The War Project The fall of 1985 had settled over Yarmouth. Seventeen year old Samuel Whitman had been given a task to learn something about World War II and his town, a history class assignment. He had always loved history, but he wanted to know about the men who had fought in World War II from his town and what had become of them now. He knew some had never returned. Others were back, living their lives after the war years. Determined to learn more, Samuel made his way to the Yarmouth Legion, where old soldiers gathered. As he entered the building, he looked about and at a table three men sat in deep conversation. “Excuse me,” Samuel said, clearing his throat. “I … I’m hoping to learn more about the war. About the men from Yarmouth who served. Would you talk to me?” Albert, an older veteran with broad shoulders and silver hair, studied him for a moment before nodding. “You’re asking about our boys, huh?” he said, settling back. “Real men, not just names on a plaque.” Samuel nodded eagerly. Albert took a slow sip of his coffee. “The Lebanon Club sent twelve of its boys to war. David, Douglas, Stanley, and Wilfred Bishara, four brothers. Can you imagine that? All from one family.” Another veteran, Thomas, spoke up. “And Rene and Leonard Saulnier. Samuel listened intently, jotting down notes. Albert sighed. “The Dease brothers, George, Raymond, and Ivan, they were overseas for two years. Pte. Churchill, Pte. Gates, Angus, and Gilbert Jacquard, Hong Kong defenders. Strong men, brave men. Angus survived the fall of Hong Kong but died in a prisoner of war camp in Japan.” Thomas wrote their names on his note pad. “Lieutenant Hedley Doty, he survived the Weyburn sinking. A true sailor. Enlisted right away when war broke out. When Plymouth in England was burning during the blitz, he and his crew helped civilians. That’s the kind of man he was.” For Samuel these names weren’t just history, they were real. Then came the quiet part. Albert’s voice dropped. “Not all of them came home.” Thomas nodded slowly. “Lloyd Skinner was part of the Demon Squadron. Observer on a bomber. Never came back. He was twenty-one. Loved sports. Good man.” A brief silence stretched between them. Thomas broke the silence, “Then there was the Cook boy, Donald worked on the family farm before he enlisted. They say he had been proposed as an Officer candidate, but didn’t have the necessary education. Black Watch if I remember. He served as a Private and was killed in action in the Netherlands. The third Veteran, shaking his head, “There are some very sad stories of what happened to our soldiers, sailors, and airmen. Dougie Moores was a pilot, his plane was hit by flak and crashed in France. He didn’t survive. His father Clinton served in the first war and died of illness from his time in the army, also his uncle Arthur Hatfield, was only 18 when he was killed in action during the first war”. Albert nodded. “Dougie was a great basketball player and a provincial champion. You need to talk to some of the other Veterans. Willfred Bishara can tell you quite a story about a Christmas in Holland”. Samuel swallowed hard. After an hour of listening to their stories he laid his pen down “Thank you for telling me. This is good start for my project. Albert gave him a steady look. “You remember them, son. Keep their stories alive. That’s how they stay with us.”

This story was created from script dialogue of the Wartime Heritage, “Time To Remember” stage production (2003-2004), performed in Nova Scotia and in England. Our website has related remembrance pages and story articles: Angus Jacquard Lloyd Skinner Donald Cook Douglas Moores Clinton Moores (WWI) Arthur Hatfield (WWI) Brothers Who Served (Photos and newspaper articles) Wilfred Bishara “An Airman’s Christmas in Holland - 1944”