It is the anniversary of several major events in world history in which Canada has played a major role. In 1914 the First World War began, and Canada, of course, contributed many soldiers. It is also the 75th anniversary of the Second World War, in which tens of thousands of Canadians took up the cause […]
Tag: war
War movies don’t reflect reality
The wide, sandy beaches of Normandy, France are a long way from Sutherland Avenue, a quiet little street near the Danforth. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe began. Among the Allied forces landing on the French coast were brothers Fred and Donald Barnard, their school friend Gordon Arthur and neighbour Jan […]
Malvern’s ‘Big Book’ remembers school’s vets
Malvern’s Second World War memorial isn’t a statue, it’s a pair of books. “Adams, D.” It’s the first name you encounter on opening the ‘Big Book’ and it’s just about the only thing you will learn about him, if you are lucky enough to see it in the archives of the Malvern Red & Black […]
Beach bombers recognized
For the majority of the men from Malvern Collegiate Institute who fought in the Second World War, there was one big disappointment in the years after it ended. While many of their comrades in the other services were being honored on the anniversaries of the war, those who flew in bombers were conspicuously left out […]
Former Beacher shares life Over the Wire
June is here and a teenage boy’s fancy turns to beaches, cottages and girls. Imagine it’s 1941 and a brutal war rages in Europe. The Malvern principal gives you the option to sign up for active service and graduate early without writing your final exams. Andrew Carswell was turning 18 and chose to enlist. In […]
