Our program today was our annual Remembrance Day Observance.  The program began with a video prepared by Ross Newkirk that provided a virtual experience of visiting a cenotaph presentation.  It also comprised information on the terrible human toll (deaths, injuries and family losses) inflicted by wars.  A very emotional recital of In Flanders Fields by Leonard Cohen and a prayer of Remembrance were included.

 

The second part of the program was a presentation by member Robert Shipley.  Robert is a former soldier but in the early 1970’s, as a civilian , he was contracted by the Canadian Military to travel to Cyprus to make observations of the peace Keeping operations between the Greeks and Turks with which the Canadian Forces were assisting.  The primary method of recording these observations were by hand sketches, many of which were shown in his presentation.  Robert provided background information on the purpose of the peace keeping mission and what was involved.  Recently, after 44 years he returned to Cyprus to sketch many of the same locations.  Forty of his sketches are now part of the permanent collection in the Canadian War Museum.   He has also produced a book – To Mark Our Place – which is a history of Canadian War Memorials.