The Owen Sound Billy Bishop Home and Museum will honour ten of our local war veterans today.
The 11th annual Honouring Our Local Veterans is taking place at the Owen Sound Legion.
Museums Manager Mary Smith says last year they brought in a guest speaker to highlight their 10th anniversary, but decided to bring another one in for this year as well.
She says they were sent a book by author Glad Bryce called “First In, Last Out” — which talked about the role of women in the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War II.
Smith says they knew they wanted to bring her to speak in Owen Sound.
Bryce says she gave the book that title because the Air Force was the first to allow women to fight in the war, followed by the army and the navy … and they were the last women to finish fighting in the war.
Bryce says she had a chance to meet the women who served a few years ago, and she found something in common with all of them.
They all said they joined the war because they wanted to fight Hitler.
Bryce will talk more about the role women played during the Museum’s ceremonies today.
Doors open at 1 PM, and the ceremony starts at 1:30 PM.
Afterward, there will be a light lunch by the Legion Ladies Auxiliary.
The museum has created a plaque for each veteran outlining their service history, family history and any lessons learned during the wars.
2011 Veterans Being Honoured:
Charles Dell
Art Hawes
Gladys Morris
Howard Donovan
Yvonne Inkster
Glen Rawson
Lorne Weatherall
Eric Eastwood
Michael Krulicki
Percy Staight
