Archive for July, 2010

Whether it was quietly lining up to sign one of the Books of Reflection on Parliament Hill or attending a ceremony in the provincial capitals or at Ottawa’s National War Memorial, thousands of Canadians found time to mark the end of an era, the passing of the last of the First World War veterans. April 9, Vimy Day, the 93rd anniversary of the battle which many say shaped Canada as a nation, was chosen as the day to mark the passing of veterans from that period. The announcement was made shortly after John Babcock, 109, died in his home in Spokane, [...]

In 1994 the Australian government introduced legislation to reform the process of decision-making about disease causation. The aim was to create a more equitable and consistent system of dealing with claims for disability pensions received from Australian veterans and their dependants. One of the outcomes of the legislative reform was the formation of the Repatriation Medical Authority (RMA) which is an independent statutory authority responsible to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. The RMA consists of a panel of five practitioners eminent in fields of medical science. Their role is to determine Statements of Principles (SOPs) for any disease, injury or death [...]

Addressing a standing-room-only crowd in the new Omnisportcentrum—a 5,000-seat multi-use sports arena in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, Mayor Fred de Graaf spoke to the Canadian veterans present and those gathered to honour them. “We knew we could not keep honouring your fallen comrades. We had to pass on the information. We had to let the next generation know of the suffering that we went through. And that is what we have done.”

Gas Masks: FROM HANKIES TO RESPIRATORS The worst of warfare has certainly included the possibility of gas or other lethal chemical weapons. Respirators and hoods have saved lives, but they’re hot and take some getting used to on the battlefield. Urine-soaked hankies saved some at Ypres in 1915.

Bandages: From Rags to Glue Bandages and wound dressings have been around probably since the first child skinned a knee and the first cook’s hand slipped while skinning dinner. Strips of hide or absorbent plant fibres were first used to staunch bleeding and protect wounds as they healed. Some of the earliest written records describe using such material to bind up battle wounds.

1 JULY 1916 The Anglo-French Somme offensive begins astride the Somme River in Picardy, France. The Newfoundland Regiment, attached to the 29th British Division, is decimated at Beaumont-Hamel.

It has been 65 years since the end of the Second World War, and this year’s commemorations in Ottawa for VJ-Day (Victory over Japan Day) will include special focus on Canadian veterans of the Burma Campaign.