Community members formed a guard of honour along Mountain Street in Haliburton Oct. 19, welcoming the Second World Warera M4 ‘Easy Eight’ Sherman tank back to its new-and-improved home beside the Haliburton Legion.
The antique military vehicle has been offbase since mid-May, with volunteers working to restore the machine to its former glory. According to project lead, Nick Bryant, about 30 Highlanders gave approximately 1,200 hours of their time to complete the rebuild.
Every inch of the tank has been stripped and sandblasted, with the exterior repainted a deep shade of green. A new set of rubber tracks has been installed, while fresh decals – bearing the tank’s original CFR title number, a memorial message for Highlands’ veterans, and a reimagined nickname – complete its new look.
Haliburton Legion president Mike Waller, in attendance at Saturday’s service commemorating the M4’s return, had rave reviews for the rebuild.
“The workers did a fantastic job – this restoration went way above my expectations of what could actually be done,” Waller said. “I think it’s a great symbol of our history. It’s important to show people what happened in our past, so we don’t let it happen again in the future. This project is a great way to show our veterans how we really appreciate everything they’ve done for us.”
Tank back for Remembrance Day service
Waller said it was important the tank was back in place before the legion’s Remembrance Day service Nov. 11. Members traditionally march from the legion building to the cenotaph on Highland Street that morning.
He feels many will be relieved to see the tank return – Waller said he’s been inundated with questions from the public about its whereabouts for weeks. Some were worried the M4 was gone for good.
Dysart mayor Murray Fearrey, also in attendance Saturday, remembers the last time the vehicle was paraded through Haliburton village in 1970. Shipped to the community from Base Borden, it was to serve as a memorial for soldiers who fought in the Second World War and Korean War.
“I was actually the reeve at that time,” Fearrey said. “The tank is a Haliburton landmark. Any time you drive past it in the summer, there’s somebody getting a picture taken on it. It’s just like the steam engine and the plane at the high school – unique things that are part of the identity of this community.”
Fearrey and Waller thanked everyone who contributed to the project – legion members who completed the brunt of the work, the Haliburton Army Cadets who assisted with odd jobs, Total Site Services and Haliburton Crane Rental who helped move it, the Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association who offered a storage container to secure tools at the restoration site, and Steve Davidson who rebuilt the concrete pad.
“The fact the community came together in such a big way is fantastic – it really puts a happiness in my heart to see this all come together,” Waller said.
The final bill is around $24,000, though Bryant noted the bulk of that was covered by a Canadian War Memorials grant.
The tank was initially constructed in 1945 by Fisher Tank Company. Utilized by both the U.S. and Canadian armies, it was named after William Tecumseh Sherman – a celebrated American Civil War general.
Waller confirmed the vehicle has been rebranded, with its new moniker being ‘The Haliburton’.
