History
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Apologies
Yesterday the Federal Government apologized in Arctic Bay, to people relocated from Kinngait, Pangnirtung, and Mitamitalik to Dundas Harbour on Devon Island. Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island in the world, and to promote sovereignty the Canadian Government created an RCMP post there from 1926 to 1931 and 1945 to 1951. In between the
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We will remember them
The entire population of this town (800 people) every three and a quarter hours, day and night, for more than four years. I've a talk with one of the High School classes this afternoon, leading up to Remembrance Day tomorrow. And that statement is probably one that I'll throw at them. The Great War saw
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More than a pittance
This is an expansion of the thoughts I was trying to express in my Remembrance Day address this morning, through my tears. Remembrance comes easy for me. I've had family in pretty much every major conflict from the Napoleanic Wars on through to Korea. My Great-great-Grandfather was at Waterloo, and he took a French bayonet
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Missing inaction
Cenotaphs dot our country. Many towns across this country, small and large, have one to mark the sacrifices of young men (and occasionally young women) who died in the major wars we fought in after the Boer War. Sometimes, in small towns that have seen much better days, they sit tucked away, rarely getting much
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A grave concern
I seem to have a thing for old graves. Especially those that have been somewhat forgotten. My sister pointed out that part of it stems from an enjoyment of history, mingled with the passion of the stories of individual lives. And I think it is those stories, and a desire that they not be completely
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“And now you die”
The forty men sitting in the field that night knew what was about to happen, at least in the final moments. There was furtive talk about escape, as each passing moment revealed to them their coming doom. They were no doubt tired, it had been a long two days. Two days earlier most of them
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Vimy Day
From one o'clock until five thirty, thousands of men – quiet. The locking ring on our bayonets were a little loose. When the order to "Fix bayonets" went along the line, you'd think there were a thousand bees coming. You trembled, waiting. — F. MacGregor, 25th Battalion CEF Today has been named Vimy Ridge Day
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Like the wind.
Some time ago I pointed out the similarities between myself and Paul Gross, the actor/renaissance man who played the fictional Mountie Benton Fraser on Due South, including our devilish good looks. It turns out that I have several connections with another actor who portrayed a Mountie on TV, Tina Keeper. And in the process of
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Burning Bing
This post is dedicated to the memory of John Babcock, the last remaining Canadian soldier of the Great War, who passed away this past week at the age of 109. Babcock joined up as an underage youth, and although he never made it to France, and the horrific battles, he was our last living connection
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Struck down by the Flu, Part two.
Continued from page one When the German Triplanes turned back to search for other targets, McLeod did the unexpected. He turned back and started to chase them. It was so out of character for an observer plane, especially one that had just narrowly escaped being shot down, that they didn't watch for him. McLeod chased