Coast High Country Inn , 9-12 May 2016

Welcome visitors and locals as we embark on an exciting week of discovery. Together, we will explore a relatively unknown chapter of Yukon and Canadian history—the First World War.

Over the next week our Conference Committee hopes that you will leave feeling inspired and enlightened by the stories revealed through discussions led by our diverse speaker series, uniquely designed events, and good old Northern hospitality! CONFERENCE AT A GLANCE

NORTHERNVISION D EVELOP MENT LP Monday, May 9th Full day workshop: Proud Sponsor of the North Cultural Organizations and Traumatic Events & First World War Conference 10:00–16:00 Yukon Transportation Museum 30 Electra Crescent, Whitehorse

Monday, May 9th Welcome Reception 19:00–21:00 MacBride Museum 1124 1st Ave, Whitehorse View of Northern Vision’s Waterfront Place Properties Tuesday, May 10th The Yukon and the First World War Reception by Friends of the Archives 17:30–18:45 Roundhouse 1127 Front St, Whitehorse

Ceremony of Remembrance: Yukon Fallen of WW1 19:00 Cenotaph, City Hall

Thursday, May 12th Dawson to Berlin: A Romanian Love Story 19:00–22:00 Prime Commercial/Retail • Office Space • Hotels & Hospitality Coast High Country Inn Industrial Area Lands • Buy, Lease or Build to Suit Convention Centre For more information contact: Adam Gerle, VP Marketing & Sales [email protected] | www.nvdlp.com | (867) 333-9886 Featuring: Grant Hartwick, Dale Cooper, Shauna Jones, Grant Simpson, Steve Slade, the Frantic Follies Dancers and the Roma The Gold Standard in Hospitality Swing Ensemble! Produced by JaS Varieties

Friday–Sunday Study Tour May 13th–15th Welcome dinner on 13th May 2 nights’ accommodation yukonhotels.com Tours to local sites including Jack London and Robert Service cabins, Dredge No. 4, Bear Creek and Dawson City Museum.

EDGEWATER HOTEL Roundtrip from Whitehorse: Depart 09:00, 13th May Return 19:00, 15th May W ELCOME Conference Partners

On behalf of the Yukon Historical & Museums Association, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the North and First World War Conference. We are pleased to be able to share and present this wonderful and thought-provoking collection of presentations from local experts, historians and academics Sally Robinson from across Canada, the U.S. and Trailblazer sponsor: overseas.

We welcome visitors to the territory and hope you enjoy our warm northern hospitality and everything the Yukon has to offer!

Connector sponsors: Sally Robinson, President Yukon Historical & Museums Association

A warm welcome to our visitors, special thanks to our media partner: speakers and local guests! It seems like not long ago this conference was simply a vision and now we are gathered in Whitehorse with an incredible opportunity to discover a new chapter in Northern history.

We hope that this week will Dr. Brent Slobodin encourage future dialogue, opportunity, growth, education and continued friendships from around Messenger sponsors: the globe. Thank you for your Yukon Chamber of Mines participation and we hope you enjoy White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad the journey! Piers McDonald Community partners: Dr. Brent Slobodin and Klondike Visitors Centre Dr. Kenneth Coates Parks Canada Conference co-chairs Dr. Kenneth Coates Royal Canadian Legion Yukon Public Archives Miles Canyon Historical Railway Society

2 SPEAKERS SPEAKERS

Maureen Atkinson is a Canadian Ross Coen is a PhD candidate historian and researcher who has in history at the University of been teaching and working in Washington where he researches Northwest BC for the past 25 years. the social, political, and Atkinson graduated from environmental history of the Arctic UNBC (2002) and Athabasca and the North American West. University MA(IS) (2008) and has taught at NWCC and UNBC Maureen Atkinson, MA as a sessional instructor. Ross Coen PhD candidate, PhD candidate, University of Washington Atkinson’s research is based on audio Northern voices of the Great war: Personal Fish is a Fighting Food: North American Canned perspectives and narratives from Northern historical sources and the voices of Salmon and the First World War British Columbians northern Canadians from diverse Thursday, 12th May, 9:45–10:30 Wendesday, 11th May, 9:00–9:45 backgrounds in the post war period.

In her three books and more Dr. Terrence M. Cole directs the than ninety scholarly studies and University of Alaska Fairbanks articles, Crina Bud addresses Office of Public History and is themes such as literature and Professor of History and Arctic totalitarianism, politics of translation, and Northern Studies. the relationship between the Cole has written many articles literary history and the cultural and five books about Alaskan history, and critical perspectives history, and is a frequent guest of Romanian culture abroad. Dr. Crina Bud Dr. Terrence M. Cole lecturer at public conferences and Lector of Romanian Language and Culture, Professor of History, University of Alaska Fairbanks schools ranging from kindergarten York University Wings of Sikta Spruce: Alaskan Airplane Lumber classes to an Elder Hostel and Negotating Romania’s Destiny During WWI: An in the Great War Analysis of Joe Boyle’s Diplomatic Strategy Tuesday, 10th May, 14:15–15:00 everything in between. Thursday, 12th May, 11:30–12:15

Raised in the Yukon, Ken Coates Sarah Cook is an archivist at has made a life-long commitment Library and Archives Canada. She to northern and Yukon studies. has worked in various aspects Coates has written extensively on of the archival profession at northern history, including Best Left Library and Archives Canada as Indians: Indian-White Relations since 1999, from acquisition and in the Yukon, Canada’s Colonies: A selection to how we make this History of the Yukon and Northwest content available to researchers Dr. Ken Coates Territories, and North to Alaska. through descriptive standards, Sarah Cook Yukon historian, University of Saskatchewan. Ken research tools, reference inquiries, Archivist, Libraries and Archives Canada is currently the Canada Research Chair in Regional With his long-term writing partner, digitization and web products. Filming the “Northern Front” during the First Innovation and Director of the International Centre Bill Morrison, he published The World War: The Use of Government Film to for Northern Governance and Development at the Cook has published and given Document the Canadian Arctic Expedition University of Saskatchewan. Alaska Highway in World War II, Wendesday, 11th May, 9:45–10:30 The Sinking of the Princess Sophia, scholarly papers in the fields of The Yukon and the Social Revolution of government film and archival World War I and many other works. Bill and Tuesday, 10th May, 11:30–12:15 Ken are currently working on a description as well as curated web book on the Klondike discovery. exhibitions related to Canadian film.

4 SPEAKERS SPEAKERS

Tim Cook is an Adjunct Research A former director of the Dawson City Professor at Carleton University Museum, Kathy was a correspondent and a former director for Canada’s for CBC Radio, the Whitehorse History Society. He was the curator Star, and the Yukon News, before for the First World War permanent co-founding and co-editing two gallery at the CWM, and has curated newspapers. She continues to temporary, traveling, and digital provide editing and research service, exhibitions. most recently for the book on Yukon sports, and is currently developing Dr. Tim Cook Cook is the author of eight critically Kathy Gates Historian, Canadian War Museum acclaimed books. He received the a biography of George Black. Yukon Historical Researcher Canada and the First World War: A Perspective Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal Martha Black and the War Tuesday, 10th May, 9:00–9:45 Wendesday, 11th May, 15:15–16:00 for his contributions to Canadian history and is a member of the Order of Canada.

Prof. Ted Cowan was the Director Michael Gates has worked in the of Glasgow's Crichton Campus, cultural resource field for more Dumfries (2004-2009) and has held than forty years. He was Curator positions in Scottish History and of Collections for Parks Canada in Literature (University of Glasgow), Dawson City for twenty of them. History and Scottish Studies Gates has published numerous (University of Guelph) and Scottish technical papers on museology History (Edinburgh University). and cultural resource management, Research interest: Vikings, Scottish Prof. Ted Cowan Michael Gates, MA hundreds of articles, and four books Wars of Independence, Covenanting Emeritus Professor of Scottish History and Consultant and author on Yukon History. Literature, University of Glasgow History and Political Thought, From Yukon to Berlin: The Yukon in World War I Wendesday, 11th May, 13:30–14:15 Research interests: Yukon history, Scottish Enlightenment, Scottish From the Yukon to Hell: Robert Service’s Poetry of World War 1 material culture history, oral history. Emigration (especially to Canada). Thursday, 12th May, 10:45–11:30

The story of Klondike Joe Boyle Nicholas Gillen was born and captured Max Fraser’s imagination raised in Whitehorse, Yukon and more than five years ago. This Yukon is a recent graduate from Saint film producer is currently working Francis Xavier University with a towards a documentary series about Bachelor of Arts with Honours. Nick Joe’s WW1 exploits, and a feature specializes in Modern European film about Joe's romance with Marie. History with particular focus on the First World War. He recently completed his senior honours thesis Max Fraser Nick Gillen Film Maker on trench culture in Britain and St. Francis-Xavier University Celebrating Yukon Heroes of the Germany and is looking to attend Militarism, Masculinity, and Memorialization: First World War graduate school in the fall of 2016 Trench Culture in Great Britain and Germany Wendesday, 11th May, 16:00–16:45 to expand his research on German Thursday, 12th May, 13:30–14:15 Memorialization of the Great War.

6 Monday TuesdayWednesday Thursday May 9thMay 10th May 11th May 12th

8:30–8:50 Opening Remarks Opening Remarks Dr. Ken Coates and Dr. Brent Slobodin Elaine Taylor, Minister of Tourism 9:00–9:45 Canada and the First World War: A Northern voices of the Great war: The Great War and the Foundations Perspective Personal perspectives and narratives of Yukon Tourism Dr. Tim Cook, Historian, Canadian War from Northern British Columbians David Neufeld, Yukon & Western Arctic Museum Maureen Atkinson, MA, PhD candidate, Historian (Parks Canada, retired) University of Waterloo 9:45–10:30 Understanding a Yukon Community’s Filming the “Northern Front” during Fish is a Fighting Food: North Responses to the First World War: the First World War: The Use of American Canned Salmon and the Full day workshop: Conceptualizing Dawson’s War Government Film to Document the First World War Cultural Organizations and through the Dawson Daily News and Canadian Arctic Expedition Ross Coen, PhD candidate, Traumatic Events the Library and Archives Canada Sarah Cook, Archivist, Libraries and University of Washington 10:00–16:00 Dr. P. Whitney Lackenbauer, Archives Canada Yukon Transportation Museum Dr. Peter Kikkert and Amanda Graham 10:30–10:45 Break Break Break 10:45–11:30 How Joe Boyle’s Mounted Machine Nickel Heeds the Call: The Sudbury From the Yukon to Hell: Robert Gunners Adapted to Fighting the Area in World War One Service’s Poetry of World War 1 First World War Dr. Peter Krats, University of Western Prof. Ted Cowan, Emeritus Professor of Cameron Pulsifer, Curator Emeritus, Ontario Scottish History and Literature, Canadian War Museum University of Glasgow 11:30–12:15 The Yukon and the Social Revolution Alaska’s Economy: World War I, Jack Negotating Romania’s Destiny of World War I London and Frontier Fragility During WWI: An Analysis of Joe Dr. Ken Coates, Yukon Historian, Dr. Lee Huskey, Emeritus Professor of Boyle’s Diplomatic Strategy University of Saskatchewan Economics, University of Alaska Dr. Crina Bud, Lector of Romanian Anchorage Language and Culture, York University

Conference registration 13:00–19:00 LunchLunch Lunch 12:15–13:30 High Country Inn

13:30–14:15 Prelude to Alliance: Yankees and From Yukon to Berlin: The Yukon in Militarism, Masculinity, and Britons in the American Far World War I Memorialization: Trench Culture in Northwest, 1869–1917 Michael Gates, MA, Consultant, author Great Britain and Germany Dr. Preston Jones, Professor of History, Nick Gillen, St. Francis-Xavier John Brown University University 14:15–15:00 Wings of Sikta Spruce: Alaskan On the Homefront The Empire Called and the Dominions Airplane Lumber in the Great War Sally Robinson, MA, Yukon Historian Responded: Remembering the First Dr. Terrence M. Cole, Professor of World War in New Zealand History, University of Alaska Fairbanks Sarah Murray, Curatorial Manager, Canterbury Museum 15:00–15:15 Break Break Break 15:15–16:00 Collecting CEF Badges & Medals Martha Black and the War Cy Peck (VC), the Prince Rupert Relating To The Yukon Territory Kathy Gates, Yukon Historical Company, and the Great War Tim Popp, Advisory Committee Vice Researcher Mark Zuehlke, Author, Canadian Battle Chairman, Fred Light Museum, Series Battleford, Saskatchewan 16:00–16:45 Lion in Winter: Sam›Steele,›the Celebrating Yukon Heroes of the The Story of Princess Sophia and Yukon,›and›CEF Chaos First World War World War I Dr. William F. Stewart, Independent Max Fraser, Film Maker David Leverton, Executive Director, Researcher Maritime Museum of British Columbia 16:45–17:30 Closing Remarks Dr. Ken Coates and Dr. Brent Slobodin

May 9thMay 10th May 11th May 12th

Welcome Reception The Yukon and the First World War Free Evening Dawson to Berlin: 19:00–21:00 Reception by Friends of the Archives A Romanian Love Story MacBride Museum 17:30–18:45 19:00–22:00 1124 1st Ave, Whitehorse Roundhouse Coast High Country Inn 1127 Front St, Whitehorse Convention Centre

Ceremony of Remembrance: Yukon Featuring: Grant Hartwick, Dale Fallen of WW1 Cooper, Shauna Jones, Grant Simpson, 19:00 Steve Slade, the Frantic Follies Dancers Cenotaph, City Hall and the Roma Swing Ensemble! Produced by JaS Varieties SPEAKERS SPEAKERS

Amanda Graham is an instructor Dr. Peter Kikkert is a SSHRC of Northern Studies and History at Postdoctoral Fellow at Trent Yukon College. She is a senior editor University. He has published of the now open-access Northern extensively on polar topics, Review, Yukon College Research particularly on sovereignty, security Fund’s resident cartoonist and and stewardship issues, and the illustrator, a member of the College’s relationship between the military Research Ethics Board, and its and northern communities. In University of the Arctic coordinator. addition, he is currently working on Amanda Graham Dr. Peter Kikkert PhD candidate, Trent University Graham is also a member of several community history projects SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow, Trent University Understanding a Yukon Community’s Responses MacBride Museum and introduces involving the First World War. Understanding a Yukon Community’s Responses to the First World War: Conceptualizing to the First World War: Conceptualizing Dawson’s War through the Dawson Daily News her Northern Studies students Research interests: Arctic Dawson’s War through the Dawson Daily News and the Library and Archives Canada with to its collections each fall. sovereignty and security, war and and the Library and Archives Canada with Dr. P. Whitney Lackenbauer, and Dr. Peter Kikkert society, community history Dr. P. Whitney Lackenbauer and Amanda Graham Tuesday, 10th May, 9:45–10:30 Tuesday, 10th May, 9:45–10:30

Dr. Lee Huskey has been Chair of Dr. Peter Krats taught some 100 UAA’s Economics Department and credits in 15 years as a “part-timer” President of the Western Regional prior to his 2002 appointment He Science Association and is currently has since instructed five credits Visiting Scholar in Arctic Studies at annually on topics ranging from the the University of Northern Iowa. circumpolar Norths to Canadian Past research on the Northern business, immigration, human economy, migration and material rights, popular culture and more. His research compares Sudbury’s Nickel well-being led to his current interest Dr. Lee Huskey Dr. Peter V. Krats in structural change, economic Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Assistant Professor, Department of History, Belt with Michigan’s Keweenaw Alaska Anchorage University of Western Ontario growth, and community sustainability. Peninsula. Finnish-Canadian Alaska’s Economy: World War I, Jack London Nickel Heeds the Call: immigration is also a long term and Frontier Fragility the Sudbury Area in World War One Wendesday, 11th May, 11:30–12:15 Wendesday, 11th May, 10:45–11:30 interest.

Dr. Preston Jones has taught Dr. P. Whitney Lackenbauer is history, political philosophy and a professor of history and ethics courses at John Brown Honorary Lieutenant−Colonel of University in Arkansas since 2003. 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group. He has published eight books, three A prolific author on historical and of them focusing on Alaska within contemporary Arctic sovereignty the U.S. empire of the period 1867– and security issues, his forthcoming 1920. Another monograph focuses books include studies on China’s Dr. Preston Jones on the Bible and Canadian identity Arctic interests and Canadian polar Dr. P. Whitney Lackenbauer Professor of History, John Brown University in the late nineteenth century. exploration and military operations Professor of History, St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo Prelude to Alliance: Yankees and Britons in the since the Second World War. American Far Northwest, 1869–1917 Understanding a Yukon Community’s Responses Tuesday, 10th May, 13:30–14:15 Research interests: Arctic sovereignty to the First World War: Conceptualizing and security policies and practices Dawson’s War through the Dawson Daily News and the Library and Archives Canada since the Second World War. with Dr. Peter Kikkert and Amanda Graham Tuesday, 10th May, 9:45–10:30

10 SPEAKERS SPEAKERS

David Leverton is a long-time former David Neufeld is a Yukon-based Yukoner with extensive professional environmental historian. He studies experience working in an executive the intersection of knowledge capacity on behalf of public facilities and practice in both Western including science centres, museums settler approaches to Canada’s and First Nation cultural and North and Yukon First Nations’ heritage centres across Canada. ways of life in their sub-arctic David is currently the Executive boreal homelands. His reflexive research approach is grounded in David Leverton Director of the Maritime Museum of David Neufeld Executive Director, Maritime Museum of British British Columbia located in Victoria. 30 years as a community-based Yukon & Western Arctic Historian Columbia cultural researcher using archives (Parks Canada, retired) The Story of Princess Sophia and World War I Research interests: Maritime and community oral histories. The Great War and the Thursday, 12th May, 16:00–16:45 history of the Pacific Northwest Foundations of Yukon Tourism Thursday, May 12th, 9:00–9:45 and Ice Patch research throughout the circumpolar North.

Sarah Murray has worked at Tim was raised in Whitehorse, Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, and after high school joined the New Zealand, for over a decade. Canadian Armed Forces. In 1988, he Her most recent exhibitions include joined the RCMP and was posted to Quake City, an exhibition about Saskatchewan. He retired in 2014. the Canterbury earthquakes, Popp researches all aspects of and Rise: Street Art. Canadian military and Mounted Murray’s current areas of Police history. He has been research relate to the ethics Sarah Murray Tim Popp an avid collector of Yukon Curatorial Manager, Canterbury Museum Advisory Committee Vice Chairman, Fred Light militaria for 45 years. of curating and New Zealand Museum, Battleford, Saskatchewan The Empire Called and the Dominions and the First World War. Responded: Remembering the First World War Collecting CEF Badges & Medals in New Zealand Relating To The Yukon Territory Thursday, 12th May, 14:15–15:00 Tuesday, 10th May, 15:15–16:00

Conference Workshop: Cameron Pulsifer worked as an Workshop facilitator: Cultural Organizations and Traumatic Events historian at the Canadian War Sarah Murray This full-day technical workshop will draw on Museum from 1991 to 2007, Monday, 9th May, the experiences and work of the Canterbury dealing with many subject areas. 10:00–16:00 Yukon Transportation Museum following the earthquakes that One that has carried over into Museum devastated Christchurch in 2011. retirement is the role played by Raymond Brutinel as the machine $40 YHMA members The workshop will share the Canterbury Museum's $50 non-members experience in responding to the collecting, curating and gun commander of the Canadian presenting the Christchurch earthquake experience, Corps in the First World War, Cameron Pulsifer Registration includes and especially his work with the Curator Emeritus, Canadian War Museum lunch and in doing so will allow participants to draw on corps’ motor machine gun units. How Joe Boyle’s Mounted Machine Gunners their own personal and professional experiences in Adapted to Fighting the First World War understanding community trauma and the role of Research interests: Canadian machine Tuesday, 10th May, 10:45–11:30 heritage organizations play in navigating difficult stories. gun service in the First World War.

12 SPEAKERS

Sally Robinson is a public historian who has been working in the Yukon for almost forty years. Her interest is cultural history. Sally started in 1979 as an independent contractor working for Yukon museums in exhibit development and production. To Our Volunteers She joined the Yukon government in 1998 as the Historic Sites interpretive Sally Robinson, MA We Thank You! Yukon Historian planner. Since retirement, Sally has On the Homefront become a dedicated volunteer with Wendesday, 11th May, 14:15–15:00 the Yukon Historical & Museums Association and the Alaska Highway Heritage Society. ORGANISING COMMITTEE:

Ken Coates After a thirty-year career in senior (CO-CHAIR) management in the high-tech industry, Dr. William Stewart Brent Slobodin graduated from the University of Birmingham, UK, with a PhD. in 2012. (CO-CHAIR) Stewart examines the combat and administrative aspects of the Sally Robinson CEF in the Great War. (YHMA PRESIDENT) His book The Embattled General Dr. William F. Stewart Independent Researcher was published in November 2015. Lion in Winter: Sam Steele, the Yukon, Marius Curteanu and CEF Chaos Tuesday, 10th May, 16:00–16:45 Dan Davidson Max Fraser Mark Zuehlke is the author of the critically acclaimed Canadian Battle Michael Gates Series—the most extensive published account of the battle experience of Canada’s Army in World War II. Joanne Lewis The series is also the most detailed recounting of the battles fought by Piers McDonald any nation during that war written by a single author. Mark Zuehlke Author, Canadian Battle Series Cy Peck (VC), the Prince Rupert Company, and the Great War Thursday, 12th May, 15:15–16:00

14 GALA EVENING EVENT

The North and the First World War Heritage Film Series

Proudly presenting a selection of historical films and programs showcasing the North's involvement in the First World War.

Please check our website for schedule details nwtelcommunitytv.ca

Be sure to spend some time in the Northwestel Conference Viewing Lounge featuring First World War silent-era films uncovered in the Dawson Film Find of 1978!

Proud sponsor of the North and the First World War Conference

16 TIMELINE OF EVENTS

August 4, 1914 Britain declares war with Germany. Jack Maitland and Howard Grestock are the first to leave August 7, 1914 Dawson City to enlist. 39 men sponsored by Joe Boyle leave Dawson to enlist October 8, 1914 joined by more volunteers in Whitehorse. The Yukon has raised $20,000 for patriotic causes; 65 men December 23, 1914 have enlisted. The Boyle Detachment sails for England and later June 11, 1915 renamed the Yukon Battery. Harry McLennan, Yukon’s first war casualty, dies at the April 22, 1915 Battle of Ypres. Joe Boyle departs for London and never returns to the July 17, 1916 Yukon. Commissioner and Mrs. Black depart Dawson aboard the October 9, 1916 steamer Casca joining hundreds of volunteers. The Yukon Machine Gun Battery engages in major November 18, 1916 offensive at the Somme and several brave Yukon soldiers are awarded medals for bravery in battle. The George Black Contingent sails for England aboard January 24, 1917 the SS Canada. Mrs. Black is the only woman among 1,500 troops.

April 9, 1917 The Battle of Vimy Ridge begins. Joe Boyle, now an honorary lieutenant colonel in the July 1917 militia, arrives in Russia to solve problems with the Russian rail system. The Battle of Passchendaele. On this day, nine brave Yukon men die in battle. Jim “Grizzly Bear” Christie earns October 30 1917 the Military Cross; George R. Pearkes earns the Victoria Cross. Joe Boyle arrives in Romania by train after a harrowing December 24, 1918 journey from Moscow. With him is the Romanian national treasury. Germany begins a major offensive that breaks through the March 21, 1918 allied line. During three weeks of intense fighting, Lyman Black earns the Military Cross. Ninety-one men from the first selective draft sail from June 20, 1918 Dawson aboard the steamer Selkirk. The George Black contingent, now part of the 2nd Motor August 8, 1918 Machine Gun Brigade, engages in the Battle of Amiens. This heralds the beginning of the end of the war. Robert Morton, one of the original Boyle volunteers, October 19, 1918 becomes the last soldier from the Yukon to die in battle. The ship Princess Sophia sinks in the Lynn Canal. October 25, 1918 Hundreds of Yukoners perish. Armistice is declared at 11:00 a.m. Of the more than nine November 11, 1918 hundred men and women who enlisted, 94 die in service. Slightly more than 100 return to the Yukon after the war.

April 14, 1923 Joe Boyle dies and is buried in England.