In my Father's footsteps to the Western Front...

Planning a trip, and the role of serendipity

Mary Anne SharpeJune 2007

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Lieutenant Norman Edgar Sharpe, 26th Battalion (New Brunswick)

Military Cross awarded at Battle of Vimy Ridge, 9 April, 1917

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I had memorabilia...

Medal citation: "For conspicuous gallantry..."

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Map of Lens area of France, marked with locations

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Photos and Vimy Pilgrimage medal, 1936

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I had done some research...

● Attestation Paper

● Canadian Expeditionary Force Service File

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Then the research and planning went into high gear...

● I decided to: retire

attend the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and dedication of the newly refurbished monument in France on 9 April, 2007

● but more than that, I decided to try to walk in my Father's footsteps on the Western Front, beyond Vimy

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Further research included...

● trolling the 26th Battalion War Diaries● joining the C.E.F. Study Group Forum on

WWW ● obtaining the Battalion History: New

Brunswick's 'Fighting 26th'● finding a tour operator● doing some background reading

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But, the more I researched, the more I realized that I could followthe battalion, but I would never be absolutely surethat my Father had been with them atany given place...

And the more I came to realize that Iwanted to come as close to walking inhis footsteps as I could.

Then, one dark January night...

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"I am not sure if you know, but your Father's diaries were located at a flea marketsome time ago and published."

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Wow!

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Resources● Memorabilia: maps, medals, old photographs

● Attestation Papers, C.E.F., online (http://www.collectionscanada.ca/)

● Service Record (Library and Archives Canada)

● Battalion War Diaries, online (http://www.collectionscanada.ca/)

● Battalion History (www.abebooks.com)

● Web Forums:

C.E.F. Study Group (http://www.cefresearch.com/phpBB2/index.php)

Great War Forum (http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/)