The Keystone Complex filled to capacity for the annual Southwold Remembers Service held each year on the Sunday before Remembrance Day. As he has done for most of the past decade, author Ted Barris spoke at the tribute, this year bringing a talk and visual presentation about his new book, The Great Escape: A Canadian Story.
The commemoration included a service indoors, with several displays from community groups, and then moved outdoors for a presentation of wreaths, Lost Airman Salute by the Harvard Association and C.O.P.A Flight 75.
This year’s silver cross family wreath was laid in tribute to P/O Franklin Leroy Travers who was the son of James and Mary O. Travers of Talbotville. He went down in the North Atlantic in March 1944 at the age of 21 while attacking a submarine in the North Atlantic. He was one of the about 1/3 of Canadian WWII casualties who have no known grave.
This year’s silver cross family wreath was laid in tribute to P/O Franklin Leroy Travers who was the son of James and Mary O. Travers of Talbotville. He went down in the North Atlantic in March 1944 at the age of 21 while attacking a submarine in the North Atlantic. He was one of the about 1/3 of Canadian WWII casualties who have no known grave.
As in past years, Ted Barris’s presentation was full of surprising facts about the contributions of Canadian war veterans which he has discovered through his research and talking to vets and their families. Shots from the movie, “The Great Escape” were interspersed with stories and visuals about the real characters who planned and executed the escape from Stalag Luft III.
Barris noted that the Hollywood movie, released fifty years ago in 1963 is the third most popular film of all time, a dramatic who’s who of Hollywood although, “They didn’t let the facts get in the way of telling a good story.”
His research revealed that in truth, “There were no Americans in the camp from which the tunnels were built.” In fact, he discovered that the real-life people represented by several of the characters in the movie are to be found in the stories of Canadian vets. The operation entailed building tunnels thirty horizontal feet deep under barracks built on stilts; dispersing the tons of yellow sand removed from the tunnels; finding ways to ventilate the tunnels and planning for travel out of Germany after the escape. This was all carried out under the watchful eye of armed guards, with equipment created from ‘nothing’ by prisoners of war.
The stories of ingenuity and courage made for a captivating presentation and undoubtedly a greater appreciation by those in attendance for the contributions of Canadian vets and their families.
Barris noted that the Hollywood movie, released fifty years ago in 1963 is the third most popular film of all time, a dramatic who’s who of Hollywood although, “They didn’t let the facts get in the way of telling a good story.”
His research revealed that in truth, “There were no Americans in the camp from which the tunnels were built.” In fact, he discovered that the real-life people represented by several of the characters in the movie are to be found in the stories of Canadian vets. The operation entailed building tunnels thirty horizontal feet deep under barracks built on stilts; dispersing the tons of yellow sand removed from the tunnels; finding ways to ventilate the tunnels and planning for travel out of Germany after the escape. This was all carried out under the watchful eye of armed guards, with equipment created from ‘nothing’ by prisoners of war.
The stories of ingenuity and courage made for a captivating presentation and undoubtedly a greater appreciation by those in attendance for the contributions of Canadian vets and their families.
Above: Ted Barris with Marg Liessens. Marg has known Ted for several years and has come reguarly to attend the Shedden Remembrance. Her father, Albert Dorey, was killed in WWII Bomber Command. She noted that Canada has very recently acknowledged the role of the Bomber Command, issuing a new "clasp" in recognition of their contributions. She wore it proudly along with the Silver Cross which was passed on to her from her mom.
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