Across the Nation
Reports from the Regions
BC Banter
Ab/Sk Action
Manitoba Moments
Ontario Offerings
Quebec Quotes
Eastern Breezes
BC Banter ….
Spring greetings go out to all our HK vets, widows and members from the BC region.
Once again we are planning our annual spring meetings and luncheons. The Victoria event will take place on June 16 and the following weekend in Vancouver on June 23. Full details will be mailed out to all regional members in April. We are grateful to our past Regional Director, Linda Quesnel, who has agreed to host the Victoria gathering. Linda remains an active member and is always willing to help. Thank you Linda! We welcome any out of province members who may be visiting BC in June to attend as our guest.
It is also time to nominate and vote for the regional executive positions. Full details of the election process will also be included in the April mail out. We ask our BC members to please give consideration to accepting nomination for one of these positions. The rewards of office are many and new thoughts and ideas are always welcome.
Please provide us with your new address and phone number if you move. We have
lost contact with one of our widows, Marge Stewart who was residing in Victoria.
If anyone knows where Marge has moved to please let us know. Thank you to those
of you who have renewed their memberships for 2012 (now $20.00) and we look
forward to hearing from those who have not.
Our condolences go out to Cory Turner (daughter) and all the family of Richard
(Dick) Johnson (WG) who passed away on January 26, 2012. Dick will always be
remembered as a kind man and a true gentleman who put others first.
Lee Naylor (Regional Director and Education Chair) writes:
“On December 8 & 9 2011, Graeme Stacey and I were once again invited to the
3rd annual International Human Rights Student Symposium organized by the BC
Association for the Learning and Preservation of the History of WW11in Asia. We
set up our HKVCA display at the Vancouver Technical School and gave our
presentation regarding the history of our Hong Kong veterans. Approximately
eight hundred students from many different school districts, including Vancouver
Island, attended and we gave two presentations per day for two days with
approximately sixty students per session. We had a great time working with the
students using the history documents as a group class activity. This a very good
tool to insure the students retention of the “C” Force story. The students
enjoyed the interaction between Graeme and me, asking many questions with some
very emotional and tearful moments. During the symposium we had two students
share that they were related to a Hong Kong veteran and were unaware of what
their relatives had endured during the battle of Hong Kong and subsequently as
POW’s.
Graeme Stacey was presented an award on behalf of three of his grade twelve
Kelowna Secondary School students for winning the BC ALHPA (Association for
Learning & Preserving the History of WW11 in Asia) sponsored essay on the role
played by Iris Chang in exposing the story of Japanese atrocities in Nanking.
Congratulations to Graeme for his ongoing outstanding work in educating his
students.
I was recently contacted by the Friends of Veterans Canada president, Randy Young, for the purpose of filming interviews with our Hong Veterans while here in BC from March 15 to the 25th. He will be interviewing a veteran in Kelowna from the 8th Recce who was in Dieppe. This organization is building a virtual library of veterans’ stories to pass onto the future generation and for the purpose of student information. Gerry Gerrard (RCCS), John Lowe (RRC) and Wallace Normand (RCCS) have agreed to take part in the interviews. Gerry has stated that “It is important to accept these interviews for education purposes as our HKV are leaving us much too quickly.”
Bev Campbell (Phone Pal Coordinator) writes:
Bill Muir is always a pleasure to talk to and he informs us that he has recently moved into a new senior’s care home in Courtenay on Vancouver Island and is keeping well. I also talked to John Lowe and Wally Normand who both live in White Rock. They have difficulty getting places these days since neither of them drive anymore but they make the best of it and are enjoying the home life with their wives. Recently when my Dad Gerry Gerrard was visiting with me, we went to White Rock to see Wally. Dad and Wally both served with the RCCS and were in the same prison camp so they had lots to reminisce about after all these years.
My husband, Eric and I and my sister Pat White and her husband Dave surprised Dad (Gerry) at the annual general meeting of his Legion in Victoria where they had a lunch and birthday cake to celebrate his 90th birthday. The celebrations continued with a family dinner in Victoria and then back to Maple Ridge to see more family. Gerry and his nephew Kevin White were part of the delegation that went to Japan in December for the Japanese apology. They were looked after very well and Gerry enjoyed the company of two of his comrades, George Peterson and Ken Phifer. Gerry keeps busy with Legion activities, square dancing and the occasional round of golf.
I had nice chats with June Naylor, Vilma Sequeira and Pearl MacPherson and enjoyed catching up on their news. They are doing well and Pearl is off to Hawaii in March for a vacation with her daughter and granddaughter.”
Submitted by your BC Region Executive: Lee, Bev, Graeme and Murray.
Ab/Sask Action...
No report at this time.
Manitoba Moments ….
- Barry Mitchell
There aren’t a lot of brand new items to report on this beautiful "Spring"
day but the usual people continue to work on our long term projects both in
committee and on their own.
Greetings to our Manitoba veterans: Bill Bell, George Coutts, Tom Dewar, Harry
Hawryshok, William Krohn, George Nobiss, Lloyd O’Leary and George Peterson.
We are still examining how we might best approach the Canadian Museum for Human Rights to include the Battle of Hong Kong and its repercussions in their exhibits and we will have a meeting of our HR committee on March 21. A proper strategy is critical to success in this venture and that calls for quite a bit of debate. Our group remains keen to see our soldiers recognized in what is anticipated to be a remarkable museum.
And of course we have the National Convention on our plate and that committee will be meeting on March 24. Some good ideas for activities and venues have come forward so we will likely have lots to talk about.
This is the first year that we will not have the traditional Reunion Banquet in October but the HKVCA members still want to get together in some fashion. We are looking at an annual meeting as part of a social gathering, something which I believe other Regions have each year. The location for such an event is still in question as we want to move from the Holiday Inn where we have been for many years.
The Winnipeg Grenadiers Cadet Corps recently had its Annual Inspection, with 23 cadets in attendance. We are gratified that the Winnipeg Grenadiers continue to be represented in the cadet organization.
The Manitoba Region has an ongoing program to examine the feasibility of erecting a monument dedicated to the Grenadiers in ‘C’ Force and new concepts have been presented recently. I guess we are working in parallel with the Atlantic Region but I don’t see any conflict at this point. We may both be applying to the same federal grant program but hopefully that’s not a problem.
A note from Dennis Stewart, a Manitoba member who gave us this information - “Canada’s History” magazine (was called the “Beaver”) has an article in it on the Battle of Hong Kong with pictures. I believe it is excerpts from the book the Damned.”
Coming up are the MB Region elections and the Ladies Tea will be held once again on April 21.
Best wishes from the Manitoba Region.
Ontario Offerings….
We are all aware that the story of the Battle of Hong Kong is not well known among Canadians in general. As a result, much of the work of the HKVCA is focused on telling the story in various ways and to many different audiences. Many of you likely know that last year the Ontario Region produced three banners which can be used to help tell the story. In the photo below you can see what the banners look like.
I encourage you to think of
opportunities in your town to use these banners. We've recently purchased
shipping cases so that we can send them safely to you. Now we just need to know
how you intend to use them! Here are a few examples of how they might be used:
○ At a shopping centre.
○ As part of a presentation to a church group, or a Lions or Kiwanis or similar
club.
○ At your local high school.
○ As part of a discussion with teachers about the topic.
○ During a talk to a Scout Troop, or Cadet group.
○ At your local Legion branch.
Of course, most of us think of Remembrance Week as the time to talk to the public about Hong Kong. But please also look at other times during the year and don't be constrained to only the week of November 11.
If you have a good opportunity to use the banners, please let me know (msbabin@gmail.com). If you organize the event, the HKVCA will pay for shipping the banners to you and back!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully submitted,
Mike Babin, Regional Director, Ontario
West Central
As the new area rep for West Central I want to introduce myself so you are familiar with my name before I start contacting the members in my area.
I'm the daughter of Ken Pifher (RRC) who will be celebrating his 91st birthday in April. I'm looking forward to talking with, and hopefully meeting, many of you.
Pam Newhouse, 905 945 4125
pamnewhouse@hotmail.com
Education Committee Report: Ontario Region
HKVCA CROSS CANADA Writing Contest:
The last of the 450 or so letters to educators and prospective participants in the HKVCA Cross Canada Writing Contest were sent February 15th - giving those who still wish to be involved more than two months to prepare their entries.
The deadline is May 25, 2012, so that there is still time for interested teachers and students to participate. We expect to see responses arriving beginning in April.
Judges from last year are prepared to assist us again this year, and should there be French entries at the Senior level, Reneé Giard, of the Quebec Region, has agreed to be involved in the marking.
Any HKVCA members across the country who are in close contact with High Schools in their area are asked to encourage any High School History Principals and History teachers they can to have their students consider entering the Contest. All of the participation information may be found in the Teachers’ Zone on our HKVCA Website at www.hkvca.ca
Feb. 17th Workshop:
I am pleased to report that the Workshop requested by the Toronto District School Board, and held February 17th at East York Collegiate Institute in Toronto, was quite successful. Susan MacDonell, Veteran George MacDonell’s daughter, agreed to make the presentation to the teachers. This was Susan’s first time making a presentation about the Battle of Hong Kong, the circumstances surrounding that battle, the veterans’ nearly four years as POWs and what followed when they arrived home. Susan made an excellent presentation and was ably assisted by Linda Guglick and her sister, Sandra Strom, in preparing the display that included two of our three banners, and a number of books for the teachers to peruse and purchase if they wished. Favourable comments were made about the quality of the presentation and the display itself. What was especially commendable was the fact that all three HKVCA members spent a great deal of time preparing for the workshop, especially since both Susan and Sandra took a day off work in order to be involved. A wonderful example of our members acting as super special volunteers, ever ready to promote the Hong Kong cause!
Those interested in promoting a workshop in their community may get in touch with our Regional Director, Mike Babin, at E-mail: msbabin@gmail.com or myself, Education Chair, at E-Mail: petsask@sympatico.ca
Pat Turcotte
Chair, Ontario Education Committee
Quebec Quotes ….
Greetings from a mild rainy day in Quebec.
We are experiencing a very early spring. Farmers are talking about the maple sugar season being cut very short if this temperature trend continues.
Robins are back as well as many other migrating birds and spring flowers are 3” out of the ground. Unfortunately other parts of Quebec are not so lucky and still with winter weather and snow.
Things have been on a little slower pace since our last report. We recently held our first executive meeting for 2012 with the reading of Year End Reports for 2011. As usual new activities and previous suggestions were discussed and some decisions were made and others will follow.
For the last 2 years our discussions came on the subject of the Quebec Region
Reunions. Other locations and date changes were tried and did not measure to
expectations due to the very low participation. A sad and difficult decision was
taken to discontinue our Regional Reunions in its present form. We will organize
local gatherings and visits with veterans, widows and family members. We
realized that when long travels and moving about gets to be more of a chore than
a pleasure for them, it is time to make some changes and still keep our people
involved and informed. Will keep you posted on dates and places of these
gatherings.
We just completed the mailing of our “Call for Elections”, “The Torch”
newsletter with all its local news and the “Last Call” for 2012 Membership
Renewals.
Shortly we will be calling again our veterans and widows for their news.
We have lost contact with our HKV Bernard M. Thompson, last known address 715 des Spirées, Ste-Dorothée QC, Widow Florence Hawke, #6 205 Davignon Blvd, Cowansville QC and Regular member Sheila Coull, #2 153 Chemin Cyr, New Richmond QC. We are calling for help from all members if anyone knows the whereabouts of these people, please call 450-375-7439 as it would be greatly appreciated to keep contact with them.
RRC Nominal Roll
We recently received queries for purchase of copies of the Nominal Roll we had made a few years ago for the Royal Rifles of Canada. They were plastic-coated 12” x 19”.
We are presently out of stock and taking a survey as to the number of copies could warrant a re-print and at what price. (Price would be pending of number of copies needed – would negotiate for the best).
If you, family members or anyone you know would be interested, please let us know ASAP and we will take it from there. Contact QC Region by email at lucette.mailloux.m@videotron.ca or 450-375-7439. We will confirm with you individually and take it from there.
The book Royal Rifles of Canada in Hong Kong by Grant Garneau is available through Quebec Region at the cost of $ 50.00 per copy.
Convention 2011 Souvenirs
Lanyards
at $ 3.00 each.
2011 pin at $ 5.00 each. The red maple leaf pin with HKVA-HKVCA logos also commemorates the 70th Anniversary for our HK Vets. (3/4” diam.)
All items mentioned include shipping and handling. Just send your order and cheque payable to HKVCA QC, 18 rue Barre, Granby, QC J2H 2E6.
That will be it for this time.
Quebec Members Wishing your Easter is decorated with love, peace, joys of spring and the season’s blessing!
Take care.
- Lucette Mailloux Muir, Regional Director
.^
Eastern Breezes…
Thank you to Derrill Henderson for attending and giving an exceptional presentation to our New Brunswick Education Minister, Jody Carr.
Thank you to Neil Darrah for going through all the government red tape to make this meeting possible. The province of NB may finally have the history of "The Battle of Hong Kong" taught in both French and English high schools.
In February, Belledune sent a request for funding from the Japanese Embassy, to
place toward our "C" Force Memorial. We eagerly anticipate a positive reply.
Happy Spring & Happy Easter to all!
- Emmie Flanagan, Regional Director