Friends of The Canadian War Museum

In Person Friends Forum – Tuesday, Nov. 28th, 2023

Guest Speaker Dr. Stacey Barker
Historian for the Arts and Military History Canadian War Museum.
TOPIC: “THE CANADIAN FORCES ARTISTS PROGRAM – GROUP 9 “
The Canadian Forces Artist Program – Group 9 exhibition, currently on display at the Canadian War Museum, sits within a rich tradition of official Canadian War Art, going back over a century.
How did official war art get its start in Canada, and how did it get to where it is today? What links the contemporary artists of Group 9 to artistic forerunners such as A.Y. Jackson, Mabel May, Alex Colville, or Molly Lamb Bobak?
Dr. Stacey Barker will discuss these topics in a presentation, followed by a walkthrough of the CFAP Group 9 exhibition and Q&A.
To Register email the Friends at
[email protected]
This in person Friends Forum is a great opportunity to meet one of Canada’s premiere military historians, so come out to the museum and join us.

November 28th, 2024
1:30 - 3:30
At The Canadian War Museum

https://friends-amis.org/latest/events/an-opportunity-to-participatein-person-at-a-friends-forum/

An Opportunity to Participate In Person at a Friends Forum - Friends of the Canadian War Museum | FCWM Thursday, June 22nd, 20231:30 – 3:00 pmCWM Ateliers Rooms C&D Presentation in English Guest Speaker Dr. Andrew BurtchHistorian, Canadian War Museum  Topic: “War Games Exhibit The Curators Perspective “ Dr. Andrew Burtch is the Canadian War Museum’s post-1945 Historian. As curator of Galle...

Join the Friends for a special Friends Forum on Thursday April 20th, 1:30-3:00 pm in Ateliers Rooms C & D at the Canadian War Museum.
Special guest speaker: Dr. Tim Cook
Topic: "Life Savers and Body Snatchers"
Register at: [email protected]
For those wanting to attend virtually, please indicate your request in your Email and a Zoom invitation will be sent to you.

Events - Friends of the Canadian War Museum | FCWM Join the Friends for a Special Friends Forum Apr 20, 2023  | Friends Forums In Person Thursday, April 20th, 2023 1:30 – 3:00 pm CWM Ateliers Rooms C&D Presentation in English This event will also be Live Streamed via Zoom From Canada’s top war historian, a definitive medical history of the Gre...

Join the Friends on March 30 at 7pm (EST) for another Virtual Friends Forum.
Special guest speaker Jean-Pierre Raymond
Topic: Chaussegros de Léry - A Canadian Engineering Family Legacy
Register at [email protected]

Friends Virtual Forum - March 30th at 7pm (EST) - Friends of the Canadian War Museum | FCWM ean-Pierre Raymond’s presentation will focus on the extraordinary legacy of one family of engineers in Canada, the Chaussegros de Léry Family. This family lineage includes 16 descendants that were military engineers that served in the First World War of which four became generals. A two-part pres...

Today is National Aviation Day! ✈️

A gifted athlete who participated in international competitions before the war, Gerald “Gerry” W. A. Bell enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1936. During the Second World War, he served as an aircraft technician in Canada and overseas.

Bell survived the war and continued to serve in the RCAF at bases across Canada and in Germany before retiring in 1961. Not one to rest, he had a second career in the aviation industry and even helped restore an Avro Lancaster bomber.

Learn more about the service of Black Canadians in A Community at War – The Military Service of Black Canadians of the Niagara Region, at the War Museum until September 5, 2022.

http://www.warmuseum.ca/militaryservice

Gerald Bell
Niagara Military Museum

Join the Friends on March 2nd at 7pm (ET) for another Virtual Friends Forum.
Special guest speaker Dr. Sean Maloney
Topic: Part II The Russo-Ukraine War: The Prequel
Register at [email protected]

https://navajotimes.com/opinion/essay/guest-column-code-talker-john-kinsel-turns-106/

Guest Column | Code Talker John Kinsel turns 106 - Navajo Times How does one become a Navajo Code Talker, go through so much chaos on battlefields, and maintain sanity after being discharged from a military war?

No Greater Love
Painted by Roger Chabot in 2017
Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
CWM 20170170-001

Harold Beament, one of Canada’s war artists during the Second World War, depicts the crew of HMCS Pictou's 4-inch gun and the griffon from their ship's crest painted on the gun shield.

During the Second World War, Canadian warships adopted a variety of unofficial crests, as well as artworks prominently placed on their gun shields. While some were based on the ship's name, or featured characters based on popular cultural references, others had less obvious origins.

In Pictou's case, the griffon was a reference to the ship's commanding officer, Anthony Griffin.

Dawn Gun Stations in HMCS Pictou
Painted by Harold Beament
Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
Canadian War Museum 19710261-1007

- From the Lancaster in 1988 - flying over the nearly completed SkyDome (now called the Rogers Centre) in downtown Toronto. 📷 Greg Hannah

Today is Please consider supporting the Supply Line Program.

During the school year 2021-2022, the Supply Line Program reached upwards of 50,000 students. The Canadian War Museum shipped 428 "Discovery Boxes" across the country.

The enthusiasm demonstrated for the Supply Line Program and the support the Friends provided is reflected in a 56% increase in school participation from the previous year.

What is the Supply Line Program?

First and Second World War objects and documents are packaged up in a "Discovery Box” and shipped to schools. Teachers utilize the resources provided and the students have an opportunity to explore Canada’s military history.

The Friends support this initiative through the acquisition of artifacts and the shipping of the Discovery Boxes to the schools. Last year, the Friends contributed $35,000 in support of this initiative. The Canadian War Museum and the Friends want to ship to more schools and reach more students.

Follow the link below to support this great project.

https://friends-amis.org/support-us/donate-now/

Each year, students across the country submit artwork, poetry and essays to the Legion National Foundation’s Annual Poster and Literary Contest. This year, the Canadian War Museum is proud to exhibit the winning entries — eight posters and two literary pieces.

This is the winning submission by Calgary artist Ella Ng, in the Junior (Grades 4, 5 and 6), Black and White Poster Category

Visit the exhibition to see all the winning entries from now until October 15, 2023.

https://www.warmuseum.ca/event/legion-national-foundations-poster-literary-contest-winners-2022/

Oldest veteran in Canada shares secret to living more than a century

In case you missed it.

Pigeon Creates the Most Beautiful Nest After Secretly Stockpiling Poppies from War Memorial People couldn't figure out who was stealing poppies from a war memorial, but then they looked up and found the pigeon thief.

Two Sask. students awarded national title in Royal Canadian Legion poster and literary contest

Each year, students across the country submit artwork, poetry and essays to the Legion National Foundation's Annual Poster and Literary Contest. This year, the Canadian War Museum is proud to exhibit the winning entries - eight posters and two literary pieces.

This is the winning submission by Eugena Lee in the Senior (Grades 10, 11 and 12) - Colour Poster category. Visit the exhibition to see all the winning entries from now until October 15, 2023.
The Legion National Foundation - La Fondation nationale de la Légion

Today, we mark National Indigenous Veterans Day. This day serves to commemorate the service of indigenous veterans who served in conflicts around the globe, and throughout history.

Artistic representations of veterans are one way to commemorate their service.

Indigenous artist Mike Holden, of the Cote First Nation in Saskatchewan, depicts Chief Joseph Dreaver (1881–1978). Chief Dreaver was a decorated soldier who served in both world wars. Throughout his life, he was a community leader. He lost two brothers in the First World War and a son in the Second World War.

The artist portrays Chief Dreaver in a traditional war bonnet, with his medal set displayed prominently, giving equal measure to his roles as Chief of the Mistawasis and a veteran. The use of a Canadian flag as a backdrop represents Chief Dreaver’s patriotism at a time when Indigenous peoples were not given the same rights as other Canadians.

Finally, Holden depicted a heart at the centre of the uniform as a symbol of Chief Dreaver’s forgiveness regarding the State.

Dreaver
Painted by Mike Holden
Beaverbrook Collection of War Art
CWM 20180556-001

Learn more: https://www.warmuseum.ca/learn/indigenous-peoples-and-canadas-military/

Ottawa elementary students hear stories from Indigenous veterans

Each year, students across the country submit artwork, poetry and essays to the Legion National Foundation’s Annual Poster and Literary Contest. This year, the Canadian War Museum is proud to exhibit the winning entries — eight posters and two literary pieces.

This is the winning submission by Chicoutimi artist Elysa Goyette in the Intermediate (Grades 7, 8 and 9) - Colour Poster category.

Visit the exhibition to see all the winning entries from now until October 15, 2023.

https://www.warmuseum.ca/event/legion-national-foundations-poster-literary-contest-winners-2022/

The Legion National Foundation - La Fondation nationale de la Légion

On October 22, 2014, a terrorist attack at the National War Memorial in Ottawa took the life of Corporal Nathan Cirillo. Today, we remember him.

General Brock's Coatee : Under a New Light One of the star artifacts of the 1812 exhibition at the Canadian War Museum is the coatee that Major General Isaac Brock was wearing when he was fatally shot...