The Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 issues of The Canadian Air Force Journal have been published and contain one article of interest to readers of Canadian military history:
A few days back, Michelle Greysan at Routes Magazine has published an article on attempts being made to recover a Royal Canadian Air Force Halifax bomber lost northwest of Ireland in 1945. This aircraft, designated LW170, is destined for the Nanton Lancaster Society Air Museum in Nanton, Alberta. Very interesting story.
The C.P. Stacey Prize Committee has forwarded me the press release for the latest recipients of the C.P. Stacey Prize. (Here's a picture of Stacey when still a Colonel). The release is as follows:Le Comité canadien d'histoire de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale et la Commission canadienne d'histoire militaire annoncent les noms des auteurs ayant remporté le prix C.P. Stacey pour l'année 2008. À partir d'une longue liste de titres en histoire militaire canadienne, les juges se sont arrêtés aux travaux de Paul Douglas Dickson, A Thoroughly Canadian General: A Biography of General H.D.G. Crerar (2007), University of Toronto Press et de Stephen Brumwell, Paths of Glory: The Life and Death of General James Wolfe (2006), McGill-Queen's Press. Norman Hillmer, Serge Bernier et Doug Delaney ont conclu que ces deux auteurs avaient contribué de façon significative à l'histoire militaire canadienne. Dickson, par sa monumentale recherche concernant un militaire canadien méconnu, mais marquant en ce qui concerne le Canada dans la Deuxième Guerre mondiale; et, Brumwell, par son éloquente prose et son interprétation convaincante du controversé James Wolfe.
A Thoroughly Canadian General comble un immense vide dans l'historiographie canadienne de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale. S'appuyant sur les résultats d'une recherche méticuleuse, Dickson suit habilement le cours de la vie et de la carrière militaire d'un homme qui s'est battu, à Ottawa, pour la création de la 1ère Armée canadienne, une formation qu'il a ensuite conduite au combat. Dickson décrit, de façon judicieuse et précise, le portrait d'un officier canadien qui apprend son métier durant la Grande Guerre, manoeuvre habilement dans la bureaucratie militaire de l'entre-deux-guerres, présentant son idée d'une « grosse armée » au gouvernement dans les débuts de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale, combattant les Allemands dans deux théâtres d'opérations et veillant aux intérêts canadiens face à nos alliés. Ce livre rappellera aux militaires, hommes d'état et universitaires que les batailles bureaucratiques, les combats et la guerre de coalition ne sont jamais faciles.
Dans Paths of Glory, Stephen Brumwell défie les nombreuses interprétations qui ont fait, du major général James Wolfe, un personnage tiré d'Hamlet, malade, sadique dont la seule vertu fut la chance. À partir de nombreuses sources primaires et secondaires, Brumwell tisse l'histoire de l'ascencion de Wolfe dans l'armée britannique, tout en nous présentant, d'une façon approfondie et lucide, la société britannique du 18e siècle et certaines périodes de combat. De ce texte extrêmement bien écrit émerge un portrait à la fois sympathique et complexe, celui d'un homme à la santé fragile, ambitieux, astucieux dans ses tactiques et entièrement au service de ses hommes et de son Roi.
The Canadian Committee for the History of the Second World War and the Canadian Commission of Military History are pleased to announce two winners for the 2008 C.P. Stacey Award. From a substantial list of Canadian military history titles published in 2006 or 2007, the judges chose for the prize Paul Douglas Dickson's A Thoroughly Canadian General: A Biography of General H.D.G. Crerar (2007), published by University of Toronto Press and Stephen Brumwell's Paths of Glory: The Life and Death of General James Wolfe (2006), from McGill-Queen's [University] Press. The judges, Norman Hillmer, Serge Bernier and Doug Delaney concluded that both authors made noteworthy contributions to the field - Dickson for his mass of research on a little-known, yet critical, figure of Canada's Second World War, and Brumwell for the eloquence of his prose and his convincing re-interpretation of the controversial James Wolfe.
With A Thoroughly Canadian General, Paul Dickson has filled a gaping void in the historiography of Canada's Second World War, and he has done so with authority. Backed by an impressive mass of meticulous research, Dickson ably chronicles the life and military career of the man who fought many Ottawa battles to create First Canadian Army and commanded that formation in action. Dickson is judicious in his account, which is a convincing warts-and-all look at a Canadian officer learning his trade during the Great War, negotiating his way through the military bureaucracy during the inter-war period, steering his case for a 'big army' through Cabinet in the early years of the Second World War, fighting the Germans in two separate theatres, and guarding Canada's interests with its Allies. This book is sure to remind current soldiers, statesmen, and scholars that bureaucratic struggles, battle, and coalition warfare are never easy.
Stephen Brumwell's Paths of Glory challenges past interpretations of Major-General James Wolfe as a sickly and sadistic Hamlet figure whose only real virtue was luck. Drawing on a wide range of primary and secondary sources, Brumwell weaves the story of Wolfe's rise in the British Army with masterful expositions of eighteenth century British society and lucid accounts of period battles. What emerges from Brumwell's page-turning text is a sympathetic and complex portrait - one of a man in ill-health, driven by ambition, tactically astute, and absolutely committed both to the soldiers who served him and his King.
The C.P. Stacey Award is an award in honour of author and long-serving Official Historian at the Department of National Defence, Charles P. Stacey. His work on the official histories of the Canadian army during the Second World War is considered a model for similar histories. He trained several generations of military historians, and his influence is still felt in the field of military history. The aim of the award is to highlight the best book written in a two-year period on the Canadian military experience. The award covers studies of all three services, including operational histories, biographies, unit histories and works of synthesis (if they include original insights and/or new material). It can also include high quality edited collections and annotated memoirs. The call for nominations for the 2010 Stacey Prize, to be given for the best book on Canadian military history published in 2008 and 2009, will soon be issued. After the 2010 competition, the Stacey prize will be given annually, rather than each two years.
The entire index to the journal Acadiensis: Journal of the History of the Atlantic Region, dating from Vol.1, No.1 (Autumn 1971) to present, is currently online. I have gone through the index and have found the following items of particular interest to students of Canadian military history:
The following is a list of new and recently-released books on Canadian military history published by UBC Press as found in their "2009 Military and Security Studies", "Spring 2010 UBC Press SCHOLARLY" and "Spring 2010 UBC Press TRADE" catalogues. I've probably listed some of these previously, while others are new to this blog:
The call for papers for the always informative and enjoyable Military History Colloquium (next year's will be the 21st) at Wilfrid Laurier University has been issued by the good folks at the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies. The colloquium will take place from April 29 to May 1, 2010. As the release notes:The primary focus will be on all periods of Canadian military history - pre-1914, First and Second World Wars, the Korean War and post-1945 developments including peacekeeping. Proposals for papers advancing new and innovative perspectives will receive first consideration. Papers addressing all facets of military history, including tactics and operations, social and cultural issues, economic impacts, and the home front, from the colonial era to the present day will be considered. Proposals are welcome from all scholars, but graduate students and recent Ph.Ds are especially encouraged to submit.The deadline for proposals is February 26, 2010, and all proposals (one page each) should be sent (preferably by e-mail) to Mike Bechthold at mbechthold@wlu.ca or by snail mail to Mike at the LCMSDS, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON. Mike can also be contacted by phone at 519-884-0710 ext 4594 or by fax at 519-886-5057.
Update: With respect to the last item in this post, Andrew Smith, over at Andrew Smith's Blog, has posted a discussion of the event and a link to the podcast of the session posted by the Royal Ontario Museum. Check it out and thanks to Andrew.De-Icing Required!Anyone interested in presenting should forward a one to two paragraph proposal to Major Bill March before 1 January 2010. His contact info is william.march@forces.gc.ca or 613-392-2811 extension 4656.
The Historical Dimension of the Canadian Air Force's Experience in the Arctic
Canada's north has been a focus of Air Force operations since the interwar period. The purpose of this workshop is to explore the historical dimension of the Air Force's involvement in the Arctic. Topics may examine Air Force / government policy, Air Force operations, joint operations, relationships with our allies, search and rescue, Arctic disputes, civil-military relationships, environmental issues, and others.
Dégivrage requis!
La dimension historique de l'expérience de la Force aérienne du Canada dans l'Arctique
Le Nord du Canada est une priorité des opérations de la Force aérienne depuis l'entre-deux-guerres. Le but de cet atelier consiste à étudier la dimension historique de la participation de la Force aérienne dans l'Arctique. Les sujets peuvent porter notamment sur la politique de la Force aérienne/du gouvernement, les opérations de la Force aérienne, les opérations interarmées, les relations avec nos alliés, la recherche et le sauvetage, les conflits dans l'Arctique, les relations civilo-militaires et les questions environnementales.
Library and Archives Canada has posted its New Books list for November 2009, and it contains quite a few items of interest to readers of Canadian military history, including the following:
Bruce Deachman, over at The Ottawa Citizen, has published a piece on Paul Triquet, Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross for valour in Italy during the Second World War. In addition to detailing some of Triquet's story, Deachman's piece discusses John MacFarlane's new biography of Triquet, entitled Triquet's Cross: A Study of Military Heroism.
David Pugliese, defence reporter with The Ottawa Citizen, has posted a review of Richard Gimblett's (editor), The Naval Service of Canada, 1910-2010: The Centennial Story, on his "Defence Watch" blog. The review begins: "The Naval Service of Canada is a first-rate and heavily illustrated volume that will appeal to those currently serving or retired from the navy or anyone with a strong interest in Canada maritime matters."
Rob Filan has created a fantastic biography of Sergeant Hugh Cairns, VC, DCM over at Rosebud's Early Aeroplanes and Airships. I'm not sure who exactly it's on that particular website, but I'm glad it is. The article contains an in-depth narrative on Sergeant Cairns, photos of him, his medals, his memorials, etc., several maps and the citations of his awards.
Sorry, tout le monde, I've been sick for a few days and so haven't posted in a while.
Among the many items of historical interest within the Canada Remembers pages of the Veterans Affairs Canada website, the visitor can find the First World War Audio Archive, where you can "listen to Veterans as they recall their life and times during the war years." Under the Recollections tab, "Learn about Canada's participation in the First World War by listening to these first hand accounts. These interviews represent events, emotions and observations of how these Canadians and Newfoundlanders lived through the war years."
Christopher Moore, over at his blog, "Christopher Moore's Canadian History", has posted about the finalists for the Governor General's Literary Awards in the non-fiction category. Said finalists include Randall Hansen, for his Fire and Fury: The Allied Bombing of Germany, 1942-45. The press release from the Canada Council for the Arts describes Hansen's books as follows:A brave re-examination of a controversial episode in World War II history. Randall Hansen combines meticulous research with an eye for telling human detail to make his case that the Allied bombing campaign didn't help to win the war, and actually prolonged it. A book that offers lessons for today.
I don't think I've ever posted about The Canadian Air Force Journal, "an official publication of the Chief of the Air Staff" with the goal of being "a forum for discussing concepts, issues and ideas that are both crucial and central to aerospace power." The six issues published to date include a handful of articles of direct interest to readers of Canadian military history, including:
Recently, I've been on a bit of a personal reading spree with respect to Canada's activities in Afghanistan. One of the most interesting of the publications that I've read has been Captain Ray Wiss, MD's, memoirs of his first roto in Afghanistan titled FOB Doc: A Doctor on the Front Lines in Afghanistan: A War Diary (also here). It seems someone else has taken notice of this book, Nancy J. White interviewing the good doctor for The Toronto Star this past weekend. The National Review of Medicine also published an article on Captain Wiss in April 2008. My thanks to the Spotlight on Military News and International Affairs for this pick.
(This post is an update to a previously-published one, specifically with updates to Delaney's presentation and the addition of that of Winegard).Dr. Alistair Edgar researches issues of justice and reconciliation as elements of war-to-peace transition and peacebuilding in post-conflict societies. In February-March 2009 Dr. Edgar conducted interviews with government, academic, religious and civil society leaders, activists and other representatives in Belgrade and throughout Kosovo & Metohija to examine the current conditions of, and attitudes towards, justice and peacebuilding there on the 10th anniversary of the NATO air campaign and the first anniversary of the controversial Declaration of Independence by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo.On Wednesday, 30 September, at 1900 hours, Dr. Randall T. Wakelam, Research Associate, LCMSDS, will speak on "The Science of Bombing: Operational Research in RAF Bomber Command":
Dr. Randall Wakelam is a former air force pilot who commanded 408 Squadron in the early 1990s (the unit was originally activated as Canada's first Bomber Command squadron in 1941). A long serving faculy member at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto he has studied and written about air force leadership and culture for two decades. In The Science of Bombing he dispels many of the myths about Bomber Harris's bloody-minded city smashing tactics, showing that Harris, his subordinates and the scientists of his operational research section were focusedOn Wednesday, 14 October, at 1900 hours, Dr. Douglas Delaney, The Royal Military College of Canada, will speak on "Acting and Generalship: Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Horrocks":
Most people know Brian Horrocks from film or television - the worry-free corps commander of A Bridge Too Far, driving his own jeep, dolling out direction to his passenger, and exchanging jokes with soldiers; or the BBC television personality who conveyed the stories of the great campaigns and the great men of his wars with clarity and grace. These images belie the reality of a man who, like most people, had his share of insecurity and self-doubt. He just hid them better than most. He was also a much more deliberate planner than he let on, certainly more so than historians or film producers have acknowledged. Horrocks believed that every general had to be a bit of an actor, and he often slipped into the character of the cheery and self-assured corps commander - for all the right reasons.On Wednesday, 28 October, at 1900 hours, Col. (ret'd) Patrick M. Dennis, OMM, CD, Wilfrid Laurier University, will speak on "NATO AWACS in Peace and War: From the Fulda Gap to Afghanistan":
Between 1990 and 1999, the NATO alliance transformed itself from a collective self-defence organization focused exclusively on the threats and challenges posed by the "cold war", to a collective security organization engaged in multiple military operations beyond its borders. Key to this extraordinary transition into "out of area" operations was the crucial role played by NATO AWACS - the only multinational flying unit in the world, the activities of which arguably laid the foundation for NATO's eventual decision to take over responsibilities for ISAF in 2003. From the first Gulf War to Afghanistan, this lecture will review key events during this historic period and consider how NATO AWACS continues to play an important role, both as a vital element of the NATO Response Force (NRF) and as a key instrument for decision makers during crisis management."On Wednesday, 11 November, at 1900 hours, Professor Terry Copp, Wilfrid Laurier University, will speak on "There are many things to remember: Nijmegen, March 1944 to February 1945":
The Dutch city of Nijmegen was accidentally bombed in March 1944, "liberated" in September 1944 and became a front line city with the Canadians until March 1945. Professor Copp will explore the story of a city at war.The speaker and subject for the 25 November session will be confirmed at a later date.
Capt. Timothy C. Winegard is currently completing his PhD at the University of Oxford, and will soon take up a postdoctoral fellow position at the LCMSDS. He is currently teaching First Nations Studies at WLU and UWO. Tim recently published a book on the Oka Crisis and the role of the Canadian Forces. His talk continues with the theme of First Nations and military interaction by comparing the capricious and racially motivated policies concerning, and participation of, the Indigenous Peoples of the Dominions - Canada, Australia, Newfoundland, New Zealand and South Africa - during the First World War.For further information, etc., contact Mike Bechthold at mbechthold@wlu.ca or 519-884-0710 ext 4594.
During my absence, I'd gotten behind on my mentions of the articles in Canadian military history in the Canadian Naval Review (specifically issues vol.4, no.3; vol.5, no.1 and vol.5, no.2) from the good folks at Dalhousie University's Centre for Foreign Policy Studies. Relevant articles (there hasn't been a whole lot purely in the realm of history of later - although this is an incredibly interesting periodical) include:
Major Andrew Godefroy, editor of The Canadian Army Journal, has kindly sent me an e-mail mentioning his latest article. Andrew has published "For King, Queen, and Empire: Canadians Recruited into the British Army, 1858-1944" in the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research (volume 87, number 350 (Summer 2009): 135-150). I'm particularly glad for this information, as I'm away from work right now and so haven't had the chance to see this issue. Thanks again, Andrew.
The New Books list for September 2009 from Library and Archives Canada has been posted. Unfortunately, it only contains one item of interest for readers of Canadian military history, namely:
I'm a bit behind on posting information on The Northern Mariner, so here are the items of direct interest to readers of Canadian military history:
A Call for Papers from the History Department of the University of Victoria has been issued for "The Second Military Oral History Conference: Between Memory and History", to be held at the university from 5 to 7 May 2010. As the release notes:The intention of the conference is to bring together senior undergraduate and graduate students, academics and veterans working in a variety of fields in military history in order to foster discussion in a multi-disciplinary environment. Papers addressing all facets of military history which rely heavily upon oral history will be considered. This includes, but is not limited to, the writing of popular military history, official history, operational history, military families and the home front, First Nations, Military Medicine, records management and archival preservation. We encourage a broad interpretation of the conference theme from a variety of fields and backgrounds.The deadline for paper submissions (it's not clear, but this must be the deadline for paper proposals) is 15 January 2010. Proposals should be less than 250 words, should explain how the paper relates to the conference theme, with an additional bio sketch. For questions, etc., contact Dr. David Zimmerman, Department of History, University of Victoria, PO Box 3045, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P4 or by e-mail at dzimmerm@uvic.ca.
The latest issue (vol.9, no.4) of the Canadian Military Journal is now online, and contains a couple of items of direct interest to readers of Canadian military history:
Norman Leach, the Calgary-based military historian, freelance writer and professional speaker, has a new book out from Folklore Publishing called Canadian Battles - Canada's Role in Major World Conflicts.Canadian soldiers, sailors and pilots have fought consistently above their weight class in the forefront of the world's major conflicts. And it was a Canadian, Lester B. Pearson, whose idea of a peacekeeping force defined Canada's world role in a new way, drawing respect and recognition from countries around the world: Afghanistan - Operation Medusa, an attempt to retake the Panjwavi District in Kandahar Province from the Taliban, turned into a deadly battle for Canadian troops. Croatia - Sent as peacekeepers, Canadian soldiers engaged in fierce action and were respected for their role in quelling the civil war and genocide. Korea - Members of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry repelled a massive Chinese attack and won the only U.S. Presidential Citation ever awarded to a Canadian battalion. World War II - In some of the fiercest battles of the war, Canadian forces were in the forefront during the Dieppe Raid, D-Day and the Battle of the Atlantic. Siberia - Who knew that Canadians fought the Bolsheviks in eastern Russia at the end of World War I? War of 1812 - Les Canadiens and the British troops fought to defend Canada, while Laura Secord was walking into history. Seven Years' War - During a naval blockade of the Restigouche River, a French fleet was destroyed at the cost of only 24 British casualties. And more...
Did you know that Parks Canada has a whole section on their website devoted to "This Week in History"? Several of the long list of stories are directly related to Canadian military history, including:
Issues 10 (October 2008) and 11 (June 2009) of the War of 1812 Magazine have been published online, free for the taking. Articles include (and there's a lot more material on the website):"Between 1916 and 1918, Lance-Corporal George Timmins, a British-born soldier who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, wrote faithfully to his wife and children. Sixty-three letters and four fragments survived.Carroll, Michael K., Pearson's Peacekeepers: Canada and the United Nations Emergency Force, 1956-67 (May 2009):
These letters tell the compelling story of a man who, while helping his fellow Canadians make history at Vimy, Lens, Passchendaele, and Amiens, used letters home to remain a presence in the lives of his wife and children, and who drew strength from his family to appreciate life's simple pleasures. Timmin's letters offer a rare glimpse into the experiences and relationships and the quiet heroism of ordinary soldiers on the Western Front."
"In 1957 Lester Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize for creating the United Nations Emergency Force during the Suez Crisis. The award launched Canada's love affair with, and reputation for, peacekeeping. Pearson's Peacekeepers explores the reality behind the rhetoric by offering a detailed account of the UNEF's decade-long effort to keep peace along the Egyptian-Israeli border. The operation was a tremendous achievement, yet the UNEF also encountered formidable challenges and problems. This nuanced account of Canada's participation in the UNEF not only challenges received notions of Canadian identity and history but will also help students, policy makers, and concerned citizens to accurately evaluate international peacekeeping efforts in the present."Shaw, Amy J., Crisis of Conscience: Conscientious Objection in Canada during the First World War (November 2008):
"The First World War's appalling death toll and the need for a sense of equality of sacrifice on the home front led to Canada's first experience of overseas conscription. While historians have focused on resistance to enforced military service in Quebec, this has obscured the important role of those who saw military service as incompatible with their religious or ethical beliefs. Crisis of Conscience is the first and only book about the Canadian pacifists who refused to fight in the Great War. The experience of these conscientious objectors offers insight into evolving attitudes about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship during a key period of Canadian nation building.I'm particularly looking forward to seeing Bennett's book on George Timmins. I often find the thoughts of an "other rank" to be particularly insightful and the First World War is easily my favourite period of Canadian military history.
This book will appeal to readers interested in Canadian military and peace history. The book is also relevant to those concerned with questions of voluntarism and obligation in a democratic society, and issues of gender history and minority freedom and identity."
ve Canadian history", the article describes how two Algonquin College museum studies students - Michelle Hunter and Meredith Thompson - were working on preserving a Royal Union Flag (Union Jack) and a Red Cross flag belonging to the Prince Edward Island Regimental Museum in Charlottetown. It appears both flags were flown by No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital (the first Canadian unit to serve on the continent during the First World War) in France. I'd love to know how things worked out with the preservation process. Très cool.
