When veterans tell war stories, audiences expect to hear tales of heroism, loss and victory.
What they don’t expect is for these stories to focus on the rarely-acknowledged role animals play in war.
It’s a side of history few people know, but for veteran Lloyd Swick of Ottawa, it’s time these stories were told.
On Oct. 9, the Elora Adventure Club will host Swick in a public presentation on this topic.
“This talk will be unique in many ways as people often forget the role of animals in war,” said Ian Evans, co-founder of the Elora Adventure Club, a group formed with friend and fellow adventure enthusiast Rick Goodfellow.
The pair created the club to share the experiences of adventure seekers. The club hosts events that include guest speakers, films and/or the sharing of stories and photos from the road. To date the group has hosted more than 30 special events.
Swick will be the eldest presenter the group has welcomed. A veteran of both the Second World War and the Korean War, Swick has dedicated 44 years to military and public service.
In WWII he was a platoon commander with the Calgary Highlanders, which had a role in the liberation of Holland. In Korea, Swick served with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Regiment. He later fulfilled United Nations’ Observer duties in India and Pakistan.
He is also the author of Stories from Veterans Village, detailing the post-war lives of military personnel.
Swick spearheaded a campaign to create a memorial that would acknowledge the key role animals of various species played in wars.
He saw the project through to completion, taking part in the public unveiling of the Animals of War Dedication in Ottawa’s Confederation Park on Nov. 2, 2012, which was subsequently proclaimed War Animals Day.
The site includes a series of highly detailed plaques depicting many species of animals in war around the world, with descriptions of the facts and figures about the various animals, their sacrifice, and the unswerving dedication these animals gave to their human comrades.
“We all often forget about war, especially as the memories and survivors receded into history. A lot of people know in general terms what happened in the two World Wars, but none likely know anything about the unique aspects of the conflicts such as Lloyd will talk about on Oct. 9,” Evans said.
“This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Elora residents to hear about the role of animals in war from someone who was actually there and is so passionate about the subject matter.”
The event is at Heritage River Retirement Community, in Elora, in the lower level function room, at 7:30pm. It is open to the public. Admission is by donation.
“We hope that guests will … be entertained, learn something new and interesting, and have the opportunity to hear a talk that otherwise none of us would likely have the opportunity to,” said Evans.
For more information on the club visit www.eloraadventureclub.com. To learn more about Swick and the Animals of War Dedication project visit www.aiwdedication.ca.
