In 1943, when I was 16 years old, I was living in St. Thomas where my father was stationed in the RCAF.
That Spring I had an opportunity to go to London, Ontario, to a concert ...
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The day of the one-room country school has long gone.
What a shame!
From the time I was born in 1927 until I was 7 years old I lived on a prairie farm. I started Grade One in a one-room country school when I was four years old, and remained there for 3 and a half years.
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In 1955 I was the Senior Liaison Officer at HQ 2 Canadian Infantry Brigade stationed in Edmonton. We ran the Summer Concentration in Camp Wainwright prior to our departure for Germany where we would replace 1 CIB as Canada’s NATO contribution.
At the end of July the Bde personnel were given 2 weeks “Departure Leave” and we were to assemble in Quebec City from where we would sail ...
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When a Cadet at Royal Roads, the Naval College, a Classmate asked me to escort his date’s friend: she would not go without her friend accompanying them and with a date! It was his birthday and he wanted to throw a dance party.
I had never “blind-dated” and refused to then.
He continued to pester me until I finally gave in and agreed to the blind date – he gave me the girl’s ...
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When I was almost 6 months old I developed a cough that gradually became much worse and responded to no treatment.
My parents took me to doctors in Moose Jaw and Regina and the only recommendation was “steam” – a steaming kettle under a sheet over my head.
This accomplished nothing so I was taken to the Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg – where the same advice was give!
The problem got worse!
Mother took me ...
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As a part of the British Empire we, like all others submitting to the Monarch, were referred to as “Colonials”. And so long as we were under the protection of Great Britain and bound to her both politically and economically, we held that subservient status.
Had it not been for the obstinacy of such as Sir Sam Hughes in 1914 and General AGL McNaughton in 1939, our forces would have been piecemeal absorbed ...
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Sheer circumstance [or, as I personally choose to believe, “The hand of God”] has led me to meet a very wide range of people who have – at one time or another – had an impact on some part of our World.
This is not an ego-trip, for I had nothing to do with initiating these meetings: nor have any of them benefitted me or my career, other than through the impact ...
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It is Veterans who made Canada and it is veterans who have given Canada international acceptance and recognition; and yet it is Veterans who are being ignored and all too often dishonoured by our government.
We are told that Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden’s 1914 Oath of Government support for Veterans now has no substance and imposes no obligation on subsequent Governments – that our Government no longer ...
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Today we remember the more than two million young Canadians who have donned uniforms to defend our Country: Ypres, Vimy Ridge, The Hochwald, Breskins, Ortona, Kap’Yong, Hill 355, the Medak Pocket, the White School House in Panjwai Afghanistan.
It has been their service that has created this Country of which we are so proud and which has become the greatest free democratic state in the world!
They ...
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