WAR YEARS: MOTES & QUOTES I
November 1999 Edition
Compiled by Bill Hillman
Wherein we share an eclectic assortment of items
- whacky and wise -
gleaned from the
Internet, media and contributing readers.
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As You Were: ContentsVisit our Remembrance Day 2000 Issue at:
AS YOU WERE: November 2000Please send your ideas and contributions to the
CATPM Webmaster
Remembrance Day Open House at the
Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum
Brandon Municipal AirportOn November 11, 1999, we held our annual open house.
Two one-hour slide presentations entitled “Freedom is not Free”
were presented by Stuart Johnson, a Museum volunteer from Winnipeg.
The slides showed the horrors of war and cemeteries of the
Armed Forces in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany
and how well they are maintained.
The presentations paid tribute to those Canadians
who gave us the freedom we enjoy today.Both showings played to overflow crowds.
Everyone at CATP Museum wishes to thank the
WestMan area for their tremendous support
and for helping to make this event such a success.
Click here to view photos taken at the Open House
Some of the highlights of Stuart's presentation are featured at:
Freedom is Not Free ~ Pt. 1
Freedom is Not Free ~ Pt. 2For more Remembrance Day tributes please visit our
War Years: Motes & Quotes - November website
A LiteSide Entry
November 26:The New Voice Mail at National Defence HQ Thank you for calling the Canadian Forces. We are sorry, but all our units are out at the moment, or are otherwise engaged.
Please press '1' to leave a message, with your country, name of organization, region, details of the specific crisis, and a number where we can reach you. As soon as we have sorted out Indonesia, the Balkans, Iraq, marauding Chinese refugees, the Combat bra, the Millennium Bug, marching up and down the streets of Toronto with snow shovels, and compulsory Diversity Training, we will return your call.
Please speak after the tone. For other services, please listen to the following options:
If your crisis is small and close to the sea, press '2' for the Canadian Navy.If your concern is distant, with a tropical climate and good hotels, and can be solved by one or two low risk bombing runs, please press '3' for the Canadian Air Force. Please note that this service is not available after 1630 hours or on weekends.
If your enquiry concerns a situation which can be resolved by a bit of rifle drill, a colour party and a really good marching band, please write, well in advance, to The Commanding Officer, The Ceremonial Guard, Ottawa Ontario.
If your enquiry is not urgent, please press '4' for the 2 Canadian Mobile Brigade Group's Quick Reaction Force.
Only if you are in real, hot trouble, then press '5' and your call will be routed to The Royal Canadian Sea Cadets.
If you are interested in joining the Army, and wish to be shouted at, paid little, have premature arthritis, put your life partner and family in a condemned hut miles from civilization, and are prepared to work your butt off daily, risking your life in all weathers and terrain, both day and night, whilst watching the Treasury Board eroding your original terms and conditions of service, then please stay on the line. Your call will shortly be taken by a bitter passed-over Recruiting Sergeant in a strip mall somewhere in Newfoundland.
Have a pleasant day, and thank you again for trying to contact the Canadian Forces.
Anonymous (hopefully)
November 24
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - With Mickey Mouse at his side, Bob Hope lit up Disneyland with Christmas decorations. The 96-year-old entertainer took a swing with a golf club and the lights came on Monday. He and his wife, Dolores, were guests of the park. Before the ceremony, Hope was thanked by veterans for his longtime tradition of entertaining U.S. troops overseas.
Read the entire script of
Bomber Command: Death by Moonlight
from the controversial CBC series
The Valour and the Horror
Included here for research purposes.
We would like to hear your opinions on this show and
the other episodes in the series.
Please send your comments here
Try the Courageous Canadians Quiz at:
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=feature/week99/quiz
in the Veterans Affairs Canada site:
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca
Mynarski Lancaster FM213
One of Two Lancasters Still Flying
Canadian Warplane Heritage ~ "Canada's Flying Museum"
~ Hamilton Airport ~ 9280 Airport Road ~
~ Mount Hope, Ontario, Canada L0R 1W0 ~
~ Telephone: (905) 679-4183 Fax: (905) 679-4186 ~
John Gillespie Magee Jr.
~ Author of the poem: HIGH FLIGHT ~
Died December 11, 1941When the Battle of Britain was being fought in the hot summer of 1940, John was still a freshman at Yale. He was born in China, of an American clergyman father and an English mother. He came to England at age nine, attended the famous Rugby School, following in the footsteps of the great war poet Rupert Brooke, whose work he much admired. While at Yale Magee decided to give up his studies to join the RCAF in the hope of getting into the fighting in Europe, though war monger he certainly wasn't. "An aeroplane," he wrote home during his basic flying training in Canada, "is not to us a weapon of war, but a flash of silver slanting the skies; the hum of a deep voiced motor; a feeling of dizziness; it is speed and ecstacy."
Magee gained his wings in June 1941 and shipped out to Wales to complete his advanced training-- "Patches of brilliance, tendency to overconfidence" noted his instructor-- before joining 412 Squadron, RCAF, at RAF Wellingore, Lincolnshire, that fall. So exited was the 19-year-old about his first flights in a Spitfire that he jotted his feelings on the back of an envelope, and sent it to his parents with the note: "It started at 30,000 feet, and was finished soon after I landed. I thought it might interest you." The scribbled poem was "High Flight."
A few weeks later Magee was dead, killed not in the whirl of combat but in a midair collision with a trainer on a misty winter's day. A farmer saw his disintegrating Spitfire fall, and watched Magee struggling to bail out. His parachute failed to open.
Source: HG Digest on the internet, Vol.95 No.113, February 19, 1995.
Six Books of Remembrance
Remembrance Sites Recommended by Sympatico
Over 40 Links
NOTE:
Some of these sites recommended by
Canada's largest Internet provider
are controversial choices.
We would like to hear your opinions
on Sympatico's choices.
Please send your comments here
Each book acts as a tribute to and a record of the names of the all Canadians
who fought and lost their lives in each of the six wars. Click on each for a
complete listing of all our Canadian war dead, and discover the complete
history of the books.Our History, Our Culture, Our Heroes
Brought to you by CanadaFirst.net, this site offers a brief overview of the
significance of Remembrance Day.Canadian War Museum
Affiliated with the famed Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Canadian War
Museum's purpose is dedicated to both education and Remembrance.War Monuments in Canada
Canadian War Monuments are a poignant reminder of the price Canadians
have been willing to pay to preserve our democracy, and this site allows you
to research a wide variety of war monuments in every province in Canada.Royal Canadian Legion
Canada's largest organization for veterans and ex-service persons, with more
than 500,000 members and more than 1,600 branches in Canada. Valuable
resources on Remembrance Day for teachers and students can be found
here.War Amps of Canada
Learn all about the many innovative programs and services the War Amps of
Canada provides to amputees, their families and all Canadians.Canada's Peacekeeping Heritage
The Canadian Forces have for years participated in the United Nations'
peacekeeping missions. Come view the Canadian Peacekeepers Roll of Honour,
which commemorates the members of the Canadian Armed Forces
who have given their lives in the service of Peace.Canadian Air Aces and Heroes
This site offers detailed listings and biographies of the heroes of both World
Wars in addition to the Korean War.
World War I Remembered
Links to Recommended WebsitesGreat Canadian War Homepage
Part of the Canadian Military Heritage Project, this is an amazingly detailed
and informative site.The Great War
Believed to be the War to end all wars, World War I at one time was called
the Great War, and raged throughout Europe from 1914 to 1918.Valour Remembered
A detailed and well-organized account of Canada and the First World War,
from the experiences on the Western Front to action behind the lines.A Brief History of World War I
This site presents the War from a variety of perspectives, including a
chronological timeline, battles abroad, air and naval battle, and Canada's role
in World War I, amongst others.Canada's Participation in World War I
Some preliminary background events to Canada's involvement in the First
World War are presented.Canadian Veterans Recollect
A tribute to the courageous veterans who fought for Canada in the first World
War.For Valour
Supplementary to Canadian Veterans Recollect, this site provides more
information on aviation, artillery, infantry and life in the trenches.Jack Turner's War
An extraordinary man who captured the horror and the heroism of World War I
with his amazing photographs. This site includes 200 thumbnail photographic
images and an interview with the man himself.Native Soldiers, Foreign Battlefields
A perspective of the war rarely seen, Veterans Affairs Canada presents the
role of aboriginal Canadians in World War I.Canadian Red Cross
The role of the Red Cross in World War I.Canadian War Museum Tour
A gallery tour of the Canadian War Museum, focusing on the first World War.Canadian War Medals
A listing of Canadian war medals between the years of 1866 and 1918.In Flanders Fields
By Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, this poem poignantly depicts the
experience of World War I.Biography of Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae
Veterans Affairs Canada presents a biographical profile of doctor, teacher,
and author of In Flanders Fields.War Artists of World War I
Brief biographies of six Canadian Official War Artists from the First World
War.Popular English Songs of World War I
Sing along to the tunes that were popular during this period - the lyrics are
provided for you, and the sound clips require RealAudio.Military Glossary of Terms
An alphabetized glossary of military terms to facilitate your research.
World War II Remembered
Links to Recommended WebsitesValour Remembered
A beautifully detailed presentation of the events of World War II.Brief History of World War II
A timeline and chronology of the Second World War, and the aftermath of
victory.Canadian Participation in World War II
Including On the Homefront, Faces and Places, and Ceasefire.Uncommon Courage
A fascinating account of Canadian secret agents in the Second World War.Canadian Air Aces and Heroes
Heroes of the Second World War.Canadian War Museum Tour
A tour of the Canadian War Museum, starting with the rise of Nazi Germany
in the 1930s prior to World War II.Canadian War Medals
A listing of Canadian war medals between the years of 1939 and 1991.Victory Bonding
Wartime messages from the Canadian Government between the years of
1939 to 1945.Native Soldiers, Foreign Battlefields
Sacrifices and achievements of Canada's aboriginal soldiers are detailed.Open Your Hearts
The story of Canadian Jewish War Orphans, by Fraidie Martz.Dutch War Brides
Dedicated to the "Liberation Children" and their mothers, who had to stay
behind in Holland.War Artists of World War II
Seventeen Canadian Official War Artists of the Second World War are profiled
here.November 11, 1999
PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. (AP) - The Navy invited Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks aboard the USS Normandy Thursday (November 11) to bestow its highest civilian honor for their work on "Saving Private Ryan." The film about World War II "dramatically increased the American public's awareness and appreciation of the sacrifices made by U.S. veterans during the Battle of Normandy," the Navy said in a statement. The Normandy ship was named for the bloody battle in which allied forces landed in France to began advancing on Germany. The landing at Normandy is the movie's opening scene. "That invasion saved the world. If you saw 'Private Ryan,' you know how many people paid the price," Navy Undersecretary Jerry Hultin said before he presented the director and actor the Distinguished Public Service Award.Hultin said the public too often forgets its war veterans. "I think it's become almost an unfortunate tradition in this country - to recruit them, put them to war, work them hard and then, when they come home, to sort of say, 'Well, it's over,'" he said. "Saving Private Ryan," a graphic re-enactment of the Allies' invasion of Europe on D-Day - June 6, 1944 - won five Academy Awards, including one for Spielberg's direction.
Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg -- or perhaps another sort of inner steel:
WHAT IS A VET?
(Anonymous - gleaned from the Web - November 11, 1999)The soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity. Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking.
What is a vet?
He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.
She - or he - is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.
He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back AT ALL.
He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat -but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.
He is the parade - riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals With a prosthetic hand.
He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.
He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose Presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.
He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.
He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.
He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.
So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.
Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU." Remember November 11th is Veterans Day
LEST WE FORGET
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Dated: October 5, 1999Remembrance Day Open House at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum
Where: Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum ~ Brandon Municipal Airport
When: November, Thursday 11, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Why: Remembrance Day
What: The Museum will be having an open house from 1p.m. to 4p.m., admission is free. Two, one-hour slide presentations entitled “ Freedom is not Free” will take place at 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Presented by Stuart Johnson, a Museum volunteer from Winnipeg. There will be no charge for the presentations, but donations are welcome to the Museum. The slides show the horrors of war and cemeteries of the Armed Forces in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany and how well they are maintained. This presentation pays tribute to those Canadians who gave us the freedom we enjoy today.
General Museum Information:
Museum’s Mission: to commemorate the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan by
telling its story, preserving its artifacts, and paying tribute to the more than 18,000 R.C.A.F. personnel, who gave their lives during WWII.We have now switched to our winter hours: October 1 to May 1 - 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Admission: $3.50 Adults, $2.00 Students, Under six years old - free.For more information call: Stephen Hayter, Executive Director
Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum
Telephone (204) 727-2444; fax (204) 725-2334
It Ain't Pretty...It's covered both inside and out with bird droppings. It's missing almost everything but its general outline. It's in several pieces.
But it's finally arrived!
Avro Lancaster Mark X, FM104, is now resting at the Toronto Aerospace Museum after a late night haul from its former home on the waterfront. The restoration will be long and arduous, and will no doubt involve a lot of tears, blood, sweat, swearing, and beer. Congratulations to Director Natalie MacHaffie and all the volunteers from near and far who worked so hard to get the job done.
Periodic updates on the progress of the 'Lanc', and other projects, will be sent to interested parties (at least those who I assume would be interested) courtesy of myself, David Bailey, unofficial museum e-mailer. (Is there such a thing?) We don't have a website at the moment, but feel free to send any questions or rants to me.
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D-Day named news event of the 20th centuryNovember 7, 1999
TORONTO (CP) - The Allied forces D-Day assault on the beaches of Normandy left 359 young Canadians dead and their valour swelled the hearts of a war-weary nation. Now it will also be remembered as Canada's top news event of the 20th century.A survey of newspaper editors and broadcasters by The Canadian Press and Broadcast News has produced D-Day as the country's news event of the century.
Participants were asked to make their selections based on the following criteria: an event that was major news the day it occurred, but also went on to endure with Canadians beyond that moment or an ongoing news event that over a period of time was judged to have been of major significance in the country's development or history.
Jack Granatstein, a respected historian who also helped CP/BN draft its list, said Canada played an important role in D-Day - along with Britain and the United States - as the end of the Second World War came into focus. "We were right up there with the British and the Americans and in that sense maybe that makes it that important," said Granatstein, director of the Canadian War Museum.
Brian Marshall, managing editor of the Brandon Sun, said: "The choices were difficult and thought provoking. "To sum up a nation's history with so few events and people unfortunately seems to trivialize some amazing accomplishments."
Other events of interest to Canadian military historians which made the list were:
* 1. D-Day, June 6, 1944
* 4. The battle of Vimy Ridge, April 9, 1917
* 10. The Canadian military raid on Dieppe, Aug. 19, 1942
* 15.. The Flag Act, Feb. 15, 1965
* 23. The conscription crisis, passage of the Military Service Act, Aug. 29, 1917
* 28. The relocation of the Japanese during the Second World War, Feb. 26, 1942
* 29. Declaration of War in 1939
* 37. The cancellation of the Avro Arrow and (tied) Winston Churchill 1941 Speech to Parliament
* 41. The First World War
* 42. The Second World War© The Canadian Press, 1999
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