"Remembrance and Youth"

Guest Speaker: Dan Black, Editor of Legion Magazine 
~reviewed by Sheila Clark

Dan was thanked by Gus Quattrocchi.

Against the historical backdrop of service and sacrifice of Canada’s 620,000 WWI armed forces personnel, Dan spoke to our Probus Club about a memorable trip undertaken by thousands of Canadian teenagers who participated in the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9th, 2007.

The restored grandeur of Walter S. Allward’s towering memorial was for each of them a personal remembrance of a special soldier they had researched as an assignment using computers, public archives, conversations with relatives of “their soldier”, old letters, diaries and medical reports.

Dan travelled with Dave Robinson, organizer of the Return to Vimy, who said the students will never lose what they had learned for the rest of their lives.

Peter Craven of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission explained the two year Vimy restoration project, costing approximately $20 million, which made the 11 285 names of Canadian service personnel posted as missing and presumed dead in France during WWI clearly visible once again.

Dan spoke not only of Canadian contributions in WWI but also in WWII, the Korean War, The Cold War, Bosnia and present day Afganistan. Greg Thompson, Ministry of Veteran Affairs posed the Question - "how different our world might be if those Canadians had not made their sacrifice for peace, freedon - for you and me?"

A video presentation of scenes of battle areas, Memorials at home and abroad, and student photos brought to a close a moving tribute to the Youth Tour and the Vimy Anniversary.

Dan was thanked by Gus Quattrocchi.

Helen and Bob with Bob's son, Dan

 

Mike tells his story.

Mike was born in Mansfield, England just before the Second World War. As a young boy, he recalled memories of the War, hearing air-raid sirens, being marched from school into air-raid shelters and the fantastic street party on VE Day. At sixteen and a half, Mike joined the RAF as an apprentice in Electrical Engineering. On his postings, he was responsible for all the electrical/electronic equipment on a fleet of launches and air/sea rescue craft. His knowledge of electrical/electronics soon led him to teaching other technical people in the RAF.

Mike went on to obtain an Honours Bachelor in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and upon completion, took a college teaching position. His first wife, Sharyn's aunt encouraged them to come to Canada. They emigrated in 1976 and Mike worked first in a branch of an English company, next in a security systems and then took a teaching position for Algonquin College in Pembroke. This was followed by a teaching position at Heritage College in L'Ouatouais. Sadly, in June 1982, his wife passed away from cancer. After the death of his wife, his neighbour introduced him to golf. At The River Bend Golf Course he was fortunate to meet Irene and they were married in 1986.

Mike went on to take over the Engineering Technology department at Heritage College and co-worked with two fellows from Algonquin College setting up Mechanical, Electrical and Electronic programs at a college in the Philippines. He retired from his teaching position in 1998 and his wife shortly after and in 2004, they moved into Perth.

**** Enjoy Saint John, New Brunswick in the Autumn - September 25 -27, -by attending Probus Rendezvous 2008 (Catch the Wave) sponsored by Probus Club of Saint John, N. B. -More information will be available at the December Probus meeting.

***** Please mark your calendars: Because the first Wednesday in January falls on the day after 'News Years Day', the Probus meeting has been changed to Wednesday, January 9th, 2008.

Thursday, December 13: Annual Christmas Dinner/ Party at the Legion and promises to be another special time for us. The dinner is $ 30.00 Per Person. Denise request payment for the Christmas dinner at the next Probus meeting - Cocktail at 6 P.M., Dinner at 7 P.M. - For reserving a table, please call Denise.

Saturday, January 19, 2009: Robbie Burns Night - Dinner, Entertainment & Dancing. Cocktails 6 p.m., Dinner 7 p.m. Tickets are $20.00 each and are available from Denise.

June 3-6, 2008: Our spring/summer mini-vacation this year could be to Estrimont Suites in Orford, Quebec. This is a 4 day, 3 night trip which includes historical touring, St. Benoit Abbey, wine-tasting, honey factory tour, etc. The cost is $479/person which includes all transportation, taxes and service charges. Several other Probus clubs recommend this outing, so tell Denise as soon as possible that you will be on the bus!

October 16 - 17, 2008: There is a possibility of Niagara-On-The-Lake Trip - One overnight, two shows at the Shaw festival (1) Getting Married and (2) The Little Foxes, $355/person.

Members of other Probus Clubs are welcome to join our special events. If you have ideas for new events or trips, please talk to Denise Mullins (267-3479).

Note: For all trips, the bus leaves from the Legion.

Notes on Our December Keynote Speaker

John Nikita is a retired R.C.M.P. Superintendent. He has served in Bosnia, Haiti, and Afghanistan. Prior to his retirement, he headed up the Peacekeeping Division of the RCMP Headquarters. John will be relating many interesting stories about his experiences.

Speaker's Corner In December, John Nikita - Recently retired R.C.M.P. In January, Roy Macskimming is a professional writer and a published novelist. In February, John Clement - Speaking in his role as Chair of the BIA - about the BIA's plans for the downtown core. Our program Coordinators, Ian Doig, (613-264-2707) and Glen Pettinger (613-264-9747) welcome your suggestions for future topics and speakers.

Visit our website: www.probusperth.ca