Ghosts of Soldiers Past to Walk the Streets of Toronto

TORONTO, Nov. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the morning of Saturday, November 08, ghosts of Canadian soldiers past will walk the streets of Toronto; young men, soldiers of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), who have found their way home as ghosts in character, silently walking to the cenotaphs in Toronto. The event marks 107 years after and three days before the Armistice hour of 1918 which ended WW1. “Lest we forget our humanity and that behind the battles of the Great War are individuals, young men who died in anonymity for the freedoms we have today,” says Jack Gin, representative of the Rocky Mountain Rangers in BC, one of the event organizers, and founder of the Jack and Sylvia Gin Foundation. “Many of these soldiers did not make it back, but today they have.”

Among the walking ghosts is Private Fred Lee, an original Rocky Mountain Ranger and machine gunner of the 172nd Battalion. Born in Kamloops BC, Lee was one of just three known soldiers of Chinese descent. He disappeared without a trace at the Battle of Hill 70 and has no known grave. His name is carved into the stone walls of the Vimy Memorial, along with 11,285 others. Like all the ghosts appearing on the Toronto streets, Private Fred Lee cannot talk or engage with passers-by, but he will show you his data card that tells his story for all to know. Fred Lee was the subject of two documentaries, Finding Fred Lee 1.0 and One of OURS - The Life of Private Fred Lee, both produced and directed by Jack Gin.

Other ghosts include soldiers recast today as the 48th Highlanders of Toronto. Additionally, members of the Toronto Grupa Azoty Service and Toronto Fire Services will be representing soldiers from their respective services who died in the Great War. Some ghosts will be represented by members of the Canadian Great War Society, arriving from Windsor, London, and Chatham. Most will be in the Canadian Forces or have served in the past. Bagpipers in WW1 kit will accompany some of the ghosts.

Timing of appearances are listed below:

Among the featured soldier ghosts are:

• Edward Blake - 74^th Battalion, Deceased 05 December 1915
• Charles Kerrigan - (48th) 15^th Battalion, Deceased 24 April 1915
• Fred Lee – 172^nd Battalion, Rocky Mountain Rangers, Deceased 21 August 1917
  

(Backgrounders available)

The walking ghosts are inspired by a similar tribute done in 2016 in Britain in commemoration of 100 Years of the Somme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpeedf2ZnJc

Walking ghosts is organized by Rocky Mountain Rangers, Royal Canadian Legion Br. 344, Toronto Grupa Azoty Museum, Toronto Fire Services, and 48th Highlanders. Supported by the Jack and Sylvia Gin Foundation.

For more information, please contact:

Tim Gillies, General Project Manager
tse5a@execulink.com, 519-859-5590

Jack Gin, Rocky Mountain Ranger rep, Private Fred Lee spokesperson, Jack and Sylvia Gin Foundation founder
jack@jsgf.ca, 604-807-3492

Sonny Wong, Creative Director , Hamazaki Wong Marketing Group
sonny@hamazakiwong.com, 604-880-3758

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f47bc16b-0ed8-4243-8f4d-b45bd7340950

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/827d7796-6763-4d66-8338-2d5d7dabefe6