HKVA
President Report – Phil Doddridge
What more can be said about the fabulous weekend in Ottawa.
I know that I speak for all of my comrades who were present at the unveiling, that we feel a sense of closure to the many years spent in limbo, waiting for officialdom to say that we did something for Canada in the 1940s.
I have had so many comments, accolades, and congratulations, that I feel humble, if not embarrassed, at the response of all who witnessed the unveiling. The media coverage, the U-tube accounts, the e-mail correspondence, all has been positive.
It was pleasure to see those who were able to attend the ceremony of unveiling, but, at the same time, one could not but think of the ones who are living but were unable to attend, as well as those who have passed to the great beyond.
GRAVESTONE DISCS
After the success of the Wall, we turn our thoughts to other things.
The secret of success is to never rest on one’s laurels, so what better way to move forward than to “take up the quarrel” in another direction.
A few years ago, the HKVCA initiated a project to place a HK disc on the gravestone of every HK vet who survived the prison camps and who was buried in Canada.
I am pleased that a few words spoken at the general meeting in Ottawa has sparked a response from “second generation” members. John Russell, son of Albert Russell, and Lori and Pat Atkinson, daughters of Harry Atkinson, have expressed a desire to help, and I am sure that when the idea catches fire it will roll right across the country. I have in mind a number of people who, I think, will be eager to do their bit.
I have contacted a member of the International Association of Gravestone Studies who has said that he will help in locating graves. There are many of our comrades who are buried in remote places, and I fear that some of them may not have even a grave marker.
GEORGE
George Peterson has done us proud once again. Did you catch his interview on CBC TV? Once again George is devoting his energies to promoting the memory of not only Hong Kong veterans, but all Canadian veterans, in his support of the program, “Highway of Heroes”. Congratulations to George, with the hope that good health permits him to carry on for many more years.
BOOKS
Ron McGuire’s Memorabilia Room contained the usual vast display of books, documents, artefacts and other treasures related to the military and especially to the Battle of Hong Kong and its aftermath.
There I was able to purchase the book, “Beyond the Call”, by D. Burke Penny, whose uncle, Donald Penny, was a member of the RCCS, attached to Brigade Headquarters in the Battle of Hong Kong. It is a completely different take on the HK experience in that it concentrates on the lives of Brigade Headquarters personnel, a subject that has largely been given little attention in chronicling the history of the battle. Most of the stories we hear deal with the skirmishes in which the Grenadiers and the Rifles were engaged. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it for the reasons mentioned above.
MUSEUM
While in Ottawa I had the pleasure of meeting Beth Kantrud, the daughter of Everett Denison, a captain in the Royal Rifles. She told me that she had newspaper clippings and photographs that her father had collected and offered them to me for our museum in New Richmond.
Sure enough, yesterday I received the package in the mail. There are numerous photos, some of which I already have copies, but other interesting ones as well.
When I have time to view all of them I will place them in the museum and report in a future issue of Wasureru-nai what the package contained.
In my haste to get this to Carol to meet the September 2nd deadline, I’ll close as usual, be good to each other and may God Bless.
Philip