Joseph Harper

[Bill Alexander]

It is with great regret that I post note of the passing of Joseph Harper on April 12, 2003. He was a life long collector and researcher of Canadian militaria, compiling the histories of the insignia, as well as accumulating one of the best private collections of Canadian military badges in existence. Whenever I had a question about insignia provenance or authenticity, Joe would dig into his notes and provide authorities and explanations. He published several books and articles, the most recent being A Source of Pride, a history of the insignia of the CEF. Joe inspired me to the research and documentation of Canadian military insignia when I first started collecting 23 years ago. He was always eager to assist with identification of badges and descriptions of the lineage of Canadian military insignia. His research was shared with anyone who asked. Joe was the father of Stephen Harper, Alliance Party leader. A gentleman, a friend, a mentor, he will be sadly missed.