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.