Remembrance Day 2013
With deep respect and lasting gratitude, we reflect upon the deeds of those who served. Let us provide our nation’s truest heroes with the recognition they have earned and so richly deserve.
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
Thursday, November 7, 2013
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
Separated by war, reunited by tales of wartime Scott Stanfield Record Staff What’s 72 years? It’s the amount of time that elapsed since Courtenay resident Lawson Davies last saw his childhood friend Jose Maria Lacambra. Both men were born in the early-1930s in the Philippines, where Lawson’s father, Wallace, ran a business. The boys played together in their homeland during the Second World War, after which Lawson and his mother, Elizabeth, moved back to Aberdeen, Scotland. The Lacambra family returned to Spain after the war. Lawson got on with his life, having all but forgotten his childhood friend. After struggling through school and apprenticing as a diesel mechanic in Scotland, Lawson emigrated to Canada at age 20. He landed in Vancouver, where he found a job his first day at International Harvester, a truck manufacturer. Upon retirement 40 years later as sales manager for Western Canada, Lawson moved to the Crown Isle neighbourhood in Courtenay. For his 80th birthday, a friend presented him with a book that referenced Lawson throughout the pages. Its
title is Rising Sun Blinking: A young boy’s memoirs of the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. Penned by — lo and behold — Jose Maria Lacambra. The memories flooded back of those formative years in their Asian birthplace as Lawson flipped through the pages. The title of the book refers to the devilment the two ‘brothers’ raised as teens during the war, “causing enough grief among the occupying Imperial Japanese forces to have caused even the Emperor of the Rising Sun himself to blink, had he but known the source of that mayhem,” Jose writes in an article. “Although it was basically fictional, there were a lot of truths in the book where things that they did were actual fact,” said Lawson, who in fact was in a prison camp, not causing trouble with Jose as told in the story. Jose — who now lives in Florida — wrote the book after he retired from a career in nuclear science, drawing from a diary he kept during the war years. Though time and memory altered a few events, the characters are real. After publication, Jose See SEATTLE, page 3
WE SALUTE
CHILDHOOD FRIENDS LAWSON DAVIES of Courtenay (right) and Jose Maria Lacambra reunited after being apart for 72 years.
We will remember... always.
all those who have served.
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Seattle reunion recently Continued from page 2
wanted to track down Lawson to “confess that I had taken his name in vain, making him an unknowing accomplice and a ‘partner in crime’ in the main storyline.” In an effort to alert Lawson of his fictional wartime activities, Jose contacted several newspapers and the Chamber of Commerce in Aberdeen but could not find a trace of his friend. He was beginning to suspect Lawson “might be pushing daisies somewhere in the highland moors of Scotland.” But one night, his old friend’s name popped up in the TV screen’s caller-ID phone message. Jose nearly fell out of his chair when he picked up the phone and heard Lawson’s voice on the other end. “He was just beside himself that after all these years I should contact him,” Lawson said. The men, accompanied by their wives, recently reunited in Seattle, where Jose has two sons. In February, Lawson and his wife Cheryl will stay with Jose and his wife Ann in Florida. reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
A YOUNG, QUICK-THINKING, multilingual Lawson Davies saved the lives of 12 families on a Filipino island in the Second World War.
Bombing sudden Scott Stanfield Record Staff When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour Dec. 7, 1941, Lawson Davies was watching a movie on an American Pacific fleet battle
cruiser. Because of the international time zone crossing the Pacific, the passengers were a day in advance. “It (screen) went blank and everybody was asked
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
Thursday, November 7, 2013
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
PEOPLE PAY RESPECT throughout the Comox Valley on Remembrance Day, hopefully without rain this year.
As it is in many parts of the world, Remembrance Day is observed throughout the Comox Valley.
Let us honour the memory of those who served for our country.
The Comox Valley Record office will be closed November 11th
COMOX VALLEY RECORD Your community. Your newspaper.
Comox
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Nov. 10, 6:55 p.m. — Candlelight tribute at cenotaph on Comox Avenue. Hot chocolates and hot dogs for the public afterwards at Royal Canadian Legion, also on Comox Avenue. Cadets stand guard overnight until after Remembrance Day ceremony. Nov. 11, 10:30 a.m. — If you want a good vantage point, get there early. Ceremony at 11 at Comox Avenue cenotaph. Open house at Legion afterwards.
Nov. 11, 9 a.m. Breakfast at Royal Canadian Legion on Cliffe Avenue. Form up outside Legion at 10:30 a.m., then march to Jubilee Square cairn at 10:50. Ceremony at 11. Open house at Legion to follow.
Nov. 11, 10:40 a.m. March to Royal Canadian Legion on Dunsmuir Avenue begins. Ceremony at 11. Alternate location at Cumberland Recreational Institute if weather is poor. Open house at Legion to follow ceremony.
Nov. 11, 10:40 a.m. Approximate start for ceremony at cairn at UBID old schoolyard. Show afterwards in UBID activity room. In case of rain, everything in UBID activity room.
Lest we forget the sacrifices of those who fought for our freedom and continue to defend it.
Don McRae
MLA Comox Valley Constituency Office 437-5th Street Courtenay, BC V9N 1J7 Phone: (250) 703-2422 Fax: (250) 703-2425 Email: don.mcrae.mla@leg.bc.ca
REMEMBRANCE DAY
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
Thursday, November 7, 2013
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Found by Japanese, 12 families faced execution Continued from page 3
to go ashore,” Lawson said. “Needless to say the captain had just got word that Pearl Harbour had been bombed.” Within days, the Japanese bombed the island in the Philippines where Lawson and his family lived. His and other families — 12 in total — had evacuated the community and fled to the jungle. They figured Japanese soldiers would never leave the coastline and enter the jungle in search of people. At the time, Lawson was nine years old. “We were there for six months,” he said, recalling the elders of the group built shacks or “houses on stilts in a clearing.” One day, a Filipino army deserter approached the group’s council, offering to protect the families in exchange for money. “He had machine guns and soldiers, and he would protect if there was a chance of the Japanese finding us.” The council, not wanting bloodshed, turned him down. The soldier returned with a second proposal but was again turned down. He then sold his information to the Japanese. Shortly thereafter, a platoon entered the
LAWSON DAVIES IS seen here with his parents.
camp and captured the 12 families. “They came out equipped to shoot everybody,” Lawson said. “With machine guns
instructions to bow in the presence of Japanese people, he bowed to the soldiers. “And then I remembered it was bad manners to bow
And then I remembered it was bad ❝ manners to bow with a hat on, so I took the
hat off and I bowed again. And the Japanese lieutenant, he just burst into laughing. He thought this was so funny.
❞
— Lawson Davies
set up in the camp, they had everybody lined up and they were going to shoot everybody.” But Lawson, who spoke the local language, was not there. He was playing with Filipino boys in a barrio (part of a town, usually with a high degree of poverty) from where the chieftain, looking through binoculars, informed him of the Japanese soldiers in the camp. The chieftain offered to care for him, but Lawson opted instead to criss-cross a river and run through the bush to the hideout. When he reached it, the machine gun turned on Lawson, who was clad in nothing but a G-string and a hat. Recalling his parents’
with a hat on, so I took the hat off and I bowed again. And the Japanese lieutenant, he just burst into laughing. He thought this was so funny.” Lawson became the group’s interpreter because
none of the Americans or Brits would speak the local language. The Japanese could not speak English or the local language — except for one soldier, whom the lieutenant asked to relay the story. “I was told by the council to tell the story,” Lawson said. “My father fed me the information. “So they took the men away that day, and they came back two days later, and took the women and children back to the local city.” So the 12 families lived to tell the story — thanks to a multilingual boy bearing a G-string and a hat.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
Thursday, November 7, 2013
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
Schools honouring wartime sacrifices on Friday Renee Andor Record Staff Each year, Comox Valley youth take time during Remembrance Day assemblies at schools to remember those who have sacrificed for their country. Comox Valley secondary schools will hold their Remembrance Day assemblies this Friday. • G.P. Vanier Secondary School’s assembly will start at 11:20 a.m. Principal Darren Freeman says Remembrance Day assemblies are very important to the school, noting two purposes in particular. “The first purpose is the timehonoured purpose of remembering those that came before. We put on an assembly to honour and support those that sacrifice their lives for ours. This is an essential purpose that we must never lose,” he says, adding the second purpose is equally as valuable. “A Remembrance Day assembly has the ability to show students how their empathy and compassion can have an incredibly positive impact on those that make the sacrifices. “When a soldier is shown how much students care, and when students see the impact they have had, then the community as a whole has been enriched and strengthened.” • Mark R. Isfeld Secondary School will hold its Remembrance Day assembly at 10:20 a.m. According to vice-principal Julie Shields, cadets will attend, poems will be read and a veteran will speak during the assembly. As well, the students of Mark Isfeld TV will present a video segment about the importance of remembrance not only on Remembrance Day, but throughout the year. The video will be about “remembering war, its effects, and the sacrifices people have made for us and others throughout the world,” says Shields. “This topic is particularly poignant at Isfeld, (as the school is) named after a Canadian peacekeeper killed in the line of duty.” • Highland Secondary School will hold
its Remembrance Day assembly at 9 a.m. Friday. Grade 11 IB students Simone Bardonner and Liam Galway will host the assembly, which will include a photo montage created by leadership students called ‘Why We Remember.’ The school choir will sing Song of Peace, reminding students of Comox’s Andrew Eykelenboom, who died while serving in Afghanistan. “Greg Tinga, president of the Highland Aboriginal Student Council, will also speak about the oft-forgotten contribution of aboriginal soldiers,” adds Highland teacher Tara Colborne. Excerpts from the poem War Works Hard and the novel Three Day Road will be read, also. • Lake Trail Middle School’s Remembrance Day assembly will start at 10:30 a.m. and will be led by students. “We’ve invited several veterans and one of them will be speaking at the assembly, and with students in smaller settings after the assembly,” says principal Dean Patterson. The assembly will include some poetry, a biography of John McCrae and a video produced by the school’s journalism class about the meaning and importance of Remembrance Day. The student-made video can be viewed on the school website at www.laketrail.ca. • Cumberland Junior Secondary School’s ceremony will be at 9 a.m. and students from Cumberland Elementary School will attend, too, according to principal Phil Maund. The assembly will be organized by Cumberland Junior leadership students, and they have suggested the elementary students each make a red poppy to bring over to the assembly, adds Maund. “Our students need reminding more and more every year that there have been worldwide conflicts involving Canadians that were fought to enable our present day population to enjoy the freedoms it so often takes for granted,” says Maund. “Hopefully our assembly will help in reminding them.”
• To Honour and Respect our Veterans •
writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com
CANADIAN PEACEKEEPER Mark R. Isfeld, who was killed while serving in 1994, is honoured at the Comox Valley secondary school named after him.
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
Thursday, November 7, 2013
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Alberni Project has new home in Comox Mall Erin Haluschak Record Staff
THE ALBERNI PROJECT founder Lewis Bartholomew examines one of the many articles of wartime memorabilia he has amassed to pay tribute to sacrifices made by Canadian military personnel. It’s a letter (closeup above right) written by Lieut.-Cmdr. Ian Bell of the HMCS Alberni to someone back home. The letter is particularly poignant because the Alberni was sunk by a German U-boat in 1944, killing 59 men. PHOTOS BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
The HMCS Alberni has a new home in Comox. Lewis Bartholomew, project director for The Alberni Project (TAP), has put the final touches on his everchanging educational collection of stories, letters, photos and memorabilia dedicated to the men of the HMCS Alberni. The collection, along with a travelling display, now sits in the Comox Centre Mall. Bartholomew said the collection can display a variety of aspects related to the tiny warship and the young crew, along with displays about the Second World War, the Battle of the Atlantic and more. “There is now a permanent memorial wall, local collections of war memorabilia, the TAP theatre and a gift shop area,” explained Bartholomew, who opened up the display Sept.1, a mere 15 days after taking the space in mid-August. Bartholomew became aware of the HMCS Alberni more than 10 years ago during a routine ferry crossing on the Queen of Alberni from Seattle to Vancouver Island in 2000. Bartholomew noticed a painting on one of the decks of the ferry — an Esquimalt-built vessel that was attacked and sunk during the Battle of the Atlantic. After reading the brief inscription below the painting, Bartholomew, an American citizen at the time, was compelled by what he saw — a tiny warship named the HMCS Alberni and a young crew taking great risks for their country. Bartholomew was interested in looking past the technical details, and more towards the stories behind the ship. “I didn’t want to know how big their guns were, or
what boats they used, but I wanted to know the stories of the men.” The HMCS Alberni, with its moniker stemming from the city of the same name, was hit and sunk by a German U-boat southeast of the Isle of Wight, Aug. 21, 1944, killing 59 men. Bartholomew began researching the ship and, through e-mail, contacted some of the survivors and their families. “I feel very strongly Canadian history needs to be preserved,” he noted. “It was one little ship in a very big war. There is such enjoyment that I feel when someone writes to me and says, ‘That’s me in that picture.’ “To hear that and to share their stories ... I know these men aren’t forgotten.”
Although it does share the same name, TAP does not have a direct affiliation with Port Alberni, and it does not rely upon any funding or affliction from Legions or government agencies. With his new space and large lobby area, Bartholomew is hoping to get a replica of the national war monument from Ottawa, and is looking for sponsorship to add the display. He is taking the travelling display on the road to the Port Hardy Museum this month, and the display in the mall will be closed from Nov. 7 to 10, but will be open on Remembrance Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on TAP, visit, www.alberniproject.org.
photos@comoxvalleyrecord.com
On November 11th
Please take the time to Remember
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
Thursday, November 7, 2013
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
Thursday, November 7, 2013
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STILL THEY REMEMBER The 2012 Remembrance Day ceremony in Comox (shown here and on the facing page) carried on in spite of rain. PHOTOS BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
We thank all of our veterans for their service to their country and remember those who gave their lives.
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
Thursday, November 7, 2013
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
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DEEP EMOTIONS CAN surface each Remembrance Day. This scene is from the 2012 ceremony at the cenotaph on Comox Avenue in Comox. PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
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Please take the time this year to remember our military and their families.
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
Thursday, November 7, 2013
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Poppy sales help vets Renee Andor Record Staff The Royal Canadian Legion’s poppy campaign promotes remembrance of those who died in service of their country and is critical in the assistance of local veterans and their families. Poppies were immortalized as a symbol of remembrance through Canadian medical officer Lieut.-Col. John McCrae’s famous poem In Flanders Fields, which was written during the First World War. According to the Royal Canadian Legion’s website, few poppies grew in Flanders, France, but soils became rich in lime from rubble during the war, and poppies thrived as soldiers fell. After the war ended, poppies began to disappear as the lime was absorbed into the soil. Poppies are distributed by the Royal Canadian Legion from the last Friday in October until Remembrance Day, as the Legion promotes remembrance leading up to Nov. 11 each year. While they promote remembrance, Courtenay poppy campaign chair Frank
In Flanders Fields In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset 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. — Lieut.-Col. John McCrae Burden notes funds raised through the campaign are used to help veterans and their families with things like medical equipment. He adds there is great need for these funds here. “Being home to very many retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Comox Valley sees more requests for assistance than we can sometimes meet,” Burden says, noting last year’s campaign raised just over $35,000, and those funds were nearly used up by early October. Burden says the Valley is very generous, noting he distributed poppies across the road from the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market at
the Native Sons Hall last year and was blown away by how much people donated to assist local veterans. “There was $258 (donated) in one hour,” he said. He explains the Courtenay branch assists veterans in need in a variety of ways, such as helping them purchase a medical device or helping them pay an emergency dental bill they cannot afford on their own. The branch also assists veterans’ immediate family members following a veteran’s death. Some money also goes to larger purchases: the Courtenay Legion donated $8,000 to the St. Joseph’s General Hospital Foundation to help purchase a new cystoscope.
MAYOR PAUL IVES receives a poppy from Fred Maniak as Comox Legion president John C. Paulin observes. PHOTO BY RENEE ANDOR The Courtenay Branch also funds two $1,000 poppy bursaries to graduating students from G.P Vanier and Mark Isfeld secondary schools. Alternately, donations can be made to help the Legion B.C./Yukon Command support veterans and their families through provincial programs and services. Legion B.C./Yukon Command has a program called Text to Donate, where you can text the word POPPY to 20222 to donate $5 to the poppy campaign. writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
Thursday, November 7, 2013
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
It’s Remembrance Day every day at museum
Earle Couper Record Staff
Every day is Remembrance Day at the Comox Air Force Museum. “Remembrance Day is one day a year that everybody stops and remembers the courage, the bravery and the sacrifice of people – and the air force especially for us,” says Jon Ambler, program manager and volunteer coordinator at the museum. “We remember them every day. We celebrate that
every day and preserve it every day. As Remembrance Day comes, it’s worthwhile for people to come to the museum and see the story that we tell, because that’s what we’re remembering. “It’s the whole thing. It’s the thousands and thousands of people all over the world and all of what they did and at what cost. We remember it every day because we’re steeped in it,” Ambler said. The museum’s focus is on 19 Wing Comox and West
The comment that stuck out this year ❝ was from a German family. It said they were
very glad the Allies won the Second World War because they grew up in a democracy.
❞
— Jon Ambler Coast Canadian military aviation history, but the many exhibits record the history and heritage of all of Canada’s air forces, from the Royal Flying Corps of Canada (1917-1918), Canadian Air Force (1918-1924), Royal Canadian Air Force
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(1924-1968) unification of the forces in 1968 and on into the present day. Displays include people, places and military aviation equipment. Included are tributes to the two world wars and the Cold War as well as the Snowbirds, search and rescue and other squadrons, and a detailed McPhee Memorial Diorama of the base. Ambler notes the displays are always being upgraded and adds the museum also includes an 8,000-book reference library, art gallery and gift shop. There is also a viewing area where visitors can relax in comfortable chairs and watch DVDs. Also part of the museum is the Heritage Air Park (just down Military Row road from the museum building) and a collection of heritage vehicles (kept in a garage on the base) which
can be seen at parades in the Valley. Ambler, who was 19 Wing Base Commander from 2004-2007, notes he is one of four part-time paid staff at the museum and is quick to credit the 40 active volunteers for their hard work in running the many facets of the operation. Open six days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed Monday – but open on Remembrance Day Monday, Nov. 11), the museum is happy to accommodate evening visitors by request. Ambler notes youth groups and school groups are frequent visitors. He estimates an average of 10,000 people visit the museum each year, and the museum guest book shows they come from all over the world. The book also contains a comment section, and Ambler says there has not been a negative comment this year. “The comment that stuck out this year was from a German family. It said they were very glad the Allies won the Second World War because they grew up in a
democracy. They could see the alternative.” Admission to the museum is free, but the suggested donation is $3 per person. “We’ve had people put $100 in; some people put in nothing. But I’d rather have somebody come in and see the museum and if they don’t have money they don’t have money. “A museum that people don’t visit is a warehouse. It’s the people that make the museum,” Ambler said. Donations at the door and the purchase of heritage stones help with expenses, and Ambler notes, “The whole thing is supported by the Comox Valley Air Force Museum Association, known as Friends of the Museum. They act as a fundraiser for us, so we (can) operate and expand.” Details on donations and other information on the museum are available by phoning 250-339-8162. The museum is located at the top of Ryan Road at 19 Wing Military Row in Comox. Their website is comoxairforcemuseum.ca.
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Lara Austin, FMA, CIM Investment Advisor
250-334-5600
777 Fitzgerald Avenue, Courtenay
Professional Wealth Management Since 1901
Philip J. Shute F.C.S.I. Investment Advisor
Don Somers Investment Advisor
COMOX AIR FORCE Museum program manager and volunteer co-ordinator Jon Ambler explains a display of an airman who received a silver star, awarded to the families of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country. PHOTO BY EARLE COUPER
We
Honour
our Veterans
Brian Balfe, B.Comm Investment Advisor
Investment Integrity in the Comox Valley for over 30 years.
250-334-3178
RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management,
a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © 2011 Royal Bank of Canada. All rights reserved. Professional Wealth Management Since 1901
RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, 2012 Royal Bank of Canada. All rights reserved. a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © 2013 2011
Serving the Comox Valley for over 80 years “Searle’s for that hard to fit foot”
250 5th Street, Downtown Courtenay
www.searlesshoes.com
REMEMBRANCE DAY
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
Thursday, November 7, 2013
“Let us not forget” Downtown Courtenay 250-334-4523
J • E • W • E • L • L • E • R •S
Thank you to those who fought for our Freedom and to those who continue to defend it.
SINGER JACQUELINE LAMBETH and pianist Ken Newman will provide music for a Comox Legion concert Nov. 10 called Thanks for the Memories!!
Thanks for the memories The Comox Legion will host a double concert of wartime music, Thanks for the Memories!!, on Nov. 10. This singalong concert will be performed upstairs at the Legion Hall at 2 p.m. and again shortly after the candlelight vigil at the Comox Cenotaph, for Legion members only, at 8 p.m. in the downstairs lounge. To demonstrate its appreciation of the Comox Valley’s veterans and seniors, the Comox Legion is offering this afternoon event free of charge. Nov. 11 is a special day for many of the Comox Valley’s veterans and seniors; however, many of these folks have a tough time getting to the cenotaph on Remembrance Day. The Comox Legion is happy to work with various seniors’ villages and the Views to organize transportation for these people on their trip down memory lane. Legion members will provide a wreath for laying poppies, lead the ceremony and provide coffee, tea and biscuits. The ceremony will be followed by a singalong concert of favourite wartime tunes such as We’ll Meet Again, A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square and It’s a Long Way to Tipperary! Music will be provided by Jacqueline Lambeth and Ken Newman of Serendipity Jazz. Lambeth and Newman have provided entertainment to the seniors at Glacier View
on many occasions as well as appearing at Berwick, Zocalo Cafe, Comox Valley Farmers’ Market and in many Rotary benefit shows. The pair met while performing a musical production of I Love a Piano and went on to perform together in My Heart is Over There, Gloria Herauf’s popular wartime musical production. Growing up in post-war England to a father who was an escaped POW and a mother who was an air raid warden in London, Newman has a special reverence for Remembrance Day. A retired professor and researcher of chemistry he comes from a rather different background. Dabbling in jazz piano for many years he is now coming out of retirement as a musician. Lambeth is a well-established voice of the Valley with performances of opera (Tre Violette), Celtic music (Black Swan Fiddlers), lyrical jazz (Serendipity) and musical theatre (Rotary benefit shows). Delighting in teaching students of all ages, she maintains a thriving voice studio and is fortunate to have Newman as accompanist for her students. A daughter of parents with military background, grandfathers and a favourite uncle who served in the war, not to mention deeply patriotic, Jacqueline is also particularly sentimental about Nov. 11. — Comox Legion
Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 28
We Honour and Remember our Veterans
Remembering those who have fallen and who serve our country with courage.
❖ Parade starts at 10:45 am, Dunsmuir Ave. from the old post office to the Legion ❖ Join us at the Legion for refreshments after the parade ❖ Entertainment on-going at the Legion Inclement weather Cumberland Recreation
“Take Time to Remember” 2770 Dunsmuir Avenue, Cumberland
250-336-2361
C O M O X VA L L E Y
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Thank You to all who sacrificed so much for our country 741 McPhee Ave., Courtenay
250-334-3621 Since 1961
Monday - Friday 8am - 4:30pm
In honour and remembrance of our fellow Canadians who defend our freedom
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250-871-2731
HONOURING OUR VETS
STEEL FABRICATORS & ERECTORS Shearing, Forming, Repairs, Retail Sales, & Portable Units MATERIALS: Steel, Aluminum, Stainless Steel SERVICES:
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On November 11
we honour and thank the men & women of the Canadian Forces for their contributions to our country and to people in other nations.
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
‘Leadership comes with time’ Life in the army has shown Maj.-Gen. (Ret.) Brian Vernon what constitutes a soldier and a great leader. His comrades described him as a traditional army man. From his 39 years of service, having joined when he was 15, he was most proud of the people with whom he served. “Your immediate group was your focal point,” Vernon said in an interview. If the people he was with were healthy, he was content, which motivated him through doubtful times. “I never lost faith in the ability of the soldiers to make things happen,” Vernon said. Vernon has felt the weight of being a leader, having commanded in the Airborne Regiment, and the Special Service Force among other positions. “You often learn from your mistakes,” Vernon said. [Leadership] comes with time.” Born 1942 in Windsor, Ont., he lived near a First World War veteran who would help organize parades for VJ Day (Victory Over Japan Day). Vernon would pull his little red wagon with a windup gramophone playing God Save the King. At the time, army cadets were compulsory but he was asked more subtly to help the B.C. army cadet league. Quickly and unintentionally, he became its president. At 15 he joined the army reserve and at 18 became a sergeant. He went to the Army Command and Staff College’s year-long postgraduate program and went off to join the Airborne Regiment. During junior NCO school he was charged with fomenting a mutiny on Wednesday, to be tried on Friday. It was announced Thursday that he was the top candidate of the
MAJ.-GEN. (RET.) Brian Vernon is seen at the Pillars conference in Vernon in his role as president of the B.C. branch of the Army Cadet League of Canada. course so the paperwork was torn up. Since then his foreign assignments had him working as a parachutist for 30 years, on two tours of Cyprus and Somalia, and on duty in northern Germany. He was company commander in the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry,
and eventually became chief of the army in Ontario. He has participated and overseen numerous joint training programs. By the end of his service he was the senior paratrooper. In 1991 he bought a home in Comox, retiring in the Comox Valley in late 1996. Overseen by the Comox
Legion, this article was written by Mark Isfeld Secondary School students Chris Trinh, Samm Merrick, Andrew Keil, Noah De Haitre, Sam Collins and Hannah Arthurs. They interviewed local veterans so the students could share the vets’ stories in our Remembrance Day special section.
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Family Dental Practice. Municipal public employees of Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland and the Comox Valley Regional District. Proudly serving the Comox Valley
Accepting New Patients!
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COMOX VALLEY RECORD Remembrance Day
Thursday, November 7, 2013
‘Devil’s Brigade’ gave Nazis hell Dick Hilton gave his best serving in the Second World War. He was part of the Devil’s Brigade, the First Special Service Force. Out of a sense of duty he joined the army in 1942 and was sent to Vernon, British Columbia. He barely finished his basic training when he was sent to Otter Point on Vancouver Island, and had to march down to Nanaimo. “You got to work hard; always do your best .... You might not think so but it is .... I didn’t know it but I .... learned it.” Hilton said. He didn’t like soldiering when he got in but he quickly found out if you can’t beat them, join them. He gave his best, and was asked if he wanted to join an outfit in Helena, Montana because he was said to be the only one who could handle the training. He improved his skills in parachuting, mountain climbing,
THE DEVIL’S BRIGADE (three members seen here) included Comox Valley resident Dick Hilton. Overseen by the Comox Legion, the articles on this page were written by Mark Isfeld Secondary School students Chris Trinh, Samm Merrick, Andrew Keil, Noah De Haitre, Sam Collins and Hannah Arthurs. They interviewed local veterans so the students could share the vets’ stories in our Remembrance Day special section.
Lest we forget
hand-to-hand combat, and demolitions. With the Devil’s Brigade he went overseas to the Aleutians, Casablanca, Algiers, and Italy. They climbed the back side of Mount La Defensa, taking the Nazis and their defensive position by surprise. They were assigned more missions in Italy, and one day at the Mussolini Canal in Anzio, they were held in the same hole for 99 days. At night they would come out to find trouble. When they finally broke out they were the first troops in Rome. After the war he worked as a logger, an accountant, and as a real estate agent before his retirement on Vancouver Island. He along with his brigade are credited as much as the Green Berets and Navy Seals with being the forerunners of the war. They still have annual gatherings.
Conquering the nightmare of PTSD The battlefield can scar much more than the body, and Zack Donovan knows all about it. He went overseas four
times; the last being Afghanistan, where he lost half his crew. He developed posttraumatic stress disorder. He became introverted and
depressed but he learned to cope, and ultimately overcome it. After spending 20 years in the armoured corps he
Proud to assist others Knowing she’s wanted to join the military since she was in elementary school, Audrey Bourassa is an aeronautical engineer proudly serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force. With her father, uncles and aunts having served in the military, they introduced her to the military. Her own ambition took her off to the Royal Military College, studying aeronautical engineering. Upon graduation, she was posted in Comox. Now she spends her time managing engineering and resources to keep the
military aircraft serviceable. Last year in Afghanistan, she used her knowledge to help improve and develop their air force. Her time in Afghanistan helped reinforce the belief that we are very fortunate to live in Canada, although she is glad she had the chance to work in Afghanistan. She also is part of the 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, which has become one of the busiest search and rescue teams in Canada. It is a job she’s proud of, helping Canadians all over the country.
PICTURE of the Week
left as a tank commander to help others who suffer with PTSD. His work area includes all of B.C.’s mainland, and the entire Island north of Nanaimo. His first three overseas tours were with the UN on peacekeeping missions. While he was there he saw the children, the ones who couldn’t do anything, the ones who were really affected, the ones that were the reason he wanted to help. Born in Port Alberni and raised in Black Creek he joined cadets when he was 12 years old. He went on to join the reserves, and eventually at 19 joined the military as a tank driver. He is proud of his career despite the bad times. “Everything’s got its bad times but if you dwell on the bad times you never have a good time,” Donovan said. VALLEY HOME MEALS IS A
Aboriginal Veterans
Native Gallery & Gift Shop
250-339-7702 www.ihosgallery.com
Sincere Gratitude to all our veterans
LEST WE FORGET
MALL HOURS Monday, November 11, 2013 Public Washrooms open at 10:00 am Shops open from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Like us on
www.comoxmall.ca
250-339-7344
&
Honour Remember GAS BAR & CONVENIENCE STORE: Aspen Road, Comox 24 HR CARD LOCK: 4889 Island Hwy
Veteran Affairs Provider
Honouring our Veterans Now and Forever
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COMOX VALLEY RECORD Your community. Your newspaper.
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Thursday, November 7, 2013 Remembrance
day
COMOX VALLEY RECORD
It’s Important to us all... On October 8, at a general information meeting, our people were asked: “Should we close on Remembrance Day ?” The overwhelming response was “YES!” So, to recognize those who served in the cause of peace and freedom around the world over the years, and still today...
All Quality Foods stores will be closed Monday, November 11 Remembrance helps us understand the country we live in today and how we can build a better future together. Whether they served in distant lands or here at home, during the epic battles of last century or the strained conflicts of the last few years, we all owe these Canadians a debt of gratitude now and in the future. Quality Foods joins the nation in recognizing the sacrifices and achievements of those who have served in the cause of peace and freedom around the world over the years for the benefit all Canadians. Also important is the need to guard wisely against allowing history to repeat, while helping our young people to understand and to remember what these men and women have done during times of war, military conflict and peace.
“For the Fallen” They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. www.qualityfoods.com