May 23 & 24:  Stories & Tales From the Front

May 23 & 24: Stories & Tales From the Front

From the muddy trenches of Europe to the resilient “Home Front” efforts right here in our own backyard, join us as guest speakers and acclaimed authors breathe life into the letters, diaries, and records of the Great Wars.

 

Saturday May 23 rd 2026
10 a.m. “A Silver Cross Mother”
The Memorial cross, also known as the Silver Cross, was first created
in 1919 for all the mothers and widows of Canadian military personnel
who died in service. The story of one Silver Cross mother, re-enactor
Tracy Gordon

11 a.m. “Boys to Men”
From 1951 to 1965 those who volunteered to be soldiers who were
under age participated in regular training and upgrading their
scholastic knowledge became part of the regular armed forces after
two years and saw active service. Dough Heil

1 p.m. “Marching Orders”
The creation and continued operation of a successful mobile First World
War education day program of History Matters. A photo rich presentation
outlining this program’s outreach and development with Jeff Brown
2 p.m. “Canadian Military Medicine in the Great War”

During the Great War the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC)
expanded rapidly to treat massive casualties, with over half of all Canadian
physicians serving overseas. It was the worlds largest medical conference
in the world’s worst hotel re-enactor and researcher Peter Monahan

3 p.m. “Rush to Danger”
A front-line recounting of the experiences of stretcher-bearers, medical
corpsmen, nurses, surgeons, orderlies, dentists, and ambulance drivers
from the American Civil War to Afghanistan with military historian
Ted Barris

7 p.m. “Valor Remembered – A Dream to Reality”
Researching the men and women of Dutton-Dunwich who served in
the Canadian Military and who are now memorialized in the recently
dedicated cenotaph local historian Blair Furguson

Sunday May 24 th 2026

1 p.m. “Bluebirds in the Poppy Field”
On the night of May 19-20 in 1918 a German air raid targeted a cluster
of Canadian and British field hospitals along the railways of Etapls France
six Canadian Nursing Siters were killed. Nancy Iron-Murray

2 p.m. “The Liberation Trail”
A film made in 2017 to mark the 70 th anniversary of the liberation
of Holland, which follows two former 1 st Hussars who took part in the
this theater of war by Lt. Colonel Joe Murray

Admission both days by donation

Step back in time with the Backus-Page House Museum in partnership with St. Peter’s Anglican Church for a weekend of remembrance and discovery. “Stories & Tales From the Front” is a unique conference dedicated to the personal histories of WWI and WWII, specifically focusing on the brave individuals and hardworking families of Southwestern Ontario.
What to expect:
Expert Guest Speakers: Deep dives into regional military history.
Author Spotlights: Discussions on the literature of war and local impact.
Local Lore: Specific stories from the Talbot Settlement and surrounding area.
Whether you are a history buff, a descendant of a veteran, or simply curious about our local heritage, this event offers a profound look at the resilience of the human spirit.
This event is being held at St. Peter’s church just down the road from Backus-Page House Museum. http://www.stpeterschurchtyrconnell.org/. Lakeview Line, Tyrconnell across from John E. Pearce Provincial Park.

Admission by Donation: (Suggested $20/person).
All proceeds help offset the costs of our guest authors, speakers, and event promotion. Thank you for supporting local heritage!

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Peter McArthur: the “horrible, horrible” war

Peter McArthur: the “horrible, horrible” war

Part 1: Peter McArthur, the hardest question and the “horrible, horrible” war

By Stephanie McDonald, December 2024

It’s a question from a child no parent is equipped to answer: Should I go to war? It was what Daniel, eldest son of Mabel and Peter McArthur, asked of his father in the early years of the First World War. 

Even as prolific a writer as Peter McArthur was, one can imagine how the man dubbed the “Sage of Ekfrid” struggled to find the right words to share with his son. His response reveals both his wish for his child to come to his own decision as well as the urge to protect and keep him safe.

Peter penned his answer to Dan’s question in a letter on January 25, 1916, a year and a half into the war:

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WWI Sacrifice – Private Ellwyne Ballantyne

WWI Sacrifice – Private Ellwyne Ballantyne

Ellwyne Ballantyne’s twenty-two years of brief, bright life are summed up on a simple plaque attached to a majestic buttonwood tree in Carruthers Corners. When local author CJ Frederick first saw the memorial tree in the rural area just outside of Glencoe, ON, she experienced a keen reverence. “It’s just a dot on a map. I was not prepared for how beautiful the tree was. It looked like it was wearing a cloak; as my mother says, ‘wrapped in a queen’s robe’. Knowing that this tree was dedicated to the life of someone who had given that life in a faraway, long-ago conflict really made me stop and think about remembrance and the enduring nature of love.” Ballantyne’s story had to be told; Frederick was eager to record it.

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Rooted and Remembered, published 2024

Rooted and Remembered, published 2024

Book launch – Rooted and Remembered: a story of faith, love, and remembrance.

Buy this book. Support your local bookstore or order from Google. Ask at your local library. Contact the author, CJ Frederick through her website.

Launched! Rooted and Remembered Oct 23, 2024

Great evening with James Carruthers, the story keeper; CJ Frederick, the story teller and author; and Patrick, the story champion. We packed the Archives and hosted a few people via zoom as well.

Stories ripple all around us, if only we’re willing to hear them. In 2012, CJ first learned of Ellwyne Ballantyne and the astonishing relationship he forged with two strangers after reading a short newspaper article about the dedication of an unusual tree to a long-dead soldier from World War One. With obligations to work and family filling her time, she wasn’t yet ready to hear his story. It took a global pandemic, with the prospect of lockdowns and unexpected forced time at home, to open her ears, mind, and heart and be ready to explore the roots of Ellwyne’s story that took place more than a century before.

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Remembering

Remembrance Day in the area

Glencoe at the Cenotaph: Park and gather before 10:30 a.m.  Parade begins at 10:45 a.m.   Main Street is closed.  Organized by Royal Canadian Legion, Reg Lovel Branch, 219.  Their facebook page

 

Newbury Newbury Legion Group
Melbourne