After a year’s work, the Arthur and Area Historical Society is releasing a book on First and Second World War Veterans in conjunction with Remembrance Day.
The Arthur and Area World War I and World War II Veterans book is set to be available following the Arthur Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 11.
The book was created to honour the veterans of Arthur and area on Canada’s 150th anniversary.
“It started with the community service club and different groups getting together to decide what we would do for the 150th and one of our members, Jack Benham … suggested that we do this veterans book,” explained Gail Donald, one of the committee members.
She and seven other committee members worked for about a year to find and collect stories on each of the veterans from Arthur and area. The committee consisted of Donald, Bonny McDougall, Betsy and Jack Benham, Ian Turner, Earlma Shaw, Annie Ariss, Second World War veteran John Walsh and the late Dave Stack.
It turns out that there would be 550 names listed in the book.
Arthur had the highest percentage of enlistment in the Second World War of any community in Canada, distinguishing it as the most patriotic village in Canada.
“We didn’t think that there were many, and then we started looking,” said Donald.
The names included those who fought in the First and Second World Wars, both those that were killed in action and those that came home.
Donald explained there are a few names from each war that the committee couldn’t find any information on and so there is a list in the back of the book with those names.
The committee is asking community members to come forward if there is any information that can be shared on those individuals.
For many of the First World War veterans, the committee could use the Library and Archive of Canada documents.
“But, for World War Two, those record weren’t available, but families have information … and (the committee members) all knew some or all or one of those families or friends or whatever and they went out with phone calls and emails,” said Donald.
Turner added that some people who they contacted did not have the information or weren’t interested.
“Mostly, they didn’t know because some veterans never talked about it, and so it wasn’t important in their family life and they didn’t keep any memorabilia and had nothing to fall back on to get this information,” explained Betsy.
Donald explained that there were “eureka” moments when the committee would finally get information after spending time tracking it down.
“Some of them, you’d make phone call after phone call … it just mushroomed, so when you finally got someone who really knew something, that was a good feeling,” added Betsy.
On the other hand, there were roadblocks some members didn’t foresee. Jack described one of these in a predominant community member Bill Rutherford.
“Everybody knew Bill … and when it came time to do a story on him, and there was nobody around, we couldn’t get a story on the man and yet everybody knew him so well,” said Jack.
Countless volunteer hours were spent on the book throughout the year.
The books will be sold for $20 at the Arthur and Area Historical Society room, Walsh’s Pharmacy in Arthur, Print One in Mount Forest and Arthur Cash and Carry.
Books will be given as class sets to Wellington Heights Secondary School, Arthur Public School, Kenilworth Public School and St. John Catholic School in Arthur.
“I think teachers will really use these, particularly at Remembrance Day, but also when they do the world wars because these are actual people … it kind of personalizes things,” said Turner.
“I think it’s going to be important probably for future generations too … and certainly to families especially of those that were killed,” added Walsh, who was listed in the book himself.
“Our most modest member on the committee, that could come up with something that when everybody was beat was John Walsh, because … he knew so many of those lads,” said Jack.
