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Veterans’ Week, November 5-11, 2019

A train trip to remember

“All aboard! Woof! Hey everyone! It’s “In fact, there were special ceremonies this tiny! We travelled across La Belle Province me, Gandy the dog. Did you know that spring at train stations across in and down into the Maritimes to our final have a long tradition of caring honour of the 75th anniversary of D-Day and destination, the city of Halifax, Nova for others, whether here in Canada or the Battle of during the Second Scotia. In times of war, Halifax was a hub around the world? It is true. We take an World War. The first event was held in for soldiers who were coming and going on active role in helping bring peace to places Vancouver (my hometown) at the same station transatlantic ships,” neighed Bonfire Jr. the in conflict.” where many soldiers departed years ago. A pair horse. of combat boots were placed onto the train to “It makes my feathers ruffle with pride that symbolize the long journey made by so many “We learned so much on this trip,” barked soldiers from our rich Canadian mosaic brave Canadians in uniform,” trumpeted Ellie Gandy. “Along the way, we remembered proudly traded in their civilian shoes the elephant. those who served and we saw some great for combat boots to serve our country,” memorials. Canada really does have a rich squawked Squeaker the pigeon. “My Remembrance Clubhouse friends and military heritage! It made us proud to live I thought it would be fun to embark on a in a peaceful country that helps others in “Did you know that train travel is another remembrance train journey of our own,” purred need. It was an awesome voyage, leaving Canadian tradition? Before the days of Simone the cat. our paw prints from coast to coast, with a airplanes and cars, railway tracks brought special highlight for each us together as a nation. In fact, trains were “We departed by train from the scenic West of us. It is important to often used to transport Canadian soldiers Coast. We chugged east, through the Rocky honour those who have across our vast land to the East Coast. Mountains and into the wheat fields of the served. Where will you There they would board troop ships to head Prairies. Next up was the rugged Canadian go in your hometown overseas during times of war,” growled Win Shield and a stop in the big city of . We to remember the bear. visited the CN Tower… it made Ellie look so them?”

veterans.gc.ca/educators Wait for Me, Daddy! We had a terrific train trip across The photo was taken on October 1, was able to Canada learning about remembrance. 1940. Hundreds of soldiers were return home A special highlight for me was visiting marching through the streets of New to his family. a beautiful bronze memorial that was Westminster, , Sadly, many inspired by a famous photograph. heading off to war when five-year-old other soldiers Warren “Whitey” Bernard broke free did not. from his mom’s hand and ran toward his dad, Private Jack Bernard. A Today, this reporter recorded the moment and the amazing picture was published on the front page image has of the Vancouver Daily Province the next taken on day. It soon appeared in newspapers the form across the country. of a bronze memorial, The photo, which came to be known located on as “Wait for Me, Daddy,” captured the corner so much about the emotions involved where the picture was taken. What a great way in families being separated and the to remember the sacrifices Canadian men and uncertainties of war. Little Whitey did women in uniform—and their families—have not know when he would see his father made in times of war. I liked this memorial so again. Private Bernard did go overseas much that I hugged the figure of the boy with and came ashore at Juno Beach on my trunk! ‘Wait for Me, Daddy’ photo and memorial. D-Day. Thankfully, he survived and Photos: Library and Archives Canada and City of New Westminster

A special World War, it was not only men and became fast friends. He women in uniform who travelled by train adopted the cute cub on connection across Canada to serve overseas… there the spot and brought her were many animals onboard, too! White on board the train as his The highlight of our train trip across River was a popular pit stop along the regiment’s mascot. Canada for me was the small town of way to exercise our four-legged friends, White River, . During the First especially the horses that needed to be in After the war, Winnie shape to serve on rough battlefields. would become the inspiration for the In August 1914, Lieutenant Harry famous children’s book, Colebourn, a veterinarian from Winnipeg, Winnie-the-Pooh. To was travelling with his regiment to remember the historic Camp Valcartier in when the meeting at White River train stopped in White River. My great- that started it all, the Winnie-the-Pooh statue. grandmother Winnie, a young bear cub town holds a Winnie- Photo: Township of White River at the time, had just lost her mother near the-Pooh festival each the town and was in need of a friend to August, with the statue of that iconic character as look after her. When Harry stepped out a main attraction. Seeing this cool monument for at the station, he saw Winnie and the two the first time sent shivers through my fur!

Saddle up for remembrance

Travelling across Canada by animals are thankful to live in One day, Paul decided that he train helped me realize how such a pretty and peaceful place. would share his message that not all big and beautiful our country Our journey from coast to coast Veterans are senior citizens. In fact, is. , mountains, prairies, reminded me of Paul Nichols and many Veterans are younger men and forests, lakes, cities… the list his mare, Zoe, who rode together women. After careful planning and of things we saw goes on! We all the way from British Columbia accompanied by friends, Paul left Remembrance Clubhouse to and . , British Columbia, in April 2015. During his 211-day journey, Paul is a Veteran of the Canadian Paul met countless Canadians of Armed Forces. He served with the all ages and helped raise awareness Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light in their local communities of their Infantry in the in the many neighbours who are Veterans. 1990s and saw how difficult it can be to live in a war-torn country. Clip-clop, clip-clop. I can almost When he came back to Canada, hear the sound of Zoe’s horseshoes his mind was troubled by what he hitting the trail when I close my had seen and he needed time to eyes! heal. Riding horses was one way Paul Nichols and friends in Victoria. Photo courtesy of Paul and Terry Nichols that helped him feel better.

2 veterans.gc.ca/educators Soaring with the Snowbirds

I sure enjoyed our cool train trip across military jets soaring overhead, making Canada. There is just so much to see in this amazing loops in the sky. My beak dropped vast country of ours. One of my favourite open in awe as I watched the skillful flying. memories took place in . We It was the Snowbirds—the Royal Canadian were near the prairie city of Jaw Air Force aerobatic team—practicing their when I looked out the window and saw some routine. Have you ever seen them at an air show? I wish I could fly like that!

The Snowbirds’ home is in Moose Jaw. Did you know that their base was used great place for them to learn how to be pilots, for the British Commonwealth Air navigators, flight engineers, radio operators, Training Plan during the Second World bomb aimers, air gunners, observers and War? There were flight schools across mechanics. Sadly, many airmen would lose the country that hosted young air force their lives during training accidents and in recruits from Canada, Britain, , wartime operations. Their bravery in the air and other countries. helped the Allies to victory in the conflict, Canada’s wide-open spaces and long and this proud flyer will never forget their distance from the front lines made it a courage and sacrifice. The Snowbirds flying in formation over Niagara Falls. Photo: Department of National Defence

Lost but not Nobody was safe at during the war. Even getting to the battlefields was forgotten dangerous. On July 4-5, 1943, three Allied ships in a convoy sailing from Meow! Many say that cats do not like to Sicily, Italy, were torpedoed water. That can be true, but when it by German submarines. Sadly, more than

comes to H2O, I know quite a bit. My 50 Canadians lost their lives in the attack. ancestor, Simon, was a famous feline Whenever I hear a bell, mascot on a ship, so I I still think about might even have salt water in my veins! Battle of the ceremony in in 2018. this tragedy at sea. Photo: Jacques N. Godbout/45eNord.ca During our train ride across Canada, we stopped in my hometown of year, people gather in places across Canada to Montreal. The Remembrance commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic, the Clubhouse animals followed me to the longest struggle of the Second World War. Old Port where we visited the Clock The whole ceremony was touching, but I got Tower, a memorial dedicated to sailors shivers every time they rang the ship’s bell. It lost at sea during wartime. I told my sounded out 31 times in total, one loud ding friends that I was there in May for a for each Royal Canadian Navy ship that was solemn remembrance ceremony. Every lost between 1939 and 1945.

Gandy remembers Afghanistan

Arh-wooooooo! All this travel across our down at the soldier’s feet and saw the sculpted great nation made me a bit lonesome for forget-me-not flowers, I felt sad. I thought my home province of Newfoundland and of the some 158 Canadians who died during Labrador. The Remembrance Clubhouse our country’s mission there between 2001 friends agreed we should also visit “The and 2014. It also made me think of the brave Rock.” We took the ferry to Channel- service men and women who continue to Port aux Basques and learned that this put their lives on the line in different parts fishing port used to be at one end of the of the world today. I am Newfoundland Railway. During the First so grateful to live in a and Second World Wars, the train played peaceful country like an important role in transporting troops Canada! and military supplies all the way to the capital city of St. John’s.

The train no longer runs on the island of Newfoundland so we travelled by bus to Corner Brook to see a cool monument I had heard about. A life-size bronze statue of a Royal Newfoundland Regiment soldier The Afghanistan Soldier memorial in Corner Brook. on patrol in Afghanistan was unveiled in Photo: Veterans Affairs Canada front of the town hall in 2012. As I looked This publication is available upon request in other formats. Toll-free: 1-877-604-8469 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2019. Catalogue No.: V32-179/2 2019 Printed in Canada Catalogue No.: 2019. Affairs, Veterans represented by the Minister of 1-877-604-8469 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, Toll-free: upon request in other formats. publication is available This veterans.gc.ca/educators 3 Newspaper Activities

Word E M O T I O N S G W T I Where in Canada? O R N A E C O D R R J G Many places in Canada have been mentioned in the search S N E A C R U R A H N L stories. Can you say in which province? Can you then label the pins with the right numbers on the map? The following Y E U G N L E I Z D A P words are placed Community Number Province N J C J I G N B Y I R R horizontally, Channel-Port aux Basques 1 ______vertically and S O K I A M I W R D E A Corner Brook 2 ______diagonally, both W Q I R F X E O G A T I forwards and Montreal 3 ______X J U T H I M N Q N E R backwards Moose Jaw 4 ______in the puzzle. O O K S A E R S T G V I New Westminster 5 ______When you have C E U L M T M C H E H E spotted a word, Valcartier 6 ______B R O N Z E S J A R Q S simply circle it. Victoria 7 ______E M R O F I N U F S R D White River 8 ______BRONZE EMOTIONS SACRIFICES TRAIN Winnipeg 9 ______COURAGE JUNO PRAIRIES SNOWBIRDS UNIFORM DANGER MEMORIAL REGIMENT STATION VETERAN

Left, right, up, down or diagonal! MISSING LETTERS Spell out the title of the iconic photo of Private Jack Bernard and One letter is missing from each of the Remembrance Clubhouse his son Warren. Start with the circled letter and connect the rest members’ names. Find the missing letters, then unscramble of the letters without lifting your pencil from the page. them to reveal the word.

W A M R Y Solution: ELLI_ B_NFIRE Jr. SI_ONE _ _ _ _ W_N SQUEAKE_ G_NDY I O E D _ _ _ _ _ T F D A D _ _ _ _ _ M ______L (A thing that helps us remember.)

The Remembrance Clubhouse members are boarding a train to attend ceremonies across Canada. They Logic puzzle all carry a remembrance object and have different coloured suitcases. Using the clues provided, figure out which member brings what object and the colour of the suitcase. CLUES

In his white suitcase, Ellie carries the The wreath is in Squeaker put the Simone brings a flag, but not in a a blue suitcase, Gandy does not carry song in his suitcase poem in a green the poem, the photo, or blue, black, or red and is carried by that’s not green, suitcase. the song. suitcase. Win. yellow, or black.

SUITCASE REMEMBRANCE OBJECT COLOUR Flag Poppy Poem Photo Song Wreath Blue Green Red Yellow White Black

Bonfire Jr. carries a ______in a ______suitcase.

4 veterans.gc.ca/educators