With Only a Suitcase

Ellen Adamsons will talk about her family’s escape from their native Latvia after World War II, their settlement in Kars, Ontario, and the process of writingYou have recently attended a genealogy program at Ottawa Public Library, and this upcoming program may also be of interest to you.

This program will appeal to anyone with an interest in the local history of Kars, Ontario and North Gower Township, or in European history after World War II. It will also be attractive to anyone who wants to hear about telling family stories or writing about family history.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 6, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, Room 1B, Nepean Centrepointe Library Branch, Ottawa.

Please register at biblioottawalibrary.ca/program

If you want to learn more about Canadian immigrants from Latvia, you can go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latvian_Canadian

Italian Canadian Experiences During World War II

This press release was received this morning –

Toronto, December 6, 2012 – A travelling exhibit commemorating the experiences of Italian-Canadians who were interned in Canada during the Second World War is set to begin a three-year tour of Canada.

The exhibit, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Times: Italian Canadian Experiences During World War II, presents through video, audio and text, a rich collection of interviews conducted with those who were interned, as well as with researchers, historians and other members of the community.

Senator Linda Frum attended the launch event today at the Columbus Centre of Toronto, on behalf of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada, under the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP), has given a $277,520 contribution to help produce the exhibit. This funding will also help to expand the digital archive of many projects of the Italian internment experiences.

“The wartime internment experienced by those of Italian origin during the Second World War marks an unfortunate chapter in our nation’s history,” said Senator Frum. “The Government of Canada recognizes the historical experiences of the Italian-Canadian community during that period.”

When war broke out in Europe in September 1939, Canada was governed by wartime emergency measures that had a significant impact on the lives of many Italian Canadians.

The CHRP has made available approximately $4 million for projects to recognize the experiences of the Italian-Canadian community.

The exhibit will be on special preview at the Columbus Centre of Toronto until the end of December 2012 before it begins its three-year Canada-wide tour.

If you want to know more about this subject List of Internment Camps (WWII) go to www.windsor-communities.com/italian-list.php

The DeHavilland Mosquito

This talk, to be held tonight on military aircraft, will be of interest for those people who are interested in World War II history. The North York Central Library published this press release yesterday, and it says -

'The North York Central Library's Canadiana Department is proud to host aviation historian and aero-engines expert Keith Hyde for a talk on the DeHavilland Mosquito aircraft, built locally at DeHavilland's Plant #1 at Downsview. Prior to Keith Hyde's talk on the Mosquito at 7 p.m., aviation history resources available at the Toronto Public Library will be discussed by Canadiana Department staff.

Join us at the North York Central Library Auditorium at 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto, on Wednesday March 7, 2012, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

DeHavilland Aircraft of Canada's Plant #1 was established at Downsview in October 1928 after moving from its first site at Mount Dennis. DeHavilland built Gipsy Moth aircraft totalling 1384 between 1939 and 1945 as well as building 375 Avro Ansons which were assembled from parts sent over from England. Both of these aircraft were used to train aircrews for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan that was established December 17, 1939.

Downsview Plant #1 took part in another significant war effort, building 1134 DeHavilland Mosquito aircraft. Known as the "Wooden Wonder", it was the world's fastest aircraft in World War II from 1939 to 1944 and also the world's first multirole aircraft, which in different variants carried out interception, bombing, reconnaissance and pathfinding missions for larger bomber formations. Planes built at Downsview flew to Goose Bay, Labrador for refuelling and then over to England to front line RCAF and RAF squadrons.

The Canadiana Department holds a reference collection of Canadian genealogy, Ontario local history, North York history, and materials related to Canada. The Department also houses collections from these genealogical societies such as Ontario Genealogical Society,  Jewish Genealogical Society (Toronto Branch), Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants, York Pioneer and Historical Society, and Société franco-ontarienne d'histoire et de généalogie"

Contact the North York Central Library at 416-395-5623.

The Dieppe Raid

The 69th Anniversary of the Dieppe Raid (also known as The Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter, or later on as Operation Jubilee), is today, August 19th.

It happened during the Second World War, and was an Allied (mainly Canadian), attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France.

Over 6,000 infantrymen were involved in the attack. Of those, a total of 3,623 (almost 60%) who made it ashore were either killed, wounded, or captured.

You can check the following three webpages to view more about the Dieppe Raid -

Canada in WW II http://www.junobeach.org/main.html

Canadian Forces after 1918 (including Second World War) Military Records Held by Library and Archives Canada http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-909.007

The Books of Remembrance … The Second World War http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/sub.cfm?source=collections/books/bww2