Remembrance at the Canadian War Museum

Ottawa, Ontario, October 21, 2011 —Throughout Remembrance Week and the month of November, the War Museum is offering a variety of activities that shine a light on our military history and the need to REMEMBER.  We invite you to join us. Free admission to the Canadian War Museum on Friday, November 11.

Battlefield Medicine
November 2–14
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Gallery 1 

If a soldier was wounded in battle, would he survive a trip to the doctor? Learn how battlefield surgeons treated wounds in the nineteenth century and see the contents of a typical toolkit. 

Making New Men: Rehabilitating Canada’s Blinded Casualties of the Second World War
November 3
7 p.m.
Barney Danson Theatre

University of Ottawa professor Serge Durflinger will speak on the subject of his research into the care of blinded veterans.

In Flanders Field with the Canadian Army Medical Corps
November 6
2 p.m.
Barney Danson Theatre

 Museum historian Tim Cook will speak on the context in which LCol John McCrae wrote his famous poem during the First World War.

Forensic Facial Reconstruction of First World War Soldier Pte Thomas Lawless—Avion I Project
November 8
10:30 a.m.
LeBreton Gallery

Christian Corbet, the Canadian forensic artist who helped identify the remains of Private Lawless, will do a public demonstration on the process of a forensic facial reconstruction using a copy of a skull to show the various stages of a forensic artist’s work. Tools and other relevant materials will be on site for the public to view.

Discovering First World War Soldier Pte Thomas Lawless—Avion I Project
November 8
2 p.m.
Barney Danson Theatre

Christian Corbet, the Canadian forensic artist who helped identify the remains of Private Lawless, will cover the many interesting phases from the discovery of Private Lawless’ remains to DNA, forensic facial reconstruction and his military funeral in France. Includes a Q&A session.

The Need for Remembrance
November 9 at 9:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
November 10 at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Barney Danson Theatre

Presentation by the Herb Miller Peace and Remembrance Project, a group of students dedicated to ensuring that Canadians remember the lives lost in past conflicts. This presentation uses both theatre and multimedia to educate and inspire audiences to reflect upon the past military achievements of our country.

 Free tickets available at the museum box office or by calling 819-776-7014.

Programming on November 11

 Free admission to the Canadian War Museum on Friday, November 11.

Memorial Hall visitation

On Remembrance Day, at exactly 11 a.m., sunlight shines through a single window to frame the headstone of Canada’s Unknown Soldier. A limited number of free tickets will be available as of 9 a.m. at the Information Desk. No reservations permitted. This event will also be webcast on the Museum’s website and broadcast within the Museum.

Broadcast of the official Remembrance Day ceremony from the National War Memorial
11 a.m.
LeBreton Gallery

Silver Cross Medal lecture
3 p.m.
Barney Danson Theatre

Suzanne Evans talks about the history of the Silver Cross Medal, a memento created in 1919 as a tribute to the mothers and wives of slain soldiers. A French presentation by Major Carl Gauthier will take place at 2 p.m.

The Van Doos in Afghanistan
4:30 pm and 6:30 pm, Barney Danson Theatre

Two showings of a documentary by Claude Guilmain, produced by the National Film Board of Canada.

Their names are Guillemette, Auger, Perreault… We meet them in the field, as they share their day-to-day military experiences with us. This film gives us a privileged insight into the lives of our soldiers who, too often, remain nameless.

Performances by Choirs
LeBreton Gallery

•  12:30 p.m.         La chorale des 2-Rives (Lycée Claudel)
• 1:00 p.m.          Les Choristes (Western University)
• 1:30 p.m.          The Ottawa Catholic School Board Chamber Choir

Throughout the day

•  Guided tours of the Museum and gallery animations, offering visitors a hands-on approach to remembering.
• Witness to History activities will allow visitors to meet veterans of the Canadian Forces and hear how their personal experiences affected who they are today.
• Wreath-making and season’s greetings Create a personalized poppy and send some cheer to Canadian Forces members.
• Devin Castilloux’s flag, with the signatures of more than 3,000 Canadian veterans of conflicts from the First World War to the war in Afghanistan, will be on display on LeBreton stage (November 4–14).

Portraits of Honour
November 12
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
North Entrance of the Museum, outside

After touring cities and towns across Canada for almost seven months, the Portraits of Honour mural is making a stop in Ottawa at the War Museum. The mural stretches over three metres high and twelve metres wide, and features the faces of the 157 Canadian soldiers, sailors and aircrew who have lost their lives in Afghanistan.

Digging the Trenches: The Archaeology of the Western Front
November 13
2 p.m.
Barney Danson Theatre

Authors Andrew Robertshaw and Dr. David Kenyon will discuss how archaeological techniques can be used to reveal the position of trenches, dugouts and other battlefield features, and to rediscover what life on the Western Front was really like.

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