Blind River’s Timber Village Museum (TVM) is celebrating a unique approach to Remembrance Day with an exhibit dedicated to women who served with the Canadian Armed Forces.
“This year marks 80 years of Canadian women serving in the military,” said Ashley Young TVM manager and curator. “This display looks back on almost eight decades of dedication, courage, strength, and honour shown by Canadian women in service to their country through the stories of local area women.”
The exhibit is divided into diverse displays of memorabilia saluting service and volunteerism by women who served. The memorabilia is all on loan from families of war women showing everything from uniforms to war letters written by soldiers to their wives and girlfriends in Canada.
“Canadian women actively served in the military. They volunteered their time, money and energy to numerous patriotic causes,” Young said. “They changed their habits at home to meet the demands and shortages brought upon by the war. And they performed these roles while waiting and worrying for loved ones overseas.”
This display features service uniforms, cap badges, medals, photos and more from retired Master Corporal (MCp) Anastasia Dufour who served in all three different branches of the Canadian Armed Forces: Army, Airforce, and Navy, throughout her 35 + year career with the Canadian Armed Forces.
The display also recognizes Blind River’s Catherine Byerly (Royal Canadian Air Force) and Manitoulin born Lt. Kathleen Christie, who served in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps and were detained in an Internment Camp in Japan as a Prisoner of War from 1941-1943.
One stark reminder of the dark side of war is found in one display which is a restaurant dinner table set for a soldier. The chair is drawn up symbolizing the soldier’s absence and failure to arrive for his meal.
“The chair is symbolic to show that it’s the fallen soldier who hasn’t shown up for the reservations,” Young added.
The exhibit will be on display until Nov. 25.
TVM is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 12 to 4 p.m. Click here for more information.