"Education is the Key"
Manitoba, Ontario and Atlantic Canada reported in the National Newsletter’s last issue. We will feature the three remaining Regions in this issue.
A Brief Quebec Region Report:
Lucette Mailloux-Muir is both Regional Director in QC, and Education Chair.
The Granby National Convention from Aug. 11 to Aug. 14 was a great success, and those who attended really appreciated the hard work of Lucette and her Committee. Lucette will be providing information elsewhere, so we aren't asking her to review Quebec's activities in the Education section at this time. However, she has suggested that she is hoping to have opportunities to get into the schools in the coming year as she knows how important it is to have the youth of our country learn about what the soldiers did for us through their wartime sacrifices.
Instead of a full report, we asked Lucette to allow us to reprint here what was part of a very special moment in the proceedings on Saturday evening at the National Convention. Each of the eight Hong Kong veterans attending was honoured by being presented with a very special plaque, a picture of which can be found in Lucette’s Regional Report. The words were so meaningful and moving that we were sure the membership in general would be interested in reading what was engraved on that plaque. Lucette had mentioned that the text was written in French by a young boy, and that she and her Committee had translated it into English. Here is the full text.
Dear Veterans
We are here to say Thank You
You were once young and carefree and,
when the call for Freedom came,
you answered.
You stood strong and full of courage,
and one day in November, you arrived by sea.
As free men you fought with all your souls for liberty.
You saw your Comrades fall,
and regardless of your wounds and your sadness
you remained to fight. For those fallen
Comrades of yours, whose youth was sacrificed,
on your behalf we say, rest in peace in a worthy
sleep, we represent the children they did not have.
And to you, Veterans gathered here today, who valiantly
offered your best years, we say: “WE ARE YOUR CHILDREN,
SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF LIBERTY, THANK YOU”.
THANK YOU for 70 years of FREEDOM
What a fitting way to realize the importance of our Canadian soldiers' involvement in the Battle of Hong Kong, the strength of so many in surviving the POW camps, and the fact that they are still a presence 70 years after their ordeal. That this young boy had the wisdom to understand that the soldiers at Hong Kong have helped to give us 70 years of freedom in this country speaks well for our younger generations. May many more of them be so wise!
Speaking of that sort of wisdom, part of our role as members of HKVCA is to interest the younger generation in learning about the part our Canadian soldiers played in the Battle of Hong Kong. Another of our roles is helping these young people get a real sense not only of what the soldiers did, but how their experiences changed the perceptions of all those around them in their families, during the war, and after they came home. We need to make sure that people generally understand the life-altering factors that affected family members – wives and children – as well as the veterans themselves.
We’ve seen what a young Quebec boy can articulate in the poem written above. What follows is another example of young children being able to express what a soldier’s wife and family must have gone through in those war years. Here is what 12-year-old Lily Coles wrote in 2010. She managed to capture the extreme loneliness and sadness of living without the husband, or father, or other family member that was true for all those left behind while family members served.
In the Prairies
A windy day blows away the crops
The many grasshoppers chirp in hunger
The dead streets not for cars but dust
Everyone inside, waiting…for anything
In the prairies
Our husbands, our sons, our brothers
No men to have jobs to help our families
We are alone, at home, with our children
Sitting, waiting…for something
In the prairies
Some….they leave our home
Some…are undecided, and lost
Lost in the sadness they bear, since it started
We all have troubles…..
In the prairies
Day by day, come expected letters
Day by day, our bellies grow hungrier
The uncertainty that he might not come home
But I know he’ll come home…
In the prairies
Christmas comes and all I give is support
All I want is assurance and peace
The children, although sad, still find a way to be joyful
To be joyful in the happiness they still know…
In the prairies
We feed ourselves, our kids, our friends
We sew stitch after stitch to make warm clothes
For the long winter, lying ahead, so unknown
The cold, the danger, the hunger
In the prairies
The first snow, so beautiful and white
Forgetting for a moment that he’s not here to share it
Children out playing in the white snow
As luminous as the day I know he’ll come home
In the prairies
The day after snow, a lovely porcelain plate
As calm as a delicate white dove
A wonderful wide world of white
Even the tiles of a castle can’t compare
In the prairies
As I think, I know he’ll come home
I know I will be happy
We see we’ll be alright
We just have to stay…
Faithful in the prairies
- Lily Coles is the Great-Granddaughter of Lt. Leonard B. Corrigan,WG.
Education Report From BC
Regional Director Lee Naylor has agreed to act as Education Chair in BC, as well as continuing his role as Regional Director. As you can see from what follows, he’s had a very busy time.
BC Day, August 04, 2008 BC Day– the 150th birthday of BC and a Salute to our Veterans: Linda Quesnel nee Stewart, Murray and Lucy Doull, and I set up our panel display in a tent on the grounds of Heritage Park. Gerry Gerrard carried the HKV flag in the parade. The weather was a little hot which permitted a large crowd to attend.
On September 05, 2009, Murray Doull and I were invited to the First Annual Open House at the George Derby Convalescent Centre in Burnaby for the 65th Anniversary Honoring Canadian Veterans. We set up our HKVCA visual and electronic display which attracted large numbers of the public. The organizer, Guy Black, invited us back for last year’s event in 2010, and now we are preparing for this year’s display on September 17th.
December 10 – 11, 2009, I was invited to the 1st International Human Rights Day Student Symposium, Human Rights in the Asia Pacific 1931 – 1941, Association for Learning & Preserving the History of WW11 in Asia (ALPHA). In conjunction with The Vancouver School Board, Graeme Stacey and I gave two presentations per day in which we highlighted the Hong Kong story. Graeme Stacey, who is a member of HKVCA as well as a member of the British Columbia Teacher Social Studies Association, has recently been named Vice President of that Teachers’ organization, and deserves our congratulations for that honour. Approximately four hundred students from different school districts attended our symposium.
Prior to my taking on the BC Region Education Chair, Graeme and I were in contact with each other in regards to passing information back and forth. Last year’s event took place at the Vancouver Technical Secondary School in Vancouver with over 633 teachers and students attending. They came from 18 high schools and 12 school districts. This symposium was a huge success resulting in the school hosting this year’s event once again. The story of the Kamloops Kid is a part of our presentation. When inquiring at the end of the event about the military list of names mounted in large frames on the wall, I found out that the Kamloops Kid had graduated from this school. This year I will present this information to the students. How ironic!
Graeme and I have formed an alliance and work together as a very efficient team both giving the presentation when it applies to the school system. In the class room I set up our extensive display and we interact with the students prior to beginning of the presentation. Graeme jokingly points out “he is the teacher and I am the historian”. Graeme and I continue to improve on the presentation package.
On February 18, 2010, I was invited to the Okanagan Zone Teachers’ Conference. Our topic was “Canadian Hong Kong Veterans: In Battle, as POWs, Wounds and Closure.” Graeme Stacey and I set up my display and we both gave a presentation to the grade 11 and 12 Social Study teachers from many districts.
Oct 25 – 29, 2010 - Chilliwack Remembers, Chilliwack Military Museum: Murray Doull and I set up our extensive visual and electronic display and spoke with several school groups, teachers and adults in regards to the “C’ Force story.
October 22, 2010 - BC Teachers’ Provincial Workshop in Burnaby: Graeme Stacey, Murray Doull and I set up our display. Graeme and I both gave the presentation to the grade 11 and 12 Social Study Teachers. Teachers like to have things made easy for them! Graeme passed out question and answer sheets and I passed out the CD-ROM titled “The Battle of Hong Kong” that Mike Babin had sent me. Each teacher received one, and all were most grateful. Before giving my part of the presentation I introduced to the class Cam Fraser, grandson of (Tony) Antony Frank Grimston RCCS, who is a Secondary School teacher and you can be sure he teaches the “C” Force Story to his students. Of the 33 RCCS soldiers who fought in Hong Kong, 18 came from BC.
Nov. 6-11, 2010 - Remembering the Past, Hoping for the Future, Veteran’s week at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria: After organizing to take part in the event and due to unforeseen circumstances I was not able to attend. Linda stepped forward and was present at the display and gave a presentation. Gerry Gerrard made an appearance. To try and save cost for travel, lodging and fuel, Murray Doull went over a few days earlier to set up and work our extensive display and visuals. Not sure if I would get over in time to give the requested two-day presentation, I asked Linda Quesnel to give the first presentation, with me giving the second day presentation in an auditorium. We also gave presentations at the display area as approximately 15,000 students, teachers and adults passed through our venue. Murray had to leave early to get back to work, so Jim Trick volunteered to take Murray’s place and come out to assist with the display and help tear down. We were extremely busy! Janet MacDonald, curator of the Royal BC Museum, was very pleased with our presence and has once again invited us to this year’s event.
Over the past few months I have been invited to participate in events put on by various organizations by giving presentations, so I have been working on different battles that our veterans’ took part in during the invasion of Hong Kong. This is a very interesting concept to consider because it helps to educate both students and parents. Today I was told the first event will take place October 20th in Abbotsford and funding for my expenses has been approved. Once I have completed this event I will forward all pertinent information on this most interesting partnership. I have been informed that these BC organizations are very excited to have me give a presentation on the “C” Force story, and I’m certainly looking forward to the opportunity to be involved.
Education Report from AB/SK:
The Saskatchewan Council of Social Science Teachers requested that HKVCA present at their annual convention in Moose Jaw on March 3 and 4, 2011. Through a series of requests and referrals I was asked to present on behalf of our Association. The theme of the convention was “Human Rights” and the keynote speaker was Mr. Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada. His presentation focussed on both past and current violations with significant reference to World War II and, though absent of any reference to the Hong Kong arena, was exceptionally well done and created an atmosphere of inquiry and historical context for the 70 to 80 secondary teachers in attendance from across the province.
The session presented on behalf of the HKVCA was well-attended with 30 teachers, university professors, and a few other presenters who were in attendance hosting later sessions. The presentation utilized the HKVCA’s PowerPoint Presentation and was supplemented with anecdotes and references from “Seared in my Memory” by Bernard Jesse (my father) and “A Hong Kong Diary Revisited” by L. B. Corrigan.
The resources were exceptional, the quality and detail provided in the materials from the National Office were well received and provoked a very healthy discussion on what can only be described as a little-known chapter in our country’s war history. Experienced teachers were all somewhat apologetic for not including more reference in the classrooms to these events, and following a review of our website with them and offering access to the “Teachers’ Zone” I felt assured there would be a strong uptake of the materials and a determined attempt to include Canada’s role in the Hong Kong conflict.
Subsequent to this presentation, I have been in contact with a couple of schools which expressed their interest in follow-up presentations with their students. I am awaiting their calls as the new school year is now underway.
I would encourage everyone in our region and from across the country to visit our website www.hkvca.ca to review the exceptional resources, share photos and memories, create a personal tribute, and in general, stay in touch with our association.
As the new Education Coordinator for the Alberta/Saskatchewan region I would like to invite you to share your stories of updates for inclusion in future HKVCA newsletters. I will be in touch with those who have provided emails in our region, and ask that you please pass this request on to others so we can keep the news and stories current.
- Howard Jesse, Education Coordinator, Alberta/Saskatchewan Region