Today I bring this extended visit to the Canadian War Museum to a conclusion.
Canadians Arriving On The Rhine is a painting by Inglis Sheldon-Willams.
Another work by Sheldon-Williams: The Return To Mons.
As noted above, Canadians liberated Mons, Belgium, at the end of the First World War. Two field guns, said to be the last guns to have fired on the enemy before the armistice, were presented by the soldiers to the town. With the centennial of the armistice, Mons returned this one to Canada, and it now has its home here in the entrance hall for the museum galleries.
Memorial Hall was open for the first time since Covid started. This space has one artifact: the original gravestone of the soldier who now rests in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial. This soldier fell at Vimy Ridge in 1917 and now rests in the most hallowed ground of the country. His stone hangs in this quiet room of reflection. The museum's architecture is aligned in such a way that on November 11th, at 11 in the morning (providing it's a sunny day), sunshine will come through an overhead window and shine on the gravestone.
Inscribed on it: A Soldier of the Great War, A Canadian Regiment.
That beam of light should enlighten our minds too to ban wars forever!
ReplyDeleteA fitting conclusion to this series of posts.
ReplyDeleteI imagine the silence after the last shots rang out. What a blessed feeling it must have been to hear silence.
ReplyDeleteMons is a nice city I didn't even know that they were involvedd in a war, but I know that van Gogh the painter was living there before he started to paint.
ReplyDeleteYou've made it a nice peaceful and fitting ending, William.
ReplyDelete@italiafinlandia: well said.
ReplyDelete@John: I thought so.
@Gemel: definitely.
@Gattina: I would very much like to see Mons.
@Jan: it felt very appropriate to wrap things up like this.
...the last shots are the last, until the next ones!
ReplyDeleteLa visita ha sido muy fructífera, por lo que he visto en tu serie de fotografías.
ReplyDeleteThe war did spawn a lot of wonderful art.
ReplyDeleteThe painting is beautiful. I'm glad there is a quiet room of reflection. I'm sure it is especially moving for those who served or lost people in the wars.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully done
ReplyDeleteThe gravestone brings tears.
@Tom: so it seems.
ReplyDelete@Ventana: thanks.
@Magiceye: indeed.
@Jeanie: I think so.
@Maywyn: thank you.
I think that quiet room of reflection is welcome after a day at the museum.
ReplyDeleteThis was a perfect way to end this series, William.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteGreat painting and exhibit. It must have been a relief to see the war end.
Take care, enjoy your day!
Wonderful exhibit to end the series ~ great photos ~
ReplyDeleteWishing you peace in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Great series. I've learned so much. I've said before that it's too bad that these are locked in to Ottawa as most Canadians will never visit Ottawa.
ReplyDeleteThat filed gun’s history is quite remarkable!
ReplyDeleteA fitting conclusion to your series. Thanks, William!
ReplyDelete@Sharon: it is.
ReplyDelete@RedPat: thank you.
@Eileen: it would have.
@Carol: thank you.
@Red: a good reason to visit.
@Marie: it certainly does.
@Bill: you're welcome.
A good ending post.
ReplyDeleteI thought so.
Deleteit has been quite a tour de force, which is an expression that does sound militaristic although that is just a bonus.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteVery touching to know the war had finally come to an end after so much sacrifice. I heard sad news recently about the Ottawa Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I hope peace will return there soon.
ReplyDeleteMany things about the current situation make my blood boil. That is one of them.
DeleteWell Done William
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteWow what a nice but spooky house!I would not dare to stay there!I bet they had jolly good days there back in timeNice post! :))
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming this comment is directed at the next post? Word has it that the Museum of Nature is haunted.
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