Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Witnesses To The Passages Of History

Winnie Burwash went to Britain to serve as a nurse, and after VE Day would travel into Europe to work in the same capacity.


Alongside their allies, Canadian forces continued to fight through to the end of the war in Europe.


One of those stories that happened all over in Allied forces: citizen soldiers excelling in times of war. James Roberts started as a junior officer and ended the war as a brigadier, decorated but crediting those he commanded for it. He would take part in negotiating surrender of enemy forces, and after the war would take part in war crimes prosecutions.


This is his service jacket and cap, and medal set.


A Nazi garrison flag was given to Roberts after the surrender as a trophy of war. Below are court documents in the war crimes prosecution of Kurt Meyer, a particularly ruthless SS commander brought to trial. Roberts was part of the group of officers to hear the case.


Several photographs of V-E Day in various spots are part of the exhibit. This one says it all, the faces of civilians and soldiers alike.


I finish today with a letter by Winnie Burwash to friends. What was ahead for her would be the darker legacy of the war: treating survivors of the camps. Tomorrow is the theme day, and we'll get back to this afterwards.

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30 comments:

  1. Nancy ChanNovember 30, 2021 at 1:28 AM

    These people played an important role during the war.

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  2. GemelNovember 30, 2021 at 4:59 AM

    That V-E Day photo is priceless, the joy of the moment felt even now.

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  3. eileeninmdNovember 30, 2021 at 5:42 AM

    The V-E Day photo is a happy one. Take care, enjoy your day and week ahead.

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  4. RevrunnerNovember 30, 2021 at 6:20 AM

    Again, interesting to see the letters and diaries kept.

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  5. David M. Gascoigne,November 30, 2021 at 6:27 AM

    It is amazing what humans can do to each other, each side claiming God is on their side and merrily killing each other, and then having trials to determine whether their methods went too far. They did,of course, but there is still a great irony in it all.

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  6. William KendallNovember 30, 2021 at 6:56 AM

    @Nancy: indeed.

    @Gemel: years of strain over at last..

    @Eileen: thank you.

    @Revrunner: it is.

    @David: it is often that way in war.

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  7. TomNovember 30, 2021 at 7:11 AM

    ...a witness to suffering says it all!

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  8. Marie SmithNovember 30, 2021 at 7:20 AM

    Interesting to see the Nazi flag in that setting.

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  9. JeanieNovember 30, 2021 at 7:53 AM

    That medical bag is awfully small considering all that Winifred must have had to do and treat. it really makes you stop and think.

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  10. Jan K. alias AfanjaNovember 30, 2021 at 8:02 AM

    I like that joyful photo of the liberation. Could well be taken somewhere in the Netherlands.

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  11. AnvilcloudNovember 30, 2021 at 8:43 AM

    These stories are all so well documented and with artifacts too.

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  12. William KendallNovember 30, 2021 at 8:49 AM

    @Tom: it does.

    @Marie: it always makes one uneasy.

    @Jeanie: she'd have seen a lot.

    @Jan: it was like that all over.

    @Anvilcloud: yes they are.

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  13. Jenn JilksNovember 30, 2021 at 8:58 AM

    It must have been glorious when the unnecessary wars were over.

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  14. SharonNovember 30, 2021 at 9:41 AM

    I'll be perfectly honest, just seeing that Nazi flag gives me an ugly feeling.

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  15. RedPatNovember 30, 2021 at 9:43 AM

    The work the nurses did was incredible.

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  16. BillNovember 30, 2021 at 10:29 AM

    I like the happy faces on the V-E Day photo. They must have felt amazing.

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  17. Billy Blue EyesNovember 30, 2021 at 12:08 PM

    That is certainly a good exhibition you are showing us

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  18. RedNovember 30, 2021 at 12:33 PM

    I think of many other people who contributed so much to the war effort but are not recognized so well. You can't put everybody's story into the museum.

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  19. GattinaNovember 30, 2021 at 12:52 PM

    Never heard about this lady ! But apparently she did a lot of good things.

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  20. William KendallNovember 30, 2021 at 1:17 PM

    @Jennifer: had the Great War been resolved differently, ie with the future in mind instead of revenge and retribution, there would have never been a Second World War. Instead, it happened, and it became a necessity to fight that war.

    @Sharon: it is an ugly symbol of the most evil idea human beings ever came up with.

    @RedPat: they did so much.

    @Bill: that would have.

    @Billy: thank you.

    @Red: no, it's millions of stories.

    @Gattina: all of the nurses did a lot.

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  21. VENTANA DE FOTONovember 30, 2021 at 2:34 PM

    Muchos países se unieron, para luchar contra el enemigo común y eso hizo que se puso final a una terrible guerra.

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  22. AnitaNovember 30, 2021 at 3:07 PM

    So nice to see this.My family also emigrated from Canada to join the army
    I think iit is nice to highlight people that really did a good job so sad many of them are forgotten
    Nice to read and see photoes in these post

    Anita

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  23. carol l mckennaNovember 30, 2021 at 5:10 PM

    Each person is so interesting and what energy ~ to serve ~ ^_^


    Happy Days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  24. CatarinaNovember 30, 2021 at 6:12 PM

    I keep learning about Canadian history.

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  25. magiceyeNovember 30, 2021 at 10:27 PM

    Country before self!

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