Monthly Archives: May 2020

Second World War veterans on the frontlines, again

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An item from the Legion Magazine.

Front Lines
Second World War veterans on the frontlines, again

Second World War veterans
on the frontlines, again

Story by Stephen J. Thorne

For the dwindling numbers of Second World War veterans—and the aged generally—the ordeals of quarantine could seem trivial given all that they have seen and experienced. Many have survived pandemics of the past, not to mention The Great Depression, a world war, a Cold War, and untold other trials and tribulations.

With COVID-19 sweeping through nursing homes and retirement residences, the greatest generation has become the most vulnerable generation, finding itself on the front lines again, this time facing a global pandemic that by early May had claimed 250,000 lives worldwide, 3,900 of them in Canada.

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Military Milestones
Searching Tora Bora

Searching Tora Bora

Story by Sharon Adams
Photography by Stephen J. Thorne

Just shy of three months after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the United States believed it had found the lair of the al-Qaida mastermind, Osama bin Laden, in the Tora Bora cave complex in the Safed Koh mountains in eastern Afghanistan. Reports of smoke coming from a mountaintop after a previous bombing raid had focused U.S. attention on one area of the cave and tunnel network. They bombed it but failed to capture the terrorist.

In May 2002, Lieutenant-Colonel Pat Stogran led an international task force, including 400 Canadians, in Operation Torii, a three-day mission beginning May 4, 2002, to find and destroy the complex, preventing it from being used again by the Taliban and al-Qaida.

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Ted Martens: Dutch resistance fighter
75th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands
This week in history
This week in history

May 8, 1945

Millions take to the streets to celebrate the end of the Second World War in Europe.

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Simply Connect
Legion Magazine

Thank you New Zealand 🇳🇿

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For those of you that joined in on the live ANZAC Day commemorations online.

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THANK YOU NEW ZEALAND
What an incredible show of national spirit on display!
Anzac Day 2020 will be remembered as one of New Zealand’s most memorable days in recent history – with the whole country rallying together to Stand At Dawn. Although we all needed to distance ourselves from one another under lockdown rules, there was a national sense of unity as we remembered and honoured our veterans and service personnel – those who came home and those who did not.
Leading up to the day, we witnessed families decorate homes, letterboxes, gardens, and even vehicles with poppies, flags, and remembrance themes. Kiwis were learning about their family’s military history, creating poems, music, and even a few paintings too. It was an Anzac Day like no other. And we couldn’t have done it without you.

So, Thank you for coming along with us to help make Anzac Day 2020 a unique and very special event.

OUR WORK IS NEVER DONE

For the RNZRSA and the RSA Support Network, we still have some challenging times ahead. The uncertainty of the Covid-19 situation has left us with much to do. The work that the RSA does every day to support our veteran community continues – and right now, this is needed more than ever. The reality is that veterans and service personnel of all ages require support and care. With the changing nature of conflict, the demand for mental health programs, career transition services, and family assistance initiatives has meant that pressure on the RSA’s services is high as ever.

We need everyone’s assistance to ensure that we as a society look after all of those who have selflessly given us their service. The Royal New Zealand Returned & Services’ Association is a registered charity and not-for-profit dedicated to caring for all those impacted by military service for New Zealand, remembering and honouring those who have served and advocating for the rights of our veterans and service personnel.
A tribute to all New Zealanders who stood at dawn. Anzac day 2020
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WALL OF HONOUR
Join us at the Wall of Honour to commemorate all the brave servicemen and women who gave their lives on operational service for New Zealand
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If you would like to offer support, below is a link to our Givalittle page where donations are welcomed.
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#ShareYourTribute to our Wall of Remembrance

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An item from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
SHARE YOUR TRIBUTE ON THE CWGC WALL OF REMEMBRANCEThis VE Day, as we celebrate the end of the war in Europe, take the opportunity to remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for peace across the world and join us in an act of virtual remembrance.

We’re asking you to submit a couple of lines of text, and a photo if you have one, to remember a loved one who fought during the world wars – or just to give thanks for everyone who fought for their country.

You can submit a tribute using #ShareYourTribute on social media, or upload on the CWGC website here.

Let us know on Twitter or Instagram with #ShareYourTribute
SHARE YOUR TRIBUTE HERE
Want to know more about the CWGC?

The next of our CWGC Live’s sees the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Director of Works, Jon Gedling, explain how we care for our historic global estate of 23,000 cemeteries and memorials.

Tune into our Facebook page at 2.30pm (UK time) on Thursday 7 May for our live broadcast (make sure your notifications are turned on in order to be alerted to this). If you have any questions, then please leave them on the Facebook post here or join us on the day.
WATCH CWGC LIVE
Can’t watch live on Facebook? Watch the recording on our website here.
Have you heard our new podcast?

Our podcast, ‘The 1.7 million stories of the CWGC,’ is now available.

Ahead of VE Day 75, host Jack Sheeran discovers the impact of the Second World War on civilians and how those who lost their lives are remembered today.

Jack is joined by Peter Francis, Media and PR Executive, and Megan Maltby, Senior Public Events Coordinator, to discuss the civilian roll of honour, the changing role of women, the blitz and how journalists reported from the front line.
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A Grateful Nation | The Automatic Spy | Attack on Bell Island

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Note that there are several wartime items in this issue of Canada’s History.

Seventy-five years since the Battle of the Atlantic and VE Day
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Canada's History
Dutch citizens celebrate liberation with a Canadian soldier.

A Grateful Nation

Seventy-five years after the Second World War, the Dutch are determined to keep alive the legacy of their Canadian liberators. Read more

Fiction Feature:
Attack on Bell Island

The war strikes home. On Bell Island in the fall of 1942, the night explodes as German submarines attack. Read more
People hold up rubble caused by a torpedo being fired.

Attack on Bell Island Podcast

Listen to Bell Island, Newfoundland’s fascinating wartime history as a target of German U-boats in this podcast with Teresita McCarthy, the Bell Island Mine Museum manager. Listen now
Two-page spread of illustration of submarine identifying various parts.

Canada’s Sub Killer

This naval commander was not content simply to avoid German submarines. He was determined to destroy them. Read more
German U-boat rises breaks through the ocean surface.

The Automatic Spy

An unusual German contraption served as weatherman on North American soil during the Second World War. In the 1980s, its rusty remains were found on the coast of Labrador. Read more

Curating Difficult History

A May 6 webinar will present how the the Montreal Holocaust Museum’s collections of objects and testimonies are carefully curated to highlight the compelling stories it preserves. Museum curator Andréa Shaulis will discuss what choices were made when developing the museum’s Objects of Interest webpage and how these artifacts illustrate the museum’s preservation work. Register now
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Canada’s History Archive featuring The Beaver

Please note: Some items featured in our newsletters and social media will include links to the Canada’s History Archive. The Beaver magazine was founded, and for decades was published, during eras shaped by colonialism. Concepts such as racial, cultural, or gender equality were rarely, if ever, considered by the magazine or its contributors. In earlier issues, readers will find comments and terms now considered to be derogatory. Canada’s History Society cautions readers to explore the archive using historical thinking concepts — not only analyzing the content but asking questions of who shaped the content and why.
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End-of-term announcements; Hildebrand Fellow updates

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An item from one of our fellow Canadian organizations in the Bay Area.
Canadian Studies Announcements
Last week, spring classes wrapped up for the semester at Berkeley. Students are now finishing final papers and preparing for exams. Undergraduates (and the faculty who teach them) should remember to submit final papers and projects to the Rita Ross Prize (see below for details).
We wish everyone the best as they finish their course work!
Summer Research Continues for Hildebrand Fellows
The Edward E. Hildebrand Research Fellowship provides funding to graduate students undertaking research on a Canadian topic. The coronavirus pandemic has put some of our current Hildebrand Fellows’ summer research plans on hold, but they continue to analyze the data already collected and write up their research results.
New Hildebrand Fellow: Sophie Major
Canadian Studies is pleased to welcome Sophie Major, our newest Hildebrand recipient. Ms. Major is a Ph.D. candidate in the interdisciplinary Energy and Resources Group, studying political theory, environmental politics, and Indigenous studies. She will be researching Indigenous political theory among First Nations peoples in British Columbia, and how political theorists ought to engage with Indigenous political thought. Her dissertation introduces a number of case studies, illustrating the strengths of an ethnographic, historicist, genealogical, and interpretive approach to the study of Indigenous political theory.
Ms. Major holds a B.A.&Sc. in interdisciplinary political studies from Quest University Canada, and has previously worked in the fields of climate change education and science communication for government.
Former Fellow Dr. Brendan Shanahan in the News
The Canadian Studies Program is also proud of our former fellows, who continue to make advancements in their fields year after year. One remarkable Hildebrand alumnus, Dr. Brendan Shanahan (Ph.D., History, right), is currently finishing his first year of a two-year postdoctoral associate position at Yale University, and recently published an op-ed in the Washington Post on the historical importance of the US Census on apportionment. The Canadian Studies Program previously sat down with Dr. Shanahan for an interview here.
You can read our interview with another former Hildebrand Fellow, Dr. Kimberly Richards (Ph.D., Performance Studies), here, or see the full roster here.
We want to hear from you!
Are you an alumnus/a or former affiliate of the Canadian Studies Program? We’d love to hear what you’ve been up to! Please send your updates to canada@berkeley.edu and we may feature you in a future newsletter.
Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize In Canadian Studies Accepting Applications
The Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies was established to honor Dr. Rita Ross, longtime associate director of the UC Berkeley Canadian Studies Program, and supports undergraduate students pursuing a research topic related to Canada in a UC Berkeley class or independent study project. The prize is awarded annually to the student who has written the best undergraduate research paper or produced the best original project that engages with topics, people or events related to Canada. Decisions about awards are made by the Thomas Garden Barnes Chair in Canadian Studies in consultation with other faculty affiliated with the Canadian Studies Program.
Eligibility: The prize competition is open to any UC Berkeley undergraduate student in good academic standing, in any college or discipline.
The prize is awarded at the end of the Spring semester. The recipient receives a certificate and an award of $250.
Application for 2019-2020
Deadline: May 22, 2020
The Canadian Studies Program invites applications from undergraduate students in good standing at UC Berkeley for the Rita Ross Undergraduate Prize in Canadian Studies. Applicants should upload the following to the Canadian Studies Program through the official application form on the Canadian Studies homepage.
  • A copy of an original paper or project produced in a UC Berkeley class or independent study during the 2019-2020 academic year.
  • A cover letter providing information about the class for which the work was produced, including course name, number, and instructor’s name, and how the work relates to Canada.
  • A letter of support by the course instructor or faculty mentor highlighting the strengths of the work.
Canadian Studies Program
213 Moses Hall #2308 WEBSITE | EMAIL
Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley, 213 Moses Hall #2308, Berkeley, CA 94720