Post on 31-Mar-2016
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With Pride
My motherfull of prideand trepidationsaw four men offmy fathertwo brothers and I
By airland and seaour country prouddoing what we couldrestoring peaceensuring a futuremy fathertwo brothers and I
My motherfull of prideand trepidationsaw three men backmy fatherone brother and I
Generations to comewould Isend my childrento do their partrestoring peaceensuring a future
Yesmyselffull of prideand trepidation
by Allison Clark
ROYAL CANADIAN LEGIONLEGION REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY
ADSS AUDITORIUM
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH, 10:30 am(Please be seated by 10:15 am)
Following the ADSS Auditorium Ceremony, Services will be held at:The Field of Honour Greenwood Cemetery honouring World War & Vietnam Veterans.
The Native Cemetery honouring World War Veterans.The Harbour Quay Cenotaph honouring the Merchant Navy Veterans.
The Schan Family Memorial
ALBERNI VALLEY
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 11TH, 10:30 am(Please be seated by 10:15 am)
LEST WE FORGETLEST WE FORGET
REMEMBRANCE DAY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011 | ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES | 1C
This supplement was made possible thanks
to the participation of the students in the
social justice 12 class at Alberni District
Secondary School and members of the Alberni
Valley Royal Canadian Legion Branch 293.
The veterans told their stories to the youth,
and now the students are sharing those
memories with the community.
TOM EDMONDSON
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Thank YouThank You Veterans!Veterans!
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Served1942-1946
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d e s i g n t e a mWE COME, NOTWE COME, NOTTO MOURN OURTO MOURN OURDEAD SOLDIERS,DEAD SOLDIERS,BUT TO PRAISEBUT TO PRAISE
THEM.THEM.~FRANCIS A.~FRANCIS A. WALKERWALKER
IT’S TIMETO REMEMBER
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2C | ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011 REMEMBRANCEDAY
Tom Edmondson has been retired for 28 years now and just celebrated his 65th wedding anniversary with his wife that he met at a dance in Nova Scotia in 1945, and married in 1946.
He has five children and many grandchildren. Now, being 88, he has lived a long life but still remembers so much such as a bottle of beer was 10 cents and life was a lot simpler back then.
Tom was born in Winnipeg and left home when he was 17 to work for The Hudson Bay Company, and two years later he joined the air force.
At age 20, he officially became a pilot and was in the air force for three years. Tom felt that joining the Canadian Army was his own
choice, but also his duty to serve and protect his country, just like his father and two brothers. On his aircraft there were eight men in total, he said that for him “it was very different in the air than on the ground.” Since he didn’t really have to see any “trauma-tizing” things.
Tom now lives a relaxing life in the town of Port Alberni and has a big family, who he deeply cares about and would not change any-thing that has happened in his lifetime.
To me, Tom is a very interest-ing and amazing man, and I am grateful that I had the honour to talk to him.
by Emilie Herrling
88-year-old Valley resident remembers
CARL TEICHMAN
Emilie Herrling, left, and Allison Clark are writing about the experiences of veteran Tom
Edmondson. The poem on the front cover was written by Clark and is a reflection of her
interview with Edmondson. [JULIA CARANCI, TIMES]
Alberni District Secondary School students Brook Schwartz, left, and Danika Geddes, learn more about a decorated veteran, Carl Teichman. [JULIA CARANCI, TIMES]
Carl Teichman was 21 years old when he went to war in Japan in 1942.
Carl grew up in Prince George. He had to go to the hospital because a bomb hit him in the leg.
He was in the hospital from October until January. As Carl said, “I was hit by a mortar fire.” When he was in the hospital, he said “it was like heaven and all the nurses were angels to him.”
The whole time Carl was in the war, he had this prayer book, that he got from his church before he went to the war. He had it in his pocket for four years. He went to war in 1942 and his prayer book stayed in his front, left pocket throughout the whole time he was in war.
Carl was one of the people who volunteered to go to war. He didn’t graduate from school, so he didn’t get the spot that he wanted to do when he was at war. He applied for “flight forest,” and the only reason he didn’t get it is because he didn’t graduate from school. So, he just went to regular war.
He also went to two wars in his life, the Japanese War and the Second World War. Also, throughout the years he was in war, they all had to wear a dog tag. The dog tag had a code. They had to wear that tag so people can identify them if they died, and they couldn’t tell exact-ly who they were.
After he was done with war,
he came to Port Alberni in 1947 to be a carpenter. He also helped build Alberni District Secondary School. He also has a granddaughter that goes to this school, and she is in Grade 11, which I think is really interesting.
Throughout the whole time talking to Carl Teichman, he told his life story to us and it meant a lot that he could trust us and tell us what he had to live with.
As Carl Teichman would say, “There is no glory in war, it is stupid, horrible and a curse on mankind, which neither side is a winner.”
by Brook Schwartz
‘There is no glory in war’
“Back in the 40s, there was nothing to do once you finished school,” said Second World War veteran Carl Teichman. “So, once we were all of age we joined the army.”
On Oct. 12, during the Second World War, Carl’s parents were dreading that the boy on the bike would stop at their door-step and drop off a telegram stating that their son had been wounded or dead.
But it happened. The telegram said that Carl had been hurt and was currently hospitalized but his parents, didn’t know whether he was alive or dead.
They waited another long sus-penseful week, and, yet again, the boy on the bike stopped at their house. They found out Carl was OK, but he had been hit by mortar fire and brutally hurt his left calf.
“The war was pure hell every-day,” he said, and “being in the hospital was the best thing that could have happened to him.”
Carl explained that his time in the hospital “was like being in heaven, and I called the nurses Angels of Mercy.”
He stated this because the winter of 1944 was one of the coldest winters during his time at battle and getting to spend it in the hospital was amazing.
He spent from the day he was wounded until January in “heaven.”
Carl felt like he couldn’t have had better luck because right after he was released from the hospital, the war was over.
However, his wound didn’t stop him from going back to serve in the army. After he was released, Carl spent two months retraining. Shortly after that he went back to com-bat in the Japanese Theatre War.
By this time, Carl was only 21, and he felt invincible, there was nothing stopping him from serving in the army, but now Carl feels differently.
After all that he went through he says that, “War is stupid and there are no winners.”
by Danika Geddes
Being hospitalized during war was like being in ‘heaven’
TONY WEDAM
It’s a day to honour those men and women who gave of themselves,their time and their diligence in the service of their country.
Their courage and personal sacrifi ce demand our never-failing homage.
REMEMBRANCEVETERANS DAY, NOVEMBER 11.
Please RememberPlease RememberAll Quality Foods Stores Will Be Closed
Friday, November 11thto honour those who gave their service,
their futures and their lives so that we may all live in peace.
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We Honour OurVeterans & all those serving our country
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Remembrance Day ‘11
I would like to thank each and every veteran for their courage andI would like to thank each and every veteran for their courage and bravery “God Bless you All”. And to all the members of the Canadianbravery “God Bless you All”. And to all the members of the Canadian Forces out there today,Forces out there today, “You have our love and support.”“You have our love and support.”
“Come Home Safe.”“Come Home Safe.”
Bookkeeping PlusBookkeeping PlusShannon Doré
2617 10th AvenuePort Alberni, BC V9Y 2P2 Tel./Fax: 250-724-1513
With gratitude
and deep respect
for those who
fought for our
beloved country
Val’s Garden Gals 250•720•6433
REMEMBRANCEDAY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011 | ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES | 3C
Tony shares his story
Damascus, Syria 1986
“Hey, honey, how are you?”I whispered to my handheld
radio,My hand clasping it so tightAs I closed my eyesRefraining from the eruption of
emotion,Yet to comeI looked over the darkened townAs I anticipated a responseCrouching in the shadows,Attempting to stay balanced on
those roof tilesMy stomach gnarled,Contorting as the static went
onThe tension grew as I struggled,When the static stopped …“Oh, my love, how I’ve missed
you.”
by Dayle Carter
I have always heard stories of brave and courageous men and women who have fought and in a lot of cases died for our country, but I have never had the honour of speaking to a veteran of war face to face.
I had the honour and privilege to talk to a brave veteran named Tony Nedam. Tony enrolled in the military in 1979 and com-pleted several tours oversea in conflict-torn countries such as Israel, Afghanistan, Syria and Bosnia. Tony has made a differ-ence in thousands of people’s lives worldwide and helped rebuild communities which have been affected by war.
I am happy and feel safe to know that people like Tony are taking care of Canada and trying to deliver peace in countries that
desperately need it. Tony explained to me that the
majority of people in other coun-tries feel safe around the Can-adian Armed Forces and enjoy their efforts in trying to make countries a better and safer place to live. Tony does not regret join-ing the military and is quoted as saying, “I would do it all over again.”
I found it awesome how Tony interacted with the community whenever he could and still stays in touch with people he has met while on tour. Social media sites such as Facebook have helped him to do this. Tony explained how much he missed his wife and family, especially when he took nine-month tours.
by Cody Hamelin
Dayle Carter and Cody Hamelin with MWO Tony Wedam. [HEATHER THOMSON, TIMES]
War veteran still in touch with other vets
TIM MURPHY
Sharing stories about wartime were, left to right, Slade Scarlong, Brittany Pettigrew and Tim Murphy. [JULIA CARANCI, TIMES]
JOE TRAIL
4487 Gertrude St.4487 Gertrude St. Hol & Sun 12-11pm; Mon-Thurs 11am-Midnight; Fri & Sat. 11am-1amHol & Sun 12-11pm; Mon-Thurs 11am-Midnight; Fri & Sat. 11am-1am
310-0001310-0001
4573 Merrifield St., Port Alberni 250-724-2021
Thank youto the
Veterans
Yates Funeral andCrematorium Service
250-723-5859Quinn Edwards, FUNERAL DIRECTOR
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Pacific Rim Shopping Centre #311-3555 Johnston Rd., Port Alberni, BC V9Y 8K2Tel: 250 723 2918 Fax: 250 723 1716 www.cccu.ca Toll Free: 1 877 392 4400
11-11-11
To all our men and women who
have fought & given their lives for our
freedom, and to all those courageous Canadian
Forces’ Members who are still doing so today, please
know how very thankful we are; and that we honour you all and your families, for the hardships
that you endure, both at home and on foreign soil. “Thank you” will never be
enough; we owe you so much!
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4C | ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011 REMEMBRANCEDAY
Interpreted through a poem I wrote after meeting Joe Trail
You can say I have no regret of joining,
If I had the choice to go back,I would to fight with the Navy
for our country,I saw things I hope you never
have to see,Saw a plane crash in my front
yard,A train that flipped over with a
burning man on top of it,I am against war, you should
never have to see or experience it,
War shall not be something to be glorified, our world needs
peace,Today we remember those who
risked their lives,They tried and succeeded in
helping our country,We shall wear the poppy over
our hearts,To remember
those who fought for us,Those who risked their lives,For the ones who came home and the ones that did not,
I am grateful I fought for our country; I am glad I came back; glad I got the chance to share
with you today,I got this honour to share my
story,To share my history through
the wise man’s eyes
I am humbled by the quiet strength in this wise veteran. I am proud that people like him represented Canada and what we stand for. I have learned so much in our time together.
I do not take our freedom for granted. I know brave people like Joe Trail risked their lives so I could experience freedom today.
I am forever in debt for these b r a v e , humble, selfless
people who fought for all of us Canadians.
Thank you so much Joe Trail, who is 86 years old. Thank you from the bottom of my youthful heart.
by OliviaShewish
Veteran Joe Trail shares a story with ADSS students, left to right, Olivia Shewish, Keanna Hamilton, Natasha Cook. [JULIA CARANCI, TIMES]
History through a wise man’s eyes
Here I pause by this window, Not to gaze through
That lucid glass upon the wares within, nay!
But upon what I long to see a piercing
Ray, a semblance of a former self only
Masked by the confines of a present mental
Being. To you, the stranger, and all who pass
By me see little but an empty shell from which
The life has fled. The image you see in this
Pane, and come here too, ‘tis only flesh and blood.
You are too young to have seen the dark clouds of
Despair; the only clouds you know are the lambs of
The sky which one might admire on a summer’s
Afternoon. Born too late were you to see the billows roll
Towards your lines to split the lungs of one’s own
Men: the vile gas that burns and kills. In that game
We were but pawns disposable, and disposed
Of to arrest the looming check-mate. The knights
Took pawns, the pawns took bishops. And kings fell but No one could take the queen.
We won the match at Ypres, Somme, Vimy but were
stalemate in the game. Say callous fools it was good
luck that drew me From the front that day those
wretched clouds rolled in.
It was not fortune for one who knows but
That he could have called “retreat!” And spared the lives
Of those in his command- if only he were there.
So from that removed vantage point I saw the
Chlorine drift. Oh yes, “good fortune” spared my
Life but what is life after allow-ing death?
But come along, my dear; let us walk, for these
Rueful words are not fathomed by your small ears-
The flower of youth within you has not been
Wilted by the grievous burdens of regret.
by Erin Shankie, 16 years old
Always take time to remember
WINIFRED KOAL
We will always remember
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REMEMBRANCE DAYWe wear a poppyOn Remembrance Day,And at elevenWe stand and pray.Wreaths are putUpon a grave.As we rememberOur soldiers brave.
REMEMBRANCEDAY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011 | ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES | 5C
Imagine being of German des-cent during the Second World War in Canada.
As a child, Winifred Koal was constantly discriminated against for her German ancestry. Grow-ing up was definitely not a simple task. Winifred was a first genera-tion Canadian born in Saskatch-ewan in 1934. Shortly after being born, she moved to Port Alberni. As a child, there was fear that the Second World War would be brought to Canada. The Second World War was her main motiva-tion for joining the army.
At age 18, Winifred joined the Air Force through recommenda-tion of her school counsellor. She started basic training in 1952 in St. James, Que. She had more schooling to become an FCO in
Clinton, Ont. Winifred eventu-ally settled in St. Margarets, N.B., at her main station.
On the assumption of a Hun-garian uprising, she was trans-ferred to No. 4 fighter wing in Germany. Her time in Europe gives her the most vivid mem-ories. She was under American command and worked seven days on and seven off.
Winifred’s first check was $98. On her days off, with a permis-
sion slip from the government, she travelled all over Europe. Her favourite places to visit were the Scandanavian countries.
After her time in Germany, Winifred got married and was forced to quit the army. Winifred’s husband was sta-tioned in Winnipeg. When the
Cuban crisis occurred, her hus-band was moved to Barrington, N.S. Winifred and her four girls remained in Winnipeg. These times were full of terror and anticipation.
When her husband was out of the army in December of 1966, they returned to Port Alberni to be with family. Winifred had never lived off a base and took time adjusting to her new environment.
Winifred doesn’t regret a thing she did and would do it over again. She had a lot of fun times and travelled to many new places. The army helped her break out of her shell and become outgoing and confident.
by Nic Waddell
Winifred Koal was born in 1934 in Saskatchewan, and moved to Port
Alberni with her family when she was three.
She grew up during the Sec-ond World War, and her family was discriminated against a lot because they were of German descent.
When Winifred was 18, she joined the Air Force under the recommendation of her high school counsellor, who joined later herself. She was part of the FCO department, where she was taught how to read maps, plot aircraft courses and determine whether incoming planes were friendly or not.
Winifred spoke German, so eventually she was transferred to the bilingual unit.
Her favourite experience was going oversees for three years.
As Winifred said, “I thought I knew German, then I went on the switchboards and there’s all these different dialects.” How-ever, she stated that catching on to the dialects wasn’t very hard.
While she was in Germany, they used American money on base, and German marks every-where else. They had to plan out their paycheques, and they got them in American and German currency.
Winifred says she does not regret her involvement with the military, and says she would do it over again if she could go back. Overall, she is happy with her experience.
by Jessica Langille
Jessica Langille, Nic Waddell, Winifred Koal and Britnee Oldfield, left to right, take a moment
after hearing Koal’s tales about her experiences in wartime. [JULIA CARANCI, TIMES]
Signing up to serve homeland
No regrets with decisions made
War is over. Crying’s done.Bombs have fallen; cities gone.
Sun is shining, through my tears.
Solitude, will calm my fears.
Emotions rampant, as I lay my wreath,
To ‘see’ our people, lost to grief.Memories steadfast in my
heart,
Allowing me to do my part;
Remembering, as I stand tall at attention,
Recalling all the sacrifices made for us;
The freedoms protected; given usBy those who died, were lost,
and gone.
Taps has sounded. Day is done.
by William A. Frew
This came to mind while recall-ing the importance of those who served our nation during times of world strife, and I felt the need to say “thank you” to all those still with us, and those who have passed before by giving us their supreme sacrifice.
Remembrance Day
3756-10th Ave. 250-723-6212
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6C | ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011 REMEMBRANCEDAY
BERNICE COLLINS
by Ashlan Thomas-Ermter
Alberni District Secondary School students, left to right, Skyler Chartrand, Danielle Tolfo and
Ashlan Thomas-Carter with Bernice Collins. [HEATHER THOMSON, TIMES]
by Skyler Chartrand
Korea There is blood on the hills of
Korea ’Tis the blood of the brave
and true Where the 25th brigade
battled together Under the banner of the red,
white and blue As they marched over the
fields of korea To the hills where the
enemy lay, They remembered the briga-
dier’s orders: “These hills must be taken
today’’ Forward they marched into
battle With faces unsmiling and
stern, They knew as they charged
the hillside That some would never
return. Some thought of their wives
and mothers, Some thought of their sweethearts so fair,
And some as they plodded and stumbled,
Were reverently whispering a prayer.
There is blood on the hills of Korea,
It is the gift of freedom they love,
May their names live in glory forever,
And their souls rest in heav-en above.
This poem was written on May 29, 1951 by Patrick J. O’Connor.
He was a stretcher beared in the Royal Canadian Army in Korea.
He was killed in action May 30, 1951, while assisting some wounded comrades. The poem was found in his personal effects the next day. He had been in Korea a month. It was his 5th day of action.
In Flanders
FieldsIn Flanders Fields the pop-
pies blowBetween the crosses, row on
row,That mark our place; and in
the skyThe larks, still bravely sing-
ing, flyScarce heard amid the guns
below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sun-set glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
by John McCrae
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PORT ALBERNI
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Thanks to all of our Veterans for their service andThanks to all of our Veterans for their service and
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REMEMBRANCEDAY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011 | ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES | 7C
Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock,I’ve seen it all,
Men in muddy trenchesSilently shivering, teeth
chattering,Struggling to be brave.
Three generations have sat in these trenches
I have accompanied them all.“Synchronize watches!”
This is my job,
I must tell the men when to attack.
1400 hours hits, the whistle blows And gun shots are fired.
Soldiers drop to the cold, hard ground.
The others pause for a moment to grieve
But they must keep fighting for their country.
The smell of fear falls upon the
battlefield.Going home is always
emotionalGood memories are shared,Bad memories kept secret.
I have been used for show-and-tell on many occasions
Because…I have watched it all.
by Talea Forbes
In the First World War, crisis was everywhere, and synchron-izing was absolute key in every
aspect of battle. Soldiers would head out to their
point of station, whether it was in the trenches or other various locations, to set up in prepara-tion for attack. Conditions were very harsh with excessive rain and mud, yet the soldiers always kept their heads up to fight for the peace and freedom which we now have today.
All in battle were equipped with much-needed tools. Along with grenades and other tools of battle, soldiers held a whistle and gun, yet the most important tool needed was the pocket watch. Only commanders had the right and responsibility of having the pocket watch, and having the important job of keeping everything on time.
Everything anyone in the war knew was based around timing,
synchronizing, and winding the watch to keep it dynamic and effective. They would find their time of attack, and at that time the commander would yell out to his squad, and the attack would begin. As you can imagine, this would be a very hard task to accomplish given the conditions they were in.
Veteran and Alberni Valley resi-dent Brian Thorburn once said, “This proves God is a woman. If he was a man, he would have made us with three hands,” referring to one hand for the pocket watch, one for the whistle, and another for the gun.
But, as that is next to impossible, having three hands, the soldiers came up with other resources to satisfy their “three-handed-needs.” The brilliant idea came about to tie your pocket watch around your wrist with a string.
Once word got around about this
magnificent and efficient idea, factories were mass producing them for soldiers at war and for sales across the globe. The idea of pocket watches then lessened as wrist watches took over. By 1923, wrist watches were now auto-matic; no longer did the user need to wind it every so often to keep it functioning.
Now, when you look at a pocket watch, do you still picture in your head a man with glasses holding it in the late 1800s? Do you see an important step to the creation of wrist watches? Or do you see the courage, strength and struggle the commanders wearing the pocket watches on their wrists to keep the synchronizing for the end result of peace and freedom?
I bet now you have a different outlook and respect for a little gadget we take for granted.
by Caitlin Royendyk
The Journey
I recall my childhoodGrowing up on a farm
Gazing through the frost-bitten windowsTowards a land
Shaped by our broken backs
The distance we travelledThe relentless shivers
Towards a placeNever again, I was toldIt’s a long trudge ahead
I revisit the warMy brother came home
Application in handWe went together
But our paths dividedTo the sky he wentI could not follow
Repairing and renewingHudsons to LiberatorsWill I see him again?
I remember the pastFor some, nightmares
recurringMemories created
Honour and freedomCrying and despair
Seem equalFor the price we paidI recall my childhood
I revisit the warI remember the past
Never again
by Eric Wu and Cortland Thibodeau
GLENN SIMPSON
Learning more about the past from veteran Glenn Simpson are, left to right, Cortland Thibodeau, Eric Wu and John Dube. [JULIA CARANCI, TIMES]
by John Dube
The importance of synchronizing
BRIAN THORBURN
Pocket watch
Photos tell stories, as veteran Brian Thorburn explained to ADSS students Caitlin Royendyk, centre, and Talea Forbes. [JULIA CARANCI, TIMES]
Dearest Mother,
The war that apparently I am part of is not at all what I had imagined when I joined the military.
Even though I have yet to be a part of any combat, I see those who have, those who are broken inside or maimed on the outside, the many who leave and the few return.
These things frighten me. What could possibly cause all this death and destruction? So much harm,
what would drive people to this? I think it’s best to keep these thoughts out of my head, though they still pes-
ter me, many of the others say that I shouldn’t think, ‘just do,’ the meaning of which eludes me.
I’m sure I’ll find out soon though, as we’re shipping out soon. Wish me luck.– Your son, Keith
HEATHER THOMSON ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
Last month, students and veter-ans sat down in a high school class-room to get to know each other and listen to stories of years gone by.
The students are part of the social justice class 12 class, and the goal was to bring the groups together to learn from each other and share the experience with Alberni Valley Times readers.
Their teacher, Kama Money, believes the students took a lot away from the interaction they had with the veterans.
“This inter-generational dia-logue is integral to the effect-iveness of our program, as it provides students with the oppor-tunity for vicarious first-hand experience through the memories of local veterans,” she said. “I real-ize that not many of my lessons will stick with the students for the rest of their lives, but, it’s safe to say, that this one definitely will.”
Legion representative Gra-ham Fox agreed it was a unique experience.
“The historical connotation of the event at the high school is big,” explained Fox, who was instrumen-tal in bringing the students and veterans together. “The vets enjoy it and they know there is a limited time for them to relay their mes-sage and share their stories.”
He added that it is also a chance for the students to hear about a time and event that, “hope-fully, they will never have to experience.”
He said at first the veterans were dubious, but once they arrived all of that disappeared and they were at ease almost immediately.
“You could feel the emotion
almost immediately,” he said. Kama Money teaches the stu-
dents, and she was pleased with the whole experience.
“In social justice, we learn about both historical and contempor-ary examples of discrimination, genocide and abuses of power,” she said.
“We also discuss ways that nor-mal people have gathered their courage and resources to stand up against injustice.”
She said it was an honor to have our community’s veterans, repre-senting a range of Canadian and British conflicts, take the time to share their experiences with our next generation of leaders.
“None glorified the experiences
of war. It’s unfortunately a neces-sary evil that they participated in to retain the peace we all enjoy today,” she said. “We can never forget their sacrifices or take our quality of life for granted.”
After talking to the veterans in groups, each student composed something, in their own style, that reflected what they heard. These stories, poems and artworks are featured in this special Remem-brance Day section.
The staff at the Times would like to thank Money, her stu-dents and Legion members for their hard work and passion for this project.
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Veterans gather at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 293 and invite people to come out and join them on Remembrance Day at Alberni District Secondary School on Friday. [GRAHAM FOX, FOR THE TIMES]
LEGION 293 VETERANS
ANDREW MORRICE
Vets pass stories on to eager class
Family shares stories from their grandfatherThese are a few stories shared
with us by our grandfather Andrew Morrice, who left
for the Second World War in April 1940, and returned home to Scot-land in March 1945. He was on the River Rhine in Germany when the war ended.
His was in a wine cellar that he and his comrades had found that was full of wine. They all starting drinking the wine. Then someone entered and told them the war was over they told him he was full of garbage and con-tinued drinking their wine and stayed for two days, not knowing that the war was really over.
Andrew’s wife Margaret was home in Scotland with their two small children when one night she saw a flare. She knew it was the Germans so she ran to get her children. She went to her son first and lucky for that, as she turned with him the window blew in the glass was every-where. The ceiling fell in and landed on his bed.
Their daughter fell through her crib to the floor with the weight of the ceiling, Margaret found her in the dark, she put one child under each arm and started to shimmy down the stairs when she realized that the ladder used to run to the attic to throw sand on the bombs had fallen off the wall and she caught her under-wear on it.
She had two young boys help her retrieve her stroller, which was covered in debris; with the two children safe in the stroller. She went to meet her mother and
younger sister. They all made it safely to the bomb shelter.
That day, nine people who lived behind, in front of and to the sides of their flat were killed. On a happy note, when Andrew went to the airport in France to go home he bumped into someone. When he turned to say sorry, he found it was his brother who he had not seen since the war started.
Andrew, his wife Margaret and their two children came to Canada, where they both worked and raised their children, later retiring to Victoria and then Port Alberni. Andrew passed away in March 2007.
Margaret still resides in Port Alberni.
by Andrew’s granddaughters
ANDREW MORRICE