My Visit To The Canadian War Museum

[Herb Danter (RIP)]

On my first visit to the Canadian War Museum last June I regret to say that I wasn't too impressed with the overall scheme.
Now I say this as personal "constructive criticism" only and without prejudice as a WW II Veteran without any professional qualifications in architecture or interior design.
I did find,however, a few areas that were of great interest to me.
The outside architecture looked grim and foreboding, no aesthetics there.
On the inside I thought there was too much waste space on the main level; surely more artifacts could be found to fill this void.
Looking down onto the lower level we noted that there was much armour on display and squeezed so tightly together that it was impossible to walk completely around an exhibit for closer inspection and also relative descriptive signs were at a minimum.
Then we had trouble locating an exit from which we could descend to this level. At the time attendants were few and far between but one finally showed up and directed us to an elevator which had no large sign to indicate its location.
I did however, have an enjoyable few moments here because while I was inspecting the WW II Sexton exhibit ( a self propelled version of the famous 25 pdr field artillery gun - my Regiment was equipped with the Sexton and these mounts gave our Regiment exemplary service in Normandy, Belgium, Holland & Germany - on The Maple Leaf Up) a group of American visitors came around and of course I proceeded to extoll the virtues of the Sexton and they went away happy that they had actually met a Candian World War II Veteran who actually had some wartime experience on this particular gun.
I was also quite impressed during my tour of the Battle Of Normandy section when my friend showed me his photo taken in WW II and which was hanging on the wall of an exhibit beside the photo of General Crerar,the Canadian Commander of the Canadian Army overseas in WW II.
Now this friend of mine who was accompanying me was George G Blackburn MC, the author of the finest trilogy of books on a soldier's "birdseye" view of conditions on the Northwestern Front in WW II
I refer to The Guns Of Normandy, The Guns Of Victory and Where The Hell Are The Guns.
So, in my "patriotic quest" in promoting our National War Museum,
I would respectfully suggest that maybe we could get some military minds involved and have a professional make over done on a few areas within the Museum which would help to make Canadians more proud of Canada's glorious Military History.
WHY! DO WE STILL "SOFT PEDAL" this important part of our Heritage?
LEST WE FORGET.
Herb Danter

[RHClarke]

Herb,

I agree with some of your assessments of the CWM - there is a lot of stuff crammed into the vehicle area. This is due in part to the "quick thinkers" of the National Capital Commission (which is run by a rare collection of artistic fruitcakes). They decreed that no outside displays were to be permitted. The artsy-fartsy design is also a contributor to the problem. There is lots of vertical space, but tanks don't hang well from celings... Thus some of the more robust items were shoehorned into the building.

Being a federal institution, rules are rules - no matter how inane, they have to be followed or they will find someone who will follow them to replace you. Despite the rules, guys like Jim Whitham are doing a great job with the tools they have been given.

In the main, I like the museum, perhaps not so much for its layout, but for portraying (no matter how misguided) our military heritage.

Hopefully you got a chance to visit the target museum on the Aviation Parkway...

It was good to hear that George Blackburn was out and about. He is one of our national treasures, who I am sure will have some interesting opinions about the museum.

[Herb Danter (RIP)]

Jeez! It sounds more like a political forum than it does a War Museum. It sounds like they 're a bunch of "airheads" ( my euphemism for a stronger expression). Now why doesn't someone in the hierarchy get the "Powers That Be" to forget party politics and all of this political correctness BS and tell the Country what the CWM is and what it stands for. To remember our fighting forces that fought & died and are still fighting and dying and that we are not a Nation of peacekeepers anymore.
Thanks for responding
Herb

Hi Herb,

I know I met you last year and can't recall if it was about the VE Day in Ottawa or another event (I was with Geoff) and for the life of me I still can't place a face to your name, hard as I try! ARGH!

I never made it inside the the new museum, just was in the parade from downtown to the museum. I'm all the way back in BC again now, so it's unlikely I'll get a chance to visit inside to see the displays.

I think the best consultants for how to do and set up museums and contents are those who were involved, when possible, like the WW2 etc parts, and the powers that be should be consulting the actual surviving Vets who served and walked the walk ... you guys and gals are the ones with the experience, expertise, and knowledge and know-how, and really are the best teachers about the realities and details, and how best to display everything, for the rest of us. You guys were there and know first-hand!



Karmen

[Herb Danter (RIP)]

Many Thanks for your reply and input Vets. I wonder if you would kindly send me your "e"mail address at h.danter@sympatico.ca, I would like to have this for my Limber Gunner Association files.
Thanks again
Cheers
Herb

Good to hear from you Herb ... and thanks. My email address on it's way in a few minutes.

I hope you're enjoying your summer (but that you're managing to stay cool in the heat waves!)

Vets (aka Carman aka Karmen)

[Herb Danter (RIP)]

Many Thanks for your reply, Vet, I'll look forward to receiving it.
and I'm keeping cool. In Southern Ontario we are blessed in the summer time with the hot and (steamy ) humid air that creeps up the Ohio and Mississipi Valleys from The Gulf Of Mexico right into our part of the Province and Boy! that is what you may call "sweltering heat"
Oh well! our summers (sad to say) are very short.
I hope the B.C. climate is bearable in the Summer months.
Cheers & over
Herb

Originally posted by Herb Danter
Many Thanks for your reply, Vet, I'll look forward to receiving it.
and I'm keeping cool. In Southern Ontario we are blessed in the summer time with the hot and (steamy ) humid air that creeps up the Ohio and Mississipi Valleys from The Gulf Of Mexico right into our part of the Province and Boy! that is what you may call "sweltering heat"
Oh well! our summers (sad to say) are very short.
I hope the B.C. climate is bearable in the Summer months.
Cheers & over
Herb

Last year I experienced that first Ontario heat wave without airconditioning and had a very hard time breathing the whole time (asthma) and had to have many cold showers a day to cool down my body temps ... it was awful. By 2nd heatwave the airconditioner was installed and that made a HUGE difference! (I was in Toronto for just over a year so got to experience all the seasons they have there)

It is sad the summers are so short the more east you go ... those long drawn out winters are hard for me to get through after spending most of my life at the West Coast Winters longer closer to Alberta side of the Province, but not as bad as Winnipeg or Toronto I thought winter would NEVER end here though! Now its too hot Never satisfied :

Currently our weather is up and down with the heatwaves and electrical and thunder storms, nice and breezy cooler today. Went from 34c in the day to 13c at night yesterday... don't know what temp was with humidity though. Hot and stuffy.

Thats all for this weather report

Vets

[Herb Danter (RIP)]

Hey Vets:
Please let me give you an update on the heat in the summer of 1944. It was the hottest summer in Europe in 25 years. We fought throughout Normandie in 30 degree plus (celsius) weather. We were wearing the famous battle dress uniforms ( made out of the finest steel wool). Besides our fear of being KIA or wounded in action we had to contend with this superb itchy material called battle dress. I know it was woven from wool but Geez! was it ever itchy to tender skins and this type of wool (?) and my tender skin exacerbated this condition.
In the day time we sweltered but in the night time we cooled down - Why? I don't know.Of course in the day time heat you were so "bleeding" scared that you didn't even notice the heat'
AH! those were the Days!
Let me refer you to George Blackburn's trilogy of his famous books ands you'll get a better idea of what I'm trying to get across.
Over
Herb

I always like hearing these kinds of details about what it was like over there then. I can only imagine the heat in the wool, and the "I be itchin' and scratchin'" that must have been such a drag when not distracted by adrenalin and survival mode. (wool makes me crazy itchy like scratchy steel wool too as bad as Winnipeg mosquitoes )

I had Uncles that I know of probably itchin' and scratchin' along with the rest of you in Normandy as well ... thank you for telling your memories because it's personal for me in that it tells me a lot about my Uncle's experiences over there as well. 2 Uncle's didn't experience Normandy for long, but the others did the longhaul in those uniforms and environments

PS: regards George Blackburn's trilogy ... I know of the books but haven't read them as yet. I don't have copies and never got to them (and tons of other recommended books from Geoff's library when I was there that I never got to read either, while I had the chance) i will read them next chance I get.

Vets.

[Herb Danter (RIP)]

Hey Vets:
Boy was it ever itchy and hot! hot! hot!( the balledress) but there's a moment of reflection here ! At night time it cooled right down,and so did the action also the itchy battledress seemed to be not so itchy. That's until Lt General Guy Simmonds pulled one of his famous pre-dawn attacks, then everyone was "on board", so we were not too bad heat wise until the sun came up and then the heat increased. Gawd did we perspire from the heat and also lots of sweat from the fear of getting "it".
I wish I could express my-self Like George G Blackburn did in his famous trilogy of books on a gunners birdseye view of World Wr II
Cheers and regards
Herb

Herb,

For starters, know that I'm waiting for a call-back from a local WW2 Vet's number that the local Legion secretary gave me, who might have some information and answers for your questions ... and I'll email you as soon as I talk to him

Regards regretting not being able to tell it like George Blackburn in his Trilogies ... well, George Blackburn can't tell YOUR memories and experiences like you can, and personally, your stories from your words are what I want to hear because you're the one who lived it, so there There, now you got the feel of my Ma Yappy's frying pan too. No one is sacred or safe from me in here

"Intensity" had to be the most remembered thing about everything over there, hey? And as you talk about the sweat pouring I keep thinking about how horrible it must have felt to have salt-sweat filling and burning your eyes while trying to do what you had to do. Your faces must have really been something to see with the sweat streaks through the dust and dirt?

I've felt the wool of the WW2 uniforms too, and know how stiff and scratchy they are. Maybe the combination sweating and wool made the itchy worse so that when you cooled down and dried off some it was not so itchy anymore. I think heat makes some people itch anyways. I'll bet they smelled pretty good too after a prolonged sweat and a few days, and I can imagine fantasies of baths and clean clothes must have plagued you guys often?

I've experienced some major fear and even prolonged (short prolonged) terror at times in my life and I did notice that those feelings distracted me from all other discomforts I'd normally feel, even physical pain. It's like the fear is an insulation against all else but survival mode. Intense Fear has it's perks when needed for sure.

Wow, what a thread

Vets

[peter simundson]

Herb Did you get the shovel?? Neat one eh. Genuine Cdn WW2.
Peter S.

[Herb Danter (RIP)]

Yes I did Peter and many thanks, we are all very pleased with it.
Cheers
Herb

[tankdriver]

The no outside dieplayes is a good thing. FINIALLY Aberdeen is pulling all of the outside stuff and putting it inside. The Air force Muesum at Wright Patterson only has about 6 planes left outside. Too much damage from weather. Too much cost for upkeep.

[Herb Danter (RIP)]

Hi Tank Driver:
I noted your response to my treatise on the CWM.
if you wish to receive info on my Association please reply to
h.danter@sympatico.ca
Many Thanks
Herb

[alleramilitaria]

sometimes outside displays are needed, there is a museum in indiana with NO outside displays, nothing. just a big white building off the side of I-69 and a sign. inside is probably north americas best display of WWII soft skined vehicles. but just driving by it you would never know. yes its the victory museum