NOVEMBER 7, 2019 | THE WELLINGTON ADVERTISER | 17
REMEMBRANCE DAY Local veteran remembers time as code breaker at Bletchley Park in WWII By Aryn Strickland ELORA - In 1943 Barbara “Bonnie” Smiley (née Gray) was 18 years old and working as a code breaker at Bletchley Park. The sprawling mansion in Milton Keynes, England, served as the headquarters of Allied code-breaking in the Second World War. The work was repetitive and highly secretive. “We were told so little about what we were doing and it was a complicated process,” said Smiley. Of the 10,000 people working at Bletchley Park, twothirds were young women. Smiley worked as a WRN, the name given to members of the women’s branch of the Royal Navy. Popularly and officially known as the “Wrens,” the women kept codebooks up-todate as new deciphers were established by translators across the hall at Bletchley and in Washington. Wrens copied out new messages on to a set of 600 wide sheets, each with 50 columns. They applied additives received from the U.S. Navy team in Washington to enciphered groups in the columns and applied commonly used code groups to unbroken messages. “The work was monotonous in the extreme. But it
needed to be done and we knew it,” said Smiley. From her arrival at Bletchley, Smiley worked on Japanese naval codes. Japanese messages not only would reveal information about their own operations, but also German activities through the Military and Naval Attaches in Germany. Ultimately these intercepted messages provided vital information about the German defensive plans in France prior to the D-Day invasion. At the time Smiley said she understood very little of the codes that were received and she helped to decipher. “The Japanese were always changing their code books. They weren’t machine codes. They had to distribute the code books every month, which was very difficult to get from one ship to another in that time,” said Smiley. However, she learned the Japanese navy would send “ha” before the name of the operator in their messages. Then, in 1945, Smiley was working the evening shift at Bletchley when she made a breakthrough. “I was at watch at midnight and I noticed that this operator had sent two messages, one at 11:59 and one at 12:01. And I just twigged
that it was the same message, that the operator forgot that the codes had been changed,” said Smiley. She reported her discovery to the head of her watch.
“I wasn’t on duty the next morning and he came to congratulate me which was like God congratulating somebody,” said Smiley. She was promoted to
“The work was monotonous in the extreme. But it needed to be done and we knew it.” - Barbara Smiley
Wren leader soon thereafter. Having signed the Official Secrets Act Smiley and the other Wrens knew very little about the larger picture of the work going on at Bletchley, as they were forbidden from talking about the work, even with each other. It was only after Bletchley Park was declassified in the 1970s that Smiley learned about Alan Turing and the machine he created that cracked the German Enigma. “I didn’t have any idea there was a German section. None of us did,” said Smiley. “I think that’s the way they maintained security, by the fact we worked in pockets and you literally didn’t know
what was going on in the next room.” Smiley worked under Hugh Alexander, an important historical figure and a colleague of Turing’s who, before being transferred in 1943, also worked on breaking the Enigma code. Alexander later went on to become the head of the cryptanalysis division in the British government for the next 25 years. Smiley remembers him as a “lovely man.” “I can remember him quite clearly sitting in his office. And he always wore the same turtleneck, pullover and corduroy trousers, green. And we used to make cocoa for him. We didn’t
continued on page 18
Local veteran - In 1943 Elora resident Barbara “Bonnie” Smiley (née Gray) worked at Bletchley Park (pictured centre), the headquarters of Allied code-breaking in the Second World War. Pictured in her Wrens uniform and present day at her home in Elora. Photo by Aryn Strickland
REMEMB RANCE DAY
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The Code Breaker continued from page 17 have any milk or the sugar, just cocoa,” she said. During her time at Bletchley, Smiley worked indirectly alongside many of the leading mathematical minds and code breakers of the day - and it left a lasting impression. “A lot of those people who worked on the codes were so clever. It was a very fine line between being clever and being mad,” said Smiley. “One of the young guys, on a moonlit night, would run around the lake throwing off his clothes.” Smiley’s memories from Bletchley are those of an 18 and 19-year-old. While she worried about her brother Peter, a naval officer, she remembers her life as a Wren at Bletchley as untroubled. “We were young and fancy-free. We didn’t get upset,” said Smiley. Unable to discuss their work with each other, talk between Wrens mostly turned to American air force officers and the dances held at Woburn Abbey, where many Wrens lodged. A vast estate owned by the Duke of Bedford roughly 13 kilometres from Bletchley Park, “Woburn was beautiful from the outside. The outside was grand,” Smiley said. She had originally arrived
at Woburn Abbey in 1943 in the middle of the night with no idea where she was going or what she would be doing. Late into the war, the military was calling young people up to serve with no idea where they would be deployed. Smiley’s older brother Peter had already gone off to war two years prior in the
imagination I was quite sure that my older brother would go off to fight and was sure to be killed,” she said. However, Peter was initially in the Far East on an admiral’s warship. “It just reminds me of the (W.S.) Gilbert [poem]: ‘He led his regiment from behind, he found it less exciting,’” she laughed.
“I was greeting people at the door and this gorgeous ... pilot came off the bus. And we looked at each other and we fell for each other just like that.” - Barbara Smiley
Navy. When war was declared on Sept. 3, 1939, Smiley and her parents gathered around the radio to listen to Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s speech. “I ran out of the house and went for a long walk and had a good cry because in my
WE WILL REMEMBER
On the evening of D-Day the Wrens gathered in the chapel to pray for the safe return of their loved ones (including Peter) taking part in the invasion. Later, Smiley was on night duty when a fellow Wren working next door invited her in after midnight.
“I happened to know the girl who was in the room next door to me,” she said. “I didn’t know what she did. She said, ‘if you come into my room, after midnight, I’ll be able to show you something.’ “She had the plot over the whole of the Navy, and I knew what ship my brother was on. I found out that he was quite safe, he was five miles off the coast.” The next day Smiley phoned her parents to tell them Peter was safe. “I said, ‘I can’t tell you how I know.’ But it was great for them,” she said. Later, when victory was being celebrated in Europe, the Pacific War was still ongoing and at Bletchley Park, Smiley’s work in the Japanese section continued as before. In August 1945 Smiley was at a dance at Woburn to which were invited for the first time a group of officers from a nearby RCAF squadron recently stationed there. “I was greeting people at the door and this gorgeous ... pilot came off the bus. And we looked at each other and we fell for each other just like that,” said Smiley. “John and I had a wonderful evening and we went on to have a splendid life together.”
Grateful ns, to all Vetera rs, allen Soldie F e th g in iz n Recog serving Proud to be illage
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Local veteran - Bonnie and John Smiley were wed in 1946. ABOVE: Bonnie poses for a photo in her wedding dress at her family home near Nottingham, England. Submitted photo
Originally from Brandon Manitoba, John Smiley moved with Bonnie to Toronto as newlyweds in 1946. They raised three daughters before relocat-
ing to Elora in 2003. Bonnie Smiley continues to live in Elora. Her family back in England never knew of her work at Bletchley Park.
Remembrance Day Services 9:30am Salem Cenotaph 11:00am Elora Cenotaph
V
Remembrance Day Roast Beef Dinner Elora Legion Maple Leaf Room | 5pm | $15 Guest Speaker: Justice Mark Poland
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In support of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 226 of ARTHUR
Elora Legion Branch 229 | eloralegion.ca 110 Metcalfe Street Elora | 519.846.9611 bookings@eloralegion.ca
Fergus Legion Br. 275
Remembrance Day Activities Monday, November 11, 2019
Remembrance Day Service at 10:45 AM at the Fergus Cenotaph
The Colour Party will form at the Fergus Legion Branch 275 at 10 AM and the parade will march off at 10:30 AM SHARP. Members are invited to march in the parade. For information regarding the Colour Party and the March contact Sgt.-At-Arms, Conrad Sawyer at 519.787.2106 for instruction and guidance.
Remembrance Dinner
Fergus Legion Banquet Hall, 500 Blair Street Social from 5-6 PM. Dinner at 6 PM. Guest Speaker: J. Kent Stewart MMM CD Ret. Ticket price for family and friends is $20 each. Available from Jim Dixon, Veterans Services Officer, or by calling the Legion between 2-6pm 519.843.2345 In the event of inclement weather, the service will be held at the CW Sportplex, tune into The Grand 101 for updated announcement up to the minute Monday.
REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE
Please join us in a day of remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace. Date: Saturday, November 9th, 2019 Time: 10:55 a.m. Location: The Rockwood Cenotaph (at Main Street South and Guelph Street in Rockwood) Parade participants will assemble between 10:30 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. at the Rockwood Post Office. The parade will proceed to the Cenotaph, which is located at the corner of Main Street South (Highway 7) and Guelph Street in Rockwood, Ontario. Members of the public are invited to the service at the Cenotaph which will begin promptly at 10:55 a.m. Following the service, refreshments will be served at the Church Hall at St. John’s Anglican Church (on Main Street S) next to the Cenotaph. All are welcome. Please note, the Ministry of Transportation and County of Wellington have authorized the Township of Guelph/Eramosa to temporarily close a portion of Highway No. 7, between Fourth Line (Wellington County Road 44) to Milton Eramosa Townline in the Township of Guelph/Eramosa during the Service. In addition, there will be temporary road closures on local streets surrounding the Cenotaph during the Service. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. The Township of Guelph/Eramosa and the Grade 7 & 8 classes of the Rockwood Centennial Public School will also be holding a Service on Monday, November 11th at 10:50 am at the Rockwood Cenotaph to which the public is welcome to attend. We remember all of those who risked – and lost – their lives fighting for the freedoms we enjoy today. Lest we Forget.
Palmerston Legion Branch #409 | 260 Daly Street | Palmerston
2019 REMEMBRANCE SCHEDULE DATE Sun 11/10
LOCATION
TIME
Palmerston Christian Reform Church Mon 11/11 Parade formation at Legion Parade departs Legion Norwell DSS Remembrance Assembly Cenotaph Service Lunch: Legion upstairs hall after service Palmerston Public School Remembrance Assembly Remembrance Dinner Cocktails Dinner
10:30 am 10:00 am 10:30 am 10:30 am 11:00 am
2:00 pm 5:00 pm 6:00 pm
Dinner: $15 Speaker: John Grobbo
NOVEMBER 7, 2019 | THE WELLINGTON ADVERTISER | 19
Palmerston native’s new book brings names on cenotaph to life By Jaime Myslik HARRISTON – Childhood curiosity helped motivate a Palmerston native to write his first book about Palmerston’s war dead. Jim Henderson recently launched Before Their Endeavours Fade, which chronicles the 44 soldiers whose names are engraved on the Palmerston cenotaph. “Growing up when I went to the cenotaph ... I saw the granite soldier on the top of a monument with names and dates and some places,” Henderson said. “As a child I often wondered what are those names? Why are they there?” His 470-page book answers those questions. The detailed table of contents makes it easy to learn about any of the 44 soldiers who fought in the First World War (1914-1918), Second World War (1939-1945) and Korean War (1950-1953). Henderson’s third career - after social work and owning a bed and breakfast – involved leading Canadian travel groups on overseas battlefield tours. In addition to personal interest and research, he learned a lot on those tours
and decided to put his knowledge into a book and share it with the wider population. He will be talking about his experience at the Wellington County Museum’s Archives
newspapers etc.) could be used to write or enhance the writing of a book, whatever the genre, historical fiction, family or local history,” said archivist Karen Wagner.
“Growing up when I went to the cenotaph ... I saw the granite soldier on the top of a monument with names and dates and some places ... As a child I often wondered what are those names? Why are they there?” - Jim Henderson
to Armchairs local author series on Nov. 24. The series is meant to “inform the public about the fact that the resources found in the archives (letters, diaries, census information,
Henderson is more than just a historical author, he has lived experience. Between his own trips overseas and the Canadian battlefield tours he led, Henderson has visited the
graves or memorials of 40 of the 44 soldiers whose names are on the Palmerston cenotaph. “They’ve got more difficult,” Henderson said. “I’ve got four to do and I’m going to visit them all. That’s one of the goals I have in life.” One of the graves he visited was that of Private George Earle Robinson of Palmerston, the only soldier on the cenotaph to die in the Korean War. Robinson went to war when he was 19 years old because his brothers had fought in the Second World War and he wanted to serve his country too, Henderson explained. Robinson left for Korea in December 1951 with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and he was killed on the Imjin River, now part of the boundary between North and South Korea, on Oct. 13, 1951. “I took a tour to the DMZ (demilitarized zone) when I was there, which was one of the most interesting things I’ve ... ever done traveling,” Henderson said. “And so I was very close to where he had lost his life, because it
Jim Henderson with a copy of his new book Before Their Endeavours Fade was someplace on that river right in that area.” Henderson also visited Robinson’s grave at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, South Korea. “Nobody from Palmerston has ever been there,” Henderson said. “That was one of the most emotional things I think I’ve ever done.” He took photos of the
grave, cemetery, surroundings and various memorials and put an album together for Robinson’s family, some of whom still live in the Palmerston area. “Those photographs have been passed around to everyone in the family so that they could bring some closure because nobody had ever been able to ... do that,”
continued on page 20
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Remembrance Day Service at the Grand Valley Cenotaph November 11, 2019 at 10:30 A.M. In the event of inclement weather the service will be held in the Grand River Room at the Grand Valley & District Community Centre, 90 Main St. N. REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED AT THE COMMUNITY CENTRE FOLLOWING THE SERVICE. “Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again; though lovers be lost love shall not, and death shall have no dominion” - Dylan Thomas Collins Barrow - Guelph Wellington Dufferin is
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Hugh Wilford and George Earle Robinson tory of each of the 44 soldiers whose names are on the cenotaph. “I placed that background into the major battles that they were involved with, culminating in what happened to them,” Henderson said. Wagner said it was Robinson’s connection to Remembrance Day that inspired the archives to ask him to speak in November. “He’s done a great job,” Wagner said, adding she hopes Henderson’s first book
shows people “you can be an ordinary individual and just have a passion about some aspect of local history and you just go out there and write about it.” Before Their Endeavours Fade can be purchased for $40 by emailing Henderson at henhouse2@rogers.com or contacting Wagner at the Wellington County Museum and Archives. Copies are also available to borrow at the Harriston and Palmerston libraries.
Remembrance Day is always a very important day in the life of our school, our community and our country.
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this isn’t going to happen again.” His body then proceeded to the Palmerston Cemetery, where thousands of people lined the route and he received a full military funeral at the cemetery. In stark contrast, Henderson noted that in 1916 a commander, the highest ranking Canadian officer, died outside of Ypres in June, yet he was buried oversees and never repatriated to Canada. “Both the Canadian and the British governments would have decided there’s just no way logistically we can do this and they probably just didn’t have any insight into how many dead they’re going to have to deal with,” Henderson said. Later he added, “there wasn’t even a consideration because they’d already established a policy.” Before Their Endeavours Fade is more than just a his-
oF
Thank You Veterans
on Aug. 18 and put in a special casket to travel back to Canada. “So he was repatriated after being buried in England, after being shot and wounded in France, and he was sent back to Palmerston,” Henderson said. “His father was a ... big cheese in the Grand Trunk Railway right here in Palmerston. “He comes home and his family is waiting at the railway station, as are hundreds and hundreds of people because this is really big news,” said Henderson. Wilford’s body was taken to his parents’ home for a few days and then to the Palmerston Arena for a full funeral with four members of the clergy, a band, a choir and 160 soldiers from Guelph, Henderson said. “This isn’t going to happen again,” Henderson said. “They didn’t know that, but
.
with Milton McCaughrin and Charles Buck from Palmerston. All three men died in the Great War. Wilford was shot in the head on July 19, 1915 in France while performing messenger duties. “He rode a motorcycle or a bicycle around and took messages across - a very dangerous job,” Henderson said. “Most of them wouldn’t last a week ... and the Germans would try and pick them off, and they would have to use the most direct way to get the messages.” Wilford was given first aid and hospitalized but after a minor procedure it was discovered his head wound was serious, Henderson explained. He was moved to Netley Hospital in London, where he received more surgery, but succumbed to his injuries on Aug. 9. He was buried on Aug. 11 but was exhumed
Us
continued from page 19 Henderson said. During his research, Henderson found a letter from Robinson’s mother asking that Robinson be repatriated back to Canada after his death. However, the Department of National Defence replied that repatriation of the war dead didn’t happen in Canada. In 1970 the Canadian Government changed its policy to allow Canadian military personnel who die abroad to return home to Canada for burial. Henderson speculated the policy denying repatriation occurred after 1915 because one of the Palmerston soldiers who died in the First World War was repatriated between Aug. 18 and Sept. 30, 1915. Hugh Wilford joined the Army on Sept. 22, 1914 at Valcartier, Quebec when he was just 19 years old, along
We remember the Canadians who served our country in war and in peace and those who serve today.
...We Remember... Arthur Public School
Students, Staff & Parents
Lest We Forget Remembering and sacrifice begins at home.
Thank you to our residents, men and women who keep alive the memories of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and remain active today in our community supporting residents and local groups throughout the Township in significant ways.
This November 11th take time to remember the sacrifice of those who died in defence of Canada.
Pause with us on November 11 at 11:00am to observe the “2 Minute Wave of Silence”. We will remember those who sacrificially served their country, and those presently serving this great nation. We say a heartfelt thank you as we “remember”.
Remembrance Day Our gratitude to veterans who have served to ensure our freedom Community Support Services
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NOVEMBER 7, 2019 | THE WELLINGTON ADVERTISER | 21
New museum and archives database recounts stories of fallen soldiers By Jaime Myslik ABOYNE – Each November municipalities throughout Wellington County honour veterans and those who died in battle. Every name that appears on a cenotaph within the county is also displayed with a marker on the front lawn of the Wellington County Museum and Archives during Remembrance Week. However, there is no information about the individuals included on the markers. Their stories were largely untold - until now. The museum recently released its completed Wellington County Remembers: Commemorating Our Fallen database, which brings those names to life. “People were starting to ask questions about the
different soldiers and that’s when I thought, ‘well, it would be great if we had a database for each one of the markers that are out,’” said archivist Karen Wagner.
ferent resources, including the archives’ database, the Federated Women’s Institute of Ontario Tweedsmuir history books, local newspapers, census data and Libraries
“As an archivist, I’m a keeper of the record, and so I want to collect our historical records, and make them available for the current public as well as future generations ...” The archives hired Julie O’Donnell, a summer student, to work on gathering information through 2016 and 2017. She used many dif-
Honouring those who served.
wear a poppy
Soldier database - The Wellington County Museum and Archives has just released a new database in time for Remembrance Day. Wellington County Remembers: Commemorating Our Fallen provides access to historical documents for all the soldiers whose names are inscribed on cenotaphs throughout Wellington County. ABOVE: Archivist Karen Wagner looks at a letter written by James Harold Bacon of Harriston during the Second World War. TOP RIGHT: The letter from Bacon. Jaime Myslik/Advertiser archive photos
and Archives Canada. Volunteer Gordon Brown was also instrumental in the process. A volunteer at the
continued on page 23
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22 | THE WELLINGTON ADVERTISER | NOVEMBER 7, 2019
Salute a Veteran banner program a coast to coast tribute
HARRISTON With Remembrance Day fast approaching, many communities will be displaying and honouring veterans with colourful banners on street lamp posts. In this area, the “Salute a Veteran” program was first launched by the Harriston Legion Branch 296 in 2014, based on a program initiated in New Brunswick. A banner commemorating one of the town’s best-known veterans, Donald “Tuffy” MacDougall, was unveiled at a 75th anniversary celebration for Harriston Legion Branch 296 on Aug. 16. A total of 15 banners were raised that first year. Branch 296 member Gary Thackary said the banners are raised, “for the benefit of the community and respect for those who gave for our country.” Thackary notes the local branch has received positive comments on the banner, both from local residents and across the country, including: - “A face and a name put together, become meaningful”; - “There are so many people who are so proud to be able to honour a family veteran”;
- “It is our absolute duty to do everything we can for our veterans”; and - “These were not trained soldiers. They were not in the military in most cases, they volunteered and we need to keep being reminded of that.” As of this year the Town of Minto will be displaying 126 veteran banners in the
In the local program’s inaugural year, “the Harriston Legion was fortunate to have four living veterans and all were able to view their banners outside on display,” said Thackary. The banners used locally are designed and supplied by an area company, Hanoverbased OnePromo. After the launch in Harriston, owner
“There are so many people who are so proud to be able to honour a family veteran.” communities of Clifford, Palmerston and Harriston. Thackary pointed out that although they have been on display in Harriston for six years, with very little or no repair work needed, the life expectancy of the banners is not known. “Weather conditions will decide that probably,” he commented. Each year when the banners are taken down, they are cleaned, dried and stored at the Legion. Later, after Christmas, they are displayed on the walls of the branch.
Dan Bailey said the company contacted other Legions across the country, and have now supplied in excess of 1,000 banners, nation-wide. Legions in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario have received banners from OnePromo and other organizations such as libraries, museums, service clubs, as well as individuals are also placing orders. Later this year, OnePromo will be making a donation of $5,000 to the Homeless Veteran Program. The banner cost incorporates $10
A banner commemorating one of the town’s best-known veterans, Donald “Tuffy” MacDougall, was unveiled at a 75th anniversary celebration for Harriston Legion Branch 296 on Aug. 16, 2014. - file photo from each one, to go to this program. In Wellington County, the program has been adopted in Arthur, Mount Forest, Erin and Drayton. Other southwestern Ontario communities including Listowel,
Remembrance Candle Lighting
Howick, Port Hope, Clinton, Collingwood, Saugeen Shores, Elmira, Ripley, Mitchell, Blenheim and London now also line their streets with banners in memory of their local veterans. While the Harriston
Legion Salute a Veteran program recognizes the sacrifice made by many members of the community, Thackery notes media exposure and and OnePromo “took it one step further, to the next level, coast to coast.”
“The secret of forever happiness is freedom. “We are grateful. ” The secret of freedom is brave courage” In appreciation of our Veterans who served our
In appreciation of our brave Veterans who country. served our country from the Board of Directors, LEST WE FORGET Staff & our Agency Volunteers. From the Board of Directors, Staff & our Agency Volunteers. Monday, November 11
November 10 at 5:30pm
10:30 am - Parade 11:00 am - Cenotaph Service
HELP LOCALLY – GIVE LOCALLY
Arthur Legion Br 226 281 George St., Arthur 519.848.5052
Please join us and place a remembrance candle on each of the 503 markers as a tribute to the fallen from Wellington County. Candles provided by the Museum and everyone is encouraged to attend.
They have our thoughts and prayers. We Will Remember Them
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War is a terrible thing, but it reminds us how fortunate we are when our loved ones are at home safe and sound. We join the rest of the community in wishing our troops safe deployment and we thank those veterans who have gone before us to ensure our freedom. Proudly serving Centre Wellington and Waterloo with three newly renovated and comfortable locations.
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NOVEMBER 7, 2019 | THE WELLINGTON ADVERTISER | 23
A database preserving the stories of fallen soldiers continued from page 21 museum, he has travelled oversees and has photos of the grave markers for some of the names on cenotaphs in Wellington. “A lot of those on the cenotaph would be buried overseas in France and Belgium and Holland and so if we had one of those photographs, we’d incorporate that into ... the database as well,” Wagner said. Much of the information came from Library and Archives Canada, which holds service records for First and Second World War soldiers. While WWI records have been available for some time, Wagner said information for deceased WWII solders has been made available more recently. “What we decided to do was just take that as part of the information because it’s very detailed,” Wagner said. “It tells you where they enlisted, their age. “They all had to make a will, who they were naming
in the will and it really covers their service from the time they enlisted to unfortunately the time they may have passed away.” Wagner said the archives took the project on to record Wellington County’s history. “As an archivist, I’m a keeper of the record, and so I want to collect our historical records, and make them available for the current public as well as future generations,” she said. “Hopefully, we’re going to learn from our mistakes ... from the First and Second World Wars, so that we don’t have a World War Three. “Soldiers lost their lives for us and I think we have to remember that they fought for our freedom.” Each soldier’s story is different and interesting in its own way, but one that stood out for Wagner was James Harold Bacon of Harriston. The archives has 250 handwritten letters he sent home from the front. The collection includes
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 Parade 10:30am Cenotaph Service 11:00am Auditorium Service to follow
HARRISTON LEGION
REMEMBRANCE DAY BANQUET MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 Social Hour 5:00pm Dinner 6:00pm
BR. 296 Tickets $20 ea. Children >12 $10 Agenda for Remembrance For more info. call 519-338-2843 or email: legion296@wightman.ca Day
letters penned by Bacon prior to the start the Great War continuing up until his death in 1918. He wrote about women, his health, what he was doing, the weather, wanting to use a cannon on groundhogs at home, advising a young man not to enlist and sending his fiancee a pen. His letters were primarily written to his father, mother, fiancee, sisters, cousin and grandmother.
‘OPEN TO DONATIONS’ Wagner said there is currently no concrete plans to include information about veterans who returned home after WWI and WWII. “But I’m sure at some point we will go back,” she said. “We do encourage anyone who does have information about a veteran to donate it to our collection because our main collection is open to donations at any time.” Wagner added that if
someone has a photo of a soldier whose photo is missing on the database, they can contact the Wellington County Museum and Archives to talk to someone about including it. A remembrance tribute will take place on Nov. 10 at the museum, during which candles will be placed on the museum’s front lawn beside each of the 546 markers for fallen soldiers. The candles will remain lit until Nov. 12. The candles are provided
by the museum and the public is invited to participate. For more information about Wellington County
Take time to Remember Staff & Students St. John Catholic School Arthur
We Will Remember Them
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 134 Mount Forest
Remembrance Week 2019 Sun. Nov. 10: 10:30am: Church Service Mt. Forest Pentecostal Church; 1:30pm Form up 2pm: Remembrance Service Holstein Cenotaph
Sunday, November 10th Cenotaph Service & Parade
Mon. Nov. 11: 11am: Remembrance Day Service at Mount Forest Cenotaph. The parade will march from the Legion at 10:20am. There will be a light lunch served back at the Legion. 2pm: Remembrance Day Service at Strathcona Long Term Care.
Service at 10:45am (Bus leaving legion at 10:30am for Cenotaph) Parade back to legion 12pm Ecumenical Service followed by lunch
TO ALL LEGION MEMBERS We request all able comrades to parade with us in uniform or not. Remember your Oath to participate in the Poppy Campaign, sign up at the Legion 519-323-1570. We Will Remember Them.
Monday, November 11th
Service at 10:45am at the Cenotaph Erin Legion Br. 442 | 519.833.2212 | 12 Dundas St. E., Erin
WE WILL
A DAY TO
REMEMBER THEM 519-323-4019 356A Birmingham St. E., Mount Forest
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Lest We Forget
Thank you for our past, present, and future freedoms! 519-846-SHOE (7463)
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Remembers visit https:// www.wellington.ca/en/discover/mus-collectionsandresearch.aspx.
Remember Lest We Forget
189 George St. ARTHUR 519.848.3938 1.800.665.5582 www.johnfsmithins.ca
Join us on Remembrance Day after the Cenotaph Ceremony. See our displays honouring local veterans. Share some memories. Hot cider and cookies to be served. There will also be history and other books for sale. Everyone welcome. “We will remember them.”
MOUNT FOREST
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