Don Cherry, Hockey Night in Canada commentator, will be on hand July 28, 2014 9:50 AM – 12:30 PM at a special commemorative service partnered by Black Creek Pioneer Village and the British Home Children Advocacy and Research Association. Mr. Cherry’s grandfather, Richard Ernest Palamountain, was a British Home Child who worked as a groom at the Royal Military College, enlisted in Kingston on Mar 16, 1916 served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the First World War. Richard married Margaret Ann Mckenzie, the daughter of Jock Mckenzie -long-time “Head Chief Servant” at RMC on 27 Feb 1904 in Frontenac. Richard (33) had lived with his wife Margaret Ann (Mckenzie) Palamountain (30) and their children Ernest (8) and Mandie (11) at the College. Richard had served previously for three years with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. He was born 10 Nov 1881 in Gloucester, England. His Regiment Number was 835670.
From 1863 -1939, approximately 118,000 children were sent to Canada from the UK, Known as the British Home Children, they ranged in age from toddlers to adolescents, and were sent abroad by institutions such as Barnardo’s, Quarrier’s, The Salvation Army and the Church of England to become indentured farm workers and domestics. Some were welcomed into homes: many more endured the harshest of conditions.
When war broke out in 1914, many BHC saw an opportunity to return to their home country and enlisted as soldiers in an attempt to reunite with the families from whom they were taken. Almost 1000 British Home Children lost their lives in this war serving as Canadian soldiers.
Join us on July 28th, as we remember those British Home Children who served and those who gave their lives. The ceremony will include presentations, commemorative musical performances and the unveiling of the British Home Child Roll of Honour Plaque. http://www.blogto.com/events/world-war-i-100th-anniversary-ceremony-at-black-creek-pioneer-village/
The commemoration ceremony will begin at 9:50 a.m. sharp on Monday July 28th at Black Creek Pioneer Village, 100 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto.
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This book profiles #920 Lt. Lindsay Drummond, whose photo is on the Memorial Staircase at RMCC. Assistance for the completion of this book was provided by RMCC museum curator 8057 Ross McKenzie and e-Veritas volunteer E3161 Victoria Edwards.
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Images: Canadian propaganda posters from the First World War
Left: This is the English version of a Canadian recruitment poster. Produced in both French and English, it was meant to encourage recruitment by highlighting the Canadians’ heroic stand at the battles of St. Julien (Ypres) and Festubert.
Right: This recruitment poster for the 163rd Battalion depicts a Canadian infantry soldier standing shoulder to shoulder with a French soldier. This image, made an appeal to French-Canadians’ illustrious military history with specific references to famous soldiers, including the Marquis de Montcalm, who had died in 1759 attempting to defend Quebec against British attack. It also highlights the links that existed between Canada and France, and asks French-speaking Quebecers, in an oblique reference to the Quebec Act passed in 1774, if they would prefer Prussian (German) institutions to their own. The unit is named after Charles-Michel d’Irumberry de Salaberry, who raised and commanded a French militia unit during the War of 1812, and successfully defeated a stronger American force at the Battle of Chateauguay in 1813.