Randy Young, president of Friends of Veterans Canada, spoke to CBC News on Monday. (CBC)

A man whose van was broken into in Regina on Sunday says not only was electronic equipment taken — 26 hours of veterans' memories were stolen, too.

Now Randy Young, the president of Friends of Veterans Canada, is asking for help in getting back the stolen videotapes.

Young has been travelling across the country, recording veterans as they tell their stories. The plan is to build an online video library of Canadian veterans.

After he rolled into Regina on the weekend, the project suffered a serious setback, he said.

A laptop computer, backup hard drives and video equipment were taken. While the equipment can be replaced, the lost data cannot, Young said.

'Those stories are priceless.'—Randy Young, president of Friends of Veterans Canada

"Those stories are priceless," he said.

Young said Sunday evening started off a lot more promising. While stopping for gas, he asked for directions to the local Canadian Legion branch and met up with some friendly Regina residents.

"They're very good people, they actually let me come to their house to stay at their house last night," he said Monday.

"And I went to look to show them some of the videos I'd taken, and two of our hard drives and our laptop and our tax receipts that we give out for donations were gone."

Young is asking people who took the laptop and cameras to send him back the memory cards and the hard drive — no questions asked. The address is: Friends of Veterans Canada, 105 Hamilton Rd., London, Ont., N6B 1N2.

A police report has been filed, but Young isn't optimistic all the equipment will be recovered.

Young said he will continue with the interviews, but he can't redo those he lost.

Young noted he's on a low budget. To save money on motel costs, he's been sleeping in his vehicle, he said.