No Guns, Just God’s Glory: Tom Wilson. Nov 8

Local guests: Arrive at the Archives at 1:45 p.m. so we can join our on-line guests  at 2:00 p.m.  Author Tom Wilson joins us from the French Riviera. The Archives is located at  178 McKellar St, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0.  

No Guns, Just God’s Glory is a book about the Chaplains who fought the good fight during WWII.  Details about the role of Allied military chaplains and stories of those who died in the Battle of Normandy from June 6, 1944 to August 25, 1944.   

On-line guests:    Join Zoom Meeting before 2:00 p.m. 

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84100493163?pwd=bThlYnp4NXVEOGk4bTB4Vno5Nmo0dz09

 

Meeting ID: 841 0049 3163

Passcode: 512908.     More numbers below.

Rev. Tom Wilson is a local son, who for 12 years owned and managed the Why Not Shop in Glencoe and lived on a farm near Melbourne.  He is a Canadian Anglican Priest who has served in Southern Ontario, Scotland and now the French Riviera. Tom holds 3 degrees, a BA and Mdiv from Western and a doctorate from Drew University in New Jersey. He and his wife have 3 small dogs, a Bichon and 2 chihuahuas.  Welcome home Tom.  Looking forward to your presentation direct from the French Riviera.  

Order his book, No Guns, Just God’s Glory at: 

https://www.orepeditions.com/fr/histoire/566-no-guns-just-god-s-glory-9782815104166.html  

Tom: “I look back with fondness on my time in Glencoe and SW Ontario. I confess though, I do like the winter here on the French Riviera, as it is normally sunny and warm during the days, but the nights are cool.”

 

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Meeting ID: 841 0049 3163

Passcode: 512908

World War I Battle Sites of France, Belgium and Germany

Notes by Ken Beecroft.  Presentation by Jim May.  Wednesday November 21, 2018 – 2:00 p.m.

The Members’ Meeting, held at Glencoe’s Historic Train Station, followed today’s Program presentation, which featured guest speaker, Jim May.  Jim spoke about Jim and Jane’s 2017 autumn trip across northern France, Belgium, Bavaria and Austria, to the battlefields and historic places, significant to Canada from the Great War. Jim pointed out that the itinerary of the tour was geographically based and not chronological to events of the First World War. Overall, the tour commenced in the Belgian city of Bruges, and ended in Salzburg, Austria.

 

The May’s travelled with a guided group of fifteen Canadians, including friend and seasoned traveler Heather Wilkinson. Their trip started in the Picardy and Flanders area of northern France. Jim talked about of summer of 1916, and the Allies “Big Push” Offensive in the Somme Valley.

What was supposed to be a quick victory over the Germans turned into a long costly campaign. The Royal Newfoundlanders especially paid dearly, along with other heavy Commonwealth losses. The tour group visited Hawthorne Ridge Cemetery #2 near Beaumont Hamel. They travelled to Hill 62 in western Belgium, near Ypres. Intense fighting in this area caused significantly heavy Canadian casualties. He talked about the Menin Gate in Ypres, commemorated in 1927, and a place of pilgrimage ever since.

Jim described the official and unofficial type of war monuments in the area. They travelled to Vimy, where he described the terrain and overall history of that April 1917 battle. Jim spoke about the design and construction of the Vimy Monument, and it’s unveiling in 1936 by Edward VIII. Jim’s presentation was accompanied by a slide show of the various sites and monuments.

 

Jim presented a treasured portrait of a family ancestor who died during the war, Pte. Ellwyne Arthur Ballantyne 4th Bn.Ellwyne was killed on the western front in 1917 and was buried at Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery in France. Jim was particularly pleased to have had the opportunity to visit Ellwyne’s grave at that Cemetery.

Upon conclusion at 3:05 p.m., President Lorne Munro thanked Jim for his presentation and slide show, and presented him with an honourarium.

 

WWI Sites of Europe

November 21, 2018.   Jim and Jane May,

“World War I Sites: Belgium, France, and Germany”

2:00 pm. Glencoe Train Station, 

Jim and Jane will take us on a virtual trip of important Canadian locations.