The family of the late Marvin Sando helped preserve his memory in a special researched booklet that chronicled their uncle’s short life up until he was killed in action in the Second World War on September 16, 1944. Jerry Sando, nephew, was mostly responsible for researching and putting together the research.
Copies of the booklet were presented to the Sturgis Station House Museum and the Preeceville and District Heritage Museum to preserve the memories of Marvin Sando. The Sando family made the presentations on August 9. The donation included a CD that featured music from Sando's era.
Jerry Sando of Vancouver, accompanied by his siblings, sister Lynda of Red Deer, Alta., and brother Greg of Calgary traveled to the Sturgis and Preeceville museums to make the presentations.
The Preeceville Museum also included a hand-made plaque of Waler School students in 1932. The names of four Sando children were listed on the plaque including Marvin's.
"The hand-made plaque was made from an old apple box," said Jerry Sando. "The plaque, which was in the hands of Larry Berg’s father, was shared with Gerald Sando. Berg's father Don used to be in charge of lighting the fire at Waler School and had the plaque for many years," he said. The one-room school had 31 students enrolled.
Marvin Sando was born June 4, 1916 and was 28 years old when he was killed in action on September 16, 1944 at Bray Dunes Plage, France. Sando was a private in the South Saskatchewan Regiment R.C.I C of the Army/Infantry Second Canadian Division, Sixth Infantry Brigade. Sando was buried in the Coxyde Military Cemetery, Belgium. He only spent 16 days on the front lines before being killed.
Sando had grown-up in the Preeceville area and was the eldest of 10 children born to Martin and Emma Sando.
Sando had received a 1939-to-1945 star for six months of service; a France, Germany star for entry into operational service in France, Belgium, Holland or Germany between June 6, 1944 and May 8, 1945; a war medal for 28 days in operational service during the Second World War and a Canadian Volunteer Service medal that was awarded for 18 months of voluntary service with the Canadian Armed Forces.
"Marvin always fascinated me," said Jerry Sando, nephew. "As a retired school teacher my need to know the man increased. I started talking to family members and they unfolded a story that I had to learn more about.
“Marvin's father wanted him to stay home to help with farming and was quite angry that he had snuck away to enlist in the Army,” he said. “One of the coolest things that I discovered was that I taught school in the same barracks that Marvin had stayed in when he enlisted.”
