Leading up to Remembrance Day, Ontario Ancestors and four of its branches and a special interest group will host virtual presentations about the Second World War, the Spanish Flu, and Scottish criminals, lunatics, and paupers. These presentation are open to the public and registration is required for each.
The times are in Eastern time.
Tuesday, November 2 – 7:30 p.m. – Durham Branch
Proudly They Served: Researching Canadian Men and Women in the Second World War, 1939-1945 by Glenn Wright.
The branch’s annual general meeting will begin the evening, quickly followed by the main presentation.
WWII was an extraordinary six years in many ways, both overseas and at home, and by researching our own personal connections to the war, we can more fully appreciate the significance that the war had in the lives of our ancestors.
Following a brief overview of the war, the presentation will focus on the major sources of information and what we can learn from them, including
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- service records and how to retrieve them
- interpreting these records
- researching unit war diaries (for the Canadian Army) and operations record books (for the RCAF)
- war dead
- essential websites and more.
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Registration required.
Wednesday, November 3 — 10:00 a.m. — Scottish SIG
Criminals, Lunatics and Paupers by Christine Woodcock.
Registration required.
Wednesday, November 3 – 7:30 p.m. – Huron Branch
‘That Freedom Might Survive’ — from those who served in WWII to the impact on those left behind — the role Huron played by David Yates.
Registration required.
Thursday, November 4 – 7:00 p.m. – Ontario Ancestors
Second World War — Researching the Canadian Fallen by Ken McKinlay.
This talk is targeted towards those researching those that made the ultimate sacrifice in their service to Canada in the Second World War. The primary focus will be on the online records and where to find them. Mr. McKinlay will also touch upon records that may help in learning more about those that survived that conflict.
Registration required.
Saturday, November 6 – 10:00 a.m. – London and Middlesex Branch
Exploring A Soldier’s Second World War Experience: Beyond The Standard Narrative by Capt. (Ret’d) Michael O’Leary, The Royal Canadian Regiment, and Sarah Coates, Royal Canadian Regiment Museum.
During the Second World War, soldiers had unique and individual experiences. It can be challenging to understand the wide variety of military service experiences had by different soldiers. Depending on an individual’s role and where they were working, the story of their service could vary dramatically. Using a variety of sources to expand on service records, we try to ‘fill the gaps’ to get a better understanding of their individual experiences. Join Michael and Sarah as they share how to learn about someone’s military experiences beyond the standard narrative.
Registration required.
Saturday, November 6 – 2:00 p.m. – Simcoe Branch
The Spanish Flu by Mike Clare.
Registration required.
