Canadian Aces

Ok time to blow off some steam. how is it that I, being Canadian, have just heard about Raymond Collishaw, Donald Maclaren, William Barker. This through the Aerodrome Aces page. Even William Bishop and his unbelievable strike on Jasta aerodrome , by himself. My oh my, Imagine if these guy were American, British , or German I'm sure they would be household names. Even Bishop with 72 only 8 behind that Red german guy. Now I wonder if the Red Baron had fought under the Canadian colours. I know us Canadians like to be quiet but these fellows are HUGE Canadian heros. Why arnt they in our schools in basic history class. For the record I'm 39 and took Canadian history.

[Rod_Filan]

Okay, I know Canadians are pretty apathetic, but hey... what are we gonna do about it?

Ash- chk out Canadian Air Aces and Heroes and catch up on your higher learning.

VBR
Rod

[Jim]

Yes it is indeed a shame that we seem to have forgotten to teach our history in our schools. I am about 10 years older than you and I remember being taught about Bishop, Collishaw Barker et al.
Jack Granetstien's book "Who Killed Canadian History" will probably give you the best explanation as to why. His book should be available in your local library

An interesting story.
I just got the Bishop T-shirt (plug for the forum and its excellent t-shirts) and wore it to a computer seminar. A woman asked me if the flag was Canadian, I told her it used to be. She asked me who Bishop was. I explained it and found out she was born and raised in Toronto. She told me that she was not taught about WW1 and WW2 history. Sad commentary about education.

[Billy_Bishop]

You mean to tell me, I'm not the ONLY person who bought the Billy Bishop T-Shirt from the Aerodrome?? WOW!!

Wait, am I the Only AMERICAN, who bought the Billy Bishop T-Shirt???

VBR,

Al Lowe
The Billy Bishop Zone!!!

Forumites, please excuse me while I deliver a short lecture to Ashley. The answer to your question, sir, is that YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION. Do not blame the education system (which is everybody's whipping boy) and do not blame it on some national characteristic of reticence (the nation is at least the sum of its citizens, and when describing so-called "Canadian ignorance" or "excessive modesty", remember Pogo - "We have met the enemy and they are us !".

Now, to rectify the results of inattention, I suggest the following:

(a) head to the reference section of your public library and consult the third edition of O.A. Cooke, THE CANADIAN MILITARY EXPERIENCE 1867-1995: A BIBLIOGRAPHY, pages 305 to 370

(B) at the same library, take out copies of R.V. Dodds' THE BRAVE YOUNG WINGS; follow that up with S.F. Wise's book CANADIAN AIRMEN AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR. For context and overview of Canadian military history, see Desmond Morton, A MILITARY HISTORY OF CANADA. Note all the books and sources to which they refer, including such old classics as THE ARMED FORCES OF CANADA, 1867-1967 D.J. Goodspeed.

© consult the following web page: http://www.rbstudiobooks.com

(d) get onto the mailing list of Canav Books, 51 Balsam Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4E 3B6.

(e) join the Canadian Aviation Historical Society (Box 224, Willowdale, Ontario) - they have a web page.

(f) subscribe to CANADIAN MILITARY HISTORY, published by Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5 (four issues per year, at $ 32.00 Canadian per year).

(g) treat the internet with caution; a friend has described it as "a river of information, one mile wide and one inch deep". I agree.

(h) stop moaning in self-pity about how much more other nations know about their history than we do. Outside of enthusiast circles such as populate these web pages, most nations have equally ill-informed citizens. Stop a Belgian on the street and ask him who was Coppens. In an American shopping centre, ask ten people your age, at random, to name any military hero of this century. Chances are, they will come up with leaders like Paton and McArthur (because somebody made movies about him) and Eisenhower - but the names of the aces and Medal of Honour winners will elude them.

Remember, history is essentially adult entertainment. Now get out there and entertain yourself !

"Why arnt they in our schools in basic history class. For the record I'm 39 and took Canadian history. "

I sure didn't get a snif of WWI(the war which pretty much forged our Nation out of bone, blood and fire), until High school when a little computer game called "The Red Baron" made it's way to a shop near me in Edmonton...

I daresay I must even (respectfully)disagree with Hugh, in that education needs a MAJOR slap upside the head for this horrible omission of arguably the most important event in our nation's history. Imagine if the American Revolution was not taught in the USA??? Hell if i can take Frontinac and Louis Riel(sp?whatever..) kids can take a few dates and facts from WWI. Ahh but Canada is such a peaceful country which does not like to "glorify" war by teaching it, don't see how a few dates and facts could glorify it, oh well.

BTW look up Alfred Atkey, and I also highly recommend:

http://www.accessweb.com/users/mconstab/

The Canadian air aces and heros site. Be sure to check out Alan Mcleod, not all heros of the air were fighter pilots.

I have to agree with Kory, Hugh. I paid attention all to well and we didnt even touch WW1 or WW2. It was on my own accord to read about both. I myself concentrated on the ground battles that Canada fought like Vimy, Ypres, Mons and so on. Like you kindly suggest the material is there but not the introduction. Like Kory said WW1 forged are nation, but it is just not in the corriculum, So heres to the Summit Series in 72, I know we know this like the back of our hands. P.S. I beleive it is only just recently Vimy Ridge is getting the attention it so well deserves.

[Barrett]

I agree with Hugh. And speaking of Forum T-shirts, last year I was wearing my Frank Luke shirt on a hot, balmy Arizona winter (!) day when a clerk in the postal orifice asked me "Who's he?" Uncharacteristically, I replied in a level, even voice, "The man for whom they named Luke AFB."
"Oh. You wanted how many stamps?"
Incidentally, it looks as if LAFB probably will go away. The corrupt politicians (Dems are bad; Republicans are worst) in this state are determined to turn that area into condos. Where the blue-suiters will park the 56th TTW is anybody's guess. Hmmm...lessee...if I had to find ramp space for 8 F-16 squadrons, what congressional district would I choose?

I agree with Hugh's list of books - there are some good sources out there, but we as a nation tend to downplay any facet of our character with would even hint at militarism. Have you noticed that the only entry for World War Two in the Heritage Moments series (hope I have the right name for the series) features a female aircraft ferry pilot. No mention of the million plus Canadian men who served in the conflict
A few months ago, as I sat in a local theatre watching "Saving Private Ryan", I wondered to myself if I was the only person in the building who was aware that on that same morning in June,1944, a few miles away, a battalion of my fellow New Brunswickers, the North Shore Regiment, was going through the same hell, or that more Commonwealth troops landed on D-Day than Americans..
One problem we as Canadians have is our proximity to the USA and its overpowering culture. We see revisionist history like "U-571" or "The Patriot" churned out by Hollywood, and our kids believe that it was the Yanks who captured the secret codes (not the Brits, who really did) or that the British army in the Revolutionary war was worse than the Nazis. I have even heard a rumour that Hollywood is going to do a movie on the escape from Colditz (WW2), but naturally with American POWs instead of Brits.
We can never hope to compete with our neighbours. Let's face it, American culture is the dominant one on the planet. But surely our government agencies like CBC,etc. could do more to promote our heroes instead of producing crap like "The Valour and The Horror" and the ridiculous Billy Bishop efforts.