The Royal Canadian Legion names Canada’s 2026 National Silver Cross Mother

OTTAWA, Ontario, Nov. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Royal Canadian Legion is honoured to present Mrs. Virginia Hicks, from the community of Frankford, Ontario, as this year’s National Silver Cross Mother. On November 11, she will place a wreath at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.

“Her presence on behalf of all mothers is so incredibly meaningful,” says Sharon McKeown, Dominion President. “In sharing her daughter’s story, we are all reminded with deep gratitude, of the incredible sacrifice of those who give their lives in service to our country. We will remember her.”

Mrs. Hicks’ daughter, Sapper Mariebeth Short served with 2 Combat Engineering Regiment, based in Petawawa, Ontario. Born on January 23, 1980, in Comox, British Columbia, she grew up in a family with a history of military service – including that of her mother.

Mariebeth was killed on September 23, 2002, during a training exercise on the Matawa Plains in Petawawa. The exercise was a recap, a part of the overall intensive training the Sappers completed to learn everything possible about LAVs (light armoured vehicles). The vehicle she was traveling in that day rolled, and she did not survive.

Read more about Mrs. Hicks and her daughter at Legion.ca.

The National Silver Cross Mother acts on behalf of all Canadian mothers and families who have lost a son or daughter in the line of service. From November 1, 2026, to October 31, 2027, Mrs. Hicks will be part of several events honouring Canada’s Fallen.

The Memorial Cross - more commonly referred to as the Silver Cross - was introduced on December 1, 1919. It is a symbol of personal loss and sacrifice on behalf of widows and mothers who lose a child on active duty, or whose death is later attributed to such duty.

The Royal Canadian Legion receives nominations for the National Silver Cross Mother role from Provincial Commands and individual Canadians each year. The final recipient is chosen by a Dominion Command selection committee.

About The Royal Canadian Legion

Established in 1926, the Legion is Canada’s largest Veteran support and community service organization. We are a non-profit organization with a national reach across Canada as well as branches in the U.S., and Europe. With over 300,000 members, many of whom volunteer an extraordinary amount of time to their branches, our strength is in our numbers.

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Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/06bce92a-6961-4f05-b860-bd01964dc7c0
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ad47dd6-4ea7-431d-9960-3b82249b1eb3

National Silver Cross Mother 2026

Virginia Hicks

National Silver Cross Mother’s daughter

Sapper Mariebeth Short