SWE Highlight: Tiger Moths

New videos have been uploaded, courtesy of the Prince Albert Historical Society. The photo here is taken from a video of tiger moth planes training at the Prince Albert Airport.

Other videos uploaded from the Prince Albert Historical Society include Operation Eskimo, footage of children collecting rubber for the war effort, and a military parade in Prince Albert.

Ben Neudorf
Technical Coordinator
Saskatchewan War Experience

SWE Highlight: A History of the 28th (Northwest) Battalion

Hello, the most recent addition to the Saskatchewan War Experience is a comprehensive history of the 28th Battalion, compiled and edited by Major D.G. Scott Calder, and published by the Regina Rifle Regiment.

The "Ross Narrative," from Brigadier-General Alexander Ross, and "The Official War Diary" are the two main sources for the history, though others, including the Momoirs of Lt. Col.J.F.L.Embury, are also included.

At 365 pages, including maps and illustrations, it is a detailed history, beginning with recruitment.

Benjamin Neudorf, Technical Coordinator.

SWE Highlight - C28 Its Record of Service

Hello, my name is Ben Neudorf. I am the new Technical Coordinator for the Saskatchewan Digital Alliance's Saskatchewan War Experience project.

One of the most recent additions to the SWE project is this "C28: Its record of Service" pamphlet from the University of Saskatchewan Special Collections "Canadiana Pamphlets" collection. It contains a brief history of the 28th battalion, commanded by Brigadier-General J . F. L. Embury, and its service in World War I.

Here is an excerpt from the history:
"On the night of september 25, the 28th Battalion first went into the trenches in France. The battle of Loos, which opened on September 26, 1915, marked the advent of the 2nd Canadian Division on the Western front. . .
The 28th carried out it first important raid on the last night in January, 1916. It was a brilliant operation, and the raid was led by Captain D. E. McIntyre, now Lieut. -Colonel McIntyre, D.S.O., officer commanding the unit. In the trench warfare in the early months of 1916 the marksmen of the 28th established a record which was a tradition with the brigade and division" (p6-7).

If you are interested in the 28th Battalion, and Saskatchewan's contributions to World War I, I will be working on a more extensive history of the 28th Northwest Battalion, compiled and edited by Major D.G. Scott Calder, over the next couple of days.

Ben Neudorf, Technical Coordinator

New Technical Coordinator!

Well, everybody, I've had a blast working on the Saskatchewan War Experience with all the awesome participants that have submitted so much fascinating material, but now it is time for a new Technical Coordinator to take over! Ben Neudorf, an English major just wrapping up his third year at the University of Saskatchewan, is now the Coordinator for the project. He's very tech-savvy and is sure to do a great job.

Cheers!
Catherine Nygren, former Technical Coordinator

SWE Highlight - Women's Military Unit

This photograph depicts a women's military unit marching in the Torch Day Parade in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Torch Day Parade, which took place on May 29, 1941, was part of the drive for the First Victory Loan.

The photograph of the Women's Military Unit marching in the Torch Day Parade was submitted to the Saskatchewan War Experience by the City of Regina Archives.

SWE Highlight - Conditions of competition for the selection of an architect for the proposed War Memorial Museum at Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

In 1919 the Government of Saskatchewan promoted a competition for the design of a building to serve as a memorial to the soldiers of Saskatchewan who fell in the Great War, or World War I. The building would have also contained war trophies and records of the province. In the end, however, the War Memorial Museum was never developed.

If developed, the War Memorial Museum would have been situated to the south-west of the existing Parliament Buildings. The style of the building, while left to the discretion of the competitors, should have harmonized with the Parliament Building. The plans for the competition provides a deeper look into how the Saskatchewan Government treated veterans and planned future memorial projects.

The Conditions of Competition for the Selection of an Architect for the Proposed War Memorial Museum at Regina, Saskatchewan, was submitted to the Saskatchewan War Experience by the Saskatchewan Legislative Library.

SWE Highlight - Operation Eskimo

In January and February 1945 Operation or 'Exercise' "Eskimo" was held in northern Saskatchewan in order to test the effect of a continental, sub-Arctic winter on the mobility and combat efficiency of all-arms striking forces.

This short video clip shows troops involved in Exercise Eskimo coming off the Prince Albert railway bridge, likely south on 1st Ave West, then parading North on Central, past the inspecting group off camera on the steps of the old City Hall, now the Arts Centre.

For more information on Exercise Eskimo, visit Recapturing the North: Exercises "Eskimo," Polar Bear" and "Lemming," 1945.

Operation Eskimo was submitted to the Saskatchewan War Experience by the Prince Albert Historical Society.