D-Day 75th Anniversary

    

We would be remiss if we did not recognize all the Allied veterans who participated in D-Day operations on June 6, 1944.  The following men are connected to Dunwich Township and are included in the book "A Tribute to Valour".  Please take a moment today to reflect on the sacrifices made for us all.  

  Leslie Harold Johnston  Sapper - No. A104804 crossed to France on D-Day.  He was reported missing on July 8, 1944 while serving with the 18th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, and presumed dead in the vicinity of Villans Les Buissons, France.  Leslie was the son of George C. and Grace M. Johnston of West Lorne

Raymond H. Adlington  Lance Sgt. - No A44111 went to the continent on D-Day and participated in the battle of Falaise.  Son of Mr. and Mrs. Adlington of Wallacetown. 

Raymond G. Anderson Cpl. - No. A58823 and with the First Hussars on D-Day.  His tank was knocked out and he was reported missing, but was later picked up wounded, and went to the hospital for two months.  

Charles Edward Beecroft Cpl. - A 56074 son of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Beecroft and went to the army into France on D-Day.  He was wounded on active service. 

Clarence McPhail Campbell Gnr. - A103616 son of Mr. and Mrs. A.M. Campbell of Cowal, he went to France on D-Day and was then attached to the Elgin Regiment with B Squadron, 25th Canadian Armoured Delivery Regiment. 

Albert Edward Cook Corporal - A353 invaded France and was wounded on D-Day.  

Robert Alexander McAlpine Able Seaman - V52814 son of Mr. and Mrs. M.A. McAlpine participated in D-Day operations while on board the H.M.C.S. Prescott a Canadian Frigate.

Fraser A. Sinclair Sgt. - R91132 went into Normandy on D-Day with the R.C.A.F.

Walter James Smith Lieutenant (S.B.) son of Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Smith.  While on loan to the Royal Navy, Walter served aboard the headquarters ship during D-Day operations, H.M.S. Hillary. 

Previous posts by Delany Leitch about D-Day

https://tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.com/2017/06/world-war-wednesdays-today-not-tomorrow.html
https://tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.com/2016/06/world-war-wednesdays-elgin-county-men.html
https://tyrconnellheritagesociety.blogspot.com/2014/06/we-will-remember-them-70-years-since-d.html

Recipes from our WW2 Page Family Christmas Dinner

Better late than never!  I meant to post this before Christmas. 

Below are the recipes sent to us by Iris Page and her daughter Michelle that were favourites with Morley and Grace Page's families at Christmas.  We served these at our most recent WW2 themed Christmas Dinner in the Museum on December 1 and 2, 2018.  In conversations with locals we established that the shortbread recipe was the one most of the community used including Marion Pearce and Marion Foreman which makes sense since they were neighbours and/or friends.  Thanks again to Iris and Michelle for sharing. 

Shortbread:

1 cup soft butter

½ cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

Cream butter and sugar, gradually add flour ¼ at a time. Roll out to ¼ inch thickness and cut into shapes, decorate with cut up candied cherries.

Bake at 325 for 9-12 minutes will be done when golden around the edges

Cherry Squares:

Bottom:

1 ½ cups flour

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

Mix like pastry and press in 11x7 pan. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes

Top:

2 egg whites (beaten stiff)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 ¼ cups brown sugar

2 tsp flour

1 cup glazed cherries , chopped up

½ tsp vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together and spoon on top of cooled bottom

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Butter Mallow Squares:

Bottom:

¾ cup soft butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 ½ cup flour

Mix like pastry, put in 9x12 pan and prick well. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes

Top:

2 envelopes of unflavoured gelatin

½ cup cold water

2 cups sugar

½ cup warm water

½ tsp vanilla

Food colour , red or green

Options – ½ cup maraschino cherries, cut up and /or ½ cup walnuts in small pieces, if you do both then use ¼ cup each

Soften gelatin in cold water

Combine sugar and warm water in a pot, boil for 2 minutes

Dissolve gelatin in hot syrup

Beat with mixer until stiff

Add vanilla, food colouring and cherries/walnuts, mix

Pour over shortbread bottom

Cool

Cut with hot knife

See YOU at Living History Weekend June 23-24 2018

Where else can you find 200 years of history all in one place with a focus on WW2 in Western Elgin?  No where but Backus-Page House Museum on June 23-24, 2018.  Gate open 10am - 4pm each day.  Admission $8/person with children 12 and under free.  Cash preferred, but credit cards accepted.  Food, music, tacticals, singalong, storytelling, speakers, gift shop, merchants, museum tour, barn tours and more!  Thank you to the Government of Canada and our sponsors. 

Still looking for volunteers to assist with setup, gate, food booth, and more.  Contact Angela at 519-762-3072 or info@backuspagehouse.ca 

Living History Weekend Round Up

Thank you to everyone who attended our Living History Weekend on June 24 & 25.  We had a great time showcasing over 200 years of history all on our property.  Below are some pictures from the event.

Thank you to our event sponsors!

World War 2 British Child Evacuees to Canada

From the recent OGS e-news.

World War 2 British Child Evacuees to Canada
John D. Reid, Canada’s Anglo-Celtic Connnections
 
Those who didn't get to John’s talk at OGS Ottawa Branch last Saturday may be interested to view the National Film Board (Canada) video shown at the end of the presentation.

It is Second World War propaganda, everything wasn't as rosy in Canada as portrayed, but allowing for that tells the story from the perspective of 1940. You will likely recognize the narrator.  To view it, click here.

World War Trips Available

I bet you didn't know we have a local resident that organizes group tours and getaways featuring World War locations.  Darlene Ford of Wallacetown, at my request, has provided the following information about Vimy Ridge - 100th Anniversary Tours and D-Day Tours. 

The Vimy RidgeTour is available from 5 day land tours up to 14 day tours, escorted by specialists on WWI history. Available from end of April -- mid Sept. 2017.  

If you are interested in WWII there are 5 day land tours or up to 14 days of WWII D-Day Landing Beaches & Battle of Normandy with well informed local guides as well as your escorted tour guides.  

Contact Darlene Ford at 519-762-2990 and follow Group Getaways By Farlene on Facebook by clicking here.  
A note from Darlene about her trip with husband Jim in 2016.  "We went on the Great Canadian War Memorial Tour last Sept. 2016.  Both of our Fathers fought in France, Holland & Belgium and I have an Uncle buried in Beny-sur-mer near Juno Beach were he was killed on D-Day.  His name is on the maple leaf shaped plaque on Canada House on Juno Beach. We are both changed and with great pride and respect for all men and women who served and the ones that gave their lives for our freedom which most people take for granted.  Like the old saying goes you had to be there to understand."  Darlene Ford  519-762-2990

Behind The Scenes Sunday: George Henry Backus Exhibit

Even though the museum is closed, Catie and I are still busy behind the scenes preparing for future events and programs.  One special event is on November 7 & 8 at the Dutton-Dunwich Community Centre called Military Heroes Past & Present.  We invite you to attend to see our exhibit and many others (more information below).  

Backus-Page House Museum has recently acquired artefacts and archival documents from the life and service of Trooper George Henry Backus, also known as Gordon Gilbert of Wallacetown.  These were donated by his foster sister, Ruth (Gilbert) Bedford and along with 2 other items in our collection received from Gord Campbell in 2007, make up the basis for our research and display.  I thought you might enjoy seeing the creative process of putting together our mini exhibit for the Military Heroes weekend.  

Military Heroes Past & Present - Honouring Veterans from all conflicts and our enlisted men and women of today.

November 7  11am - 7pm

November 8  1 - 4pm

Dutton-Dunwich Community Centre

Family Friendly and FREE!

For more information please contact Jenny Phillips at 519-762-2862

jennyphillips@golden.net

followed by a ceremonial planting of tulips Nov. 8, 2015, at about 4:15pm in front of the Fire Hall. 

Genealogy Jam: Writing Your Own Family's World War Wednesdays

     Something that seems to be a hot topic lately with Remembrance Day around the corner is genealogy, as people want to discover their own family's involvement in wartime. If this is something you've never looked into before, or at least haven't done in a few years, then this is the post for you!
     Family history is something I've gotten pretty well acquainted with in the past year, so I thought I would pass along some of the things I've learned in the hopes of making other people's searches easier. I cannot stress enough to people how much this field has changed in the past ten years, so even if you consider yourself an expert, you should really try seeing what else is out there. With digitization and the number of different resources available, you will be very surprised at the kinds of things not only available for access but possible to view online and at home. In all my experiences both working in an archives and conducting my own searches, I've never met a curator who wasn't enthusiastic, supportive, and helpful with genealogical questions of any kind, and they really do work tirelessly to preserve these records. They may have all the information you're looking for, and they get excited when they have someone who's interested!

     Before you start out on this seemingly daunting journey, there are some things you should think about and ask yourself. Depending on where you're looking, it's not quite as easy as going into an archives and saying "I'd like to see anything you might have on the .... family." It's important to make the most of your search by doing your homework beforehand and figuring out what holes need to be filled. Plus, if you've ever looked up the visiting hours of an archives, you'll know that your window of opportunity can be pretty limited, so you want to ensure that your session is worth the trip!

Step One: Who are you Looking For?
     Who arethe people you're interested in researching? A great first step in your search is to start with what you do know, rather than what you don't. Your assistant and all search engines are most reliable when you've provided as many details as possible, so I really recommend doing your homework! Genealogy Services at Library and Archives Canada has researchers fill out a pedigree chart before beginning the search (one for each of your parents). These trace your family tree back at least five generations, and once you've filled in as much as you can you'll be able to identify what needs further research.

Step Two: What are you Looking For?
     While this may sound broad, it's the first thing an archivist will ask you, and you'll want to have the answer narrowed down beforehand. What's important for a potential researcher to know is that there are different archives and resources for different types of information, and the person you're meeting with will need to assess whether or not your question can best be answered through their collection. Are you interested in immigration, census data, land records, military, birth/marriage/death records?

Step Three: What is the Geography of your Search?
     This question is essential for deciding the best place to visit in order to have your questions answered. If your question involves information with a national focus (military, census, immigration records), then Library and Archives Canada would be your source. However, the LAC is not recommended as a resource for specialized local study. If you're looking for information specific to a city, town, municipality, church, etc., you'll need to look into where the local archives are housed as well as any other historical societies or libraries which may also have some records.

Step Four: How Will you Go About your Search?
     Based on the general audience of this blog, I'm assuming that your searches will be conducted in and around Elgin County, so this part will be specific to those readers. If this doesn't apply to you, I encourage you to investigate what the equivalents would be for your own area! Elgin County is very fortunate to have an extensive municipal archives which are housed in the basement of the Elgin County Administration Building at 450 Sunset Drive, St. Thomas. You can visit them from Tuesday-Friday, 10am-4pm to have your local questions answered, or email archives@elgin-county.on.ca. Their website is also located here: http://www.elgincounty.ca/archives. If your search includes the western end of Elgin County with the Townships of Dunwich and Aldborough, the Backus-Page House Museum is also home to a variety of helpful sources. Lastly, local library branches are also great resources! Most libraries have paid subscriptions to Ancestry.ca, which is something I recommend everyone take advantage of (these subscriptions can cost thousands!) This provides access to census data, most notably the 1921 Canadian Census, which was fully digitized in 2013 and is the largest source of Canadian genealogical information found online.

     How the heck will you get the national information without making the trek to Ottawa?? Well, you've got a couple of options here. As I mentioned before, there is a great deal of information available to access online, which you should check out first. However, from my experience, it can be difficult to maneuver if you aren't totally comfortable with online database searches, and even if you are, the LAC website is definitely not user-friendly. So, I will make myself available for assistance should anyone need help finding something from the LAC. You can always send me an email at delanyleitch@gmail.com and I'll do my best to get you the links!
     In terms of military records, the process can be mildly to extremely frustrating for researchers. If you're looking for someone who fought in the First World War, all records have been made fully available for consultation. However, the Second World War records are not so easy, which I found out last week. If you're looking for information on a WWII veteran, living or deceased, you have to send away an application for military service information to the LAC's ATIP and Personnel Records Division. If the veteran is living, you must have his or her written consent to do so. If the veteran is deceased, you must have proof of their death as well as proof of your relationship (an obituary was recommended). Once you've filled out the form and provided this information, you can request a Genealogy Package, which includes copies of the significant documents which summarize their service, and takes about 4-8 months to receive. This will not give specific details of campaigns and battles they served in, and you must then use their service number and regiment information to track them through the LAC military records. If this is something that you would be interested in doing, I have received copies of the necessary form from the LAC and can send you a digital copy for printing, just send me an email with a request! Also, for anyone who has completed this step and would like to have their relative traced to see the campaigns their veteran was a part of, I would be more than happy to go to the LAC and have that done for you. Our local veterans deserve to have their stories told and remembered with accuracy, and if I can be of any help with that I will do my best!
     I've tried to include a guide for useful online resources which will be of use in your searches, courtesy of Library and Archives Canada:
-Ancestry.ca www.ancestry.ca
-Automated Genealogy (census indexes) http://automatedgenealogy.com/index.html
-Canadian Gravemarker Gallery www.rootsweb.ancestry.ca/~cangmg/
-Canadian Headstone Photo Project www.canadianheadstones.com
-Ellis Island (passenger lists, New York, 1892-1924, includes transit to Canada) www.ellisisland.org
-FamilySearch (Family History Library) https://familysearch.org/
-Legion Magazine's Last Post Death Notices http://legionmagazine.com/en/last-post/
-Obituary Daily Times www.rotsweb.ancestry.com/~obituary/
-Our Roots (local histories online) www.ourroots.ca
-Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid http://ocfa.islandnet.com
-Ontario Cemetery Ancestor Search http://ogs.andornot.com/CemeteryIndex.aspx
-Ontario Vital Statistics Project www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onvsr
-And of course, Library and Archives Canada http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/genealogy/Pages/introduction.aspx

     Hopefully this helps with any family history hesitation you may have! As always, feel free to ask questions.
     Thanks for reading,

Delany

World War Wednesdays: Famous Faces of the Second World War

     So many of us have a relative or someone we know of who served in the Second World War. To us, they are our heroes, and we are proud of their contributions in one of the greatest conflicts in human history. However, during the Second World War, a number of faces recognizable to almost all of us also added their name to the Honour Roll. The war was indifferent to social standing and occupation, and required effort from every person. This week's post explores some of the most famous members of the "greatest generation" who gave their all in WWII with the best of them.

1. Clark Gable

     Of course, we all know him as Rhett Butler, but during the war he was known to many as major Clark Gable. After enlisting in 1942, he served as an aerial gunner on a bomber and flew in five combat missions, for which he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. He was discharged in 1944 at his own request after he became over the age for active service. During his time in the Air Force, he also completed a film called Combat America. Interestingly, Adolf Hitler favored Gable above all other actors. During the war, Hitler offered a sizable reward to anyone who could capture and bring Gable to him unscathed.

2. Carole Lombard

    
  The beautiful blond actress famous for her comedies was also known for being married to actor Clark Gable. During the war, the couple became known for their support of the war effort, with Carole making a particular name for herself advertising the sale of bonds. When the U.S. entered World War II at the end of 1941, Lombard traveled to her home state of Indiana for a war bond rally with her mother, and Clark Gable's press agent. Lombard was able to raise over $2 million in defense bonds in a single evening. Her party had initially been scheduled to return to Los Angeles by train, but Lombard was anxious to reach home more quickly and wanted to fly by a scheduled airline. Her mother and the agent were both afraid of flying and insisted they follow their original travel plans. Lombard suggested they flip a coin; they agreed and Lombard won the toss.
     In the early morning hours of January 16, 1942, Lombard, her mother, and the agent  boarded an aircraft to return to California.After refueling in Las Vegas, the flight took off at 7:07 p.m. and approximately 13 minutes later, crashed into "Double Up Peak" near the level of Potosi Mountain, 51 km southwest of Las Vegas. All 22 aboard, Lombard and her mother included, plus 15 army servicemen, were killed instantly.

3. James Stewart

    
  We all know him as the charming lead of the classic It's a Wonderful Life, but Jimmy Stewart also served his country during the Second World War. A pilot before the war, Stewart was drafted into the army in 1940  but repeatedly denied because he was just shy of the minimum weight requirement. Eventually, he became the first major American movie star to wear a military uniform in World War II when he enlisted in 1941. His celebrity status led to his role as a flight instructor in the U.S, but eventually led squadrons in attacks over Germany, for which he received numerous prestigious awards. Eventually, he became one of the few Americans to rise from private to colonel in four years.
     At the beginning of June 1945, Stewart was the presiding officer of the court-martial of a pilot and navigator who were charged with dereliction of duty for having accidentally bombed the Swiss city of Zurich the previous March—the first instance of U.S. personnel being tried for an attack on a neutral country. The Court acquitted the defendants.
     Stewart is known for being one of the most active celebrities in the Second World War, and never let his status influence his duty.

4. Glenn Miller

    
     The wildly popular big band leader will always be remembered for such songs as "American Patrol", "In the Mood", and "Chattanooga Choo Choo". However, Glenn Miller also contributed to the war effort in a tragic and sinister way. In 1942, at the peak of his civilian career, Miller decided to join the war effort, forsaking an income of $15,000 to $20,000 per week in civilian life. At 38, Miller was too old to be drafted and first volunteered for the Navy but was told that they did not need his services. Miller then wrote to Army Brigadier General Charles Young. He persuaded the United States Army to accept him so he could, in his own words, "be placed in charge of a modernized Army band". At first placed in the United States Army, Miller was transferred to the Army Air Forces. Captain Glenn Miller served initially as assistant special services officer for the Army Air Forces Southeast Training Center in Alabama in December 1942. He played trombone with the Rhythmaires, a 15-piece dance band, in both Montgomery and in service clubs and recreation halls on Maxwell. Miller also appeared on the radio, promoting the activities of civil service women aircraft mechanics.
     On December 15, 1944, Miller was to fly from the United Kingdom to Paris, France, to play for the soldiers there. His plane departed from the outskirts of Bedford and disappeared while flying over the English Channel. There were two others on board the plane. No remains were ever found.


     I hope that a newfound appreciation can be gained for these famous faces of the war, just some of many. While all experienced the hardship that so many others had to endure, some ended up paying the ultimate sacrifice. These heartbreaking stories are a reminder that the horrors of the Second World War were not particular about who they affected, and that not even the icons people looked up to were spared the experience.

Thanks for reading,

Delany







 

 



World War Wednesdays: Torpedoed Treasure: The SS City of Cairo

World War Wednesdays: Torpedoed Treasure: The SS City of Cairo

 

SS City of Cairo

 

     It always blows my mind whenever I read the news and  find stories related to the Second World War. Studying it all the time tends to make it feel almost fictional and far away when the information is broken down into textbook facts, but its impact is brought home when it still appears in the news 70 years later. It is very exciting for the field to know that every day, more knowledge is being added, which generates new topics of discussion and an even better understanding. This week, I came across the story of the SS City of Cairo, and I thought that both its wartime and current story were worth a share.

 

    

     The SS City of Cairo was a British passenger steamship built in 1915 and registered in Liverpool. During the Second World War, she was requisitioned to bring supplies to the United Kingdom. Her last voyage was to depart from Bombay on 1 October 1942, bound for the UK via Durban, Cape Town and Pernambuco, Brazil. The ship departed Cape Town at 0600 hours on the morning of 1 November, carrying 101 passengers, including 28 women and 19 children. Also on board were 10 DEMS Gunners from the Army and Royal Navy. She was carrying 7,422 tons of general cargo, including pig iron, timber, wool, cotton, manganese ore and 2,000 boxes of silver coins.

She sailed north for 800 miles (1,300 km), zigzagging during the day and keeping about 45 miles (72 km) off the African coast, before turning westwards across the South Atlantic towards Brazil and her next port of call. She was unescorted (a dangerous thing during the Atlantic war) and capable of only 12 knots (22 km/h). Her problems were heightened by the excessive smokiness of her engines which increased her visibility.
     On 6 November, the smoke trail was sighted by the German submarine U-68 under the command of Karl-Friedrich Merten. At 2136 hours, U-68 fired a torpedo at the lone merchant ship. The torpedo struck City of Cairo abreast of the after-mast. The master gave the order to abandon ship. All of the women and children left the ship safely; only six people, two crewmen and four passengers, were lost in the evacuation. The ship, still underway, had stabilised, but she was slowly settling by the stern. A distress call was sent, which was acknowledged by the U-68, and provided the callsign of the Walvis Bay station in South Africa.

Captain Karl-Friedrich Merten

     Merten fired a second torpedo 20 minutes after the first, which caused the ship to sink by the stern about 480 miles (770 km) south of St Helena. One of the two crewmen lost in the sinking, Chief Radio Officer Harry Peever, was killed by this strike. He had remained in the wireless room to send distress signals. Once City of Cairo had sunk, U-68 surfaced alongside the six lifeboats that had been launched. Merten spoke to the occupants of No. 6 boat, asked the ship's name, cargo and whether it was carrying prisoners of war. He then gave a course for the nearest land, which by now was either the Brazilian coast, approximately 2,000 miles away. Merten then left them, with the words "Goodnight, and sorry for sinking you". He privately thought that they had little chance of survival.

     However, there were 189 survivors. After assessing the situation, it was decided to attempt to reach the nearest land, St Helena, but over the next three weeks, most of the lifeboats lost contact with each other, and numerous occupants died. Most of the lifeboats were picked up by various other vessels, including one German merchant ship which was also sunk. Out of a total of 311 people aboard City of Cairo, 104 died, including 79 crew members, three gunners and 22 passengers, with 207 surviving. Six are known to have died in the sinking, 90 in the boats, and seven after being rescued.

     Last Friday, the City of Cairo made the news once again when a Mauritius-based firm called Deep Ocean Search released details of the salvage 400 miles south of the South Atlantic island of St. Helena, saying the recovery from the wreck, lying at a depth of 5,150 metres, was a world record.
     The ship was broken in two and filled with mud, but the crew was still able to recover the silver coins worth $50 million which had been intended to fund the British war effort. The operation was completed in 2013 but kept under wraps until this year.

After Deep Ocean had taken its cut under international marine salvage rules, the remainder of the treasure was returned to its original owner - Britain's Treasury, a spokesman confirmed.
     An interesting topic that may be less so for family members of the City of Cairo victims. Should ships like this one which serve as underwater gravesites for hundreds of victims be respected as such, or is the valuable cargo worth recovery regardless? We've seen this topic in previous posts regarding the Empress of Ireland (nautical disasters seem to be a theme). Feel free to weigh in!

 Thanks for reading,
     Delany Leitch




World War Wednesdays: Canada's Role in the Outbreak of the Second World War

World War Wednesdays: Canada's Role in the Outbreak of the Second World War

    Most of us know at least a little bit about the role that Canada played in the Second World War. We have family members and community members who were involved, and even if we don't always tune into the media regarding these topics, every Remembrance Day we reflect on the sacrifices made by our great country. My hope for this blog is that we can become better acquainted with what the generation before us really experienced during the war, and how these experiences fit in with those of the rest of the world.

 

 

 

     Following the crash of the New York Stock Exchange in 1929 the world experienced a time of economic hardship commonly known as the Great Depression, and Canada was no exception to the widespread suffering. Population growth in the 1930s reached its lowest point since the 1880s, the number of immigrants dropped to less than 12,000 by 1935 (consisting mostly of those from preferred countries only), and by 1933, 30% of the labour force was unemployed. Understandably, Canadians looked to their leadership during such hard times, and the people began to see the weaknesses in Canadian politics. In an effort to alleviate the effects of the Depression, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King utilized some of American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's programming ideas of the New Deal in order to create a social safety net: welfare. As a result of focussing on solving its domestic problems, Canada turned away from Europe and the issues that continues there after the First World War. Mackenzie King adopted another American concept, that of Isolationism, which meant that Canada would not become involved in foreign issues.

Unemployed men line up for free food during the Depression

     Even after 1935, the growing power and aggressive policies of Germany, Italy, and Japan were not of great interest to the Canadian government. Canada remained neutral when civil war erupted in Spain, and even Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany were not accepted (stay tuned for subsequent blogs regarding this).
     Two distinct phases are evident in regard to Canada's attitude towards another war. From the mid-1920s to 1937, people generally felt that war must be avoided at all costs. The First World War had been a devastating and drawn-out conflict which claimed the lives of almost an entire generation of young men, and the effects of the Depression left the country in no shape to be entering another such conflict. The technology developed in the First World War meant that new conflict would be devastating and costly. It was also popularly thought that Italy and especially Germany had been poorly treated in the postwar Treaty of Versailles, which crippled the country with reparation payments and loss of territory. It is also important to note that a fear of communism was particularly strong, a sentiment shared not only by the Germans. From 1937-1939, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain attempted negotiations with Hitler, which proved to Britain, Canada, and other sympathetic nations that negotiation rather than force could resolve the claims which were creating tension.

The famous photo of Neville Chamberlain shaking hands with Adolf Hitler

     By 1937, however, Mackenzie King recognized that war was possible. He also knew that he would be under strong pressure to back Britain in a future conflict should the country take any action.  As a result, some Canadian rearmament was undertaken after 1937, but King mainly focussed on avoiding war.
     Canada's neutrality was not the only thing threatened during this time. King's position as Prime Minister became under fire as it was clear that English and French Canada had very different views regarding war. Francophones wanted neutrality, since they had no connections to any European countries, and felt that Canada's involvement would be sticking its nose in where it had no business being. English-speaking Imperialists stood behind Britain and were willing to fight Germany. However, all of Canada was relieved by the policies commonly known as Appeasement in 1938, which allowed Hitler to have his claims of previously lost land areas on the grounds that he would be satisfied, making war unnecessary.

Neville Chamberlain famously waves Hitler's signature, proclaiming 'Peace in Our Time" and the end of German hostility

     While events such as this are now reflected on as having been horrifyingly naïve, they are reflective of the lengths that the world was willing to go in order to avoid the turmoil of another war. Unfortunately, hindsight and evidence tell us that this was just playing into Hitler's plan, as he felt that Germany's claims for power and restoration could only be won through war. On September 1st, 1939, Hitler's army attacked Poland. As part of Britain's pledge to defend Poland in the event of attack, Britain, and subsequently France, declared war on Germany on September 3rd. Mackenzie King called Parliament on September 8th and delivered a speech in favor of war. The Conservatives supported him, and on September 10th, the Parliament of Canada voted to declare war on Germany.
    
     The events that followed established a new Canadian identity on the world stage amidst the uncertainty and horror of the early days of war. Next week's post will pick up from here, and explore Canada's contributions and unique initiatives throughout the conflict.

As mentioned last week, I would like to hear more from readers! Have something you'd like to be discussed in a blog post? Always wondered about the how or why of a Canadian historical event? Send me your questions via commenting on this post, the blog itself, or the Backus-Page House Facebook page! I'll be posting a Q&A once I've gathered some questions.
                       Thanks for reading!
               Delany


The Return of World War Wednesdays!

World War Wednesdays: Canada's Participation in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games

The Canadian ski team offers the Olympic salute

     World War Wednesdays has returned! For the new segment of posts, I wanted to take a look at Canada and the Second World War from a chronological perspective through the exploration of different themes. This week, we'll start in 1936 at the summer Olympics hosted in Berlin, Germany-- commonly referred to as the 'Nazi Olympics'.

     Before we focus on Canada's participation in the games, we'll first discuss the nature of the event itself. It's important to note that Berlin had been decided as the host city two years before the Nazis came into power, but the Olympics ended up being the perfect platform for Hitler to show the world just how powerful Germany was. Forty-nine countries and their associated media would be represented at the Olympics, which provided a perfect scenario for the German Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels to showcase his country with an impressive technological system for coverage.

Statues created by Karl Albicker depicting the Aryan 'Master Race' Supermen of Germany

 The German athletes themselves trained full-time, which challenged the concept of an amateur competition. The vast Olympic stadium which held 100,000 spectators was completed on time for the event, as were the 150 other buildings. The anti-Semitic posters which had plastered Germany just before the games quickly disappeared in order to ensure that the games were a success and that no upsets were caused. On August 1st, 1936, the opening ceremonies were held, as seen below (Canada enters around 1:30):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GePNydI9gX4

 

 

     As the announcer mentions, the Olympic salute appears very similar to the Nazi salute. This fact did not go unnoticed by the participating countries, as can be seen by the entrances of Great Britain and the United States. Canada, however, decided to continue with the gesture, which created some controversy. It can be seen in the footage the way the crowd reacted to seeing Canada do this: the people erupt in cheers. The seemingly innocent gesture was perceived exactly the way it appears to us today- as a sign of Nazi sympathy- and the German onlookers misunderstand it to be just that. It is a haunting and eerie moment captured on film which is a symbol of things to come regarding the Canadian attitude towards Germany, which will be explored in subsequent posts.

     When the Nazis proclaimed the Nuremberg Laws in 1935 which stripped German Jews of their citizenship, there became a great deal of uncertainty as to whether or not countries who did not support the laws should boycott participation in the Olympics. When Great Britain decided against boycotting, Canada did the same. Ultimately, not one country boycotted the games, and the participation of 49 countries was the largest in Olympic history.

     It is fascinating to think about the Canadian athletes who travelled to Berlin that summer, saw Hitler in the stadium, and performed in front of thousands of Nazis and Nazi sympathizers. An interesting story is that of Irving "Toots" Meretsky, the only Jewish member of Canada's basketball team at a time when Canada was a leader in the game. A native of Windsor, Ontario, he visited a small Jewish community in Berlin while he was there, commenting that "it was obvious that they were all scared." But unlike some of his fellow Jewish athletes, he had decided to compete in the games as a sign that nothing was going to keep him from the Olympics. His bravery is just one of many examples of defiance displayed in the face of Germany during this remarkable event.

Irving "Toots" Meretsky, 1936

     If you are interested in seeing some more footage of the games, the Nazis ensured that much of it was captured on film through a state-of-the-art system of wired stadiums. Leni Riefenstahl, a favored film director, was given the contract to document the games in a way that glorified Germany and its athletes. The two-part documentary pioneered the way that sporting events are filmed to this day, and can be found on Youtube with English subtitles. Hearing O Canada played while Hitler is in view is an incredibly haunting thing to witness, and this film effectively captures the immense juxtaposition and tension that was the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics.

 

 

As part of the return of World War Wednesdays, I would like to do a Q&A post for anything that readers would like to know! Ask me anything via a comment on this post, on the Backus-Page House Facebook page, or via my personal Facebook Delany Leitch. I'd love to hear what you'd like to see in these posts or to clear up any questions!

   As always thanks for reading,

   Delany