07 May 2006

Update to my Project on the 38th Battalion, CEF

Just a quick update on my history of the 38th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force - a friend and colleague of mine, Major Michel Litalien, knew of a relevant document held in the archives of the Lieutenant-General E.C. Ashton Museum in Victoria, BC. Thanks to the museum's curator, Derek Brown, I received photocopies of letters from Major Gilbert Howland to his wife as well as a field regulation book kept for a brief period. Major Howland was only in the 38th for a few months - from February to May 1917 - but he was a company commander during the battalion's part in the attack on Vimy Ridge. The letters provide an interesting insight into one officer's experience and some useful "colour" for the project. Many thanks to Michel and to Derek. There are more than sixty accredited museums in the Canadian Forces' system, as well as dozens of unaccredited museums and historical collections. The mind boggles at the thought of what undiscovered gems are located in their archival collections.

No comments: