CURRENT INITIATIVES (2012 - 2023) RESEARCH The Wartime Heritage Association is undertaking the following research: The Yarmouth Connection to World War I, World War II and the Korean War World War I (Yarmouth Casualties and Those Who Served) World War II, (Yarmouth Casualties and the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada) Telegraphist Air Gunners, Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy (Yarmouth, NS and United Kingdom) Korean War (Yarmouth Casualties and the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada) RCAF WWII Canadian Casualties (Ages 16-18) Preparation of stories and articles relating to World War I, World War II, Telegraphist Air Gunners, and the Korean War. WEBSITE wartimeheritage.com Maintenance and development of this website to record research material As of June, 2023, some 1650 pages of causality names, individual remembrance pages, stories, articles, photo pages, and news pages have been created in remembrance of those who served and those who died during WWI, WWII, and the Korean War. The website now contains some 5750 names of casualties and the details of their service. In addition, the website contains a history of 440 Productions/Wartime Heritage stage presentations and video productions. Thousands of service records have been researched in the preparation of the website. FACEBOOK facebook.com/WartimeHeritageAssociation/ Postings of our website updates, news article links, photos, and stories relating to the war years. YouTube SITE YouTube Presentation of selected material from 440 Production/ Wartime Heritage Association stage and video productions. MAINTENANCE OF A RESEARCH ARCHIVE The Association maintains an archive of war related research, articles, and artefacts. PREVIOUS INITIATIVES (1993 - 2018) PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS (440 PRODUCTIONS) Wartime Heritage produced live presentations of the stories, music, and songs of WWII in partnership with Royal Canadian Legion and Royal British Legion branches, Veterans organizations, community theatres and art centres as far back as 1992. Between 2004 and 2009, stage productions have been presented as part of the Association's Time to Remember Performance Tour Series. The Association presented its newest 440 Productions musical, Echoes of the Forties - Songs and Stories of a Wartime Generation with six performances across Nova Scotia in 2008. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION Wartime Heritage completed research of World War II Veteran participation during the war years. This research was undertaken by individual Association members, and by young people through Wartime Heritage Projects in partnership with the Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High School. REMEMBRANCE EVENTS and INITIATIVES The VETERANS RETURN initiative coordinated visits to host Veterans and their families who wish to visit Nova Scotia; allowing WWII Veterans to visit the sites on which they served in wartime. Since 2005, the Association hosted 9 visitors from Australia and the UK. The following Second World War Veterans and their families have taken part in Veterans Return: - WWII Veteran Eric May visited Yarmouth in September 2005 - Read the news item, Fallen Comrades Remembered 61 Years Later regarding his visit. (link will open in a new window or tab) - Marilynne Darroch, Annette Moulds and Judi Trent (WWII Veteran Bill West’s daughters) visited Yarmouth in October 2008 - Read the news item, Following in their father's footsteps regarding their visit. (link will open in a new window or tab) - WWII Veteran Leslie Hodges visit Yarmouth in August 2011 - Read the news item, British East Camp Veteran returns to Yarmouth regarding his visit. - Raymond and Eileen Jacks, son and daughter of WWII Veteran Leading Air Mechanic William Jacks, visited Halifax and Yarmouth in June 2016 - Jennifer Meyer, her daughter, Rosie, age twelve, and son, Will, age fifteen, visited Yarmouth on August 4, 2019 and spent time with Wartime Heritage to learn about the wartime experience of Robert Ross, a Telegraphist Air Gunner trained at East Cam in 1943. see: Fulfilling the Dream of a Father and Grandfather. - Raymond, his wife Christine, sister Eileen and cousin Sheila Donnellan Jones, relatives of WWII Veteran Leading Air Mechanic William Jacks visited Nova Scotia and Yarmouth on the 80th Anniversary of William’s 1943 arrival in Canada, in June 2023. See: Jacks’ Family Visit to Nova Scotia Wartime Heritage members also participated in various public and private Remembrance Services both in Canada and England. - Wreaths were laid by Wartime Heritage in Nova Scotia, at various Remembrance Day Ceremonies on November 11th. In England, wreaths were laid on behalf of Wartime Heritage by members of the Royal British Legion Downs Branch at Remembering Sunday services. - In 2009, the Association restored the Commemorative Bench at the East and West Camp WWII Memorial in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia to commemorate the Centenary of Naval Aviation - Fly Navy 100 (December 2007 marked the 65th Anniversary of the arrival of the first Telegraphist Air Gunners at East Camp, RCAF Station Yarmouth, in 1944). WAR EXHIBITS AND DISPLAYS Wartime Heritage presented public war exhibits and displays: - March 2008 - June 2008, the Association presented a new Wartime Heritage Exhibit at the Yarmouth Mall - November 2010 - February 2014 Wartime Heritage Exhibit at the Yarmouth International Airport - November 2014 - September 2015 - Wartime Heritage WWI Exhibit at the Yarmouth Mall - November 2014 - Wartime Heritage Exhibit at the Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High School - The Association mounted displays annually at the Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High School during Remembrance Week - November 2018 - In partnership with the Wedgeport Royal Canadian Legion Branch #155 the Association prepared a display of photos and information on the casualties and those who served from the geographic area of the Legion. PRESENTATIONS November 2016 - “Yarmouth’s War History” Yarmouth Library (George Egan, Chairman Wartime Heritage) November 11, 2018 - Remembrance Day Guest Speaker, Wedgeport Royal Canadian Legion Branch #155 (George Egan, Chairman Wartime Heritage) February 28, 2020 - The Italian Campaign, Wedgeport Royal Canadian Legion Branch #155 (George Egan, Chairman Wartime Heritage) CD and DVD PRODUCTION Wartime Heritage produced wartime music and video presentations. (2005-2010)