tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17558316117757178862024-03-14T08:18:36.687-05:00Manitoba's Prisoners of WarMichael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-9109985275829339902014-09-15T10:00:00.000-05:002015-01-12T13:26:40.886-06:00Following in their Footsteps<i>Originally posted at <a href="http://powsincanada.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/following-in-their-footsteps/%20%E2%80%8E" target="_blank">www.powsincanada.wordpress.com</a></i><a href="http://powsincanada.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/following-in-their-footsteps/%20%E2%80%8E" target="_blank"> </a><br />
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For my 50th post and my one-year anniversary on Wordpress, I'd like to share what I've been up to these last few weeks.<br />
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Two years ago, I was forwarded an email from someone in Germany whose father had spent time in Canada during the Second World War as a prisoner of war. Lutz, the sender of the email, knew that his father had spent time at a camp in Manitoba but wasn't sure about his exact whereabouts. A quick search of my records provided some insight into the life of Lutz's father, Richard.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://powsincanada.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/1-copy.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="1 copy" class="wp-image-685 size-medium" src="http://powsincanada.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/1-copy.jpg?w=239" height="300" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard Beranek after his capture in June 1944.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Richard Beranek was born on November 8th, 1926 in Mendrik, Czechoslovakia. Following his drafting into the German Army, Richard was posted to the Normandy region where, at the time of the D-Day landings, he was laying telephone lines in the Bayeux area. On June 8, 1944, British soldiers captured Richard, beginning his career as a prisoner of war.<br />
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Less than a month after his capture, Richard found himself aboard the Empress of Scotland en route to Halifax. Once the ship docked, Richard and 1,000 of his countrymen began the four-day journey to Camp 132 at Medicine Hat, Alberta.<br />
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In the early summer of 1945, Richard was once again loaded onto a train across the Canadian, prairies. This time, however, he was one of 100 PoWs destined for the farming project at Grassmere, Manitoba. The Grassmere Farming Project was located just north of Winnipeg and began its life in the 1930s as a relief project. By 1945, the buildings were vacant and were converted to be used as a makeshift prisoner of war camp. From June to November, Richard had his comrades worked on the local beet fields, assisting local farmers who needed extra labour.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://powsincanada.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/8-copy.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="8 copy" class="wp-image-686 size-medium" src="http://powsincanada.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/8-copy.jpg?w=300" height="219" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PoWs at Mafeking, Manitoba.</td></tr>
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In November, with the fall harvest, completed,the Manitoba Paper Co. of Pine Falls, requested that thirty prisoners be transferred to their lumber camp at Mafeking, Manitoba. Among those selected to be transferred was Richard.<br />
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At its peak, the Mafeking camp employed 130 PoWs and served as a wood-cutting camp for the Manitoba Paper Co. Throughout the winter, PoWs would cut and then haul wood to Mafeking, where it was then loaded onto trains to take it to the mill at Pine Falls. While it is unknown whether Richard worked as a woodcutter or a hauler and loader, he did enjoy his time working in the Canadian bush.<br />
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His time here, however, was brief, for in April 1946, the entire complement of the camp was transferred to Camp 23 at Monteith, Ontario and then repatriated back to Britain.
Richard eventually made his way back to Germany in 1947 where he remained until he passed away in 1988. While he never had a chance to return to Canada, he fondly recalled his time here as the best years of his life.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://powsincanada.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/photo1.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="photo(1)" class="wp-image-689 " height="239" src="https://powsincanada.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/photo1.jpg?w=225" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lutz at Grassmere.</td></tr>
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Fast forward to August 2014, Lutz, his son Marcel, and his sister, Marianne, arrived in Winnipeg to retrace Richard's time in Manitoba.
First visiting the site of the former camp at Grassmere, I was able to point out the rough location of the camp and share some of the stories told to me by one of the camp's former guards (on a side note, when I showed him a photograph of Richard, the former guard paused for a moment before saying "I know that face" - quite the experience for me to say the least!). I would also like to take the time to thank Darryl, who let us explore around his property - it was greatly appreciated!<br />
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A week later, Ed Stozek had arranged for us to take two wagons out to the site of the Riding Mountain Park Labour Project (also known as the Whitewater Prisoner of War Camp) in Riding Mountain National Park. Fortunately the weather cooperated (mostly) and the day was spent exploring the site.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://powsincanada.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/photo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="photo" class="wp-image-688 size-large" src="http://powsincanada.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/photo.jpg?w=519" height="389" width="519" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Beraneks and Ed Stozek looking at Whitewater Lake in Riding Mountain National Park.</td></tr>
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Last week, we visited the camp at Mafeking. With the assistance of a local, Delbert, who, at the age of six, met some of the PoWs, we toured around the sites inhabited and worked by Richard and his comrades. Like so many of the PoW camps in Canada, little is left of the site today. That being said, we were still able to find some of the log cabins built by the PoWs and various pieces of debris scattered throughout the site. Seventy years later, the Beraneks had returned to Mafeking.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://powsincanada.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/dsc_5087.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="DSC_5087" class="wp-image-687 size-large" src="http://powsincanada.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/dsc_5087.jpg?w=519" height="347" width="519" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Beraneks exploring the remnants of a truck at Mafeking.
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When I first received Lutz's email, I was certainly not expecting to be a part of experience such as this one. I feel extremely privileged to be able to be part of the Beranek's journey and to be able to help fill in some of the gaps of Richard's time in Canada.<br />
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It isn't everyday that you are able to take a family and show them where their father lived and worked seventy years ago...
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<i>Note: For more of Lutz's journey, you can read Bill Redekop's article in the <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/following-in-his-fathers-pow-footsteps-274994071.html?cx_navSource=d-tiles-3">Winnipeg Free Press (link)</a></i>Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-66942814504333075142014-08-05T19:23:00.003-05:002014-08-05T19:39:06.253-05:002014 PoW Wagon Tours<b>Back by Popular Demand!</b>
I can now confirm the return of the "From North Africa to the North Woods" wagon tour in Riding Mountain National Park.<br />
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Loaded onto four wagons, visitors become new prisoners
heading out to the former site of the Riding Mountain Park Labour Project (also known as the Whitewater Lake PoW Camp) under
the strict supervision of the guards. Learn what life was like at the camp as
the guards and prisoners (interpretative staff) bring history to life through
stories and photographs. Once at the camp, enjoy a traditional German meal,
similar to that served to the prisoners at the worksites. After lunch, explore
the site of the former camp with the aid of a GPS and myself.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikin5pBdDzYUiTaHbs_1xhE4jwtW4kwUl1bWi88DwHtO8d2IlzQz4DDD1X4GSmMhEtUSB6m91vfZ1FxIhXY9MUoiZxOQX0tgd6iQJVwH4QD04dfP4c27mUABzKsPJXpacNOhinAIT43PY/s1600/Wagon.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikin5pBdDzYUiTaHbs_1xhE4jwtW4kwUl1bWi88DwHtO8d2IlzQz4DDD1X4GSmMhEtUSB6m91vfZ1FxIhXY9MUoiZxOQX0tgd6iQJVwH4QD04dfP4c27mUABzKsPJXpacNOhinAIT43PY/s320/Wagon.png" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tour date is August 31. </div>
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Tickets are $62.00 each or $55.80 for Friends members and
are available at the Nature Shop (RMNP Visitor Centre) or by calling (204)
848-4037.<br />
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For more information, please visit the <a href="http://www.friendsofridingmountain.ca/index.php/programs/p-o-w-interpretive-wagon-tours/" target="_blank">Friends of Riding Mountain National Park's website</a>.</div>
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The wagons depart from the north end of the Bison enclosure
in Riding Mountain National Park at 9:15am and we return at 2:30pm.</div>
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Tickets are already selling and they will fill up a few
weeks in advance!</div>
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Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-39161375573034102162014-01-07T14:17:00.001-06:002014-01-07T14:17:48.538-06:00Rebuilding a PoW Camp<i>Reblogged from my other site, <a href="http://powsincanada.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/reconstructing-the-past/" target="_blank">powsincanada.wordpress.com</a></i><a href="http://powsincanada.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/reconstructing-the-past/" target="_blank"> </a><br />
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From
October 1943 to October 1945, over 400 German prisoners of war (PoWs)
were employed in a woodcutting operation in Manitoba’s Riding Mountain
National Park. Housed in a newly built camp on the shore of Whitewater
Lake, the PoWs had better living conditions than the majority of
civilians living around the park. When the buildings of the camp were
removed in 1945 and 1946, the area was allowed to return to its natural
state. For seventy years, nature has reclaimed the site, which is now a
small prairie bordered by spruce. The history, however, has not been
forgotten. Through the use of a 3D reconstruction such as this one, I
hope to achieve a better understanding of how PoWs experienced
internment at Riding Mountain while, at the same time, contributing to
better public interpretation on and off the site.<br />
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The first step
was to find appropriate sources that would allow me to build models of
the buildings. Fortunately, through my research, I have found
photographs of almost every building at the camp. However, no map of the
camp has survived and it near impossible to determine the camp’s layout
from the photographs alone. A solution came with a 1949 aerial
photograph from which I could make out the foundations of the majority
of the camp’s buildings. Combining the information obtained from these
photographs with an architectural plan for a bunkhouse similar to those
built at Riding Mountain, I could now start modelling.<br />
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Using <a data-mce-href="http://www.sketchup.com/" href="http://www.sketchup.com/">Trimble’s SketchUp</a>
program, I started modelling the buildings whose dimensions I knew, or
was fairly certain of. While the majority of the buildings at the camp
were standard military installations and could be modelled from the
information obtained from the architectural plans, I encountered
problems when trying to model unique buildings, such as the garage,
barn, and stables. This, however, was where SketchUp proved its worth.
Using the Photomatch tool, I applied a single measurement to a
photograph, which then allowed me to measure, with fair accuracy, the
length of any other building in the photograph. With these dimensions, I
could now finish modelling.<br />
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This 3D reconstruction, however, has
to be taken as a representation rather than an exact replica of the
camp. Due to source limitations, I was not able to model everything to
the detail that I would have liked but instead had to improvise for
cases in which no data exists. The building interiors were especially
difficult for only one interior photo, of the recreation hall, is known
to exist. While further research may uncover the interior layout of
these buildings, I chose to leave these areas empty for the time.
Another difficulty I encountered was that with a higher level of detail
resulted in a significant decrease in the speed of both my computer and
SketchUp. Therefore, to ensure that the final model was still
accessible, I was unable to include the detail that I would have liked.<br />
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Despite
it’s limitations, a 3D model such as this one can be extremely useful.
By building this model, I am now able to learn much more about what life
was like for German PoWs in Riding Mountain. Already, this model has
also allowed me to correct some inaccuracies with my existing map,
particularly in the designation of some of the buildings. By comparing
the model of the camp to a copy of the “Nightwatchman’s Circuit,”
listing the route taken by one of the guards each night, I changed the
designation of three buildings and identified a previously-unknown
fourth. More importantly, however, this model presents numerous
opportunities for historical interpretation off and on the site. Whereas
I have traditionally provided visitors with GPS units and printed
handouts, a digital model expands my ability to help visitors understand
the camp’s history. By uploading the model to IOS, using an app like <a data-mce-href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sightspace-3d/id454578424?ls=1&mt=8" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sightspace-3d/id454578424?ls=1&mt=8">SightSpace</a>, visitors will be able to visualize and interact with the camp model while standing on the former camp’s location.<br />
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This
model is only the beginning of reconstructing life at Riding Mountain.
As more information becomes available (and as I port the model over to a
faster computer), I hope to build a more complete and detailed
representation of the camp. This will allow me to study the camp in ways
previously unimaginable while contributing to a better understanding of
what life was like for German prisoners of war in Riding Mountain
National Park.Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-8157464445201473862013-11-14T11:36:00.000-06:002013-11-14T11:38:24.682-06:00Lasting Effects: PoWs in Riding Mountain National Park<i>Reblogged from <a href="http://powsincanada.wordpress.com/">powsincanada.wordpress.com</a></i><br />
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The following video is the result of a digital history assignment that I'm currently taken. The assignment tasked us with using digital methods to examine a significant or interesting landscape and naturally I chose the site of the Riding Mountain Park Labour Project in Manitoba's Riding Mountain National Park. For those not familiar with it, this project employed 440 German PoWs in a woodcutting operation from 1943 to 1945 in an effort to prevent a predicted fuelwood shortage.<br />
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My first task was to find the sources. While I have a fairly sizeable collection of textual records relating to the camp's history, maps and other spatial information are, for the most part, missing. Instead, I turned to aerial photographs to fill in my record gaps. Little did I realize how much I could learn from them!<br />
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With the assistance of the National Air Photo Library, the Manitoba Land Initiative, and a staff member at Riding Mountain National Park, I was able to assemble a range of coverage from 1931 to 2009. The next step was to import them into a GIS program and georeference them.<br />
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With the photos georeferenced, I was now able to add information from my records. As a map of the camp's layout has not survived, my first step was to create an outline showing the buildings' shapes and locations. Fortunately the building's footprints, with some exceptions, were still fairly clear, even in my photographs from the 1970s.<br />
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The next major step was to look at landscape change. Like a map of the camp, a map showing the location of the woodcutting area has also not survived. Using aerial photographs from the 1940s and 1950s, I was able to plot the extent of the woodcutting operation, which, as I discovered to my surprise, was almost entirely confined to the northern shore of Whitewater Lake. By comparing these photographs with modern ortho-imagery, the regrowth of the spruce population is quite remarkable. The Parks Bureau specifically instructed that the PoWs leave spruce trees standing in hopes of regeneration. As you can see from the video, the spruce population has [spoiler alert!] done exactly that!<br />
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Anyways, I've talked enough so on to the video. While this isn't going to win any Oscars and I am certainly not Morgan Freeman, I hope that this video demonstrates how GIS and other historical methods can be applied to studying history.<br />
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Thank you to all of the individuals who helped, especially Josh MacFadyen, who put up with all of my constant questions!
One last thing; if you are interested in learning more, Josh and I will be delivering talks on Historical GIS for GIS day on November 20. For more information, please click <a href="http://www.lib.uwo.ca/madgic/gisday.html">here</a>.Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-19734317479745466732013-10-26T08:00:00.000-05:002013-10-26T11:42:33.904-05:0070 Years Ago: PoWs Arrive in Riding Mountain National Park<div style="font-family: inherit;">
October 26, 1943<br />
Dauphin, Manitoba </div>
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A train with a rather unusual cargo was stopped on the outskirts of Dauphin just before noon. Immediately following the train stopped, armed guards disembarked and established a secure perimeter on all sides of the train while empty trucks from the nearby Air Force base idled nearby. Once the area had been deemed safe, the doors to the train were opened from the inside and a guard armed only with a billy club exited. Quickly following behind him were the among the first German prisoners of war to step foot on Manitoba soil in the Second World War.</div>
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Of the 440 German Prisoners of War (PoWs) that were on-board this train, the majority were combat veterans of the North African Campaign. Following their capture at the hands of British, Australian, and New Zealand troops, most of these men had spent a brief time in internment camps in Egypt before being loaded onto ships that would taken them to their next home: Canada. After a brief stop in South Africa, these ships sailed across the Atlantic as the PoWs, having heard of the great successes of their U-Boat fleet, constantly feared that their own navy would sink them. However, arriving in New York without incident, the PoWs boarded waiting trains that would then take them to internment camps in Alberta.<br />
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The 440 PoWs were selected from hundreds of volunteers from Camp 132 in Medicine Hat. Offered an opportunity to work in the outdoors, many seized the chance rather than remain behind barbed wire and under constant scrutiny from the guards.<br />
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Having stepped off the train near Dauphin, the PoWs were herded aboard the waiting trucks. After a long drive along the Strathclair Road and then along a recently reinforced ten-kilometer stretch to Whitewater Lake, the PoWs arrived at their new home.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24AsHg7kVptrktc7KobvOgtNZR-_Ahv9qYC5uptakrxrtM8JB5Mpu_LghGr8TuG_gmToa46_SMn_atW-DFMEdt11SVJ15mSX7ieJj7RGbNtXTV6RozTGz8iBn_POn7nzulLMwQB2hUCg/s1600/POW-Camp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24AsHg7kVptrktc7KobvOgtNZR-_Ahv9qYC5uptakrxrtM8JB5Mpu_LghGr8TuG_gmToa46_SMn_atW-DFMEdt11SVJ15mSX7ieJj7RGbNtXTV6RozTGz8iBn_POn7nzulLMwQB2hUCg/s320/POW-Camp2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
First proposed in June 1943, the buildings of the Riding Mountain Park Labour Project was built in response to a shortage of fuelwood in Manitoba. Using PoWs as a labour force was first seen as a drastic measure but the lack of other forms of labour necessitated their house. Therefore, construction of the camp commenced in Summer 1943 and continued until the PoWs arrived on October 25. In total, fifteen buildings were constructed on the Northeast shore of Whitewater Lake, prompting the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dauphin Herald</i> to report that this camp was the largest PoW camp built for woodcutting operations in Canada. The buildings included six bunkhouses for the PoW, a bunkhouse for the kitchen staff, a bunkhouse for the administrative staff, an administration building, a cookhouse large enough to accommodate the camp, a recreation hall, a barn, and a garage. Estimated at costing $225,000, the camp’s facilities had its own generator to supply electricity, a sewage system, running water, and a telephone line specifically established to maintain direct contact between the camp and Dauphin. More notably, the camp lacked any noticeable security features as there was no barbed wire fences or guard towers, only miles of dense forest.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aUm6sDGtrRmK448dO_ThGq0By-6U0YPQy5biqsdVqLSFAJ-VJd3M1oFIhSIw4Rsy1zSTEmNciDManipKY2zbgd2iHz0RXJEWl3xvc8ijLfdztX_3VN2jYEEqIl5uhzgaVPPd0HFUxjo/s1600/Camp+Merged.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1aUm6sDGtrRmK448dO_ThGq0By-6U0YPQy5biqsdVqLSFAJ-VJd3M1oFIhSIw4Rsy1zSTEmNciDManipKY2zbgd2iHz0RXJEWl3xvc8ijLfdztX_3VN2jYEEqIl5uhzgaVPPd0HFUxjo/s640/Camp+Merged.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
For one PoW seeing the camp for the first time, his only thought was "<i>freedom</i>..."</div>
Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-8270217586814534882013-09-11T14:35:00.000-05:002013-09-11T14:35:09.755-05:00PoWs at MafekingAmong one of the most commonly-searched PoW camps that are re-directed to my site is the small labour project that operated outside of Mafeking, Manitoba from 1944 to 1946. While I have talked about this project briefly at times (<a href="http://prisonersinmb.blogspot.com/2012/05/richard-beranek.html">see here</a>), my records pertaining to this particular site are farily limited. Unfortunately, the microfilmed records that are held at the Library and Archives Canada are very poor quality and, in many cases, illegible. However, thanks to a few individuals, most notably Lutz Beranek, the history of PoWs at Mafeking is starting to emerge.<br />
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As part of my research, I had wanted to find the former PoW camp site to see what evidence remains of its short history. The problem, however, was trying to find the site. The few records I had provided a very general area while the Swan Valley Historical Society's <i>Lasting Impressions</i> stated that the camp was located on the shore of a small lake northwest of Mafeking. With the help of Google's satellite imagery, I was able to map some possible locations and load their coordinates into my GPS. Making the three-hour drive to Mafeking, I set out to see what I can find.<br />
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After about an hour and a half bushwacking through some dense brush, I finally stumbled across the remnants of the camp. While the majority of the structures were removed after the PoWs left in 1946, some of the log buildings built by the PoWs are still standing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxm02K9sM0Z9VXQC88lUaDpCVexraJrOGVRHZ9fuKGqs5Iw3xK9sONgk3GkG1wbGd7G-WDtyJNyku5jWhKkSfY-Amj_UKyaRhjQYSQSPwlYamgTx5nV2sMiVeIGy87Brx45PR7-rRFwQ/s1600/DSC_2874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxm02K9sM0Z9VXQC88lUaDpCVexraJrOGVRHZ9fuKGqs5Iw3xK9sONgk3GkG1wbGd7G-WDtyJNyku5jWhKkSfY-Amj_UKyaRhjQYSQSPwlYamgTx5nV2sMiVeIGy87Brx45PR7-rRFwQ/s400/DSC_2874.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camp clearing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwTT76r-uvRCx4kSfFbAgZ6yeYo4LVIGrdUgoQZVE5rYdmHW5RKCh4EV7UdR39OS6Gz_LWO9CJq-_fWoKakE48xG81aqLO4icPqqD7cCf2ZXxNTy7r_xENqioM6CmqKX2VafrFVIhcnI/s1600/DSC_2879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwTT76r-uvRCx4kSfFbAgZ6yeYo4LVIGrdUgoQZVE5rYdmHW5RKCh4EV7UdR39OS6Gz_LWO9CJq-_fWoKakE48xG81aqLO4icPqqD7cCf2ZXxNTy7r_xENqioM6CmqKX2VafrFVIhcnI/s400/DSC_2879.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the PoW-built log buildings</td></tr>
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While only a few traces of the camp remain, there's still enough to shed some light on one of Canada's homefront contributions to the Second World War!Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-30110328078359301072013-06-26T14:04:00.004-05:002013-06-26T14:04:51.371-05:00Otter PostI recently did a post about my research about PoWs in Riding Mountain for NiCHE's (Network in Canadian History and Environment) blog, "The Otter." If anyone is interested, the link to the post is <a href="http://niche-canada.org/node/10678">http://niche-canada.org/node/10678 </a>Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-73031197978748640862013-06-22T11:16:00.000-05:002013-06-22T11:16:14.405-05:00"The Canadian Bush"<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"In the name of all the wood-cutters, I would
convey greetings to you and the entire camp. We find ourselves in the midst of
the Canadian bush here, in the so-called Riding Mountain National Park. There
is no barbed wire here, but instead a definite boundary has been set by red
markings on trees. The woods principally leaf, and partly mixed. The ground is
slightly hilly and swampy in part.” - <b>Camp Spokesman Leo Manuel, November, 1944.</b></blockquote>
Among my interests is looking at how the PoWs reacted to and interacted with the environment that surrounded them. Most, if not all, of the PoWs had been captured in the North African desert in 1941 and 1942 and, after a brief internment in Egypt, had been sent to North America. First interned at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, they were moved to the vast Albertan prairie at camps in Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. A year or two after their capture, these men were now working in the middle of the Canadian "bush."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzniZ2XZ1KbcMMDhGb9dSN4SGa3cPlYCcL0v-pOPfLapcBu8g_UUhHwBcrn9GbGVlHNuHolq4Cq77pZL7vzkk6-3aZRqhu-JguDDjP6QenyQpo_bKftqmzlilY6KWjSR5qmM2Zq6vsuig/s1600/Staff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzniZ2XZ1KbcMMDhGb9dSN4SGa3cPlYCcL0v-pOPfLapcBu8g_UUhHwBcrn9GbGVlHNuHolq4Cq77pZL7vzkk6-3aZRqhu-JguDDjP6QenyQpo_bKftqmzlilY6KWjSR5qmM2Zq6vsuig/s400/Staff.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camp medical staff outside of one of the camp buildings. <br />Note the elk antlers above the door as well as the black bear and dogs.</td></tr>
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Free to roam through the immediate area around the camp, PoWs looked to their surroundings in different ways. Among the first, and most popular, activities was hiking through the bush. Though the PoWs were quickly introduced to the dangers of wandering through the bush in the late fall (<a href="http://prisonersinmb.blogspot.ca/2011/10/happy-halloween.html">19 PoWs got lost</a> and <a href="http://prisonersinmb.blogspot.ca/2011/11/manitoba-winter.html">were introduced to the Manitoba winter</a>), the continued their wandering until the camp closed in 1945.<br />
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Manuel also stated that the area was abundant with game, including wolves, deer, elk, bears, and moose. While some PoWs simply enjoyed listening to the elks bugling and the wolves howling, others picked up antlers shed by deer, elk, and moose as souvenirs. It was not long before nearly every building in the camp featured some form of antlers hanging above the entrances.<br />
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Whether PoWs were canoeing in their hand-made dugout canoes, playing with the <a href="http://prisonersinmb.blogspot.com/2012/03/new-addition-at-camp.html">camp bear, </a>or getting lost while hiking around Whitewater Lake, the "wilderness" defined their experiences and drastically changed the way they thought about Canada and wartime internment. This will be my next project as I return to school in the fall.<br />
<br />Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-81594457340415820812013-06-06T13:22:00.001-05:002013-06-06T13:22:49.371-05:002013 PoW Wagon Tours<div class="MsoNormal">
As summer rolls around once more, it is once again time for our "From North Africa to the North Woods" wagon tours here in Riding Mountain National Park.</div>
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Loaded onto four wagons, visitors become new prisoners
heading out to the former site of the Riding Mountain Park Labour Project (also known as the Whitewater Lake PoW Camp) under
the strict supervision of the guards. Learn what life was like at the camp as
the guards and prisoners (interpretative staff) bring history to life through
stories and photographs. Once at the camp, enjoy a traditional German meal,
similar to that served to the prisoners at the worksites. After lunch, explore
the site of the former camp with the aid of a GPS and myself.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikin5pBdDzYUiTaHbs_1xhE4jwtW4kwUl1bWi88DwHtO8d2IlzQz4DDD1X4GSmMhEtUSB6m91vfZ1FxIhXY9MUoiZxOQX0tgd6iQJVwH4QD04dfP4c27mUABzKsPJXpacNOhinAIT43PY/s1600/Wagon.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikin5pBdDzYUiTaHbs_1xhE4jwtW4kwUl1bWi88DwHtO8d2IlzQz4DDD1X4GSmMhEtUSB6m91vfZ1FxIhXY9MUoiZxOQX0tgd6iQJVwH4QD04dfP4c27mUABzKsPJXpacNOhinAIT43PY/s320/Wagon.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tour dates are July 20th and September 1st. </div>
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Tickets are $62.00 each or $55.80 for Friends members and
are available at the Nature Shop (RMNP Visitor Centre) or by calling (204)
848-4037. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have any questions,
feel free to phone that number or ask me.</div>
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The wagons depart from the north end of the Bison enclosure
in Riding Mountain National Park at 9:15am and we return at 2:30pm.</div>
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Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-32073660248703536562013-04-02T11:39:00.000-05:002013-04-02T11:39:27.927-05:00Long Way From Home - Part 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYg8XYHiAQIhkJG_PjrGUsJ7uQu8hRQd_B3T8QuaKypY4Bk08w-Ufztchpw6bVu22mR_hVQXEYLBQTqyfJs_ufHaou3b2xbeHuv-kUufsPWCOmmZ3XoyOJe6fH-3axPiALKo6NsRDMIEc/s1600/photo+1-edit+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYg8XYHiAQIhkJG_PjrGUsJ7uQu8hRQd_B3T8QuaKypY4Bk08w-Ufztchpw6bVu22mR_hVQXEYLBQTqyfJs_ufHaou3b2xbeHuv-kUufsPWCOmmZ3XoyOJe6fH-3axPiALKo6NsRDMIEc/s320/photo+1-edit+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a>Another mail-related post today but one with an interesting twist. This PoW cover and letter was addressed to Erwin Stöckl, a German PoW based out of Medicine Hat's Camp 132. The letter, sent by Erwin's aunt, Magda, arrived in Canada in April 1944. It is unknown whether Erwin was at Camp 132 when he received this letter or whether he was working at an Ontario labour project.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDmQKKQ22u11ytSQcG1DCiqMTq9kNqQDeSQZhvDkryNH9iJmIabyjSRRQMXU_TPLGR0J93ZAxkpddIozNNLxLyJ11sEmiS6eSdz3WT9ZTaL1Gh2BmyfrRirmEH7x6wt12yIIdS0z1uoU/s1600/Stockl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDmQKKQ22u11ytSQcG1DCiqMTq9kNqQDeSQZhvDkryNH9iJmIabyjSRRQMXU_TPLGR0J93ZAxkpddIozNNLxLyJ11sEmiS6eSdz3WT9ZTaL1Gh2BmyfrRirmEH7x6wt12yIIdS0z1uoU/s320/Stockl.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
Seven months later, in November 1944, Erwin was working at a labour project near Adams River, Ontario. On November 12, he and another PoW, Wolfgang Berter, left the camp either for a hike to explore the area or in an attempt to escape. A search was called for when the two men did not return by the evening but the search was eventually called off when the two men could not be found.<br />
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On May 26, 1945, the bodies of Stöckl and Berter were found by the Ontario Provincial Police, having died from exposure to the elements. The two men were initially interred in Kenora's Lake of the Woods Cemetery but were relocated to Kitchener, Ontario, where they remain today.<br />
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The letter was likely among Stöckl's personal effects returned to his family after his death.<br />
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<br />Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-15557221564717097192013-02-21T10:25:00.001-06:002013-02-21T10:25:13.870-06:00"Veteran's Veteran"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkG9sdS_X8CtHrcP_-frjzdWPv8_FWYzzcnYjNjtvh81mt1KXvn820V1OnXOdqhkeMm1NoDgb7xbMIj-MLC4hparqxPrDnwbdBmMZ8BeJ-EyQNXA7qTNXQFiSEUHv6PJrQ-04g4kiR-Pc/s1600/WpgTri-VGC-050-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkG9sdS_X8CtHrcP_-frjzdWPv8_FWYzzcnYjNjtvh81mt1KXvn820V1OnXOdqhkeMm1NoDgb7xbMIj-MLC4hparqxPrDnwbdBmMZ8BeJ-EyQNXA7qTNXQFiSEUHv6PJrQ-04g4kiR-Pc/s400/WpgTri-VGC-050-edit.jpg" width="186" /></a>Came across this while doing research about the Veterans' Guard of Canada. I can only hope I can pass for fifty when I'm his age!<br />
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Article from the Winnipeg Tribune, October 1, 1942. <br />
<br />Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-39618355060487201432013-02-16T11:59:00.001-06:002013-02-21T10:26:22.757-06:00"Real Photo"Continuing on my last post's theme, I thought I would show some more examples of PoW postcards. Unlike the ones in my last post, these ones are "Real Photo" postcards. In most PoW camps, a military or civilian photographer visited the camp and took photographs of the PoWs for the purpose of sending them home. This was generally done to show the families of the PoWs that the men were alive and well in Canada - this being a bit of Canadian wartime propaganda!<br />
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The first image is a group of PoWs at Camp 30 in Bowmanville, Ontario. The majority of the PoWs in Bowmanville were officers and included members of all branches of the German military. This particular image shows members of the Luftwaffe (Air Force) and Heer (Army). This postcard was sent by either the man on the far left or right in the front row. These two individuals were part of the German Customs branch so I'm not sure how they ended up in Canada! Interestingly enough, another copy of this postcard is in the hands of another collector (<a href="http://postalhistorycorner.blogspot.ca/2012/07/wwii-real-photo-postcards-german-pows.html">link</a>).<br />
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The next photo is a group of sailors at Camp 21 in Espanola, Ontario. The sender, Heinz Alsleben, was one of forty survivors of U-93, a German U-Boat sunk in January 1942.<br />
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<br />Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-1406551504755689152013-01-08T22:08:00.002-06:002013-01-08T22:08:49.704-06:00Postcards Kriegsgefangenenpost<br />
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Well it has been awhile since there has been a new blog post so I thought I had better change that! Today I would like to show some examples of Kriegsgefangenenpost, or Prisoner of War Mail, sent by German PoWs here in Canada to their friends and families back home. I briefly covered <a href="http://prisonersinmb.blogspot.ca/2012/05/letter-from-home.html">one example of PoW mail</a> from a PoW that was at the Riding Mountain Park Labour Project but today I would like to show some of the lighter sides of postcards.<br />
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The standard issue postcard, an example of which I linked in the previous paragraph, were made available to all German PoWs in Canada. However, for those who found this postcard too simple or boring, PoWs had the option of purchasing different types of postcards to send home. Among these postcards made available for purchase were those printed by War Prisoners' Aid YMCA. These postcards were often sold at PoW canteens and featured images of the lighter side of internment life. The artwork was done by a German PoW and a series of approximately twenty of these postcards was produced. The following are some of the examples in my collection, all of which were unused. I hope you enjoy!<br />
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Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-32210195216757608522012-11-11T22:36:00.001-06:002012-11-11T22:36:59.150-06:00Lest We Forget...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLI7LdhqikmJW0iHfI4uk8epT1ngNDhAkWJCNCsF1HqsYlTijvoh8aHvdHz8rqmJNO_TA1DihtTzVYsh4M3vj0UzL55dlfdQF8jhtbvshQBOMUtOEwdg75IrFrRARsXNAQDpSURprXA9M/s1600/Harry+Proven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLI7LdhqikmJW0iHfI4uk8epT1ngNDhAkWJCNCsF1HqsYlTijvoh8aHvdHz8rqmJNO_TA1DihtTzVYsh4M3vj0UzL55dlfdQF8jhtbvshQBOMUtOEwdg75IrFrRARsXNAQDpSURprXA9M/s320/Harry+Proven.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry James Proven</td></tr>
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"How did you get interested?" is one of the most popular questions I get asked when someone learns that I have an interest in military history. I don't have a straight answer but my family's military history spans both World Wars and I like to think that is where it starts. In today's post, I'd like to share the brief stories of two of my great-great uncles who served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in World War One and never came home.<br />
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Three boys were born to James and Harriet Proven: Harry, Ernest (Ernie), and Sidney. When war broke out in 1914, the three brothers were working at the family farm in Clanwilliam, Manitoba. Harry, the oldest, enlisted with the 45th Battalion in January 1915 at the age of twenty-two. For the next year, Harry trained with the 45th before sailing for England in March 1916. At the same time as Harry's sailing date, Ernest enlisted with the 107th Battalion.<br />
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In June 1916, Harry was transferred to France with the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles (1st CMRs) as a reinforcement. Six months later, Ernie would join the 1st CMRs also as a reinforcement. Reunited, the two brothers are believed to have served in the same battalion, no doubt Harry trying to protect his younger brother. However, their service together would soon be cut short in April 1917.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_LHJn3Rzo5PpOuA77IRWsosQLvHq22unItr77HizgumzwiQo59ucyY1iiqcHPX4oO-y2TTET-CJb2bhMEpOquajwjdx8g6Cvy7y7kjeQEI2cCM0pwmcnB4YqxoLD4jWioVgRMcn8nZU/s1600/scan0015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_LHJn3Rzo5PpOuA77IRWsosQLvHq22unItr77HizgumzwiQo59ucyY1iiqcHPX4oO-y2TTET-CJb2bhMEpOquajwjdx8g6Cvy7y7kjeQEI2cCM0pwmcnB4YqxoLD4jWioVgRMcn8nZU/s320/scan0015.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ernest Albert Proven</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On April 9, 1917, the four Canadian divisons went "over the top" in what would be known as the Battle for Vimy Ridge. As the 1st CMRs advanced over No Man's Land, Ernie was shot in the shoulder. He was eventually collected by stretcher bearers and transferred back for medical care. On April 12, 1917, Ernie died of his wounds at a Canadian hopsital in Bolougne.<br />
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Harry, certainly affected by his brother's death, continued with the 1st CMRs for the next year and a half. Eventually reaching the rank of Sergeant, Harry had beaten the odds and had not received a single wound in over two years of service. However, his luck was about to change. On September 29, 1918, the 1st CMRs attacked the small village of Saint Olle, on the outskirts of Cambrai. German machine guns cut down many of the advancing Canadians, Harry among them. He died at a Canadian Field Ambulance near the small town of Queant.<br />
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Lest We Forget...Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-65025688283177864542012-11-07T10:19:00.003-06:002012-11-07T10:19:49.390-06:00In the News!Just a brief post today. For those who missed it, the Winnipeg Free Press published an article last week dealing with PoWs in Riding Mountain National Park and my research made a brief mention!<br />
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The link is <span class="userContent"><a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/fyi/happy-pows-176075161.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/fyi/happy-pows-176075161.html</a></span>Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-66814801877484891872012-10-25T16:29:00.001-05:002012-10-25T16:34:16.765-05:00Researching PoW CampsI have noticed an increased number of posts for people searching for information about PoWs camps in Manitoba so I thought I should address this.<br />
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If you are looking for information about an individual or about a camp, please get in touch with me! A very small percentage of my research has been posted online so if you are looking for additional information, please post a comment below or send me an e-mail (link to the right) and I will do what I can to answer your questions.<br />
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Most of the searches seem to be about the PoW camp in Mafeking, Manitoba and I do have records of the camp. For the most part, the story of the Mafeking camp remains untold, as does the story of the PoWs in Pine Falls, Manitoba. As relatively few records have survived, there isn't much of a historical record. Though if you have any questions, again please get in touch, I am more than happy to help!<br />
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For those interested in prisoners of war or guards at these camps, let me know and I will see what information I can provide. If anyone knows of any guards or PoWs that were at any camps, I would very much like to hear from you!Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-2699635434164695632012-10-13T14:17:00.001-05:002012-10-13T14:17:21.842-05:00New AcquisitionTaking a slight detour from my usual postings, I wanted to show one of my most recent acquisitions in my collection. I recently attended an auction here in London where I was very fortunate to be able to purchase a set of World War One and interwar medals, identified to an Lt. Col. H.N. Streight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihidjgMvRZv6SrDZSHSMmR5ap0Q-nvMhoV5swZ5C8nr6BWU-yfDnOZnRIJEdHK2ZTL987YBxkCCYRyFbigXq7PlNQ-i7l34jyynFwLgl8IgB3TTKyIJJO72Xt2h2WfoAkc3luZCzPNZJ8/s1600/Streight+Medals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihidjgMvRZv6SrDZSHSMmR5ap0Q-nvMhoV5swZ5C8nr6BWU-yfDnOZnRIJEdHK2ZTL987YBxkCCYRyFbigXq7PlNQ-i7l34jyynFwLgl8IgB3TTKyIJJO72Xt2h2WfoAkc3luZCzPNZJ8/s320/Streight+Medals.jpg" width="320" /></a>Lt. Col. (later Colonel) Harvey Newton Streight was born in Kemptville, Ontario in 1887. In 1904, he came to Winnipeg and later enlisted with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles in World War One. Eventually achieving the rank of Lieutenant, Streight began a career in law. He also served as the president of the Manitoba Conservative Party from 1934 to 1938. Remaining in the militia in the inter-war years, Streight progressed to the rank of Colonel. In 1931, while with the 10th Battalion Canadian Machine Gun Corps in Winnipeg, Streight was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal (medal on the right) for twenty years of service (service during WWI counted as double).<br />
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When World War II broke out, he briefly served as the Commanding Officer of the Winnipeg Grenadiers but, in 1940, he joined the regular force and was posted as the District Judge Advocate General for Military District 10. However, in 1941, Streight was appointed the Director of Prisoners of War in Canada. Responsible for all internment operations in Canada, Streight was kept very active in these years, maintaining correspondence with all internment affairs, including those in Manitoba. He remained at this post until his retirement in 1945.<br />
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Streight passed away on June 2, 1960 and is buried in Winnipeg.<br />
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Needless to say, I am very pleased to have this medal grouping in my collection and it will certainly form one of the centerpieces of my Prisoner of War Collection!Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-24514791276445479792012-09-23T21:50:00.001-05:002012-09-23T21:50:08.634-05:00A Long Way From HomeYesterday I took a drive to Kitchener, Ontario to visit the Woodland Cemetery. Here, in a small plot tucked away in the corner, lies the graves of 187 German prisoners of war who died in Canada in the First and Second World Wars.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtARBkgtT7wWMCeakiK72__rmApl8NTDDJIN8FL6vF7DPZQ_Yo1Wr0lTxOokvFCwPYKXpewWcN1f44-fDHEjs1f_Ra9l-oK8fxquFyExWPR01aTfbsl1spvI_c-JjnzXmaiY6Rg7ScsQ/s1600/DSCN7110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtARBkgtT7wWMCeakiK72__rmApl8NTDDJIN8FL6vF7DPZQ_Yo1Wr0lTxOokvFCwPYKXpewWcN1f44-fDHEjs1f_Ra9l-oK8fxquFyExWPR01aTfbsl1spvI_c-JjnzXmaiY6Rg7ScsQ/s320/DSCN7110.jpg" width="320" /></a>Like every military cemetery around the world, each of these graves has a story to tell. While many of these stories have been lost to time, fragments have remained. Of the 148 casualties from the Second World War, sixty percent died of medical causes while twenty percent died of work-related incidents and injuries. The remaining twenty percent include five prisoners hung for murder and four prisoners shot while attempting an escape. <br />
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I have already shared the brief histories of two PoWs, <a href="http://prisonersinmb.blogspot.ca/2012/03/sixty-eight-years-ago.html">Max Neugebauer</a> and <a href="http://prisonersinmb.blogspot.ca/2012/09/the-wolf.html">Walter Wolf</a>, both of which were working at the camp in Riding Mountain National Park, but two more deserve mention. Richard Becker and Karl Karg were also employed at Riding Mountain. While they were transferred from the camp in June 1944, both men died in drowning accidents, Karg shortly after his arrival in Ontario and Becker in 1945.<br />
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In 1970, the graves of German PoWs buried across the country were exhumed and relocated to Kitchener, Ontario. However, not all of these individuals were accounted for. At least three prisoners who died in Canada were not relocated to Kitchener. One prisoner lies unidentified in Saskatchewan, one presumably was not found in Ontario, while the body of a drowning victim was never recovered.<br />
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Hopefully with some more research, their stories can all be told.<br />
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<br />Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-92176764017363801932012-09-10T14:45:00.003-05:002012-09-10T14:46:13.384-05:00The WolfSixty Eight Years Ago<br />
September 10, 1944<br />
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On September 10, 1944, a German Prisoner of War in Camp 132, Medicine Hat, by the name of Dr. Karl Lehmann was beaten and hung by his fellow comrades. After a lengthy investigation four German PoWs, Heinrich Busch, Willi Mueller, Bruno Perzonowsky, and Walter Wolf were arrested for the murder. After a trail held in Alberta, the four were found guilt of murder and sentenced to hang.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Ilx3OpgDc5WOP9IoaBjVkSJCeOZziWoh1MIWFv5OtInzmhQ6SiZ5mOlqrSpLD6K5oxjtWMWMRqFG2Rgm1vr5_Z5Sm3pYT9k2PD7j4gm7eN1FrWlzw8YIs1OC8qFVuIyeKK0xlO5ZnCw/s1600/Wolf,+Walter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Ilx3OpgDc5WOP9IoaBjVkSJCeOZziWoh1MIWFv5OtInzmhQ6SiZ5mOlqrSpLD6K5oxjtWMWMRqFG2Rgm1vr5_Z5Sm3pYT9k2PD7j4gm7eN1FrWlzw8YIs1OC8qFVuIyeKK0xlO5ZnCw/s320/Wolf,+Walter.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walter Wolf (Source: Library and Archives Canada)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unteroffizier Walter Wolf (ME 42576) was captured at Halfaya Pass in North Africa on 17
January 1942. He was married but had no children. He had received the
Iron Cross, Second Class. Before enlisting at the age of 19 in 1937, he
was a financial tax inspector. After the French campaign, he was
transferred to a unit in the Afrika Korps. Arriving in Canada on 26 May
1942, he was interned at Ozada, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Neys.<br />
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What many don't realize is that Walter Wolf spent a few months in Manitoba, working in Riding Mountain National Park.<br />
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Wolf enlisted in the Germany army in 1937 at the age of nineteen and after service in the French Campaign of 1940, he was transferred to North Africa. Captured at Halfaya Pass in January 1942, Wolf arrived in Canada in May of that year, first interned at Ozada. In the summer of 1943, Wolf volunteered for a labour project and was one of 440 PoWs that were sent to the Riding Mountain Park Labour Project at Whitewater Lake. His career as a woodcutter was short-lived as Wolf was quickly identified as a pro-Nazi and a troublemaker. Having been accused of harassing fellow prisoners, Wolf was transferred from Riding Mountain back to Medicine Hat in January 1944.<br />
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In 1946, Wolf and his comrades were found guilt of murder. On December 18, 1946, the four prisoners and an unrelated sex offender were hung in Canada's second largest mass hanging. The bodies were buried at the Lethbridge jail before being relocated to Kitchener, Ontario where they remain today.<br />
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For more details about the crime and trial, please click <a href="http://wayback.archive-it.org/2217/20101208161447/http://www.albertasource.ca/homefront/feature_articles/ideological.html">here</a>.Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-20545625529399803722012-09-10T14:13:00.001-05:002012-09-10T14:14:31.132-05:00Summing UpWell the last two weeks seem to have flown by very quickly so I thought I should give an update about what has been going on!<br />
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First, I'd like to thank the Parkland Regional Library in Dauphin for hosting my presentation on August 30 and thank you to all who came out! It is always great to share the story of PoWs in Manitoba and am looking forward to doing some more presentations in the future.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAElwbU09e_RRScxy-tT2Gp1auSxMdLFdJY3Y5Dem3gT0ArOOPlkv_QFx4T2oo9LiBd2GHdIOYIQBCBq4kaVVMWjcyLdsW6jclV3W4ZwS2kOdYzgyYnRHk0yP-ZzVCyUX400XB7IYOUE/s1600/DSCN7006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAElwbU09e_RRScxy-tT2Gp1auSxMdLFdJY3Y5Dem3gT0ArOOPlkv_QFx4T2oo9LiBd2GHdIOYIQBCBq4kaVVMWjcyLdsW6jclV3W4ZwS2kOdYzgyYnRHk0yP-ZzVCyUX400XB7IYOUE/s320/DSCN7006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The next event was the Friends of Riding Mountain National Park's "From North Africa to the North Woods Wagon Tour which was a great success! About forty people in total came out for the tour to the site of the Whitewater Lake Prisoner of War Camp. With perfect weather, few bugs, no rain, great food and a great crowd, I couldn't have asked for more! Thank you to all those who participated in the tours this year, they were really great. Made some more contacts who shared their stories with me but that is another story to come later. We should be offering the tours next year so if you missed out, get in touch with Friends of RMNP or me, and we'll add you to the list. <br />
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This past week I've relocated to London, Ontario, where I'm starting my Masters Degree at the University of Western Ontario. I'm looking forward to it but most of all, looking forward to doing some more research about PoWs in Canada. Hopefully this means that I'll be updating this more regularly as I get into more of a schedule.Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-71144846487769807432012-08-29T09:44:00.002-05:002012-08-29T09:44:45.696-05:00One More Presentation!BIg thanks to the 26th Field Regiment / XII Manitoba Dragoons Museum for hosting my presentation last week! Had a great crowd and I hope to do it again next year!<br />
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In case you missed it, you have one more chance to see the presentation this week. This Thursday (August 30th), I will be presenting "From North Africa to the North Woods: Prisoners in the Park" at the Parkland Regional Library in Dauphin, MB. The presentation will take place at 7:00 pm and admission is free.<br />
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See you there!Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-57998490015351720492012-08-19T19:13:00.002-05:002012-08-19T19:13:23.881-05:00From North Africa to the North Woods: Prisoners in the ParkI'm taking this time to invite all my readers to my upcoming presentation, "From North Africa to the North Woods: Prisoners in the Park", this Tuesday in Brandon!<br />
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Focusing on the history of the prisoner of war camp in Riding Mountain National Park (Whitewater Lake POW Camp), come out and enjoy a presentation about a little known part of Manitoba's military history. Learn what life was like for prisoners and guards through slides, photographs, and artifacts.<br />
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The presentation is being hosted by the 12th Manitoba Dragoons / 26th Field Regiment Museum at the Brandon Armoury (1116 Victoria Ave - corner of 11th and Victoria) at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, August 21. There is no cost and a mini-reception will be held afterwards.<br />
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The 12th Manitoba Dragoons / 26th Field Regiment Museum will also be open to visitors and if you have not had the chance to go through the museum, it is well worth your time!<br />
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If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-27162203874769971102012-07-31T09:33:00.001-05:002012-07-31T09:33:16.852-05:00July Wagon Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8pzhOGaYPmiC95GGFGgN570H_BXGbknH6-bi8SBTg9RUQGVoTnmTGN2DNlFs0dUAni07tdpfGSLnj4skZ5LNLPnbffeo-mjIRIYVqq8Z5cQ2QS119a-n5hbocxJmjWnjTBqojiTrxF8/s1600/IMG_4331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8pzhOGaYPmiC95GGFGgN570H_BXGbknH6-bi8SBTg9RUQGVoTnmTGN2DNlFs0dUAni07tdpfGSLnj4skZ5LNLPnbffeo-mjIRIYVqq8Z5cQ2QS119a-n5hbocxJmjWnjTBqojiTrxF8/s400/IMG_4331.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who came out to this year's wagon tour! The weather cooperated beautifully this year as we took three wagons out to the former camp site. Met some great people and found a few more leads on guards and prisoners!<br />
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Thanks to all of the participants!Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-60866953823125617892012-07-15T21:35:00.000-05:002012-07-15T21:35:00.821-05:00Wagon TourJust a quick reminder that the July 21 "From North Africa to the North Woods" Wagon tour is quickly approaching! It's a great opportunity to learn more about the history of PoWs in Riding Mountain National Park and a chance to visit the provinces' largest semi-permanent PoW camp!<br />
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Tickets are available at the Nature Shop (RMNP Visitor Centre) or by calling (204)
848-4037. For more information you can visit the Friends of RMNP website at www.friendsofridingmountain.ca. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>If you have any questions,
feel free to phone that number or to ask me!<br />
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The tour will also be running on September 2nd, 2012.Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755831611775717886.post-70512184895511061732012-07-10T22:53:00.001-05:002012-07-10T22:53:26.678-05:00Some updatesIt's been a busy summer so far which has unfortunately limited my research in the past few weeks. Thankfully, I've still be able to get some work here and there but not as much as I would have liked. Currently working on building some databases of all the PoWs involved in Manitoba work projects - my last task was transcribing about 1,000 names of PoWs involved in the 1946 Beet Harvest!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_12326EEkXvuWf2cv22FOV1_xCmgDxXQvTYlJ17pLW9wMrf1abGmXmgmZqG7ibmSSYLAp5fm56haMGrZdzHQscQUG4b2zzkW7cxfic-wbkTAc7jeSeq5oM_Q9lBjAGmzEwgXQeQ7m4w8/s1600/DSCN6586+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_12326EEkXvuWf2cv22FOV1_xCmgDxXQvTYlJ17pLW9wMrf1abGmXmgmZqG7ibmSSYLAp5fm56haMGrZdzHQscQUG4b2zzkW7cxfic-wbkTAc7jeSeq5oM_Q9lBjAGmzEwgXQeQ7m4w8/s320/DSCN6586+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I've also been fortunate enough to add some pieces to my collection. Today's post is a Veterans' Guard of Canada officer's cap. With a bit of research and help from the Homefront Museum and Archives, I was able to identify the officer and find his obituary. Turns out he was from Winnipeg, served in the 27th Winnipeg Battalion in World War I and was wounded at Passchendaele. In the Second World War he served with the Number Three Company, Veterans' Guard of Canada. Now for a six-ish month wait from the Archives for his records!Michael Ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09728089362915559216noreply@blogger.com0