Now at the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre, the Citizen Soldiers Exhibit chronicles the experiences of Niagara’s citizen soldiers in the Second World War. Produced in partnership with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment Museum, this display runs through until December 2015.
Lincoln and Welland Regiment Museum link
Sergeant Art Boyle was recognized at our April GCC meeting through the GCC’s Honouring Veterans Initiative. Full details of his extensive service are available in the April GCC Newsletter distributed to members and which is also available on the GCC website. http://www.gcclondon.ca/whatsnew.htm
Sergeant Art Boyle, who will shortly be celebrating his 100th birthday, was unable to attend.
The Honouring Veterans initiative of the Garrison Community Council (London and Region) acknowledges the service of individual Canadian Forces (CF) and RCMP veterans. As well the initiative celebrates our rich military heritage, both past and present, while continuing our traditions of Remembrance. The Honouring Veterans initiative supports the GCC’s mission to focus on building a greater understanding of the Canadian Forces within the civilian community. A summary of Art Boyle’s service is provided below.
Sergeant Art Boyle was born in the Gaspe in November of 1915. In 1938, he joined the Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD) and began life in the army with a sword and a horse. During the early 1940’s, he trained as a Dragoon, with the 1st Hussars as part of the 1st Canadian Cavalry Regiment (Mechanised) (1CCR (M)). This unit was comprised of the RCD, the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (LdSH) and the 1st Hussars, who supplied the Headquarters (HQ) and ‘C’ Squadron.
Art entered the Second World War as a 1st Hussar. 1CCR (M) was disbanded in early 1941 and several of the Dragoons opted to stay with the 1st Hussars (now a Tank unit) rather than return to the RCD who became an armoured car unit.
Art Boyle(left) at the Holy Roller in Victoria Park this past November with another WWII 1st Hussar, Phil Cockburn.
In late 1941, the unit moved to Great Britain and continued training there. Art was a crew commander in a Lee tank. He eventually crew commanded a Sherman. During a fire-fight in June 1944, Art’s tank was responsible for the sixth Panther tank kill of an engagement. In the same month, he duelled with a German tank at le Mesnil-Patry (where ‘B’ Squadron was destroyed) and won the duel causing the German Squadron Commander and crew to bail out and crawl from the field. Later in the year, he would skillfully maneuver his tank to a position from where he could engage two German Tiger tanks, firing on one, causing it to burn and forcing them to retreat. For this action, he received the Military Medal. Art is also a member of the French Legion of Merit and has been awarded the medal for the Legion of Honour (Légion d’honneur) France’s highest order, or decoration. He completed his duties in the war at Breda, Holland in late1944. Art has been President of the 1st Hussars Association, in existence since 1946 and still attends the meetings.
Our Guest Speaker at the May GCC meeting was Georgiana Stanciu, Curator, RCR Museum. She updated Members on the development and growth of the museum and its collection.
Georgiana Stanciu, Executive Director for The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum
Georgiana Stanciu was born in Craiova (Romania). In 1990 she obtained an undergrad at the Fine Arts Academy in Bucharest (Romania) in the Museum Studies and Art History Program. In 1991 she joined the National Museum of Art of Romania as junior curator for the European Art Department. Initially keeper for the European Art collection, Georgiana became the Head of the Department in 1995. At the same time, she successfully completed a M.A. degree in International Cultural Relations and Cultural Management at Université de Dijon while attending classes within a joint program with UNESCO Paris (France).
In 1997 she came to Canada and in 1998 she was accepted at Université de Montréal, Québec as a PhD candidate in the Department of Art History and Cinema Studies. She obtained her degree in 2006. The same year she became the curator with the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton, Ontario.
GCC President, Jack Scott thanks our May Speaker, Georgiana Stanciu
In 2007 she was a European Art Fellow for the National Art Gallery in Ottawa and since May 2012, she has become the Executive Director for The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum at Wolseley Barracks in London, ON. Throughout her career as a museum curator, in addition to various papers published in Romanian, Georgiana saw numerous projects completed in the area of exhibit development, collections management and education programs. She has had the opportunity to know closely how museums functions in Europe, Asia and North America.
May 2, 1885 North-West Rebellion
Canadian Militia and Permanent Force soldiers battle Riel’s forces at the Battle of Cut Knife.
May 3, 1917 World War I
Lieutenant Robert Combe of the 27th Battalion, C.E.F. at Acheville, France, engaged the enemy using grenades, inflicting heavy casualties, and later took his company’s objective and eighty prisoners to earn the Victoria Cross.
(Posthumous).
May 4, 1910 Canadian Navy is born
Birth of the RCN The Canadian Navy, later redesignated as the Royal Canadian Navy, is authorized after Royal assent is given to the Naval Service Act of Canada.
May 4, 1951 Cold War
The first NATO students to be trained in Canada graduate as navigators from the Air Navigation School at Summerside, PEI.
May 5, 1945 World War II
General Foulkes accepts the surrender of German forces in the Netherlands at Wageningen. Netherlands are liberated.
May 12, 1997 Manitoba Flood
By this date, 5,785 troops were sent to southern Manitoba to assist the civil authorities during the Manitoba Flood
May 13, 1943 World War II
HMCS Drumheller, HMS Lagan and an aircraft from the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 423 Squadron combine to sink the German submarine U-753 in the Atlantic Ocean.
May 14, 1917 World War I
Lieutenant R. Leckie, Royal Naval Air Service, flying a Curtiss H-12 flying boat shoots down the German Zeppelin L.22 over England.
May 17, 1900 Boer War
Relief of the siege of Mafeking assisted by “C” Battery Royal Canadian Field Artillery.
May 23, 1944 World War II
1st Canadian Corps breaks through the Hitler Line and occupies Pontecorvo, Italy.
May 28, 2000 War Memorial
The sarcophagus of the Unknown Soldier is transported from Parliament Hill and laid to rest at the National War Memorial, Ottawa.
(This article can be found in the May Issue of the GCC London newsletter, click here)
From the inception of the Garrison Community Council, one of its Core Activities has been Educational Outreach. Under the leadership and vision of Dr. Don Bondy, GCC established the Starbase program. For years, through the sponsorship of GCC, a series of grade 6 classes had their learning enriched with a focus on science, mechanics, and related careers in a military setting (HMCS Prevost). Ever since the Starbase Program had to be terminated, there has been a significant interest in finding a suitable replacement program which would enable GCC members to resume an active role in an educational program with youth within the London Community.
Recently the GCC Board has approved support in the form of some start-up funding for the Jet Aircraft Museum Education Program which will provide a hands-on field trip experience for grade 6 students from London’s schools and will be designed to cover approved science curriculum units related to Properties of Air and Principles of Flight. This program will provide a learning experience similar to the Starbase Program and, as well as start-up funding, GCC has donated their Starbase materials. Our own members Doug and Marti Acton are actively involved with JAM Education and will be seeking other members to volunteer to assist with the program.
(This article can be found in the March Issue of the GCC London newsletter, click here)
GCC Past President, Randy Warden (shown with Jared Zaifman) works the Legion table while GCC 1st VP Gerry Treble looks on from the GCC display.
The Heritage Fair theme this year was Honouring our Veterans. GCC 1st Vice President, Gerry Treble, coordinated GCC’s involvement and was supported at the table by a team of GCC members. As well, several other GCC members participated at the fair working displays for other groups to which they belong.
New GCC member LCol(Ret) Joe Murray works the 1st Hussars display.
GCC member Marti Acton works the Jet Aircraft Museum
display with JAM Marketing Director, Mike Kestle.
GCC 1st VP Gerry Treble works the GCC table
with GCC Past President Randy Warden at the
Legion table.
This article was first published in the GCC London January Newsletter. You can access it at the following link February-2015-GCC-Newsletter.
CPL Joshua Waring will be honoured at our 11 February 2015 Garrison Community Council noon meeting through the GCC’s Honouring Veterans Initiative. The Honouring Veterans Initiative of the Garrison Community Council (London and Region) acknowledges the service of individual Canadian Forces (CF) and RCMP veterans. As well the Initiative celebrates our rich military heritage, both past and present, while continuing our traditions of Remembrance. The Honouring Veterans Initiative supports the GCC’s mission to focus on building a greater understanding of the Canadian Forces within the civilian community.
Joshua celebrating his 26th Birthday in Kandahar Afghanistan with his Mom, Dayle and Dad, Bob on 15 Jun 2010
The Ninth Annual Beaufort International Film Festival concluded on February 14th with the winners being announced in 12 categories and the presentation of the first ever Spirit & Pride Award of South Carolina to Actress/Model and native South Carolinian. Andie MacDowell.
Breakout’s film Civilian-Military Divide: Bridging the Gap made the finalists list in the documentary category as well as opened the festival on February 12. The film’s producer and director Rob Roy spoke with local media and the Beaufort Mayor.
To view a clip from the film Civilian-Military Divide: Bridging the Gap, click on link below.
To find out more about the Breakout Educational Network, click here.
John McClure was recognized at GCC London’s January meeting through the GCC’s Honouring Veterans Initiative. Full details of his extensive service are available in the January GCC Newsletter distributed to members and which is also available on the GCC website. http://www.gcclondon.ca/whatsnew.htm
A standing ovation followed the presentation to Wing Commander John McClure DFC, CD.
This article was first published in the GCC London January Newsletter. You can access it at the following link January-2015-GCC-Newsletter.
John McClure was honoured at our 14 January 2015 Garrison Community Council noon meeting through the GCC’s Honouring Veterans Initiative. The Honouring Veterans Initiative of the Garrison Community Council (London and Region) acknowledges the service of individual Canadian Forces (CF) and RCMP veterans. As well, the Initiative celebrates our rich military heritage, both past and present, while continuing our traditions of Remembrance. The Honouring Veterans Initiative supports the GCC’s mission to focus on building a greater understanding of the Canadian Forces within the civilian community.
A brief overview of John McClure’s service follows. John’s training in Canada was followed by 55OTU training in the UK on Hurricanes (above picture). He was posted to 137 and 263 Squadrons RAF flying Whirlwinds, a very fast heavily armed twin engine fighter.
Their mission was primarily as intruders both day and night, attacking ships, trains, and airfields. John McClure was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his service. Later, on returning to Canada, John was appointed Aide de Camp to the Governor General of Canada, the Earl of Athlone and HRH Princess Alice.
Post war, John switched to jets, the CF100 (left picture), an all-weather fighter. He was later promoted to Wing Commander. He commanded 410 squadron from 1959 to 1961 as part of the North American Air Defence Command. John McClure’s flight jacket (right picture) is on display at the Air Museum in Trenton. Following service in the RCAF, John was an administrator at UWO. He is married to Lucille, a nurse, who worked for some time with Dr. Don Bondy at University Hospital.
The Garrison Community Council 