The End, Part 2

Hello all,

I've returned recently from my time out of country. I had been serving on my second tour as an historian with NATO's International Assistance Security Force at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. That tour is done. Obviously, I did not post while I was away. I would like to thank Norman Leach for occasionally posting during my absence.

However, when I was away I decided my family and work committments and my desires to pursue other online avenues (including my Soldiers of the 38th blog) in Canadian military history meant it was, again, time to bring The Cannon's Mouth to an end - at least for the foreseeable future. Thanks for reading.

A Handful of Updates

Kingston - On Saturday July 17 the Kingston branch of the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service unveiled a limestone memorial in Navy Park, next to the Marine Museum, marking the 100th year of the senior service and Kingston's contribution to it. At the same ceremony, the local branch of the turned the park back over to the city after owning it for seven years, saying there were too few of them and they were too old to continue looking after it.

Ottawa - According to a July 19th report on the CBC Canon Frederick G. Scott's medals have been acquired by the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. (Jeffrey Hoare Auctions)

The CBC report noted that the Canadian War Museum has bought the medals of Canon Frederick G. Scott, a First World War chaplain and poet, for $28,000.

Jeffrey Hoare Auctions Inc., an auction house that specializes in military memorabilia, sold a set of 10 medals belonging to the war hero last Friday in St. Catharines, Ont.

Among the medals are the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George and the Distinguished Service Order.

Lt.-Col. Scott was senior chaplain with the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, but he could not be kept safely in the rear while men were in the trenches. Instead he insisted on being in the thick of the action at Ypres, the Somme, Vimy Ridge and the Battle of Arras.

The Anglican priest was mentioned four times in dispatches, according to the Ottawa-based war museum. He was wounded in 1918 and sent to England to recover. He died in 1944 at age 83.

Ottawa — On June 3 the Canadian War Museum (CWM) accepted the donation of a Vindicator II Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from Meggitt Training Systems Canada.

According to the Museum’s press release “The Vindicator II was designed in Canada for Canadian use and export as a training system for low-level anti-aircraft defence. It is also used as an introductory trainer for the larger CU-161 Sperwer UAV, currently in use by the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan. The artefact is an important example of Canadian engineering, and it reflects the history, development and evolution of the Canadian defence industry. The Vindicator II UAV will be displayed in the Museum’s LeBreton Gallery.”

Golden BC - Reporter Carrie White writing in the Golden Star in Golden BC noted that “the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #122 in Golden is taking steps to ensure that they can continue to honour Canada’s veterans and serve local members and the community for another 80 years.

The project includes a partnership with the Golden and District Historical Society (GDHS) to preserve local military history and artefacts. According to the director of the project “The team has been using approved archival methods, assigning, cataloguing and archiving historical artefacts and memorabilia for the Legion and the community.”

Society - The International Military Music Society (IMMS) was founded in 1977 and is a worldwide organization for people who direct, play in, are associated with or are simply interested in and enjoy military bands, their music and history.
According to the organization`s website the objectives of the IMMS
· The encouraging of interest in all areas of military music (brass, concert, tattoos, symphonic, pipes, percussion, ensembles, etc.) of the world including published music, recordings, history, traditions, instrumentation and uniforms.
· The promotion of research in those areas.
· To provide world-wide means of communication between members interested in those aspects and studies and to exchange information.

The IMMS unites not only friends, for which military music is a hobby, but also those who are professionally involved, such as conductors, musicians and composers.

http://www.immscanada.ca/

Kelowna BC - Jennifer Smith writing in the Kelowna Capital News wrote on July 22 that the Okanagan Military Museum, the British Columbia Dragoons and the Whizbang Veterans Association are hoping to have at least a handful of Okanagan artists interested in painting a mural on the wall of Memorial Arena to celebrate the Dragoon’s centennial in 2011.

“What we’re looking for is a legacy project for the B.C. Dragoons centennial that will leave a lasting memorial for the community of the centennial,” said Paul Seguna, mural committee member and Vernon-based museum director.

www.kelownamuseums.ca

Another Event

Found another event happening in Calgary

Lougheed House, a wonderfully restored mansion in Calgary, is hosting its annual history day. This year the house has partnered with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) to host Ride Through Time 2010 - Dutiful, Decorated and Distinguished.

The celebrations will be held on July 24 from 11:00 - 16:00.

See the website at www.lougheedhouse.com for a complete schedule of events.

Events and Exhibitions

The Western Front Association (WFA) www.wfa_usa.org is hosting the following upcoming seminars for 2010. While US based I can personally attest that Canada gets a great deal of "airtime" at these events.

- Sept 10 - 11 the Western Front Association's Annual National Seminar at the Liberty Memorial, the National World War 1 Museum, Kansas City MO. The complete program and registration are on the Association's Website.

- Oct 13 Great Lakes Chapter WFA Seminar Cleveland Gray's Armory, Cleveland OH

- Nov 6 East Coast Chapter Seminar Maryland War Memorial, Baltimore

- Nov 13 New England - New York Chapter Seminar Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library Hyde Park NY


On a more Canadian note the Military Museums in Calgary www.themilitarymuseums.com is announcing the following events:

- On July 11 Vice Admiral D McFadden, head of the Canadian Navy unveiled an authentic Enigma machine at the Naval Museum of Alberta located within the Military Museums. The Enigma machine will be on permanent display.

- The Founders Gallery at the Military Museums is hosting an art exhibit entitled "Prairie Boys at Sea" which will officially open on July 14 and run until August 22, 2010.

CALL FOR INFO

If any of you have info that would be interesting to the readers of the Cannon's Mouth please forward to me at nsleach@telusplanet.net Thank you in advance.

Thanks for the offers of help.

I am grateful for the offers of help I have been receiving over the past week. All offers are accepted with thanks.

While this is very regional thought some of you might be interested:

The Founders Gallery at Military Museums in Calgary has a special exhibit starting on Canada Day. The gallery will be displaying the last Red Ensign to be flown in Canada and the very first Canadian Flag with the Maple Leaf. Check out the Museum's website for more information.

New Writer

Ken

Thank you for your faith in me. To all of you fans of The Cannon's Mouth I hope I can do it justice.

I am looking for any and all story ideas or leads - as long as the focus on Canadian Military History. Please let me know what you might have at nsleach@telusplanet.net

Thanks in advance for your help.

Norman

Great News

Great news! Norman Leach, noted Canadian military historian from Calgary, has graciously agreed to guest write for The Cannon's Mouth during my absence. Best of luck to Norman.

Extended Absence

My apologies for the delay in writing this post. Obviously, I haven't sent written anything for some time. First, it was the Easter holidays, then work that kept me very busy. As it stands right now, my work and family commitments for the next several months means I will not be able to do any posting on the Cannon's Mouth for some time to come. I wish it were otherwise, but there it is.

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".