hicks’ daughter, Mariebeth Short, tragically passed away on September 23, 2002, when the light armoured vehicle she was training in rolled over in Petawawa, Ontario. The Legion highlighted Hicks’ extensive military background, noting her 29 years of service in supply and logistics.
This year’s Remembrance Day ceremony will be particularly poignant, occurring shortly after the deaths of four Canadian soldiers during a training exercise at CFB Wainwright in Alberta. The soldiers, Sgt. Morgan Wong, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Aidan Goulding, and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, were killed in a grass fire exacerbated by strong winds, impacting members of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service has launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident, with assistance from the RCMP.
Reflecting on her appointment, Hicks expressed her shared grief with other mothers who have lost children in military service, stating, “We all share the same sorrow, we all share the same bravery, and same love and respect for our children as we do for any other child who has passed.”
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