16th Annual Air Force Historical Workshop

The 16th Annual Air Force Historical Workshop will be held in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (Montreal), Quebec on 1-2 June 2010. Titled "De-Icing Required! The Historical Dimension of the Canadian Air Force's Experience in the Arctic", presenters include:

Dr Sandy Babcock, Centre for Operational Research and Analysis, "Operation CANON: A Case Study of Early Royal Canadian Air Force Arctic Search and Rescue Capabilities";

Colonel (ret'd) Ernest Cable, Shearwater Aviation Museum, "The Air Force: A Leader in Canada's Arctic";

Dr Richard Goette, Queen's University, "Building RCAF Arctic 'Air Mindedness'";

Rachel Heide, Directorate Future Security Analysis, "Frigid Ambitions: The Venture of the Alert Wireless Station and Lessons Learned for the Canada First Defence Strategy";

Daniel Heidt, University of Western Ontario, (with Dr P. Whitney Lackenbauer), "Sovereignty for Hire: Civilian Contractors and the Distant Early Warning Line";

Peter Kikkert, University of Western Ontario, "Creating a Role: The Air Force in the Arctic, 1945-1953";

Dr P Whitney Lackenbauer, St. Jerome's University, "At the Crossroads of Militarism and Modernization: Inuit-Air Force Relations in the Cold War Arctic"; and

Major Ray Stouffer, The Royal Military College of Canada, "A Joint Solution to a Strategic Threat: The RCAF and the Mobile Striking Force, 1948-1955".

For further information contact Major Bill March at william.march@forces.gc.ca or at 613-392-2811 ext 4656.

Canadian Navy Conference at the CWM/MCG

On 5-6 May 2010 the Canadian War Museum will be hosting a conference entitled "The Canadian Navy and the Commonwealth Experience, 1910-2010: From Empire to Independence" / « La Marine canadienne et l'experience du Commonwealth, 1910-2010 : De l'empire à l'indépendance » in its Barney Danson Theatre.

As the press release notes:

Explore new approaches to history in this ground-breaking conference with internationally recognized historians and seasoned naval professionals from Australia, Britain, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States. Organized in cooperation with the Canadian Navy in celebration of its Centennial.

Découvrez des façons novatrices d'aborder l'histoire en assistant à cette conférence révolutionnaire qui réunira des historiens et des professionnels de la marine expérimentés de renommée internationale venus de l'Inde, de la Nouvelle-Zélande et des États-Unis. Rencontre organisée par la Marine canadienne dans le cadre de son centenaire.

The draft programme for the conference includes numerous Canadian and non-Canadian subjects in naval history, some of which are:

Rear-Admiral James Goldrick, Royal Australian Navy, "From Fleets to Navies: The Evolution of Dominion Fleets into Independent Services" (keynote address);

Dr Christopher Bell, Dalhousie University, "Winston Churchill, Dominion Navies, and Imperial Defence";

Dr Isabell Campbell, Department of National Defence, "Canadian Insights into NATO Naval Strategy 1949 to 1964";

Lieutenant (N) Jason Delaney, Canadian Forces, "Towards an Operational Capability: Canadian and Allied Submarine Procurement Programs during the Cold War and After";

Dr Norman Friedman, "The Commonwealth Approach to Atlantic Warfare, 1945-55";

Commodore Richard Greenwood, Canadian Forces, "An Engineer's Outline of Canadian Naval History, 1970-2010";

Commander (ret'd) Peter Haydon, "A Tale of Two Navies: The Canada-US Naval Relationship during the Cold War";

Captain (RN, ret'd) Peter Hore, "Canada from Afar: Reputation and Character";

Dr Rob Huebert, University of Calgary, "The Quest for a Canadian Naval Strategy, 1991-2010";

Commander (ret'd) Ken Mackenzie, "Scare-mongering or Preparedness?: Navy Leagues of the Empire-Commonwealth, 1895-1939";

Dr Roger Sarty, Wilfrid Laurier University, "A Navy of Necessity: Canadian Naval Forces, 1867-2010";

Captain (N) Elizabeth Steele, Canadian Forces, "Commonwealth Logistics Cooperation, 1970-2010"; and

Dr Nicholas Tracy, "Canada's Naval Strategy: Old and New Dimensions of Purposeful Force".

21st Military History Colloquium at WLU

The preliminary programme for the 21st Military History Colloquium, 29 April to 1 May 2010, at Wilfrid Laurier University, has been issued. The programme includes a huge list of presenters, who will discuss a wide range of Canada's military history, including:

Mike Bechthold, Wilfrid Laurier University, "Lost in Normandy: The Epic Tragedy of Worthington Force";

Michael Boire, War Studies, Royal Military College of Canada, "Imperial Armour: 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade and Interoperability in the Eighth Army";

David A. Borys, University of New Brunswick, "The Fight Against Collateral Damage: Civil Affairs in First Canadian Army";

Stephen Bourque, School of Advanced Military Studies, "What we didn't know: The Effect of the Normandy Air Campaign on French Civilians" (keynote address);

Graham Broad, King's University College at the University of Western Ontario, "'When the Bombs Start Dropping, Run Like Hell': Civilian Air Raid Precautions in Canada, 1939-1945";

Mathieu Brosseau and Marie-Hélène Leclerc, Canadian Forces College, NCMPDC, "The Corvette: The Canadian Response to the Convoy Crisis";

Andrew Burtch, Canadian War Museum, "Canada's Survival Army: The Berlin Crisis and the National Survival Militia Training Plan";

Gary Campbell, University of New Brunswick, "Defending New Brunswick during the War of 1812: The Implementation of Captain Gustavus Nicoll's Report";

Kelly-Anne Campbell, War Studies, Royal Military College of Canada, "Oil and Blood for Blood and Oil: The Canadian Merchant Navy in the Second World War";

Zack Cavasin, University of Ottawa, "The Battle to Rebuild: Canadian Military Relations with the Civil Population after the Battle of Ortona";

Tim Cook, Canadian War Museum, "The Madman Revisited";

Terry Copp, Wilfrid Laurier University, "Some Reflections on the Italian Campaign" (keynote address);

Sarah Cozzi, University of Ottawa, "'Where do we go from here?': Soldier-Tourists of the Canadian Expeditionary Force";

Doug Delaney, War Studies, Royal Military College of Canada, "Canadian Corps Commanders, 1939-1945: Observations on Generalship and Staff Training";

Angela Duffett, Carleton University, "Memory, Myth, and Memorials: Public Memory of the First World War in Newfoundland";

Serge Durflinger, University of Ottawa, "Making New Men: The Rehabilitation of Canada's War Blinded of the Second World War";

Alistair Edgar, Wilfrid Laurier University, "Achieving 'Afghan Good-enough?': Canadian Withdrawal from the Long War in Afghanistan";

Michelle Fowler, Wilfrid Laurier University, "'No Age Lives Entirely Alone': The Story of Major Ronald E. Balfour, Civil Affairs, First Canadian Army and his Fight to Preserve Europe's Past";

Andrew B. Godefroy, Character of War Program, Oxford University, "Arguing the Unthinkable: Ideas and Debate on Atomic Warfare in the Canadian Army Journal, 1947-1965";

Richard Goette, Royal Military College of Canada, "Canada, the United States, and the Air Defence of Sault Ste. Marie Canal during the Second World War";

John Grenier, Norwich University, "'The War on the Acadians, 1755-1759': The British Army's Conquest of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick";

Mark Osborne Humphries, "Disease, Health, and the German Army's Collapse in the Summer of 1918";

Andrew Iarocci, Canadian War Museum, "'Tanks are no bogey for the infantry...': Allied and German Approaches to Anti-Tank Defence, 1916-18";

Benjamin Isitt, University of Victoria, "From Victoria to Vladivostok: Canada's Siberian Expedition, 1917-19";

Rebecca Jensen, University of Manitoba, "Reflecting Canada: A Historiographical Look at Canadian Military History since the End of the Cold War";

Geoff Keelan, University of Waterloo, "22nd Battalion in the Great War";

David Kielstra, Wilfrid Laurier University, "The Failure of Soviet Counter-Insurgency Strategy in Afghanistan: Legacies for Canada's Withdrawal in 2011";

Kellen Kurschinski, University of Waterloo, "'Sparks and Chips': The Works Dominion Electrohome Inc from War to Peace";

Christine Leppard, University of Calgary, "The Italian Campaign Sixty-Five Years On: Lessons from the 1st Canadian Field Historical Section";

James Lutz, Royal Canadian Military Institute, "Thomas McKenzie and the Creation of Canada's Professional Army";

Raymond MacKinnon, Queen's University, "'Star Wars, Eh?': Canadian Aerospace Policy and the Militarization of Outer Space";

Craig Leslie Mantle, Canadian Forces Leadership Institute and University of Calgary, "Officer-Man Relations in Microcosm: Batmen in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War";

James McCallum, Carleton University, "'A Courage Unique in Canada's Military History': English-Canadian Newspaper Coverage of Canadian Soldiers in the Congo and the Development of the Canadian Peacekeeping Identity, 1960-1961";

Andrew McEwen, University of Waterloo, "'Not...up to my expectations': Canadians, Australians and Tanks at the Battle of Amiens";

Caitlin McWillians, Wilfrid Laurier University, "Bombers, Brutes, and Babes: Aircraft Graffiti, Nose Art, and Canadian Identity in the Royal Canadian Air Force";

Marc Milner, University of New Brunswick, "To the Far Side of the World: The Canadian Navy's Pursuit of Terrorists, Pirates, and Fleet Capability in the Post-Cold War World, 1990-2010" (keynote address);

Jonathan Minnes, Wilfrid Laurier University, "Ortona in the News";

Heather Moran, The Centre for Community Mapping, "Creating participatory public history relating to the bi-centennial celebrations of the War of 1812";

Tascha Morrison, Carleton University, "Looking Backwards, Looking Forwards: Remembrance Day in Canada";

Jeff Nilsson, University of Waterloo, "'No Patience for the Patriot who Thinks Himself Too Good': The Legion of Frontiersmen and Recruitment in Canada, 1914-1915";

Jeff Noakes, Canadian War Museum, "Mr. Midshipman Brett: Robert Benney Brett's Abbreviated Naval Career, 1915-1921";

William Pratt, University of New Brunswick, "1 Canadian Armoured Brigade and the Battle of Lake Trasimene, 20-29 June 1944";

Cameron Pulsifer, Canadian War Museum (retired), "The Great Canadian Machine Gun Mania of 1915: The Public, the Government, and the Procurement of Machine Guns for the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the First Full Year of the Great War";

Béatrice Richard, Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean, "Defining One's Own Patriotism: A French Canadian Legionary in the First World War";

John Rickard, Directorate of Army Training, "'On the Way to Normandy': Some Overlooked Aspects of the Canadian Army Prior to D-Day";

Kathryn Rose, University of Waterloo, "The History of the Department of Munition and Supply: The Trials of J. de N. Kennedy";

Roger Sarty, Wilfrid Laurier University, "S.F. Wise and the Writing of Men in Arms: How a Young RCAF Veteran became an Academic Military Historian;

Christopher Schultz, Carleton University, "The Cannon is a Good Converter: Violence on the Western Front and the Spatial-Temporal Shape of War";

Alex Souchen, University of Ottawa, "'You Make the News - We Print It': Battalion Newspapers in the 3rd Canadian Division, June-July 1944";

Matthew Trudgen, Queen's University, "A New Perspective on the US Military Facilities in the Canadian Northwest in the Second World War";

Brent Wilson, University of New Brunswick, "Keeping CEF Battalions Up to Strength: The Case of the 26th Battalion during the Great War"; and

Joseph Zeller, University of New Brunswick, "Redefining the Naval Seascape: The Emergenct of the Motor Torpedo Boat".

Latest Issue of the Canadian Military Journal

Vol.10, no.2 (2010) of the Canadian Military Journal is now online, and contains a few items of direct interest to readers of Canadian military history (as well a lot of other interesting material, as per usual):

Howard Coombs, "In the Wake of a Paradigm Shift: The Canadian Forces College and the Operational Level of War (1987-1995)";

Michael T. Fawcett, "The Politics of Sovereignty: Continental Defence and the Creation of NORAD"; and

Ray Stouffer, "Air Chief Frank Miller: A Civilian and Military Leader"; as well as several book reviews.

2010 Canadian Historical Association Meeting program

The preliminary program for the 2010 Canadian Historical Association Annual Meeting, 30 May to 1 June 2010 at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, is now online. The program includes much of interest, including a fair amount of presentations directly pertaining to Canadian military history, including (in alphabetical order):

Kristine Alexander, York University, "'This War is a Young Man's Job': Youth and Masculinity in the First World War Novels of L.M. Montgomery and Ralph Connor";

Amy Bell, Huron University College, "Murder and the Microscope: The 1942 Case";

George Buri, University of Regina, "Selling Confidence in the Face of Nuclear Annihilation: Civil Defense Propaganda in Canada, 1948-1963";

François Cartier, Musée McCord, « Le journal de James Wolfe devant Québec : controverses autour d'une source majeure de notre histoire »;

Nic Clarke, University of Ottawa, "Northern Supermen or Average Canucks?: The General Health of Canadian Expeditionary Force Recruits, 1914-1918";

Ross Fair, Ryerson University, "'A Standing Moment of Forgetfulness': War of 1812 Centennial Commemorations in Toronto, 1912-15";

Vicki Hallett, Memorial University, "Verses in the Darkness: A Newfoundland Poet Responds to the First World War";

Jeffers Lennox, Dalhousie University, "L'Acadie Trouvée: The Search for Boundaries and Imperial Conflict, 1750-1756";

Jean Martin, Ministère de la defense nationale, « L'histoire en direct : l'historien militaire, témoin des opérations canadiennes actuelles, en Afghanistan et ailleurs »;

Helene Quimper, Commission des champs de bataille nationaux, Québec, « Québec, ville assiégée 1759-1760 ou Le désir de rendre la parole aux acteurs et témoins des événements »;

Beatrice Richard, Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean, « Raconter la guerre ou Raconter sa guerre ?: Le dilemme du légionnaire Paul Caron »;

Amy Shaw, University of Lethbridge, "Creating Heroes for the Story: Canadian Soldiers in the Boer War";

Terry Bishop Stirling, Memorial University, "'Such Sad Sights One Will Never Forget': Newfoundland Women and Overseas Nursing in World War One"; and

Laurent Turcot, Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières, « The Surrender of Montreal to General Amherst, (1760) de Francis Hayman : raconter et représenter la victoire anglaise en terre canadienne ».

There will also be business meetings held for the Committee on the Second World War and the Canadian Committee on Military History.

Admiral Sir Charles Kingsmill Lecture

Dr. Marc Milner, with The Gregg Centre, University of New Brunswick, will be presenting the Admiral Sir Charles Kingsmill Lecture: In honour of the Canadian Naval Centennial, 1910-2010, titled "Canada's Navy at 100: What have learned from the first century of this 'costly and hazardous' experiment?", at 1930 hours on Wednesday, 28 April 2010 at the Arboretum Centre Auditorium, University of Guelph. For more information, contact (519) 836-1221 or museum@guelph.ca.

Article about The Memory Project

The Time Colonist has run an article by Sandra McCulloch entitled "Memory project ensures war stories make history" on the Historica-Dominion Institute's The Memory Project. She writes this is an "innovative project [that] hopes to capture and preserve the war-time memories of the remaining 160,000 [Second World War] veterans for the benefit of generations that follow." The project, she continues, "has preserved the memories of 116 veterans so far through recorded interviews and digitized memorabilia, accessible online..." At this point 800 interviews have been completed, including that of Second World War and Korean War naval veteran Peter Fane pictured here (photo credit to Darren Stone, Times Colonist). McCulloch writes: "The interviews are edited, fact-checked, transcribed and translated. The goal is to capture online the memories of 1,000 veterans before funding runs out in March 2011."

Canadian Military History Talk in Video

The good folks at the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies have taken their resources to a new level with the announcement that since the fall of 2009 they have been videotaping some of their public lectures with the attention of making them available online through streaming video. The first such presentation placed online was delivered by Tim Cook, Canadian War Museum, in February 2010, under the title "'Always Look on the Bright Side of Strife': Humour and the Canadian Great War Soldiers". In my humble opinion, this is a fantastic idea and opens up the possibility of bringing the centre's presentations to those of us unable to travel to southern Ontario to see them live.

Latest Issue of The War of 1812 Issue

Issue 12 (November 2009) of The War of 1812 Magazine is now available online, free for the viewing. Articles and columns include:

Donald Graves, "In Memoriam: Robert G. Malcomson 1949-2009";

Donald Graves, "Field Artillery and the War of 1812: Equipment, Organization, Tactics and Effectiveness";

Robert Malcomson, "Dobbs and the Royal Navy at Niagara";

Kamille T.H. Parkinson, "The War of 1812 and the Tourist Encounter in Upper Canada: Eight Watercolour Views by Philip John Bainbrigge, RE"; plus

a pair of book reviews.

Article about Camp X Artefacts

A newspaper in Kitchener, Ontario, The Record, has run a piece by Carola Vyhnak, titled "Historian battling to save 'Camp X' artifacts" in its online edition. Camp X, between Whitby and Oshawa, Ontario, was a Second World War training installation for Allied undercover agents ("top-secret Camp X spy training school"). The article reports that approximately twenty-five percent of a private collection, the Robert Stuart Aeronautical Collection of intelligence and military artefacts, incorporates material originally from Camp X. This collection is currently up for auction by Stuart's family. Local historian Lynn Philip Hodgson is concerned that the collection might be sold to a bidder outside of Canada and the material removed from the Camp X Museum where it is currently on display.

Latest Issue of Canadian Military History

The Autumn 2009 (vol.18, no.4) issue of Canadian Military History is now out and contains, as always, a huge selection of interesting reading for students of Canadian military history, including:

Nic Clarke, "Passchendaele highlights uncounted casualties";

Tim Cook, "The Top 10 Most Important Books of Canadian Military History";

Maxime Dagenais, "'Une Permission ! C'est bon pour une recrue' : Discipline and Illegal Absences in the 22nd (French-Canadian) Battalion, 1915-1919";

Andrew B. Godefroy, "The Royal Military College of Canada and the Education of Officers for the Great War";

Andrew Iarocci, "'A Unique Art': Canadian Anti-Gas Respirator Production in the Second World War";

Robert Spencer, "Military Training in an Academic Environment: The University of Toronto Canadian Officers Training Corps, 1914-1968"; and

my column on Canadian Military History Electronic Resources titled "Canada's Soldiers of the South African and First World Wars at Library and Archives Canada".

Program for the Society for Military History Conference

The Society for Military History's 77th Annual Meeting, scheduled for 20-23 May 2010, will be held at the Marshall Hall, Center for Leadership and Ethics, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia. The schedule for the conference has been issued and contains the following scheduled presentations of direct relevance to students of Canadian military history (and well as oodles of other items of great interest):

Peter Archambault, "Tradition and Pragmatism: Anglo-Canadian Defense Relations after the Second World War";

Tim Cook, "'Goodbyeeeee and Fuck You!': Masculinity, Identity, and Swearing among Canada's Great War Soldiers";

Alexander W.G. Herd, "Preparing to Fight the Bear: The Canadian Army at the Nexus of the North Atlantic Triangle"; and

Michael Whitby, "Doin' the Biz: Anti-SSBN Patrols by Canadian Submarines, 1983-87".

Soldiers of the 38th reaches a milestone

My other main foray into the world of blogging - Soldiers of the 38th - is an attempt at an ongoing mass biography of the officers and men of the 38th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, during the First World War. I've mentioned this project before as an outgrowth of the (never-ending) research I've been doing into the history of the 38th Battalion, CEF.

Why am I mentioning it again in a moment of self-promotion. Well, recently the total number of posts, i.e. individual biographies, has passed 2,000. I'm still only about halfway to having provided basic biographies to all of the members of the 38th, but the process has been incredibly helpful in understanding the personnel side of the battalion's history, a great way to contact family members, and some small measure of saying thanks to these men of our military past.

New Books List at Library and Archives Canada

The February 2010 New Books List at Library and Archives Canada is now online and features a few items of immediate interest to readers of Canadian military history:

Louis Baratgin, Cartoon Review of the War: Louis Baratgin's World War II Album (Montreal, 2010);

Maria da Silva, Rebels against Tories in Upper Canada 1837 (Toronto, 2010);

Dorothy Farmiloe, Jack Munroe: Canada's Forgotten Hero (Ottawa, 2010);

James G. Fergusson, Canada and Ballistic Missile Defence: Déjà vu all over again (Vancouver, 2010); and

P. Whitney Lackenbauer and Peter Kikkert, comps., The Canadian Forces and Arctic Sovereignty: Debating Roles, Interests, and Requirements, 1968-1974 (Waterloo, ON, 2010).