Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 IN THIS ISSUE Vandals destroy legion · Vandals destroy legion tribute tribute · Legal fees eat into charitable gift · Always a soldier · After nearly 100 years, a military mystery comes to an end · A bittersweet day for D-Day Dodgers; Final Orillia reunion recalls 'forgotten war' · Harper pledges long-term renewal of Canadian Forces · Irena Sendler, who saved 2,500 Jewish children from Holocaust, dies at 98 · Elderly care becoming big priority so nurses need to learn new skills · Where have all the spoons gone? · $4-million research chairs will enhance health and care of seniors · Korean War veteran, Charles McLean hoping to keep war memories alive · Hospital gets $5,000 cheque from Mt. Benson, BC Legion · Paying tribute to those lost Tatamagouche Royal Canadian Legion · Veterans' Luncheon Victory in Europe Day and Netherlands Day members Gordon Hillier, left, and Bill · Diana Barnato Walker, first U.K. woman to break sound barrier, dead at 90 Cameron, along with other legion · Henry McKenzie volunteers, have removed Canadian flags · ‘I don’t have much hope’ and iron crosses from veterans graves in 19 Tatamagouche-area cemeteries · Firefighters aiming to hit fundraising bullseye. because of vandalism and the high cost to · Funding to Help Combat Elder Abuse replace the symbolic tributes. · Macfie: Long lost wartime dispatch revealed · Family members of slain Canadian soldier want public to share their grief. TATAMAGOUCHE, Nova Scotia: · Marching in honour of Bataan’s dead Traditional spring and fall placement · The Memorial Cup: LEST WE FORGET of flags at grave sites to be replaced · Governor General to unveil the Canadian Victoria Cross Vandals stealing flags and crosses · Canada says it's sorry; Government formally acknowledges internment of from area cemeteries are forcing 'enemy aliens' was unjust legions to find new ways to honour · Edmonton Legion hall likely to be torn down their veterans. · Veterans Affairs Minister Honours Ontario Citizens · Students to honour fathers of fallen N.S. soldiers For more than 30 years Gordon Hillier, · Canada unveils a new, top medal for battlefield bravery and other members of the · 65 years later, Dambuster veterans reunite for the last time Tatamagouche Royal Canadian · Veterans Help Celebrate Start Of Memorial Cup. Legion, have placed small nylon · Proud to rub shoulders with Canada's soldiers Canadian flags in iron crosses at · Repatriation Memorial Drive and rally set for May 31 every veteran’s grave in the village in · Travelling the Highway of Heroes; A police officer's story on the importance the spring and fall. of patriotism In recent years a growing number · Public to view flag retirement ceremony have gone missing, increasing costs · Get Well Wishes to Comrade Gerry Capling for the legion and requiring more · Condolences to the Family of Mr. Roger Labre volunteer time to replace them. “It has gotten worse over the past couple of years,” said Hillier. “It was very discouraging for the legion members looking after placing them in cemeteries when they’d be missing.” The legion was spending more than $1,000 annually to place the symbols The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 1 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 of respect at about 300 veteran’s fate. handles land estate issues, have grave sites in 19 local cemeteries. turned the case over to the VICTORIA: BC- What could have Department of Justice, Friesen said. Hillier said the gesture was started by been the largest-ever donation to the Aubrey Mattatall in the 1970s, offering War Amps charity is disappearing into "We'd hoped that this would settle a a visual reminder to everyone to legal fees as part of a lengthy fight long time ago, but government officials honour and remember the people between the federal government and a said no," he added. who had served their country. Vancouver Island great-grandmother. Government officials would not Legion president Bill Thomas said the The fight centres on a piece of Victoria answer questions about the will last legion is looking to the future changing property, at 1638 Hollywood Cres., week. their method of showing respect and that once belonged to First World War "Public Works and Government remembrance by placing brass name veteran Arnold Palmer. Palmer, who Services Canada is not in a position to plates on a large plaque within the lost a leg while fighting at Vimy Ridge, comment as the matter is currently legion building. had volunteered with the War Amps before the courts," spokesman Rod for 44 years before his death in 1975. “This will be a one-time thing to show Maides said last week. The case our appreciation to our veterans who He had verbally pledged to give the began examination of discovery have served or lost their lives War Amps any money from the sale of proceedings in a Nanaimo courtroom protecting our country,” said Thomas. his land, said his close friend and War this week. Amps chief executive officer Cliff The president said legions in others Ottawa should have resolved the case Chadderton. But his will passed the areas are experiencing similar a long time ago, especially property to his mentally ill daughter challenges in honouring their veterans considering it involves a charity Ethel May Palmer, who became a with grave side markers. associated with war veterans, said recluse and, in turn, willed it to the Victoria NDP MP Denise Savoie. About five years ago the legion Queen when she died in 2005. It has created a large plaque which included since sold for more than $600,000. "I'm just shocked this has gone on that the names of all the veterans from the long," said Savoie, who pledged to Palmer's granddaughter, Ladysmith Tatamagouche area who are buried discuss the matter with government resident Maureen Walsh, has spent outside the community. ministers. "It should have been so the past year challenging Ethel May's simple, and I'm going to pursue this A new display is in the process of will in an attempt to reverse the with the government. I'm not going to being organized for the veterans decision and donate the money to War let them off the hook." Meanwhile, the buried within the village with each Amps as she said her grandfather War Amps organization said it is brass name plate including the wished. "disappointed" about the case and is cemetery where the person is buried. The War Amps charity helps pay for waiting for a resolution. The charity All of the iron crosses and flags that artificial limbs for child amputees and tried, unsuccessfully, to lobby federal were at grave sites have been has said the money would be the politicians to resolve the matter in removed by legion volunteers. largest donation in the organization's 2006. Sunday, May 11, 2008 history. Sunday, May 11, 2008 SHERRY MARTELL , The Truro Daily News "It's something I really felt morally Rob Shaw, Times Colonist Section: Veterans Section: Veterans obliged to do," said Walsh, 68, who has two great-granddaughters. "I just Legal fees eat into charitable couldn't let it go." However, more than gift $150,000 of the estate will disappear into legal fees if the courtroom wrangling continues and the dispute heads to trial, said Walsh's lawyer, Kenneth Friesen. "I think [the government] just thinks, 'Let's see where this goes,'" Friesen said. "There's no downside for them, because they either get it all, or not." Friesen said he has argued Ethel May was a diagnosed chronic schizophrenic who thought she was This house at 1638 Hollywood Cres. is at part of the Royal Family. the centre of a controversy that puts a "That's why she left it to the Queen," charitable gift to War Amps in jeopardy. Credit: Bruce Stotesbury, Times Colonist he said. "We're able to show she was unstable." Instead of offering to settle Vet said he'd leave house to War the estate, federal lawyers from the Amps, but now there's a battle over its public works department, which Page 2 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Always a soldier when the letter that he had waited two said Ray Seguin, Starker's brother-in- years to receive finally arrived. law. The Calgary paramedic, who was "This was supposed to be his last once an elite soldier, had been tour." selected for deployment in At work with Calgary EMS, Starker Afghanistan. always had his uniform pressed and It was now his time. his boots shined. Two years ago, Starker added his His tattoos -- ink images up both arms - thoughts to an online tribute to another - were covered by navy blue shirts soldier, Sgt. Vaughn Ingram , killed in with cuffs coming down to his wrists, Afghanistan. even in the sweltering heat of summer. "Vaughn you will be missed . . . thank you for the great memories in the time He wanted his patients to be we served together . . . 'Jambo'. . . comfortable and worried someone Rest in Peace brother," he wrote, would be scared by the tattoos. signing simply Mike Starker (Calgary, There was a respect for his profession AB). as a paramedic and for the patients he Two other members of Starker's treated, Jabs said. former unit -- the Princess Patricia's Starker may have been a hardened Canadian Light Infantry -- died in a soldier, "but you could put him in the rocket-propelled grenade attack on People pay tribute to Cpl. Mike Starker as back of a truck with a scared grandma Aug. 4, 2006. the hearse carrying his body leaves CFB and he could show such compassion Trenton on Friday en route to Calgary for his funeral. Starker left the forces years earlier, and sensitivity to those who needed Credit: Procession photo: Fred Thornhill, after his Canadian Airborne Regiment it," he said. was disbanded in 1995 and he was Reuters: Photo-illustration: Kathryn After leaving his regular forces military sent back to the infantry. Molcak, Calgary Herald career, Starker tried his hand as a Cpl. Michael Starker was a born But he never let go of his military past, welder, but found it wasn't, in his soldier, a true leader and driven by his wearing his airborne shirt around the words, stressful enough. duty to serve others. house, drinking coffee from a unit He then entered the EMS field, mug. The staccato sound of rapid shots working as an emergency medical firing pierced the midday air as And the continuing loss of his military technician in Kananaskis Country Taliban forces ambushed a cluster of brothers in Afghanistan had a where he met Jabs in 2004. Canadian soldiers. profound effect on him. Essentially attached at the hip during At the heavily defended Canadian See SOLDIER, Page B2 shifts that stretched up to 48 hours, operating base more than a kilometre they should have fought like cats and "I think he feels like he should have away, the exchange of gunfire dogs, Jabs said. crackled and radios buzzed with calls been there to be with them," said Bob for support. McGonigal, of Windsor, Ont. whose Instead, he looked forward to the work son was one of Starker's best friends. because he could spend time with Master Cpl. Fabio Lacentra helplessly Starker. watched the dust and smoke rising Rob Jabs, a close friend and fellow from the scene. paramedic talked to Starker at length When Starker decided to become a about his decision to deploy, telling paramedic, he approached it with the Although he couldn't pick out him he'd already done his time. same drive he had for everything else. individuals on the ground, Lacentra He raced through a year-long But Starker was always a soldier first. had a sense that his old friend, Cpl. university-level biology course in one Mike Starker, was in trouble. "This was a guy forged in the fires of month, scoring 90 per cent for his final A member of the 15 Field Ambulance combat. He felt an obligation and a grade. sense of duty," Jabs said. reserve unit, Mike Starker volunteered Despite his accomplishments, Starker for every available posting to serve in And now, as a paramedic with Calgary remained humble. the war in Afghanistan. EMS, Starker felt he had the skills to "It would always be me or his other help save his friends' lives should the He offered to serve as a medic or in friends that bragged for him," Jabs worst happen -- even if he had to put the infantry. He just wanted to serve, said. in some way. his own life on hold to do it. As Tracy Martell stared at the "They talked about trying to have kids Starker, 36, had just bought a new television screen while a newscaster before. Then, when this came up, they house with his wife Nicole and the described the latest Canadian said we'll hold off until he gets back," couple were preparing to start a family casualty, she realized it was the same The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 3 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 student who once sat in front of her in guerrilla-style attacks in the fall of impromptu memorial at Calgary EMS math at Henry Wise Wood High 2006. But officials had seen changes headquarters. School. recently as the locals returned. Sorrow is particularly profound at Martell wasn't surprised to hear "We see more farmers. We have seen Station 26, the joint fire, police and Starker had pursued a career in the people interacting with us everyday," ambulance detachment in Midnapore military. said Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche, where Starker worked. commanding general of Task Force "He wore combat boots and his cadet Olsen shared many late night chats Afghanistan. gear to school sometimes. It was just with the paramedic even though they who he was," she said. Starker and the other Canadians worked in different fields. He said soldiers were on a civil-military co- "Mikey" was a real fixture at the After graduating high school in 1990, operation patrol with the Afghan station. Starker made a bee line for the National Security Forces. Canadian Armed Forces. He was 18 "There were some days we would when he enlisted. Like cops walking the beat, they were come here and start our shift and on foot talking with locals about Mikey was already cooking. That was The young man with a mischievous security and social concerns. unheard of." smile soon headed off to battle school where he met fellow soldier Bob At 11:45 a.m. local time Tuesday, What set him apart from others was McGonigal. The two bonded for life. enemy fire broke out. The details of that Starker never seemed to heed the the ambush are slow to emerge but unspoken rivalry between medics and They were both stationed in Ontario Starker was hit in the exchange and fire fighters, said Olsen. with the Princess Patricia's Canadian another soldier injured. Light Infantry and Starker would spend He would hang out with anyone up for his weekend passes with McGonigal's Back in Calgary, it was still early a laugh. And when the practical joker family in Windsor. morning when a Blackberry buzzed. was around hijinks ensued. Starker soon found a second home in Col. Art Wriedt answered it with dread. Anyone who left their food for more the clan that already included two than five minutes would later regret it. As commander of 41 Canadian sons and a daughter. Starker was known for dousing Brigade Group, Wriedt is the first local unattended meals with hot sauce and "We called him our third son," said military official to receive a call if a would wait, poker faced, for the Bob McGonigal's father, who shares Calgary soldier is killed in action. inevitable result. the same name. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't go to bed Olsen was still waiting for retribution It was through this second family that every night and hope that Blackberry from a prank he pulled on Starker, Starker encountered his future bride. doesn't go off," said Wriedt. "I pray to switching his beloved hard boiled eggs God that we don't take casualties." His buddy's sister was coming to CFB with raw ones, leaving the paramedic Petawawa for a visit and brought her Wriedt's prayers weren't answered this with a sticky mess instead of lunch. friend Nicole along for the ride. time. "For the two years I've known him, I've Since Starker and McGonigal were Cpl. Michael Starker had just been never seen that guy have a bad day. almost inseparable, the meeting was killed in action, a distant voice He's always looking for a positive inevitable. explained. angle. He's like one of those guys you are drawn to. Pure positive energy," Still, Starker wasn't exactly the His family needed to be notified. Olsen said. "preppy" guy Nicole usually went for, As Starker's body was being flown said Seguin, Nicole's brother. "Knowing he's not coming back . . . it's back to Canada on Wednesday, grief surreal." "Mike was definitely a Calgary boy. I started to ripple across the country. remember the first day I met him -- the Jabs, who called Starker his best On the Internet, groups dedicated to cowboy boots, the big belt buckle, the friend, found himself with the painful Starker were created and memorials big 4 x 4 with the whipper antennas," task of explaining to his four-year-old began to fill with messages of loss and he said of the introduction 15 years daughter why Uncle Mike wouldn't be of thanks. ago -- about five years before the coming back. couple wed. "Mike, you were born a leader and I Uncle Mike had been killed, he said, am honoured to have known you," "I liked him from the moment I met while helping the people over in firefighter Brad Olsen wrote in an him." Afghanistan. online book of condolences. Starker wasn't walking into the most "She summed it up: Why would you Facebook groups in memory of Cpl. treacherous territory in Afghanistan hurt someone who's helping you? I Mike Starker flowed with messages of when he was ambushed last week. could not, for the life of me, give her grief from comrades in Afghanistan an answer," Jabs said, tears welling. The Pashmul region, about 35 unable to follow him home for the kilometres from Kandahar, had been funeral, while clusters of flowers and In a few weeks Starker was supposed the scene of fierce battles, including homemade cards piled up in an to swap the dusty Afghan landscape

Page 4 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 for the waters off South Africa. After nearly 100 years, a especially when Cpl. Forsdike's great- grandson, Cpl. John Layton, read a He was eagerly anticipating the leave military mystery comes to an history of the 4th Mounted Rifles. Cpl. that would marked the halfway point of end Layton, who is stationed at CFB his deployment. Petawawa, came from Wainwright, He and his wife Nicole had planned Alta., especially to take part in the the vacation of a lifetime. ceremony. Starker wanted to get in an Ian Forsdike, a distant relative from underwater cage and have an up Bedford, England, travelled the close look at a great white shark, he furthest distance to attend. His quest wrote in an e-mail to Bob McGonigal to fill out his family tree filled in a piece Sr. of the puzzle that the Nova Scotia family didn't know was missing. He Starker seemed less scared about had created a website dedicated to those sorts of things now, he said. Cpl. Forsdike's memory, which Bert "I just got the e-mail from him over Layton, Florence's son and John's there and I sent one back to him," said Florence Layton, 94, and her son, Bert, father, found while looking for McGonigal, who is now preparing to take part in an emotional ceremony at the information about his mysterious fly from Windsor to Calgary for Royal Canadian Legion in Berwick, N.S., grandfather. Starker's funeral. yesterday. Ms. Layton was presented with her father Cpl. Frank Forsdike's three There's a picture on the website of "He probably never even got it." service medals from the First World War. Florence as a little girl, her mother, Myrtle, and Cpl. Forsdike. Until she On Friday , a sombre ceremony on the Credit: Ryan Taplin, CanWest News saw that picture, Ms. Layton had CFB Trenton tarmac marked Starker's Service never seen a picture of herself as a return to Canada. Family who never knew he existed toddler, or with both her parents. Awaiting his remains were his wife, accepts medals awarded to Canadian killed in First World War. Ms. Layton's mother remarried after parents, sister and close friends. Cpl. Forsdike's death and moved, so Medals earned by a Canadian soldier Ambulances and emergency services the army lost contact with her and was in the First World War were returned personnel lined the road from the base unable to give her the medals at the to his family yesterday in an emotional to the Highway 401 to honour the end of the war. ceremony filled with military pomp and fallen paramedic and soldier. circumstance. Cpl. Forsdike was killed in the battle of Funeral plans are still being made for Mount Sorrel in June 1916. His name The medals -- two service medals and Starker. is engraved along with those of 55,000 a victory medal that had been other fallen soldiers on the Menin Jabs isn't sure what his friend would awarded posthumously to Frank Gate memorial in Ypres. make of all the ceremony. Forsdike, a corporal with the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles who died in Ms. Van Binsbergen says she A humble, unassuming man, Starker Belgium -- had languished in Ottawa travelled to Belgium and found her was never one for the spotlight. for decades, unclaimed by a family grandfather's name on the monument, Jabs understands the national that hadn't known he existed. but even that pilgrimage had nothing attention that comes from a soldier on the emotion she felt when her Shipped to Nova Scotia, they were dying while serving his country but he mother accepted Cpl. Forsdike's presented in a ceremony at the wishes his friend was returning home medals. Berwick Legion to his daughter, 94- safe as planned. year-old Florence Layton, who was a "It's closure for our family," she said, "I'd rather have my buddy come back toddler when he died and only found adding that the day's events were in obscurity." out years later, when her stepfather "overwhelming." died, that Cpl. Forsdike was her With files From Canwest News Bert Layton said a shadow box is biological father. Service being prepared to display the three It was overwhelming to see "all of the medals and the photo of his mother [email protected] respect that is paid to the man that and grandparents. [email protected] none of them knew," said Ms. Layton's eldest daughter, Margie Van Sunday, May 11, 2008 Sunday, May 11, 2008 Binsbergen, of the nearly 200 guests Canwest News Service Sarah McGinnis and Gwendolyn Richards, Section: Veterans Calgary Herald who gathered for the ceremony, Section: Afghanistan including Legion members from various branches in the region, as well as friends and family. The ceremony brought tears to many eyes, Ms. Van Binsbergen said, The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 5 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 A bittersweet day for D-Day The Mother's Day weekend will always Smith, now a legion service officer, Dodgers; Final Orillia reunion be known at the Orillia legion as D- was 17 when he joined his local Day Dodgers weekend, he added, and Prince of Wales Rangers in early recalls 'forgotten war' their stories will continue to be told. 1942. His first deployment was to British Columbia after the attack on Angus shared some of his Pearl Harbor in December '41. experiences from being overseas from 1940 to 1945. Many are tales of In '43, he joined the Princess Patricia's sadness and low morale, like that of Canadian Light Infantry in Sicily, Italy, the "one or two Dear John letters" that where he eventually had the would come with the mail from unfavourable job of stretcher bearer. soldiers' spouses. Smith was invited to attend the He also recalled a time when a reunion by Suzanne Turk, a district soldier's wife died, and the father of nursing officer with Veterans Affairs Credit: Orillia Packet & Times two was killed by German troops Canada whose job includes The word "bittersweet" was being before he was notified. completing nursing assessments for veterans of the Second World War tossed around Saturday during the "I felt very fortunate coming back," and the Afghanistan mission. 30th and last D-Day Dodgers reunion Angus said. in Orillia. "It's bitter because we've "It's the best job," she said. noticed, as the years go on, time Not all of his memories of war are catches up with us. It's sweet because sour, he said, explaining a powerful In their speeches, local dignitaries you are here," Colin Wackett, acting show of humanity that briefly saw assured the remaining veterans the president of the Royal Canadian German and Canadian forces take a end of the annual reunion certainly Legion, branch 34, told paraders when time out to ensure the safety of an didn't signify the end of their legacies. Italian woman and her young child. they arrived at the legion. "If this is the last D-Day Dodgers The event began with a ceremony at Near Villa Grande, an area between reunion in Orillia, you will never be the cenotaph, followed by a parade to Ortona and Monte Casino, Canadian forgotten by the citizens of Orillia," the legion. and German troops were in the throes Mayor Ron Stevens said. of battle when the young woman Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton told About 93,000 Canadian military appeared like a "big, black ghost the crowd "history will show that they personnel served - and 6,000 died - in coming out of the smoke," Angus dodged nothing," adding "the memory "the forgotten war," as the Italian recalled. campaign would become known. Art of their courage will live on." With her child, the woman was on her Angus was one of the young men who [email protected] made it home. way to her parents' place because "she knew her town was going to be Monday, May 12, 2008 The 91-year-old Orillia man, who shelled as we headed north," he said. Nathan Taylor, Orillia Packet & Times served with the 7th Canadian Anti- Section: Veterans Tank Regiment in the Second World The Germans "held their fire back War, understood why this year's when they saw what was going on." "It reunion was the last. made me feel good," Angus said. "I Harper pledges long-term couldn't believe my eyes. How she renewal of Canadian Forces "We've had our day," he said. "There's came out alive, I don't know." so much going on in the world today, and there's other troops. There's not Another show of respect happened too many of us left." when Canadian soldiers shared their morphine, which they carried to Wackett said there were about 40 D- alleviate the pain of war wounds, with Day Dodgers in town on the weekend. their enemies, who had run out. In the event's early years, a thousand would show up, he said. "Two days later, they came out with a white flag and an officer returning our It was during a roll call for regiments at morphine," he said. the legion "that we saw the numbers had dwindled," Wackett said. Wally Smith was one of the veterans who showed up on the weekend for "It's run its course." the final reunion. The Peterborough Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Prime man, who last attended in 1988, also Minister Stephen Harper announced a long- The veterans who spoke at the legion term strategy for Canada's military on said they "wished legions in other understood why it was the last event. Monday. parts of the country had done the "It's fine to say, 'Let's go to the bitter Credit: The Canadian Press same thing" as Orillia. end,' but that's not practical," he said, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has "They were very grateful we'd done it but added "there's no one more determined than a veteran." announced a 20-year, $30-billion for so many years," Wackett said. renewal of the Canadian Forces in a Page 6 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) broad plan that coalesces several “The newest thing about this worker with the city's welfare previously announced defence announcement is that it is a long-term department when Germany invaded initiatives. plan,” Mr. Harper said, suggesting that Poland in September 1939, launching previous announcements of this type the Second World War. Warsaw's Accompanied by Defence Minister took a piecemeal approach. Jews were forced into a walled-off Peter MacKay, Mr. Harper introduced ghetto. the “Canada First Defence Strategy,” “We are establishing a 20-year plan which includes pledges of long-term with an escalating budget framework.” Seeking to save the ghetto's children, stable funding, new equipment and Sendler masterminded risky rescue the recruitment of new troops and Monday, May 12, 2008 operations. Under the pretext of reservists. BRODIE FENLON , Globe and Mail Update and inspecting sanitary conditions during a Canadian Press typhoid outbreak, she and her “If a country wants to be taken Section: Miscellaneous assistants ventured inside the ghetto - seriously by the rest of the world, it and smuggled out babies and small needs to have the capacity to act. It's Irena Sendler, who saved children in ambulances and in trams, just that simple,” Mr. Harper said sometimes wrapped up as packages. Monday during a press conference at 2,500 Jewish children from the Halifax Armoury, where he was Holocaust, dies at 98 Teenagers escaped by joining teams flanked by regular Canadian Forces of workers forced to labour outside the personnel and members of the ghetto. They were placed in families, Princess Louise Fusiliers, a reserve orphanages, hospitals or convents. infantry regiment that has sent some Records show that Sendler's team of of its members to Afghanistan. about 20 people saved nearly 2,500 Much of the Conservative strategy has children from the Warsaw Ghetto been announced before and there between October 1940 and its final were few new details Monday. liquidation in April 1943, when the Nazis burned the ghetto, shooting the The centrepiece of the plan is the long- residents or sending them to death term funding commitment the camps. Conservatives first pledged in the 2008 budget, which involves Despite the Yad Vashem honour, automatic annual increases in defence Sendler was largely forgotten in her spending from 1.5 per cent to 2 per homeland until recent years. She cent beginning in 2011-12. came to the world's attention in 2000 when a group of schoolgirls from The plan also emphasizes the Uniontown, Kan., wrote a short play government's commitment to Arctic about her called "Life in a Jar." sovereignty, highlighting the 2008 budget allocations for a new polar It went on to garner international class icebreaker and Arctic seabed WARSAW, Poland - Irena Sendler - attention, and has been performed mapping, as well as previously credited with saving some 2,500 more than 200 times in the United announced plans for a new deep-sea Jewish children from the Nazi States, Canada and Poland. port in Nanisivik and a new Arctic Holocaust by smuggling them out of Sendler, born Irena Krzyzanowska, military training facility in Resolute the Warsaw Ghetto, some of them in said she lived according to her Bay. baskets - died Monday, her family said. She was 98. physician father's teachings, arguing The government wants to expand the that "people can be only divided into regular troop force of about 65,000 to Sendler, among the first to be good or bad; their race, religion, 70,000, and to add another 6,000 honoured by Israel's Yad Vashem nationality don't matter." reservists to the current total of about Holocaust memorial as a Righteous She married Mieczyslaw Sendler but 24,000. Among Nations for her wartime heroism, died at a Warsaw hospital, they divorced after the war's end. Six of the Canadian Forces' core daughter Janina Zgrzembska told The Sendler then married fellow equipment fleets will be replaced over Associated Press. underground activist Stefan the next 20 years, including Zgrzembski, and they had two sons destroyers, frigates, aircraft, fighter President Lech Kaczynski expressed and a daughter. One died a few days planes and land combat vehicles. "great regret" over Sendler's death, after birth. The second son, Adam, Many of those procurements have calling her "extremely brave" and "an died of a heart failure in 1999. been under way for a few years. exceptional person." In recent years, Kaczynski had spearheaded a Sendler is survived by her daughter The government also plans to campaign to put Sendler's name and a granddaughter. refurbish or replace half of the forward as a candidate for the Nobel Defence Department's roads, Peace Prize. Monday, May 12, 2008 buildings and properties over the next Monika Scislowska, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Section: Miscellaneous 20 years. Sendler was a 29-year-old social Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Elderly care becoming big Chalmers Regional Hospital in unlike the acute care setting where priority so nurses need to Fredericton, is managed by the River people are acutely or critically ill and Valley Health Authority on behalf of patients have different needs," said learn new skills Veteran Affairs Canada. Walls. Many of the vets, by far a majority of The nurses and staff here not only get them men now in their 80s and 90s, to know about the veteran's lives but have seen war service. the veterans also take an interest in their caretakers' lives. That alone sets them apart from others in their age group, said Walls. Walls likes to sing, and dance and joke with the elderly residents. She They have a special appeal for her knows some old songs from the war because her own father was also a years and some will join her in a sing- war vet. song. The unit is used as a gerontology "I come to work with an attitude that I teaching facility for RNs and LPNs. HELPING HAND: Veterans Health Unit am here for eight hours and I love resident Angus Fraser, right, gets a little This is an opportunity for students to being here," said Walls. help with his beret from nurse Barb Walls. find out if this is what they really want Because they are in their 80s and 90s, Geriatric nursing is often a close and more as a career, said Walls. personal kind of care, says Walls. the vets can be healthy one day and Credit: GLENNA HANLEY, For The Daily "We can teach them the tasks, but the critically ill the next. A nurse can go Gleaner caring for another person has to come home after her shift and come back to For young nurses graduating today, from your heart," she said. "I believe it find one of her charges has died on demographics dictate that 70 per cent is almost like a calling". her day off. of their patients will be elderly. In this field of medicine, the patients Because they have come to know Working as a geriatric nurse presents aren't going to get better and go these men and women on a personal some challenges not faced in other home. So the goals and the measures level they need to deal with their death areas of nursing. But it can also bring of success are different. in a personal way, Walls said. One aide that she uses is a favourite great rewards, says Barb Walls. "You live in the present. Each day we walking stick. She puts the name of will come in and we will make it the The Fredericton registered nurse each deceased vet she has cared for best shift we can," said Walls. cares for seniors and teaches courses on her stick. on caring for the elderly. "It may seem ordinary but if they are Another is the unit holds its own clean and they're shaven and dressed "I tell the students no matter where memorial service, similar to and their dignity is maintained," those they work, there will be geriatrics Remembrance Day services. This are things for which the staff strives. because of the aging population living year it is being held on May 13 and longer and the numbers,"said Walls. Some elderly people have learned to will honour all of the residents who "This is what the face of health care is, take a day-to-day approach to this have passed away. phase of their lives. and what nurses need is a good Families, other residents and staff grounding in gerontology nursing. And Many of the vets, said Walls, take part as well as the Royal the training programs are providing appreciate simple gestures, such as a Canadian Legion. that." nurse covering them with a warm Walls gets great personal gratification blanket. Walls has been an RN for 23 years in caring for these elderly patients in and worked in many areas, from Other elderly people have a more their twilight years. hospitals and home care to public negative attitude to aging and simply "Even though there are bad days and health and administration to teaching. "endure" the time they have left, she hard days there are also fun days ... Her career is indicative of the many said. Some can become insulting or And obviously I get enough of a career paths nurses can follow. aggressive, and nurses have to learn reward from the people I care for, and to deal with that behaviour and accept She did a masters degree in nursing that appreciate what I do." but did not take special training to that it is not personal, said Walls. work in gerontology. She gravitated The veterans unit includes an Monday, May 12, 2008 towards the field after working with Alzheimer's section. This disease of GLENNA HANLEY, The Daily Gleaner Section: Seniors seniors in a Nova Scotia hospital and the elderly requires special skills, one in home care elsewhere. of them being communicating with She now works part time at the people who are no longer cognizant Veterans Health Unit, a 47-bed long- and or may have lost the ability to term care residence for veterans of speak. Canada's army, navy and air force. "What I like about it is it is so personal. The residence, next to the Dr. Everett We are able to really be involved, The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 7 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 Where have all the spoons wondered if there wasn't some way of and hence office culture in general, is gone? figuring out where they went," recalls constantly threatened," the study Aitken, whose team usually studies found. the patterns of infectious diseases, Aitken and his spoon squad calculated including blood-born viruses. that an estimated 18 million teaspoons On the line from his Australian home, go missing in the city of Melbourne he adds: "It started as a joke, but took each year, and if they were laid end to off from there." end, they would run 2,700 km. They would also weigh 360 metric tons, What it became was the "longitudinal which is equal to the heft of four adult cohort study of the displacement of blue whales. teaspoons in an Australian research institute." After staff were told of the secret research project — done under their They were looking for a way to use the noses — only five missing teaspoons tools of their trade to measure the were recovered. Team of Australian researchers phenomenon of the flights of fancy of estimate 18 million spoons go missing silver spoons. Looking back through history, Aitken each year in Melbourne. couldn't find any previous studies ever "Lacking any guidance from previous done on missing spoons. But his team Where are the damn car keys? researchers, we set out to answer the managed to link the phenomenon to age old question, 'Where have all the The socks? The left sneaker, when the destruction of open grazing lands. bloody teaspoons gone?'" the paper only the right one remains where you That, when left for anyone to use, reads. last pulled them off? ranchers will each take a little more In the greater universe of smaller Throughout the 140-person complex, than they should, leaving the things, some objects seem to have a Aitken and his team put out 70 commons overgrazed and useless to mind, and get-away plan, all their own. discreetly numbered teaspoons and everyone. kept careful track of them. There is also the theory of Explaining it away as aging grey A five-month pilot study was resistentialism — that objects are in a matter, just one of those days or mind conducted using 32 plain stainless constant war against their human games played by the dog, most of us steel teaspoons — all numbered with handlers. just blindly move forward — always nail polish. keeping an eye out for our much loved But the researchers proposed an even but still missing bric-a-brac. A main study followed, using a further more speculative theory — that 54 cheap spoons, along with 16 of somewhere in the expanse of the But what if science could open a door much higher quality. For months, their cosmos, beyond the stirrings of the into this lost world? What if the lives were quietly charted and tracked. Milky Way, there is a home-world to brightest men and women — with lab spoons. coats, analytical minds and time on In the jargon of researchers, they "Unattended spoons make their way to their hands — could qualify and "observed the teaspoons for a total of this planet, slipping away through quantify the smallest, universal 5,668 teaspoon days." nuisance? space to a world where they enjoy a Graphs were created. Models uniquely spoonoid lifestyle, Then you would have a case study in produced. Numbers crunched. responding to highly spoon oriented missing teaspoons — as well as a stimuli, and generally leading the What surprised Aitken, was that by the lesson on the universal need for levity spoon equivalent of the good life," the end they had hard data — even in the face of a petty nuisance. paper suggested. though the conclusions of where the Australia's largest infectious disease spoons went remain rather flighty. But they leave behind dysfunctional research facility — the Centre for offices where forks, knives and They found that 80% of the teaspoons Epidemiology and Population Health staplers are used to measure our vanished during the study. They Research and the Macfarlane Burnet sugar and instant coffee, Aitken figured out the half-life of the Institute in Melbourne — moved to a concluded. new building a few years ago. That's teaspoons was 81 days, that those left when veteran researcher Dr. in communal break-rooms was shorter The team called on fellow research Campbell Aitken and his brainy staff than in private lab areas, that it didn't facilities to — as a top priority — began to scratch their heads over the matter whether the silverware was develop better methods of stopping persistent loss of silverware in the expensive or cheap and that an the world-wide vanishing of the eight tearooms in the complex. estimated 250 spoons would need to spoons. be purchased each year to have a Though unknown by most people who Research assistant Megan Lim would constant supply of 70 teaspoons. go out and buy more only to have stir their coffee or tea, Aitken's them vanish again. "The loss of workplace teaspoons was research into the secret lives of rapid, showing that their availability, utensils has found an academic life "We were bitching about this, when we Page 8 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 beyond down-under tea cup rattlings. of care for our seniors," says Ron "We need a workforce with the The prestigious British Medical Schlegel, president of Winston Park knowledge, skills and attitudes to meet Journal mentioned the study two years and Oakwood Retirement the needs of an aging population that ago, and the final data is now used in Communities. is growing rapidly," says John Tibbits, Africa and in schools in the U.S., as a president of Conestoga College. "This "Research and innovation lead the teaching tool on how to conduct a partnership will help us meet that way in advancing other areas in research project. challenge and be leaders in the society, and we must invest with equal province and the country in that And the teaspoons at the institute? or higher priority in our seniors as well. regard." Have they finally learned to stay put? They are the ones who have built our The RIA offers direct links to research No, says the head researcher on the communities which we all enjoy today, and expertise on aging, along with project. They still go missing at an and we owe it to them to maximize access to eight seniors' residences alarming rate. their life enjoyment at this time in their across southwestern Ontario. But not the last spoon among the lives." These communities, housing about many test subjects. UW's four new Schlegel research 3,000 seniors, provide a continuum of There is now only that single original chairs will focus on neuroscience care, including independent living, left. So the team has now framed it. functional abilities), dementia, optimal retirement home living, assisted-living medication and geriatric medicine, all and long-term care. Research and "It remains," says Aitken, "hung on our key health areas in an aging program innovations developed here tearoom wall." population. The chairs will be based in are then disseminated to all seniors' DISCLAIMER: This article is included the faculty of applied health sciences care agencies across the province, as a curiosity and a humorous insight and UW's Kitchener health sciences once proven in these research and into the life of the common teaspoon. campus. learning environments. Any similarity or inference to any missing silverware from Branch 50 is One of the chairs has already been The RIA, created in 2005, and the five entirely coincidental. WEBMASTER filled by Dr. Safa Elgamal, a physician new research chairs are the product of from Egypt, who will study the impact a $6-million commitment from Monday, May 12, 2008 THANE BURNETT, Sun Media of physical activity in slowing the Schlegel. Each chair will receive Section: Miscellaneous progression of Alzheimer's disease in approximately $100,000 per year, with the early stages. matching funds from the home institutions, for the next 10 years. A "This very generous gift from Dr. $4-million research chairs will portion of the funds will also fund Schlegel will enable the University of enhance health and care of scholarships and other support for Waterloo and Conestoga College to students. seniors create a synergy that will generate timely advances in the health and care The creation of the chairs was of our seniors," says UW president celebrated on Friday afternoon at an David Johnston. event that included Ontario's minister of health and long-term care, George The chair at Conestoga College is Smitherman. For more information on designed to improve the care of the RIA and the chairs, download seniors in the local community. The backgrounders from www.the-ria.ca. chairholder, who will be named KITCHENER, ON, May 12 /CNW/ - shortly, will take the lead in developing For further information: Roger The University of Waterloo and and setting up an innovative education Mannell, dean of applied health Conestoga College are announcing a and training program that will enhance sciences, University of Waterloo, (519) $4-million donation to establish five the care provided for seniors by health- 888-4567 ext. 35404; Michael research chairs dedicated to care and community service Sharratt, executive director, Schlegel- enhancing the health and care of professionals. UW Research Institute for Aging, seniors in Ontario and across Canada. (519) 571-1873 ext. 124; Marlene The chair will play a guiding role in Raasok, associate vice-president, The $4-million donation comes from curriculum design and enhancement school of health sciences, Conestoga former UW professor Ronald Schlegel, of seniors' care content across health- College, (519) 748-5220 ext. 3435; adding to his initial $2-million donation related disciplines at the college and Michael Strickland, UW media to found the Schlegel-UW Research will develop training programs for relations,(519) 888-4777 Institute for Aging (RIA). Four of the professionals already working in the research chairs on aging will be based field. at UW and a program chair for Tuesday, May 13, 2008 The chair will also conduct applied CNW Group enhanced seniors' care will be located Section: Seniors at Conestoga College. research and develop evidence- informed practices in human health "I am pleased to provide funding to resources utilization for long-term care promote research in aging that will and home-based care for seniors. improve the quality of life and quality The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 9 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 Korean War veteran, Charles “I get a little bit here and there and regular supporters of the Lifeline Silent McLean hoping to keep war from good friends. I collect the Guardian fund, a foundation operated mannequins from E-bay. But I’m program that provides Lifeline to memories alive continuously looking for more,” he medical at risk individuals who cannot said. “A white navy uniform seems afford the service. This current gift will almost impossible to get.” help to provide vital equipment in the renovated Palliative Care unit to help Of his collection, which has been a families and patients during end of life passion of his for more than 20 years, care. his favourite possession is a blue dress uniform. Tuesday, May 13, 2008 “We wore them to New Year’s Eve Nanaimo Daily News Section: RCL and we were quite a sight,” he laughed at the memory. “After the war, Truro’s Charles McLean shows off some of New Year’s Eves just didn’t seen right Paying tribute to those lost the war-time memorabilia he has collected after those uniforms.” over the years. The mannequins behind To have a tour of the memorabilia, call him are dressed in a navy uniform, left, and everyday war dress. McLean at 893-7530. TRURO — When Charles McLean Tuesday, May 13, 2008 steps into his basement it’s as if he’s MONIQUE CHIASSON , The Truro Daily News walking back in time. Section: Veterans The 77-year-old Korean War veteran has transformed a section of his Hospital gets $5,000 cheque basement into a war-time room. from Mt. Benson, BC Legion Mannequins wearing war dress, awards and other war-related memorabilia command attention. Credit: Stock “I wanted to relive memories so I PETAWAWA: 'One of the darkest thought I would use it as a heritage chapters in Petawawa's history was room ... you try not to remember the observed Sunday with a solomn bad stuff, but there are many good ceremony on a bluff overlooking memories of the trips we made and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Wegner Point, where seven people we met,” said McLean, who paratroopers perished 40 years ago. The generosity of our neighbours. served with the 3rd Royal Canadian More than 150 family, friends, former Horse Artillery as a gun man, radio The Royal Canadian Legion Mt. comrades and survivors of the ill-fated man and radar overseer. Benson Branch No. 256 yet again parachute drop gathered to reflect on “There’s no time in Canada to forget showed their outstanding community that tramautic night when a wind sheer what soldiers did for this country. We support when they gave the Nanaimo blew 26 airborne soldiers off course are very lucky and we are starting to & District Hospital Foundation a and into the frigid waters of the Ottawa lose a lot of them,” said McLean, a cheque for $5,000. River. past president and life member of the The cash went to support the Retired colonel Jerry Thompson, a Royal Canadian Legion, Truro branch. Palliative Care renovation currently survivor of the drop, recalled for those That’s another reason McLean wants under way at Nanaimo Regional in attendance the tragic circumstances to keep war-time history alive. He General Hospital. This is their second of May 8, 1968. After a half-hour flight hopes people, especially youth, will gift to the Palliative Care renovation from Bonnechere airfield, the three visit the special room as a way to project. Buffalo aircraft circled Mattawa Plains familiarize themselves with the past "Sadly, a few of our members have and dispatched the jumpers at around and pass it on to future generations. died over the past year and they 8:30 p.m. Most knew they were received excellent care while on the overshooting the drop zone and “A few people come in a week ... I’d heading for the water. like to pass it on to younger people Unit," said Bob Chow, service officer. some day. I find that lately they are Representatives for the Legion "The more experienced jumpers were receiving veterans more readily, and presented the cheque to Foundation shouting out instructions," said Col. maybe that’s because they hear more Director Charlotte Lawson. Branch Thompson, who was the honourary about war because of Afghanistan.” 256 has been a long-standing reviewing officer for the parade hosted supporter of the Foundation and over by the Airborne Regiment Association And McLean hopes to add to his of Canada. collection, especially those hard-to- the years has donated more than find items. $30,000 to them in support of Central "I was able to get out of my chute," he Island healthcare. They are also recalled. Shortly thereafter he spotted Page 10 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 another soldier struggling nearby. He "He wasn't very tall and not very big," colleagues in the House of Commons, swam over to him, but the paratrooper she said. "He was doing what he whose own family was among those in was already going into shock from wanted to do." the Netherlands freed by Canada. Of hypothermia. The two men began course, I am referring to the MP for It was Ms. Misner's first time attending sinking. Sackville-Eastern Shore, Peter Stoffer, the ceremony. She recalled driving up and I thank you Peter for that honour "I could no longer hold him up and I to Petawawa in 1968 after hearing yesterday. had to let him go," the colonel said about the accident and that her son regretfully, adding he didn't know the was one of the missing. She doesn't Events like these are powerful fate of the paratrooper. An inflatable expect she will be back for another reminders that freedom is not free. It boat piloted by Cpl. Ken Armstrong anniversary, but she hopes future has never been free. It has come at a and civilian Alex Coulas rescued Col. generations carry on the memorial terrible cost to our nations. To our Thompson, the craft full of drenched observance. families. And, of course, to the brave soldiers. However, he credited the two men and women who willingly Joining the Airborne Association on men with saving many lives that night. sacrificed their own lives so that we parade were members of the Royal Survivors Ray Clowes and Dave could live in peace and freedom. Canadian Legion, a contingent from Jannisen read out the names of the CFB Petawawa and the 3RCR Royal Our Dutch friends have never seven who drowned: Master Warrant Canadian Army Cadets. forgotten this. They have never Officer Reginald Riddell, Warrant forgotten the Canadian soldiers who Officer Michael McDonnell, Cpl. Hugh Tuesday, May 13, 2008 marched into their country during the Fields, Cpl. Bob Knight, Cpl. Dennis SEAN CHASE, The Daily Observer Second World War and brought Clements, Cpl. Jim Misner and Cpl. Section: Miscellaneous freedom with them. Bruce Chiswell. The men had served in the First Battalion, Royal Canadian We see their genuine gratitude playing Regiment and the 2nd Signals Veterans' Luncheon Victory out at a very human and emotional Squadron. in Europe Day and level every time our Canadian Netherlands Day Veterans return to the Netherlands. Following the remarks and the playing of the "Last Post," wreaths were laid Just as we see it in other nations by the only survivors of the disaster in where Canadians sacrificed their lives attendance, including Col. Thompson, for our shared values of freedom, retired colonel Mike Barr, Chief democracy and the rule of law. Warrant Officer Bernie Irvine, Bob Canadian Tulip Festival - Ottawa, Nations that have been occupied by a Foster, Russ Murphy, Mr. Clowes and Ontario foreign army know – instinctively – Mr. Jannisen. May 5, 2008 how precious freedom is. And they The most poignant moment of the Bonjour. Good morning your insist on keeping alive their memories ceremony was when relatives of the Excellency, honoured Veterans, by sharing them with each new fallen conducted themselves to the distinguished guests, ladies and generation. cenotaph to lay wreathes of their own. gentlemen. And a special good That is why events such as this one The parade applauded as Cpl. morning to my colleagues from the are also so important to Canadians. Misner's mother, Ena, his former House of Commons. This is how we remember the great fiance, Carol Geoffs, and his sister, It is an honour to welcome such a debt we owe to our brave men and Linda Houghe, were joined by Cpl. large group to Netherlands Day as we women who have always served Knight's four daughters, Sue Price, celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the Canada. Defended our way of live. Patty Beek, Chrissy Knight and Cathy liberation of the Netherlands and Protected us. Storey, and Cpl. Fields' son, Steven. Victory in Europe Day. We are a blessed nation to never have For 85-year-old Ena Misner, it had This is a fitting tribute to our Veterans. been occupied by a foreign power. But been a particularly difficult Mother's And it shows that Canada’s friendship it also means that sometimes we can Day. She remarked that a mother with the Netherlands remains as take the gift of freedom for granted. never gets over losing a son at such a strong as the day our troops marched We have a sacred responsibility to young age. through Europe. guard against this. To not let it "You try to imagine what he may have happen. This past weekend, we were in Halifax looked like if he were here now," said to commemorate the 65th anniversary The Tulip Festival is one way we can Ms. Misner. "He will always be 24 to of the Battle of the Atlantic with a do that. The tulips blooming me." number of truly remarkable events. throughout Ottawa this month are a Although his father fought in Holland And while I was there I was also living reminder of what our Veterans during the Second World War, she privileged to take part in another have accomplished. What our men said her son chose to be in the military ceremony similar to this one, to mark and women in uniform are still doing and wanted to be a paratrooper, which the liberation of the Netherlands. for us today in such troubled places as almost didn't happen because of his Afghanistan. It was organized by one of my size. The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 11 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 Many years have passed since our has become an enduring symbol of announced. Veterans liberated the Netherlands. the power of freedom. Of peace. And A granddaughter of Barney Barnato, a And as we know, time has taken its of hope. co-founder of the De Beers mining toll on them. Their step is not as brisk. Some six decades later, Canada and group in South Africa, Diana Barnato Their salute is not quite as sharp. the Netherlands remain united in was a spirited debutante and party girl Their knees resist the bend. friendship and the defence of freedom. who volunteered to be a Red Cross But despite their aging bodies, our nurse in France in 1940. Veterans continue to march in Both our countries continue to send Though she had less than 10 hours of formation. They continue to march on troops to Afghanistan Our nations flying experience, she passed the test the colours, to lay their wreaths, and want to help the people of Afghanistan in 1941 to join the Air Transport to honour their fallen comrades. experience the same values that Auxiliary, which recruited civilian pilots mean so much to us. To our two And that’s why we are here today. To to ferry new, repaired and damaged nations. remember them. To remember and military aircraft between British honour and take pride in the For over 60 years, the men and factories and assembly plants during extraordinary things that ordinary women of our two nations have stood the Second World War. Canadians accomplished. shoulder to shoulder in a steadfast Her wartime assignments included belief of what is right. Of what is good. And, as every historian will tell you, delivering some 240 Spitfire fighters. without hesitation or equivocation, it And I am truly honoured and blessed Walker made her supersonic flight on was these courageous Canadians to be in the presence of the men and Aug. 26, 1963, piloting a Lightning who were the difference between women who have written this proud fighter jet that reached a speed of success and failure, between victory chapter in the world’s history. The Mach 1.65, or 2,030 kilometres per and defeat. men and women who have stood up hour. Immediately afterward, she for peace. And who have given us our The people of Holland know this, too. spent several months in a hospital lasting freedom. Forever. During the Second World War, they being treated for cancer. endured five years of brutal and Lest we forget. In "Spreading My Wings," her 1994 deadly enemy occupation. The Dutch Thank you. Merci. autobiography, she wrote about flying royal family came to Canada and was upside down in a Spitfire and being given refuge at Government House for Tuesday, May 13, 2008 unable to right the aircraft. the remainder of the war. The Honourable Greg Thompson, Minister of Veteran Affairs "While I was wondering what to do Princess Margriet was born at the Section: Veterans next, from out of my top overall pocket Ottawa Civic Hospital; her hospital fell my beautifully engraved silver room, as many of you know, was powder compact. It wheeled round declared Dutch soil; and the flag of the Diana Barnato Walker, first and round the bubble canopy like a Netherlands flew on the Peace Tower U.K. woman to break sound drunken sailor on a wall of death, then on Parliament Hill. barrier, dead at 90 sent all the face powder over In the nine months leading up to the everything," she wrote. liberation of Holland, more than 7,600 After landing, she recalled she made a Canadians were killed trying to free strong impression on a "very tall and the Netherlands from a skilled and handsome" flight lieutenant. determined enemy. "His mouth dropped open. 'I was told,' Thousands more were wounded. he gasped, 'that a very, very pretty girl The Netherland’s deep and eternal was bringing us a new aircraft. All I gratitude for all of this has never can see is some ghastly clown!"' wavered. They have remained true to It was dangerous work, and Air the words of the English poet James Transport Auxiliary women flew Allen, who said: without navigational aids. Of more No duty is more urgent than that of than 150 women who served, 16 died returning thanks. in service. In fact, soon after the war had ended, Credit: Royal AIr Force Website Walker attributed her survival in part to the Dutch began sending tulips to LONDON - Diana Barnato Walker, a a man with horrible burns on his Ottawa. They came in such large Second World War veteran who was hands and face who approached her numbers that the tulips became a the first British woman to pilot an as she was about to make her first great attraction and photos circulated airplane at supersonic speed, has solo flight. in newspapers around the world. died. She was 90. "In those days, girls like me didn't see And the tulips, like our bond, still Walker died on April 28. Her family horrors, so it was a nasty fright," she bloom freshly every spring. The said a funeral service will be held wrote. friendship between our two nations Thursday. The cause of death was not Page 12 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 "He looked at me and said, 'Don't fly, Veteran on verge of despair over It has no wheelchair access inside and Miss Barnato. Look what it's done to battle for legion hall. the upper floor is not usable. The me.' After that, I was a very careful WOLFVILLE — Hubert Sullivan is games room is too small to host pilot." losing hope in the battle to get a new tournaments, there are no fire escapes and most of the rooms are In 1942, Barnato became engaged to legion hall. small and cramped. Squadron Leader Humphrey Gilbert, a It’s been 12 years since members of combat pilot, after a three-week the Wolfville Royal Canadian Legion, Legion members call it the "dungeon." romance. He was killed two days later. Branch 74, began working to get a About 40 of them turned out at new building. Tuesday’s council meeting to support She married Derek Walker, another a motion to reconsider presented by pilot, in 1944. He was killed in a crash At that time they bought about seven Coun. Chris Parker, who represents four months after the war ended. hectares of land in Greenwich, just outside Wolfville. The plan was to the Greenwich area. She had a son from a three-decade develop or sell some of the land to "At least let the application go through relationship with a married man, the help defray the $600,000 cost of the the normal process," Mr. Parker urged racing driver Whitney Straight. building. his council colleagues. "Very rarely do we reject the process." Tuesday, May 13, 2008 That plan has been put off for different THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reasons over the years and is now tied Coun. Barry Peterson said that while Section: Veterans up at Kings County council. he supports construction of a new "I don’t have much hope," Mr. Sullivan, legion, "I just don’t support the Henry McKenzie a Second World War veteran who rezoning of agricultural land for participated in the liberation of building it." Holland, said in an interview Coun. Madonna Spinazola and Thursday. Deputy Warden Diana Brothers "The last time council didn’t even look supported the legion request. at it, and I don’t think anything has "We all say we want to help the legion, changed since then." so let’s do something," said Ms. Mr. Sullivan was referring to council’s Spinazola said. decision at its regular monthly meeting I paid a visit to Mr Henry McKenzie a Ms. Brothers urged council to at least Tuesday night to have municipal staff WW11 veteran at the Freeport look at the issue. "It may be that we study the issue and report back. Hospital last week. I had a nice visit don’t have to rezone any agricultural and he told me many stories about his The legion wants the land rezoned to land." efforts in the 2nd World War.I will residential from agricultural so it can Wednesday, May 14, 2008 continue to follow up on his progress, build a new meeting hall. GORDON DELANEY Valley Bureau, The Nova and will keep the members informed. Scotia News Last month, a request to refer the Section: RCL Tuesday, May 13, 2008 matter to the planning advisory Norma Ash Section: Sick and Visiting committee was turned down by council. The proposal didn’t sit well Firefighters aiming to hit with some councillors this week either, fundraising bullseye. ‘I don’t have much hope’ but council did agree to have staff examine the options. Six of the seven hectares are zoned agricultural, and this land is protected under the county’s municipal planning strategy. Some councillors and residents are opposed to gobbling up valuable farmland for development. Other major projects in Weston, Port Williams and Greenwich have been turned down or delayed for the same Caesarea Firefighters' Association to Wolfville Royal Canadian Legion Branch reason. 74 president Hubert Sullivan says host dart tournament June 14 to raise members have been waiting 12 years for a Mr. Sullivan said the legion, which has funds for local Legion, veterans. new hall to replace the old one, a former shrunk to 150 members from 300 in PORT PERRY -- A band of local Baptist church. recent years, needs a new hall. The firefighters is aiming to help out the Credit: GORDON DELANEY / Valley current one, a former Baptist church, Port Perry Legion and local veterans Bureau is too large, hard to heat and has no next month when it plays host to a parking space. fundraising dart tournament. The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 13 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 Slated to be held June 14 at the Port Section: RCL to the provincial government for their Perry Royal Canadian Legion, Branch continued efforts to combat issues of 419, the inaugural tournament will be Funding to Help Combat elder abuse. Providing funds such as hosted by the Caesarea Firefighters' this empowers the seniors of our Association. All proceeds from the Elder Abuse communities. It allows for their voices day, says Rick Olaisen, will be passed to be heard and for support to be along to the local Legion. provided when the need to discuss abuse concerns arises. Continued "We know the veterans and the Legion partnership efforts between our could use it," says Mr. Olaisen of the government, community agencies and anticipated funds. committees will go a long way to Registration for the double-elimination eliminating the devasting effects of tournament will run from 9 to 10:30 abuse within our senior population”, a.m. at the Port Perry Legion, located said Tom Caswell, Chair, Elder Abuse at 484 Bay St. The competition will Prevention Committee of Sault Ste. start at 11 a.m. Marie and Algoma. Up to 32 teams of four can participate The Ontario government recently in the event. Individuals are also provided $209,000 to ONPEA to welcome to take part, as they will be support the work of community-based assigned to teams. elder abuse networks across the province. The funding is in addition to There is a fee of $50 per team, or $15 the $1.65 million announced last year per person. by the Ontario government to help put Interest in hosting a dart tournament, an end to elder abuse. These explains Mr. Olaisen, stems from past investments are part of the McGuinty days spent with his grandfather, government’s Strategy to Combat Second World War veteran and Elder Abuse, the first of its kind in Legion supporter Bill Dickinson of Canada. Prince Albert, who has since passed “Elder abuse in any form is away. unacceptable,” said Aileen Carroll "My grandfather got me into the Sault Ste. Marie: The McGuinty Minister Responsible for Seniors and Legion and they were always doing a government is taking action to help Minister of Culture. “Our investment in dart league there," he says. "We ensure the safety and well-being of community-based elder abuse figured it was a great way for people in seniors by providing the Safe networks is part of the McGuinty the summer to get out and to raise Communities Partnership with funding government’s Elder Abuse Strategy to money for (the Legion). to prevent elder abuse in Sault Ste. ensure the safety and well-being of Marie. Ontario seniors.” "We wanted to do something different and a dart tournament seemed like “We are proud of the work that the According to experts in the field, elder something new for the community. It Elder Abuse Prevention Committee abuse has many forms, the most seems like a way to raise money for a and Safe Communities Partnership common of which is financial abuse, good cause and we want to try and continue to do to help seniors live and can take place in the home, in a get the Legion as much money as safely and with the respect and dignity residential setting or in the community. possible to help them out," says Mr. they deserve,” said Orazietti. “It is Abusers may be family members, Olaisen. important for all of us in the friends, staff, or other individuals in community to be aware of this positions of trust or authority. It's hoped, he continues, that any problem, and to take steps to prevent funds raised at next month's event can seniors from being victimized.” Quick Facts help the Legion with renovation costs ·This investment allows ONPEA to and other facility needs, as well as Safe Communities Partnership is deliver one-time grants to each of lend a hand to any veterans in need of receiving $4,000 from the province’s Ontario's 52 local elder abuse assistance. Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA) to help with: networks across Ontario Those with an interest in participating ·Between 65,000 and 130,000 Ontario are asked to stop by the Legion or to · Service coordination seniors suffer some form of elder call Mr. Olaisen in advance as · Front-line staff training abuse. organizers prefer to know how many players to expect on game day. Mr. · Public education ·Ontario’s Victim Support Line for Olaisen can be reached at 905-986- “On behalf of the Elder Abuse seniors suffering from elder abuse is 1- 1562. Prevention Committee and the seniors 888-579-2888, and is available seven of Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma, I days a week, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, 2008 would like to extend our appreciation Durham Region News ·Access information about local Page 14 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 services through www.seniorsinfo.ca. world. for Parry Sound, as casualties came to his attention Col. Arthurs ticked That documentary, titled Vimy Wednesday, May 14, 2008 them off using K for killed, W for Underground, was broadcast for the News Release for SooNews.ca wounded, and M for missing. Section: Seniors first time, nationwide on the History Channel last Tuesday, November 6. Opposite William Harvey, in blue pencil, stands a W, and against his When the camera zeroed in on the Macfie: Long lost wartime brother Clarence, a red K. Clarence names of the Harvey boys, “McKellar dispatch revealed died on May 4, 1917, of a wound P.O.” fairly jumped off my TV screen. received either at Vimy or, more likely, With the unveiling of the McKellar the Fresnoy battle of the previous day. cenotaph coming up just five days later, the remarkable conjunction of A second pair of brothers, my dad’s events could hardly be left younger brothers Arthur and John unremarked. Macfie, also joined the McKellar When recruiting began, in early 1916, contingent of the 162nd Battalion, and, to form Parry Sound’s 162nd like the Harveys, would earn a W and Battalion, the ranks of the 800-man a K against their names. unit were quickly filled. Lured by the On July 25, 1917, Arthur, now promise of a reliable daily wage, a recovering in an English hospital after good suit of clothes, and above all being wounded at Vimy, wrote to his adventure, volunteers presented father, Frank Macfie of Dunchurch, themselves at recruiting depots set up summing up a bloody four weeks throughout the district. Recruits during which the McKellar draft consisted largely of outdoorsmen from endured its baptism of fire. the region’s lumber camps and farms. On heading overseas that fall, full of Following are excerpts from Arthur’s boastful boyish enthusiasm, they hung letter: a banner on the side of their train “I met Bill Harvey and a couple of Sergeant William Harvey of McKellar was advertising themselves as “The wounded in France in 1917. other lads from our old platoon, Timber Wolves from Parry Sound.” PARRY SOUND: At the unveiling this Woodruffe, and McGarry from past Remembrance Day of a cenotaph On March 11, 1916, Clarence and Rosseau. They were telling me about honouring McKellar-area folk who William Harvey were sworn in at the 3rd of May scrap. It seems that our served in the World Wars, I briefly McKellar, and assigned consecutive battalion lost a lot more than on the took the podium to draw attention to a regimental numbers, 657704 and 9th, especially our draft. I was just timely coincidence. I spoke into a 657705. figuring how our little section from McKellar was now. Just one in the line head wind over a sound system not In the official battalion nominal roll now! McEachern, Crawford, Kirkham, geared to the size of the gathering in their names appear one above the Harvey, killed. Vankoughnett, two Minerva Park, so people who caught other, just as on the wall of the cave in Payettes and myself wounded…. A lot just enough to arouse their curiosity France. have been asking what it was all of our lads are missing [including about. Here now is the gist of what On joining, Clarence was assigned the Arthur’s 20-year-old brother John, was lost in the cold November 11 rank of private, the lowest in the army killed at Fresnoy] which generally breeze. pecking order, while William, who had means that they weren’t taken out and trained with Parry Sound’s 23rd buried. The bombardment does a lot Ninety years ago this spring, two Northern Pioneers militia unit, was of it. This Woodruffe was buried but brothers from McKellar whiling away made a sergeant. they dug him out in time. It’s not true the hours preceding the storied about Joe Payette being blinded, he When the 162nd reached England, it Canadian forces’ assault on Vimy was shot through the nose and under was disbanded and its members sent Ridge, pencilled their names and the eye and out the side of his head. I to reinforce units depleted in earlier address on the wall of an ancient was glad to hear that he could see all battles. The McKellar men went to the cavern dug in the chalk bedrock right. underlying that part of France. So did 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion, many of their comrades, but Clarence arriving in France just in time to take My wound is practically all right now. Otto and William Thomas Harvey part in the assault on Vimy Ridge on The nerve couldn’t have been totally stand out because a television April 9, 1917, and the capture of severed, had it been I might have documentary producer chose their nearby Fresnoy Wood on May 3. made Canada with it. We have to laugh when we get mail from friends, inscription to feature in a film about I have the copy of the 162nd Battalion “hope you’ll soon be better, and as this newly found array of names, nominal roll that was used by its good as ever,” and all this kind of stuff initials and carvings. For some of the commanding officer, Lt.-Col. James – and most of us hoping for the men huddled in the cave, these would Arthurs, as a scorecard. Now back in reverse.” be their farewell messages to the Canada and serving in Ottawa as MP The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 15 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 For the Timber Wolves from Parry and a former member of the Canadian the well wishes of Canadians. Sound, war was no longer any fun. Airborne Regiment. There were no tears during the half- Wednesday, May 14, 2008 He was killed May 6 during an hour interview, but Starker did come ParrySound.com ambush west of Kandahar city in close when asked if there would be a Section: Veterans Afghanistan, the 83rd Canadian sense of relief once the funeral is soldier killed since 2002. over. Family members of slain "He was really excited to be there and "I would say yes, because this is a Canadian soldier want public I know he was working with a great stressful and emotional time," she to share their grief. group there. He didn't brag about the sighed. "But no, because I don't ever fact he was going. He wouldn't tell want to say goodbye." them he was going unless they asked him straight out," said Starker, who Wednesday, May 14, 2008 still supports the mission despite her Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press. Section: Afghanistan loss. "What happened to Mike hasn't changed that for me. I think there are Marching in honour of a lot of times when people can't see a Bataan’s dead connection between what we're doing there and what it means for us here," she said. "I think sometimes we don't see that connection every day and obviously now I will." A public funeral will be held Friday in Calgary. Because of his ties to the city as a paramedic, the funeral will be a "hybrid affair," as described by one military official. Starker will be transported from city hall to the Calgary Roundup Centre in the back A strong military contingent representing of an ambulance. several countries, led by the US and followed by Dutch and Canadian It was important for the event to be personnel, participates in the march. Nicole Starker, 35, wife of Cpl. Mike public, say his family, so all Canadians Credit: BDRC JEREMY BLACKBURN, The Starker. can share in their loss. But they also Maple Leaf CALGARY - It's something all military acknowledge he would be uncomfortable with all the fuss. Most people would panic at finding families dread but are forced to themselves in the middle of the desert discuss when a soldier is deployed "I think he would be laughing his ass in scorching heat, more than 40 km overseas - the possibility that a loved off right now, saying, 'I don't know why from their goal, with nothing but their one won't come home. you guys are making such a big deal backpacks, water and courage. There are always reassurances and a of this'," said his sister, Carolyn However, for long-distance walkers certain level of confidence that Straub, laughing. and runners, it’s all in the preparation. everything will work out for the best. "He'd be uncomfortable," Nicole They choose the right equipment and For Cpl. Mike Starker, that didn't Starker agreed. "On the other hand, follow an intensive training program happen. had this been one of his buddies that leaves nothing to chance. "I think that's probably a conversation instead of him, he would have said In late March, six Maritimers—five CF every spouse has with their significant they absolutely deserve it, every bit of personnel and an RCMP officer—took other who goes over," said Nicole attention they're getting." part in the Bataan Memorial Death Starker, 35, who met with reporters for It was Starker's second tour in March. The 42-km route snakes the first time Tuesday since her Afghanistan. throughthe White Sands Missile husband's death earlier this month. Range in New Mexico. The two women refused to dwell on "In his true fashion he said 'nothing is their loss, saying they want to think The event began as an original and going to happen to me, there's nothing only about happy memories. Straub gruelling way of commemorating the to worry about' and honestly I believed admitted it had been difficult because march of the 70 000 to 85 000 it," she said quietly. "I just honestly they come from a "small family" and it prisoners of war captured by the thought he was too good a guy for has been a devastating time for her Japanese Imperial Army at the Battle anything really to happen to him." parents. of Bataan in the Philippines during the Second World War. The prisoners Starker, 36, was a reservist medic with Starker said she is being bolstered were forced to march 97 km from the Edmonton's 15th Field Ambulance unit from support from family, friends and Bataan Peninsula to Camp O’Donnell, Page 16 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 an internment camp, in a supreme test weekends or two 20-km (or so) walks of the OHA’, the trophy was born at of their endurance. Because of during the week. the annual meeting of the Ontario violence, summary executions and Hockey Association in December of The six also made sure they had the tough conditions with almost no food 1918. right gear, and that it was broken in. and water, an estimated 6 000 to 24 “You should walk at least 100 "One of the most lasting decisions of 000 prisoners did not make it. kilometres,” says MBdr Blackburn, “in that annual meeting, however, was not Although the exact number is hard to the marching boots you intend to concerned with playing rules,” Young determine, some official US army wear, to break them in.You should wrote. "This was agreement that the reports put the number of US deaths also carry Vaseline for body rashes OHA should establish a memorial ‘of arising from this deplorable episode at and friction areas, ibuprofen for when some enduring character, to OHA 1 500. the pain becomes unbearable, a roll of members who have fallen on the fields The Bataan Memorial Death March toilet paper and a snake bite kit.” of war.' This, done immediately, was honours a special group of Second called the OHA Memorial Cup, for Sound advice from an experienced World War heroes. Members of the Canada-wide competition among marcher; MBdr Blackburn will be New Mexico National Guard 200th junior teams.” participating in the Nijmegen Marches Coast Artillery Unit were among those for the fourteenth time this year. He Today it is almost impossible to taken at Bataan. In honour of those also did the 100-km international fathom exactly the sentiments felt by men, the University of New Mexico Dodentocht, one of the longest 24- those gentlemen in that meeting held Reserve Officers’ Training Corps hour walks in Europe, where there are just one month after the war ended. sponsored the first march in 1989. no participant rankings, just the From 100 or so marchers—almost In our modern age we are individual satisfaction of having exclusively from the US military—the uncomfortable when we hear of a completed the event. first year, the number has grown to soldier lost in Afghanistan. But 90 more than 4 000 courageous military Wednesday, May 14, 2008 years ago this year a much greater and civilian participants from around Steve Fortin, The Maple Leaf conflict had just ended. the world. Section: Veterans During the “Great War”, a name which Master Bombardier Jeremy Blackburn, is now deemed sarcastic at best, Land Force Atlantic Area, donned his The Memorial Cup: LEST WE approximately 620,000 young boots to do the 2008 march – the FORGET Canadian men volunteered, or were second year he has participated. later conscripted, to go fight in Brigadier-General Raymond Romses, Flanders Fields. Of those around Lieutenant-Commander Richard 60,000 never returned, and 172,000 Powell, and Chief Warrant Officer returned with wounds. So many more Keith Jones, Sergeant (Ret) Peter returned mentally scarred for life. Bongers, representing the Royal Think for a moment on those Canadian Legion, and RCMP Deputy numbers. Commissioner (Atlantic Region) Harper Boucher, and MBdr Jeremy The population of Canada at the time Blackburn successfully completed the was a mere 8 million. Assuming a fifty march. DCommr. Boucher finished percent gender split that’s 4 million first in his age category, completing males, of which around 666,000 were the march in less than seven hours. between the age of 18 and 30. The Kitchener Rangers will wear Careful preparation is crucial to something different against Gatineau at the For four years, almost an entire making it through this physical Aud. generation of young men left for war. endurance test, and MBdr Blackburn Credit: The Record Of those, almost 10 percent never stresses the need for prep training. came back. “So as not to succumb to the rigours Tomorrow. May 15th, marks the start of the march,” he says,“participants of the 2008 Memorial Cup Of those that did make it back alive, have to know how to march long Tournament with opening ceremonies over a quarter bore injuries. Many distances and be familiar with desert which will once again focus on the blinded and maimed. remembrance aspect of the cup itself. terrain. Short walks of five or six Listed Hockey Players Lost kilometres are just not enough. You To that end it is fitting that the cup is to have to get out there and cover long be played in the Kitchener Auditorium Surprisingly, I could find only two distances so your feet get used to it which was in itself built as a memorial Hockey Players listed as killed during and toughen up.You need to get to war veterans. the first world war. blisters. After a while, the blisters The Memorial Cup has been junior Allan "Scotty" Davidson disappear, the skin gets tougher and hockey’s most sought after honour prevents new blisters from forming.” since the spring of 1919. Author Scott Davidson was one of the more During training, the six endurance Young recounted it in his book ‘100 phenomenal talents of his time. He marchers would do one 42-km walk on Years of Dropping the Puck: A History dominated in juniors and was an impact player in the NHA. He was The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 17 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 remembered as a powerful skater with long ago went much deeper than just Governor General to unveil a lethal shot who back-checked a sport. the Canadian Victoria Cross responsibly and played the game In a time when a whole nation was in cleanly. shock, where almost everyone knew Davidson learned the game under the someone who had lost a son or were coaching of Captain James T. caring for a wounded broken child, Sutherland. Davidson was a standout you have to realize that the meaning on the Kingston Frontenacs, a junior of the memorial cup was so much team, in 1909–10 and 1910–11 when more. they captured the OHA title both The parade tomorrow, and the pavilion years. During the second triumph, events, will focus heavily on that Davidson led the club back from a remembrance. The Cup itself will be three-goal deficit in the first game to escorted by the Canadian Military and send them on their way. followed by ranks of Veterans. In 1912–13, Davidson was signed by Our own Kitchener Rangers will wear Her Excellency the Right Honourable the Toronto Blueshirts of the NHA. He a special commemorative uniform for Michaëlle Jean, Governor General and lined up at right wing and quickly the first game against Gatineau at the Commander-in-Chief of Canada made himself indispensable with 19 Aud. The uniforms, honouring those goals in 20 games. The next year he OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right who served in the First World War, scored 23 times and was the captain Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor were partly inspired by old British on the squad that won the Stanley General and Commander-in-Chief of recruitment posters. Lord Kitchener, Cup in 1914. Canada, will unveil the Canadian then Britain's secretary of war, was Victoria Cross on Friday, May 16, Allan Davidson enlisted for military featured on some of the posters. After 2008, at 11:00 a.m. at Rideau Hall. service after World War I broke out in the Friday night game, the uniforms 1914 and was a lance-corporal when will be auctioned off to benefit the K-W The Victoria Cross is the highest of he was killed in Belgium on June 16, Poppy Fund. Canada’s Military Valour Decorations, 1915, he is commemorated on the which comprise the Victoria Cross Lest We Forget Vimy Memorial. The former star took (V.C.), the Star of Military Valour his place in the Hockey Hall of Fame Tomorrow, as you watch or participate (S.M.V.) and the Medal of Military in 1950. in the parade, reflect a little deeper at Valour (M.M.V.). The Victoria Cross what the trophy meant to those men in takes precedence over all other George Richardson that board room, so long ago. orders, decorations and medals in the George Richardson (1887 in Kingston, Canadian Honours System. Later as you watch the games, Ontario – February 9, 1916) was a remember that not so long ago, young The Victoria Cross recognizes Canadian amateur ice hockey men like these were not where they members of the Canadian Forces for defenseman who played for Queen's should be, playing hockey, but stood the most conspicuous bravery, a University. knee deep in mud and blood, and daring or pre-eminent act of valour or George was regarded as one of the fought and died, in a much larger self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to best hockey players of his era, either arena. duty, in the presence of the enemy. professional or amateur. War was declared in Canada in August 1914 Edited version published in KW- The Chancellery of Honours, at the and Richardson joined the army. He Recrod May, 16th 2008. Office of the Secretary to the was initially a Lieutenant and held the Governor General, the Department of Wednesday, May 14, 2008 National Defence, Natural Resources rank of Captain when he was killed in A Personal View By The Webmaster combat on February 9th 1916. Section: Veterans Canada, the Royal Canadian Mint, Richardson was inducted into the Veterans Affairs Canada, the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950. Department of Canadian Heritage and the Ministry of Defence of the United So Many more unknown names! Kingdom worked in partnership to Despite the short official list, one can produce the Canadian Victoria Cross. only imagine just how many other Technical Briefing for the talented young men would never fulfill media—Thursday, May 15, 2008 – their roles in society, either as Hockey Rideau Hall – 10 a.m. players or elsewhere. The media are invited to receive The Memorial Cup Meaning information, under embargo, at a technical briefing the day before the Despite the fact that today the unveiling ceremony. This will be an Memorial Cup is a very Hockey thing, opportunity to hear from the key one has to believe that the feelings experts involved in the production of that went down in that board room so the Victoria Cross. Page 18 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Media interested in attending this done to them. Their claim was about an internee, Mykola Sakaliuk. I hadn't session are asked to come to Rideau memory, not money. Yet they were gone looking for one. Instead, I Hall at 9:45 a.m. dismissed and ignored. Their wanted to find out who Kingston's first experiences were denied for decades. Ukrainians were, when they had Unveiling Ceremony—Friday, May 16, arrived and why. Sakaliuk explained 2008 – Rideau Hall – 11 a.m. I have no full answer for those who that he got here in the fall of 1914. But Media interested in attending the today ask me a simple question: Why he had not come to work in the unveiling ceremony should arrive by did it take so long for this episode in locomotive works, or at the Davis 10:15 a.m. Canadian history to be recalled? Tannery, or in the shipyards. Instead, For more information on the Canadian Perhaps because the victims were he was marched up Fort Henry hill Honours System and the Military afraid to speak up. Or it may have and became a prisoner in Canada's Valour Decorations, please visit been because most records of the first permanent internment camp. www.gg.ca/honours. Office of Internment Operations were In a very real way, the Ukrainian destroyed. Thursday, May 15, 2008 Canadian community's campaign Marie-Paule Thorn . Rideau Hall Press Office Certainly Canadian society prefers to began from that day. Quite Section: Miscellaneous believe that racist xenophobia is unexpectedly, I realized that the reserved only for those who look fortifications I had played around as a different than the rest of us. Since boy possessed a hidden history that Canada says it's sorry; Canadians of Ukrainian heritage aren't no one I knew had any inkling of. Government formally members of a visible minority, they The Ukrainian Canadian community's acknowledges internment of can't have been discriminated against, campaign for recognition did not take right? 'enemy aliens' was unjust off, however, until the mid-1980s, after Wrong. I earned my PhD and became involved with the Civil Liberties I remember being told to "stop Commission. John Gregorovich, a speaking that damn foreign language" Toronto lawyer, headed that Ukrainian on a City of Kingston bus. The bigot Canadian group. Sensing the I did it. Admittedly, that was my first also called us "garlic eaters." We importance of righting an historical thought. Almost instantly, I countered certainly were. Nowadays, most injustice, John unleashed me, and this hubris by reminding myself that Canadians are, too. Garlic is good for what became the Ukrainian Canadian this victory was not mine alone - not you. We knew that. Now everyone Civil Liberties Association launched a by a long shot. does. crusade that is only now reaching its It has taken over 20 years, but the I can't begin to list all of the good goal. Government of Canada has finally women and men who helped this Over time, many joined us. Kingston's recognized that branding thousands of campaign. Some were my professors own Peter Milliken was the first MP to Ukrainians and other Europeans at Queen's University; others were at rise in the House of Commons and "enemy aliens," herding them into the University of Alberta and the call for redress. Other MPs, such as concentration camps, forcing them to University of Toronto. A few were Toronto-area MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj labour for the profit of their gaolers, Ukrainian Canadian veterans, such as and Winnipeg's Joy Smith, helped, as confiscating what little wealth they Bohdan Panchuk and Stephan did Senator Raynell Andreychuk. But it had, disenfranchising them and Pawluk. The former said his gospel was not until Inky Mark's Bill C- 331 - subjecting them to other repressive was "Do something!" During and after The Internment of Persons of state-sanctioned measures during this the Second World War, Panchuk Ukrainian Origin Recognition Act - country's first national internment saved thousands of political refugees received Royal Assent on Nov. 25, operations between 1914 and 1920 because he dared to act, instead of 2005 that Ottawa was legally obliged was unwarranted and unjust. listing reasons why he shouldn't. And to negotiate a settlement, a process Pawluk, who served with the merchant It's about time. vigorously pursued by Paul Grod, marine, was an amateur historian and president of the Ukrainian Canadian Sadly, no survivors remain. The last a founder of Branch 360 of the Royal Congress, and Andrew Hladyshevsky, one we knew of, Mary Bayrak, passed Canadian Legion. He provided me president of the Ukrainian Canadian away in January, and Mary Manko, with a copy of General Otter's final Foundation of Taras Shevchenko. whom we once believed was the last, report on the internment operations - died in the summer of 2007. They did documentary evidence proving what Despite the deniers, the naysayers, not live long enough to witness a had occurred. Until then, I wondered the nitpickers and the nuts - and in no timely and honourable settlement. I why I had never been taught anything small measure thanks to a will always regret that. I should have about this story, not at high school nor wellinformed MP, Jason Kenney, worked harder. at university. Canada's secretary of state for multiculturalism and Canadian identity - None of the internees asked for much - Purely by chance, in the late 1970s, an agreement all of us are proud of they wanted only an while doing a master's degree in was ratified on May 9. It establishes a acknowledgement of what had been historical geography at Queen's, I met $10-million endowment in the The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 19 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 Shevchenko Foundation. Interest Edmonton Legion hall likely and to Capital Health's downtown earned on the endowment will be to be torn down administration building will be an disbursed annually for enormous benefit, Buick said. commemorative, cultural and "We're so short of space that we rely educational projects recalling the on the ability to move people impact of these wartime measures on constantly back and forth," he said. all of the affected ethnocultural LRT works well for shuttling communities. Another $2.5 million, administrative and other workers. allocated to Parks Canada, will, over 'Emotions running high' as new LRT the next four years, fund exhibits at line will make its way through property Buick said the new line will also help those national historic sites where Susan Ruttan, Civic Affairs Writer bring students from NAIT, MacEwan internees were once held and forced Published: 2:01 am and other colleges to the hospitals to to do heavy labour. That will include Members of the Kingsway Royal do their practicums. places like Banff and Jasper national Canadian Legion received news this Part of the Kingsway Mews strip mall parks and our own Fort Henry. week their building is likely to be torn near the Royal Alex may also be I know some will complain that today's down to make way for the new north expropriated. City planners propose citizens should not have to pay for LRT line. moving a stretch of Kingsway south to mistakes made by others in years "Emotions are running high," Legion make room for the LRT line, and that past; that it is unfair to burden the branch president Robert Torrie said will cut into the strip mall. taxpayers of 2008 for injustices Thursday. "I've got to calm the people Also to be expropriated under the plan perpetrated between 1914 and 1920. I down." will be the McDonald's outlet on 111th agree. So did all the internees I ever Avenue near Kingsway mall and a row met. They did not demand one red The proposed light-rail transit line from of about a dozen houses north of the cent of your money, or of mine. They Churchill station to NAIT will go restaurant. only petitioned for the return of what through legion property as it turns off was taken from them under duress, 104th Street onto Kingsway. Planners have altered their plan for asking that those recovered funds be News of the route spread this week as where the LRT line will turn off 105th used to ensure that what happened city transit planners held a series of Avenue at the proposed MacEwan would not be forgotten. They believed information sessions. station. Instead of going north up doing so might prevent some other 105th Street, thus closing that street to Canadian ethnic, religious or racial Torrie himself accepts the branch will car traffic, the line will go along the minority from suffering as they had in have to relocate. While it's an alley directly west of 105th. some future period of international or inconvenience, he said it's not a Some buildings along that alley will domestic crisis. So this endowment tragedy, as it might be for a family need to be taken down, but planners was not set up by us but by the losing its home. say there will be room for new highrise internees. No one should begrudge He would like to see the branch buildings there after the line is built. that legacy.. rebuild farther north, where many "We have contacted a lot of the When I was asked if I would agree to younger legion members live. The affected stakeholders," said Brad serve on the advisory council branch, founded in 1946, has 2,700 Smid, senior planning engineer with responsible for ensuring that the members. the city. internees' gift to Canada is well The new LRT plans may cost the managed I felt humbled. I am Royal Alexandra Hospital a parking Several property owners have already conscious of what the Good Book lot, but Capital Health welcomes the approached the city seeking buy-out says about how a "good and faithful new line. deals, he said. The north LRT route servant" should act (Matthew 25:14- goes to a city council public hearing 30). And I accepted because I do "We're totally for this," Capital Health July 8. believe in the simple gospel: "Do spokesman Steve Buick said of the something!" new LRT line. Friday, May 16, 2008 Susan Ruttan, Civic Affairs Writer, Edmonton - Professor Lubomyr Luciuk volunteers City planners want to move the big Journal as chairman of the Ukrainian bus terminal currently at the south end Section: RCL Canadian Civil Liberties Association of Kingsway Garden Mall to the southeast corner of 111th Avenue at and is a professor at The Royal Veterans Affairs Minister Military College of Canada. Kingsway. That location will require acquisition of part of a Royal Alex Honours Ontario Citizens Thursday, May 15, 2008 parking lot, but will allow bus riders to Luciuk, Lubomyr, The Kingston Whig Standard transfer easily to the new Kingsway Section: RCL LRT station. See LRT / back of section Having the Royal Alex linked by LRT Kitchener - Fifteen citizens of to the University of Alberta Hospital Page 20 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Ontario were honoured today for their Students to honour fathers of in sterling silver and 10-carat yellow commitment and devotion to Veterans. fallen N.S. soldiers gold. Each cross is 65 millimetres long The Honourable Greg Thompson, and 44 millimetres wide. They weigh Minister of Veterans Affairs, presented 33.5 grams, or a little more than one the Minister of Veterans Affairs ounce. Commendation to the individuals Placed over the silver cross is a gold during a ceremony today in Kitchener. wreath of tulips and leaves with a "Some of the people we honour today flaming torch in the centre. The cross are Veterans; others are civilians." itself features three hand-detailed said Minister Thompson. "The maple leaves and some pebbling common thread among these made using a hand-held burr. The individuals is the tremendous back of each cross is engraved with contribution they are making to the the name of the soldier. lives of our most deserving citizens - It took about 30 hours to complete the our Veterans." first cross, said Mr. Hood. But each Minister Thompson presented the successive cross takes less time. Commendation to the following Mr. Hood praised the students’ efforts. individuals: "They deserve the credit. I’m really John (Rae) Abernethy, Bowmanville A group of Yarmouth County students William Bettridge, Brampton have commissioned crosses of silver and proud of them," he said. gold like this one to be presented to Nova William Burrell, Brampton Students from the memorial club, with Frank Caldwell, Hamilton Scotia fathers of soldiers killed in Afghanistan. chapters at Maple Grove Education (posthumous) Credit: brian medel / Yarmouth Bureau Centre, a junior high school, and also William Eisan, Hamilton in Yarmouth’s senior high school, will Arthur Fyles, Toronto YARMOUTH — Two Nova Scotians, Hilda Harris, Toronto be in Halifax on May 24 and 25, for both fathers of soldiers killed in their annual tribute to veterans. Jack Hetherington, London Afghanistan, will be presented with Gordon Leech, Barrie special crosses by Yarmouth County More than 100 students and adults are Bruce Melanson, Etobicoke students later this month at a special planning to make the trip to Halifax Carl Arthur Mills, Toronto Halifax ceremony. later this month, said Mr. Bishara. Ernest Nadjiwan, Wiarton David K. Robinson, Seagrave Thomas Reid of Truro and Jim Davis On May 24, an outdoor show in the Reverend L. Darrell B. Shaule, Lucan of Bridgewater are the recipients, said Robie Street parking lot beside the William A. Webster, London Joe Bishara, a junior high school Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building The Minister of Veterans Affairs teacher and founder of the Maple will begin at 2 p.m. A student band, Commendation consists of a bar, Grove Education Centre Memorial and lots of music, singing and dancing which can be worn below official Club. will be featured during the two-hour program. decorations on a Veteran's blazer, a Mr. Reid is the father of Cpl. lapel pin for civilian wear and a Christopher Reid, who was killed in "In the evening, approximately 30 certificate. August of 2006, and Mr. Davis is the volunteers will return to Camp Hill for It is presented to individuals who have father of Cpl. Paul Davis, killed in an inside performance," said Mr. contributed to the care and well-being March of 2006. Bishara. of Veterans and to the remembrance "The goal of the memorial club is to The following day, the public is invited of their contributions, sacrifices and see that all fathers from Nova Scotia to the Grand Parade on Barrington achievements. It is intended primarily who have lost a son or daughter in Street for the 2 p.m. silver cross for Veterans, but in some Afghanistan will eventually receive our ceremony, said Mr. Bishara. circumstances may also be awarded silver cross," said Mr. Bishara. to non-Veterans. Nominations may be In case of poor weather, the ceremony submitted by the public at any time "To our knowledge, in Canada, only will take place in the McNally Theatre and are reviewed annually by an mothers have been given this honour," at Saint Mary’s University, he said. advisory committee. he said. The students presented their first More information on the Minister of The cross was designed by students cross two years ago to Lloyd Smith, Veterans Affairs Commendation, and taken to Yarmouth goldsmith father of Pte. Nathan Smith, who was including citations for the fifteen Robert Hood, who began work on the killed in 2002. recipients, can be found on the first one in 2006. Friday, May 16, 2008 Veterans Affairs CanadaWeb site. BRIAN MEDEL Yarmouth Bureau, The "The kids had the idea. They gave me Chronicle Herald Friday, May 16, 2008 a rough sketch of what they wanted," Section: Afghanistan Veterans Affairs Canada said Mr. Hood. Section: Veterans The result is a modified Maltese cross

The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 21 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 Canada unveils a new, top Road. The veterans are now all in their late 80s and many have said they plan to medal for battlefield bravery The last Canadian to be awarded the make these anniversary celebrations Victoria Cross was Lieutenant Robert their last. Gray, who was recognized posthumously for sinking a Japanese Their mission, on May 16, 1943, to warship before being shot down in the destroy German dams with Barnes last days of the Second World War. Wallis’s bouncing bombs, has become part of the UK’s military heritage. The last surviving Canadian holder of the VC, Ernest (Smokey) Smith, died John Leslie Munro, the last surviving in 2005. pilot, was flown back to the UK from his home in New Zealand for the The unveiling of the new medal marks anniversary by the aviation art gallery the end of what the Governor-General Aces High. He has vowed it will be his called “a magnificent story,” more than last trip. 15 years of research and design since the Queen gave her assent to the new Mr Munro’s Lancaster, W-Willie, was medal in December, 1992. damaged by flak over Holland and had to turn back during the original The alloy of the new medal contains mission, but he went on to complete metal from the original Victoria Cross, many more for the squadron before the 1867 Confederation Medal and retiring. metal from all regions of Canada. On Friday he was guest of honour at a Canadians Who Were Awarded The service and fly-past held at the Victoria Cross Derwent Reservoir in Derbyshire, The new Canadian Victoria Cross Friday, May 16, 2008 which was used by the original pilots Credit: Globe and Mail THE CANADIAN PRESS to train ahead of their famous raid. "It's Section: Veterans a great feeling to be able to come Ottawa — Prime Minister Stephen back and meet comrades from that Harper and Governor-General time," he said. Michaëlle Jean unveiled the Canadian 65 years later, Dambuster Victoria Cross Friday morning, the veterans reunite for the last During the service, 88-year-old military honour that will replace the time Richard Todd, who starred in the 1954 last medal that Canadian soldiers film of the event laid poppies on the accepted directly from the Queen. water of the reservoir. The Canadian Victoria Cross replaces Three of the five remaining crew the Victoria Cross as the highest members met last weekend and this honour awarded to Canadian soldiers. evening Mr Munro will attend a private dinner at a hotel in Woodhall Spa, The modest bronze alloy cross and its Lincolnshire, with members of the crimson ribbon is almost identical to ground staff who prepared the the original Victoria Cross, instituted Lancasters for the raid. by Queen Victoria in 1856 and awarded to Canadians for almost a Corporal Ken Lucas, 87, was a century. The new cross has a slightly member of the ground staff who modified design, adding fleurs de lis On the night of May 16 1943, 19 Lancaster worked through the night to ensure the and changing the original English bombers, led by Wing Commander Guy planes were ready. inscription, For Valour, to a Latin Gibson, set off for Germany with the aim of He said: "The crews were heroes to motto, Pro Valore. destroying the Mohne, the Eder and the Sorpe dams. us but they always told us we were as The Victoria Cross has historically Credit: Getty necessary as they were because we been an understated military honour, The last surviving veterans of the kept the planes in the air. I didn’t even in contrast to the acts of “most Second World War Dambusters raid know what we were doing it for until conspicuous bravery” required to earn will meet for what is expected to be the next day. Wing Commander Guy it. the last time on Saturday night to Gibson (the Squadron Commander) celebrate the 65th anniversary of the gathered the whole squadron and told Of the 1,353 crosses (and three mission. us what had happened. repeat winners) awarded since 1856, 81 went to members of the Canadian Engineers, ground staff and the last "There was a general feeling of elation military since it was introduced in surviving pilot to fly one of the 19 tempered by the fact that we had lost 1856. This included three soldiers who modified Lancaster bombers of 617 eight crews. all lived on Pine Street in Winnipeg, Squadron will be amongst those at the "When I saw the German footage of which was later renamed Valour gathering. the damage we felt almost a bit sad, Page 22 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 but war is war, war is terrible. Veterans Help Celebrate Start championship. "It means a lot to meet the others and Of Memorial Cup. Greg Thompson, The Minister of talk about that night. I hope it’s not the Veteran Affairs, spoke on the meaning last time but it probably is." of the Memorial Cup, and the National Anthum was sung and stirred some of Flying Officer Ray Grayston, 88, was the gathered Veterans to tear as they the flight engineer of pilot Les Knight’s were reminded of wars and friends Lancaster, which attacked and past. successfully breached the Eder Dam. The Kitchener Rangers appeared Their plane was shot down on a later presenting the special jerseys they will raid, in September that year. Mr wear to the first game tonight in Knight was killed and Mr Grayston honour of World War One veterans. was taken to as a Prisoner of War. After the game the Jerseys will be Mr Grayston said: "I am surprised that Credit: Trevor German, RCLBR50 auctioned off for the Poppy Fund. T- anyone is still interested in the raid Shirts modelled after that same design now but I suppose it's good they still The sun shone yesterday on a proud will also be on sale for the duration of are." procession of Veterans from Kitchener- the contest with proceeds also being Waterloo as they paraded their donated to the fund. Colin Hudson, the managing director colours and escorted the Memorial of Buckinghamshire-based Aces High, Cup to Kitchener City Hall where it More pictures can be viewed at the who has helped bring the veterans was passed into the safe keeping of link below. together over the years, said: "We had Mayor Carl Zehr. Friday, May 16, 2008 a session for the men to meet the Trevor German, Webmaster RCLBR50 public and sign prints and books at the The Veterans gathered at the clock Section: Poppy Campaign weekend and 2,000 people queued tower in Victoria Park before the around the block to see them. procession began and it was a delight to see these old colleagues smile and Proud to rub shoulders with “Even though it’s been 65 years, their joke as they greeted each other with Canada's soldiers memories are still there - not only of respect as only old veterans with their own actions but of the friends untold stories of misery and horror that didn’t come back.” can. The raid, which was immortalised in As time to muster arrived, the smiles the film The Dambusters, was led by and joking ended. An air of solemn Wing Commander Guy Gibson. respect stiffened the air along with The Lancasters, each with a crew of each elderly spine as each man and seven men, took part in an audacious woman assumed the old familiar pose low-level attack on the Mohne, Eder of military attention as each took their and Sorpe dams, which were vital to appropriate place in the ranks of the The C8 assault carbine is a compact Germany's industrial production. parade. version of the C7 assault rifle. It is used by Canadian armoured and mechanized The destruction of the dams caused The procession formed on Gaukle infantry crews, as well as by dismounted widespread flooding and interrupted street outside the park. The marching troops on special missions that require industrial production. Veterans saluted the colours as they compact weapons. marched into file to the glorious tunes Eight of the Lancasters failed to of the small pipe band that led the Credit: National Defence: Army return, 53 aircrew were killed and procession. I'll make no bones about it. I am a three survived to be taken prisoner. huge supporter of Canada's fighting The faces of those that carried the men and women. In my opinion, the Official Dambusters Website colours and those that marched Canadian Armed Forces is a national Dambusters Remembered Video behind spoke volumes. The faces treasure with an exceptionally proud The Canadian Contribution were those of steadfast men and history. Friday, May 16, 2008 women. Those who were not just Aislinn Simpson and Laura Clout , The proud to be part of this ceremony, but This admitted bias has nothing to do Telegraph UK proud to be Veterans, and proud that Section: Veterans with glorifying war or violence. This they were being given another chance has never been Canada's reputation. to let people remember all those that Unlike some other nations on this never made it home. continent, Canada has never sought war. However, we sure know how to At the Ceremony, the President of the influence the outcomes of armed Canadian Hockey League David conflict through our participation and Branch made the official presentation sacrifice. to Zehr, congratulating the Kitchener Rangers on winning the OHL As a testament to the values that The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 23 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 forged this country, Canadians are provided by the government and the barrage of mouthy, self-serving known for rising to the cause of global Canadian taxpayer. ideologues who yap a lot from cozy need. And we have always put our couches but dive under the covers Last Saturday, I spent the entire day blood, sweat, tears and money where when the going gets tough. with the 31 Canadian Battle Group, our mouth is. made up of soldiers from Southern Saturday, May 17, 2008 During the ChrÈtien years, Canada's Ontario, as they completed an Mark Cripps, The Stoney Creek News military was neglected and ignored. exercise for reservists at the Central Section: Miscellaneous While asked to carry out very difficult Land Training Base near Meaford. tasks on a regular basis by the It was nice to rub shoulders once government, our military men and Repatriation Memorial Drive again with the men and women who women were poorly equipped and and rally set for May 31 choose to make the commitment and rarely praised. Paying for a military sacrifice of being a reservist. isn't cheap. However, it is a convenient scapegoat for special Aside from the professional or full-time interest spending by political parties soldier, reservists are the competent with debts to pay to voting blocs. back-ups ready to answer the call when asked. Many are playing roles in I am always amused when the NDP Afghanistan. Many reservists have talk about supporting Canada's paid the supreme sacrifice. military. Who's kidding who? Canada's Armed Forces would be starved into I am happy to report our armed forces extinction if 'Lefty Layton' ever got hold no longer feel ashamed of their of parliament. equipment. They are proud of the tools provided to them and in fact, One thing about a Canadian soldier - Red Fridays Car many said they believe they have they will always give it to you straight some of the best equipment in the We have all seen the photographs, the up. This is a stark contrast to world. videos, the news reports. We have politicians of all stripes, who will be the seen the moving images of the bodies first to run for the bomb shelters when I was shuttled around a very of Canadian soldiers returning to the salvo of truth comes raining down. impressive training facility and Canada, their caskets draped in watched our reservists conduct some I'm not a soldier. I think I could be if Canadian flags. Each time the serious training exercises. Much of the needed, but I'm merely a fan at this procession leaves the tarmac of training was geared toward the point. Canadian Forces Base Trenton and situation in Afghanistan, but there was takes the 172 km drive to the coroners I've always been attracted to the role a lot of basic tactical training, as well. office in Toronto, more and more of soldier. Call it naive, but I've always Reservists from Hamilton and other Canadians - young and old - line had a romantic notion of defending parts of Southern Ontario spent three bridges and roadways along the route Canada's sovereignty. I have always days getting up to speed on modern waving flags, saluting, and paying believed this country and its principles military strategies. their respects. are worth fighting and possibly dying Many soldiers I talked to were very for. Between February 2002 and May 15, thankful to the Canadian public for 2008, 83 Canadian soldiers lost their In 1997, I had the privilege to spend providing resources they could be lives in Afghanistan. two weeks with Canadian Armed proud of and were confident taking Forces in Bosnia-Herzegovinia. The into dangerous situations. On Saturday, May 31 Canadians will war in the former Yugoslavia had have their opportunity to take part in a One soldier told me the Canadian C8 pretty much cooled down by that point, very special series of events that will assault rifle was better than the but some dangerous work still needed be the great homage to Canadian common American M16 military gun to be done to maintain a fragile soldiers whose lives have been cut and more effective than the Russian- country that had just completed almost tragically short in Afghanistan. built AK47. a decade of killing in a pointless ethnic Beginning at 9 a.m. in Trenton, conflict. I don't remember that type of vehicles from across the province will confidence expressed by the soldiers It was an experience I will never forget gather for a rally until 12 noon, at at the base in Velika Kladusha, Bosnia- as a journalist. I was honoured to which time a procession of all Herzegovinia back in 1997. report on the yeoman's work done by participants will begin the 172 km Canadian forces in the northwest Even though it was a brief jaunt with journey to Toronto, mirroring the drive portion of Bosnia-Herzegovinia. the members of our Canadian Armed taken by Canadian soldiers during Forces, it's always nice to be repatriation. Police escorts will provide One thing I remember, however, is reminded there are people around us a safe passage and the OPP Golden how poorly equipped our soldiers were who are prepared to commit to global Helmets will lead the way. The in such a dangerous zone. Many of needs. procession is expected to begin the soldiers I talked to were somewhat arriving in Toronto at about 2 p.m. ashamed of the equipment they were It was a welcome contrast to the daily Page 24 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Activities will include a sombre tribute anyone that can go and see that really everyone is invited to take part and be to the fallen soldiers and their families. should," she said. "I think that most a part of this very special event. Canadians, even though they may not Special participants will be selected Arlene Colman, Royal Canadian agree with the politics of the conflict, with red vehicles to have two large Legion Zone F-4 poppy chair, said the certainly they are in support of our Canadian flags attached to the event on May 31 will be the single troops." window to lead the procession with the largest act of homage, respect and Every dollar counts police escort and safety vehicles. remembrance for Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan. The Repatriation Memorial Drive and There will be 81 cars with 2 large rally is being organized by the Red Canadian flags to represent each Colman said that her home legion Fridays Foundation, and the fallen soldier. Thousands of vehicles Branch 238 in Fenelon Falls has foundation is seeking your help to are expected to join the procession kicked off the donation appeal with a make this special event a memory to from Trenton all bearing a Red Friday $1,000 contribution in support of this last a life time. support the Troop car flag or decal/ unique event. sticker. This event will require many staff, "I think it is certainly the most organizers, police services, special The lead car will bear the names of all significant honour to the fallen that has grounds and venue facilities. Brian those who have fallen in Afghanistan come along in a long time," Colman Muntz, the founder of the Red Fridays in the service of their nation and said. "It is an opportunity for Foundation, is asking for everyone's hopefully thousands will follow in its Canadian's to recognize that people assistance to help make this event the wake. are actually giving their life, their largest and most significant support everything, for their country - the Larry Josie and his Poppy Truck will event this country or the world has country sends them and they go." be in a lead position in the memorial ever seen. Any donation, no matter drive to represent one of the fallen Colman said the event is an important the size, counts. soldiers. To date there are 81 vehicle opportunity for all Canadians to pay "Those are our men and women, positions that will lead the memorial their respects and offer their thanks for fellow Canadians, our sons and drive down the Highway of Heroes, the sacrifices made by the soldiers daughters, nephews and nieces, each vehicle representing a hero that and their families. sisters and brothers, aunts and has fallen since the mission started in "These people are brothers and uncles, serving in our Canada's 2002 in Afghanistan. fathers, sons and daughters and Armed Forces and they deserve our To know more about the Poppy Truck mothers and there is every realization support," said Muntz. and Larry Josie, visit http:// that they may have to make the The Red Fridays Foundation of www.thepoppytruck.ca/ ultimate sacrifice and 83 of them Canada is not a licensed federal have," she said. "My son lives in Ajax How to get involved charity and cannot give tax receipts; and he has only ever missed showing they are however, non-profit with no Please sign up now to show that you up to a bridge once, and they get paid employees. Any surplus funds plan to attend this incredible event of hundreds and hundreds of people who donated will be given firstly to The support for our fallen, our troops and show up on the bridges and they get Canadian Hearing Society to a their families. Go to the Red Fridays it. Can you imagine what it means to maximum of $12,000 for service to Foundation of Canada Website, sign the family of the people who have lost veterans and the balance (if any) will up for yourself and your family, make their children." go towards the Legion's Troop Morale a donation to help defray the Belinda Wilson, president of Fenelon Fund. considerable costs involved, volunteer Falls Legion Branch 238 said she is to help out and get the latest The Repatriation Drive looking forward to the experience and information on the itinerary. believes it is a tremendous opportunity The Highway 401 and Don Valley To donate to this once-in-a-lifetime everyone should take part. Parkway repatriation drive is 172 km event, send your donation to 'RED long. This is the trip that all of the "I think it is a wonderful opportunity for FRIDAYS FOUNDATION OF fallen take when they are repatriated. anyone who is able to make the trip CANADA, PO Box 31063 Westney They arrive at CFB Trenton and a down to witness that," Wilson said. "I Heights RPO, Ajax, ON Canada L1T ceremony is commenced on the have talked to friends who have stood 3V2.' tarmac to repatriate the fallen with on the bridge every time one of the Canada and their family. Then a If you are looking to wear Support the fallen is involved in the funeral cortege procession begins with the family and Troops shirts to this event drop into to Toronto and they talk about how hearse travelling the 172 km to any Legion branch as they have moving it is. Toronto to the Corner's office. Support the Troops merchandise, "I just can't imagine what it is going to including Tee and Sweat Shirts. The public is invited to drive, rally, be like to have vehicles represent all stand on the overpasses, wear red, of those Canadian soldiers, and to be Saturday, May 17, 2008 and raise a Canadian flag to show that on the bridge and see that go by with John Chambers, The Lindsay Post you care. Cars, motorcycles, busses, Section: Afghanistan the Canadian flags flying - I think whatever your mode of transportation, The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 25 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 Travelling the Highway of How have the processions changed weather? since they started in 2002? Heroes; A police officer's "I didn't expect there would be that story on the importance of "Originally, Port Hope and Cobourg many given the weather. However, it patriotism were the only two (bridges) of any just goes to show you how patriotic significant involvement," Carrigan some people are. It's their way of says. "They seemed to always have honouring the soldiers that absolutely somebody out there. In the beginning, deserve it. "For people who wonder if very small groups, but now they've they are seen by the family and grown. From there, it (now) goes right members of the procession along through until the last overpass at Don Highway 401, I can tell you in one Mills. word - yes. What does it mean to you? "If anyone has ever wondered if it is worth travelling to the bridges to brave "It's a great patriotic thing for me. I'm the weather for that few seconds a ex-military and I can appreciate what procession passes by - it is." Credit: The Lindsay Post the families are going through, though nobody can imagine what they are At CFB Trenton, it was unbelievably Earlier this year, a reporter with The going through. cold with the wind whipping across the Lindsay Post's sister paper, the Port tarmac. Hope Evening Guide, travelled the "I do have a handle on why we need Highway of Heroes in the lead police to recognize these soldiers. They The family of the fallen soldier was car for the procession of gunner need to be raised on a pedestal as brought out and stood by as the flag- Jonathan Dion. heroes because they are. Our military draped casket was lowered from the is strictly volunteer and these are belly of the Airbus 310. Gunner Dion, 27, was member of the volunteer men and women. 5th Light Artillery Regiment based in Most times I've attended a piper is CFB Valcartier, north of Quebec City. "These are young men and women heard, but on this day a bugler played He was killed Dec. 30 when the who have actually volunteered to go to Amazing Grace. vehicle in which he was riding hit an a strange country and fight for Once again, for me the reality of it all improvised explosive device 20 km freedom for all of us. For them to lose kicks in when I witness family west of Kandahar City. their life in fighting for freedom for us - members walk up to the hearse. A we have to get together to recognize Gunner Dion's death marked the 74th mother's anguish of her son coming them." Canadian killed in action since back home. Never seeing him again or Canadians went to Afghanistan in What do you think about seeing the spending a Christmas with him. It's 2002. people standing on the bridges? incredibly sad. HIGHWAY OF HEROES - OPP Sgt. "Canadian unity. Seeing them waving After the service, Sgt. Carrigan and Harry Carrigan has been involved with the Canadian flag, being proud of the myself got in our black and white OPP every single Canadian Armed Forces country they belong to. There are cruiser. We were the lead cruiser in repatriation ceremony along Highway many ethnic groups. the procession of approximately 10 401 since 2002, except one. vehicles that would take us to Toronto. "It's sad to know that these young The Whitby detachment highway people have lost their lives and what On the way down to Trenton from safety division officer is up for the families are going through. Whitby OPP detachment, Sgt. retirement later this year. He'll be It's also pride in the fact that we live in Carrigan said he didn't expect too turning over his Highway of Heroes such a great country." many people on the bridges because procession duties to another officer of the cold weather. But, as we left the who will be taking charge of leading Do you think this helps the families? base, we both knew he was wrong. the procession along the stretch of "It definitely helps the families. We get Highway 401. When we left the base, a lone military many e-mails and letters of police officer stood at attention. Then, The sergeant spoke of previous trips commendations from the families. as we made our way out to County and how he believes the Highway of They are just overwhelmed. Road 2, Royal Canadian Legion Heroes is the most patriotic thing this "Lately with the Royal Canadian Van members were the first ones we saw country has done in the last 25 years. Doos, we have had letters from those standing at attention saluting. Then, He recalled that during one French Canadian families who have members of the 1st Canadian Army procession, a police helicopter was had nothing but sheer pride in seeing Veterans, followed by civilians. flying overhead at night and radioed to what people are doing for their young Fathers, mothers, grandparents who ask if they could use their high- ones." brought children. powered searchlight to illuminate the Were you surprised to see the number While traveling along the back roads crowds of people standing on the of people on the bridges today to Highway 401, Carrigan pointed out overpasses to honour the fallen. (Wednesday) in minus-11-degree numerous people along the roadway.

Page 26 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Week Ending May 17, 2008 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 One family always stand by the road procession have a clear road ahead. ceremony will begin," he explains. in front of their home with their "The Sergeants at Arms will stir the On the Don Valley Parkway, it was the children. ashes until no recognizable colour is same; every on-ramp shut down by visible. When the ceremony is As we approached the highway, the Toronto Police until the procession complete the ashes will be transported officers had intersections closed to went by and exited at the Bayview to an undisclosed location for proper allow the procession to go through. Avenue/ Bloor Street exit. burial. When we turned left onto the 401 At the intersection, there were two "This act of respect towards our westbound on-ramp at Trenton, people holding a Canadian flag right troops, our country and our flag members of the Quinte-West Fire outside the subway station. Through deserves to be represented by all Department stood at attention by their the streets of Toronto, once again, proud Canadians supporting these firetrucks. paramedics, firefighters and police efforts, and we appreciate your officers stood at attention. Carrigan says the one of the most attendance," added Sercerchi. challenging parts of the procession is Carrigan and I spoke a lot during this A meet and greet will also be held getting all the cars on the highway in trip, and one thing he said he wanted during the ceremony for newly unison. For the procession for six to convey to the people standing on appointed Honourary Lieutenant repatriated soldiers, traffic was the bridges whenever a fallen soldier Colonel of the 3rd Field Regiment stopped along the highway because comes home - you are making a Harold Hatfield. Sercerchi says there were over 20 vehicles. difference, and it's appreciated. Hatfield has been the Honourary Along Wednesday's journey, there "These are young men and women President at Branch #11 for several were memorable bridges for me in who have actually volunteered to go to years. Northumberland County. a strange country and fight for "We hold utmost respect and freedom for all of us. For them to lose The fire departments, police, appreciation for Mr. Hatfield and his their life in fighting for paramedics, and Legion members support for our Legion. Comrade were all at various bridges along with freedom for us - we have to get Hatfield remains an active member on many civilians on this blustery cold together to recognize them." our executive committee, and we are day. extremely pleased and proud with his Sgt. Harry Carrigan newest achievement." I remember seeing just two people on one bridge holding a Canadian flag. I Saturday, May 17, 2008 Tea, coffee and a light lunch will be thought on other occasions I'm sure Sgt. Harry Carrigan, Pete Fisher, The Lindsay served upstairs following the Post there were many others, but the two Section: Afghanistan ceremony. people standing there spoke volumes. Legion members encourage all school As we entered Cobourg, we saw an Public to view flag retirement officials, municipal workers, OPP and Cobourg police officer government officials, services groups standing side by side on the on-ramp ceremony and individuals who have worn out, at Country Road 45. tattered, unserviceable flags to drop them off at the legion office – 109 Near the Wesleyville overpass, there Carleton St. – Monday through Friday was a snow plow on the bridge along from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or leave them with two people holding Canadian The members of the Royal Canadian downstairs with the attendants if the flags. Legion Branch #11 in Woodstock are extending an invitation to anyone who office is closed. As we made our way into the city, would like to attend their first flag Saturday, May 17, 2008 bridges and on-ramps were packed retirement ceremony. with people. People in both directions Zoey A. Bloodsworth, The Bugle Observer Section: RCL pulled over wanting to catch a glimpse The ceremony is a result of an inquiry of the procession. It is an amazing made by students at Debec thing to witness. Elementary School concerning the Get Well Wishes to Comrade proper disposal of a worn Canadian Gerry Capling When we hit the Toronto city limit, we Flag. It will be held in conjunction with were met by members of the Toronto Red Friday on May 16 at 6 p.m. in the Police Service. back side of the Legion parking lot. They took over leading the procession Branch #11 President Kenneth and OPP officers backed off. Now, this Sercerchi says the ceremony will procession has been done so many include the posting of the colours and times, everything falls into place and the presentation and verification of everyone knows what to do. unserviceable flags. Every single on-ramp to the express "Once the flags are determined to be On Friday, May 16th, Comrade Gerry lanes in the city was closed by no longer of service the incineration Toronto Police officers to let the Capling was injured when he was hit The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario) Page 27 WEBNEWS Volume - 2 Edition 19 Week Ending May 17, 2008 by a truck while walking at a Bolton 7-9 p.m. and Monday from 2-4 and 7-9 truck stop. Gerry is currently p.m. with parish prayers at 2 p.m. recovering at the Etobicoke General Prayers will be offered in the funeral Hospital where arrangements are home on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at currently being made to transfer him to 9:30 a.m. then the transfer will be a Kitchener hospital. On behalf of the made to St. Mary’s RC Church for members of Branch 50, I wish Gerry a Roger’s Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Fr. speedy recovery. Nowak officiating. Interment Woodland Saturday, May 17, 2008 Cemetery. Norma Ash Section: Sick and Visiting A reception will be held at the Royal Canadian Legion, 524 Belmont St. W., Condolences to the Family of Kitchener following the interment. Mr. Roger Labre As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Alzheimer Society would be appreciated by the family. Visit www.henrywalser.com for Roger’s memorial.

Saturday, May 17, 2008 Alf Ash Section: Births Deaths and Marriages

We are very sorry to announce the Death of Mr Roger Labre on Friday 15th May 2008. Our thoughts, condolences and prayers go out to his family. Obituaries - May. 17, 2008 LABRE, Roger Albert - Passed away, at Lanark Heights, on Thursday, May 8, 2008, at the age of 87. Beloved husband of 65 years to Clarice (nee Leduc). Loving father of John (Valerie), Susanne (Vincent McQuabbie), all of Kitchener and Michele (Tim Forbes) of Waterloo. He will be remembered by his nine grandchildren and 15 great- grandchildren. Brother of Helen, Lea and Berthe. Predeceased by his parents, Wilfred and Rosa Labre. Roger was a longtime usher at St. Mary’s Church and a dedicated employee of Uniroyal. The Labre family will receive relatives and friends at the Henry Walser Funeral Home, 507 Frederick St., Kitchener, 519-749-8467 Sunday from Page 28 The Royal Canadian Legion, Fred Gies Branch 50 (Ontario)