RIP George Blackburn

[cmperry4]

Just read on CP news wire that George Blackburn has died. He wrote the "Guns" books - some of the best writing on Second World War I have read, and had a lot to do with inspiring interest in the war, and vehicles. Hope the media gives this some decent attention.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

AHHHHH....SHIT.

There's nothing more I can say, for now. Please post details as you find them.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

George Blackburn, journalist, war hero, musician, author, dead at 90
Published: Thursday, November 16, 2006 | 12:23 PM ET
Canadian Press: JOHN WARD
OTTAWA (CP) - George Blackburn, who was a journalist, a composer, a songwriter, a public servant, a war hero and an acclaimed author, has died at the age of 90.

He was a gregarious, fun-loving, piano-playing story-teller with a twinkling eye and a gift for a telling phrase. He wrote award-winning songs, a play that was performed in a purpose-built theatre at Upper Canada Village, and produced and wrote TV and radio documentaries.

His three-volume memoir of his harrowing, Second World War career as a forward artillery observer, won praise when it was published in the 1990s. He was showered with prizes and awards, including the Order of Canada.

The books, The Guns of Normandy, The Guns of Victory and Where the Hell are the Guns?, recounted his war experiences, running from the last, idyllic pre-war summer of 1939 when he was working as a journalist in Pembroke, Ont., through the hellish time on the front lines calling down artillery fire on enemy positions.

They were written in an unusual first-person style, which gave them a chilling "you are there" realism and they offered a unique account of the role that the gunners played in the bitter, brutal campaign from Normandy through the Netherlands.

Blackburn was one of the longest-serving forward observers in the Canadian army. It was a dangerous job and most of his fellow observers were killed or wounded as they plied their hazardous trade within sight of the enemy.

The observers job was to direct fire from gun batteries positioned well behind them onto enemy targets, correcting the aim of the gunners as they fired. Because they controlled the deadly artillery they were high priority targets for the Germans, who knew if they killed the observer, they blinded the gunners.

Blackburn won the Military Cross for his work protecting a Canadian bridgehead across a Dutch canal.

His memoirs stirred a chord in readers.

"Anyone who reads this book will put it down in wonderment, whispering softly to himself, 'So that's what it was like'," wrote Cliff Chadderton of the War Amps.

Quill and Quire, in a review of The Guns of Normandy, said the book "brings us as close as we will ever come to the tension, savagery, and turmoil of the fighting in Normandy half a century ago.

"The immediacy of Blackburn's narrative, his empathy with the fighting men, and his professional insight put The Guns of Normandy in a class of its own as a military memoir."

The Calgary Herald described it as "one of the best books to come out of the Second World War."

Blackburn was born in 1916 in a farmhouse near Wales, Ont., a small village which was eventually submerged beneath the waters of the St. Lawrence Seaway. That inspired him, years later, to write a musical about the seaway, called A Day to Remember.

He was Pembroke correspondent for the Ottawa Journal newspaper when the war broke out in September 1939. He joined the army almost immediately.

After returning home, he became director of information for the federal Labour Department.

He wrote a ubiquitous jingle called Why Wait for Spring? Do It Now that was pervasive on the air waves in the 1960s as the theme of a highly successful winter works program.

In recent years, Blackburn was active in veterans' causes, taking part in memorial trips to the Netherlands.

This fall, he travelled to Shilo, Man., for the last of his annual visits to young artillery officers in training. He often spoke of the need for young people to remember the sacrifices made by the soldiers of yesterday.

He was married to Grace Fortington for 60 years and was hit hard by her death four years ago. They had three children, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

[Barry Churcher]

Sorry to take up so much space but there are a couple of added bits of info in this email I just received.
Cheers,
Barry

Subject: Passing of Capt George Blackburn, CM, MC



The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery sincerely regrets to announce the passing of Capt George G. Blackburn, CM, MC. A celebration of George's life will be held on Saturday, November 18, at Pinecrest Visitation Centre, 2500 Baseline Road, Ottawa, from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

BLACKBURN, George G. Peacefully, in his sleep, at 11:11 a.m. November 15, 2006, in his 90th year at Ottawa's General Hospital where he'd been diagnosed with cancer. Predeceased by his wife of 60 years Grace Fortington, four years ago. Survived by three children, daughter Andrea of Tallahassee, Florida, his sons Mark of Winnipeg and Ron of Ottawa. George G. Blackburn is also survived by grandchildren Kim, David, Aaron, Ben, and Maxine, and by great-grandchildren Victoria, Matthew, Thomas, Emily and Lochlan. A man of many talents, including gifted pianist/composer, he suddenly found himself, late in life, with hundreds of new friends from around the world after authoring a WWII book trilogy, the first of which "Guns of Normandy", was winner ten years ago of the Ottawa Citizen Book of the Year Award (1996). The books provided a first hand account of Canadian soldiers in action but didn't include details of how the author, as a young artillery officer, was awarded the Military Cross in 1944 for helping save a key bridgehead at the Twente Canal in Holland. Late-in-life awards included the Order of Canada, the French Legion of Honour, the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction. Earlier awards included honours for plays and films of note. After a pre-war stint as reporter for the Ottawa Journal in Pembroke, Captain George Blackburn returned from Europe to serve as Director of Information, and Director of Fair Employment Practices, for the Federal Department of Labour. Starting in the 1950's he became producer of the longest-running radio show "Canada at Work", as well as an award-winning documentary film script writer, which films included topics on the Older Worker; Anti-Discrimination; a film starring Wayne & Schuster called "You can Go a Long Way", encouraging teenagers to stay in high school rather than drop out; and the country's most successful government campaign, "Why wait for Spring? Do It Now!" Winter Works Campaign, which revolutionized winter construction and employment during the winter months. Born in 1917 in a farmhouse near Wales, Ontario, a village which disappeared beneath the waters of the St. Lawrence Seaway, George Blackburn would later commemorate the "saga of the Seaway", in his musical play "A Day to Remember" whose songs were among hundreds for which he composed words and music. His musical was professionally performed for two summers, at a theatre of his own creation, near Upper Canada Village. His last expressed wish was that "young people" be made aware of the sacrifice made by (generations of) soldiers on behalf of Canadian freedom." Only weeks ago, he'd made his final, annual visit to Manitoba's Camp Shilo - to address Canada's young artillery officers. On a personal note, George Blackburn never "talked the talk" of organized religion - though he believed in a creator God. But he "walked the walk" never allowing anyone to "pick up the tab" at any event he attended, and providing a life long banquet for widows and others who could never replay him in kind. A great man, profoundly missed by those who survive him. A celebration of George's life will be held on Saturday, November 18, at Pinecrest Visitation Centre, 2500 Baseline Road, Ottawa, from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.





S.D. Lloyd

Captain

Regimental Adjutant RCA

CSN 258-3535/Comm 204-765-3000 ext 3535

lloyd.sd@forces.gc.ca

www.artillery.net

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

I was saddened to learn of Georges death..It was last November 11Th,2005 that I spent some time with George ,visiting with him in The Ottawa General Hospital...He had suffered a stroke the previous week and was in hospital for Rememberance Day...a meaningfull day for George and I was proud to say he was my friend...
My condolences to his family and especially to his son Ron ,who spent so much time with his father in the waning years..
We have all lost a true Canadian hero...
Rest In Peace...

[peter simundson]

For those who are interested CFB Shilo still has a few signed copies of his books available. They are the normal selling price of the books but you should ask for them.
Peter Simundson

[RHClarke]

George will be missed, but his legacy will live on in his fine written work.

Stand Easy, FOO.

George Blackburn was a very good friend of our own MLU member Herb Danter.

My condolences to you Herb, on losing your good friend George.

With Herb's permission I am posting this photo of Herb and George Blackburn at an event.


Carman

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by Vets Dottir
George Blackburn was a very good friend of our own MLU member Herb Danter.

My condolences to you Herb, on losing your good friend George.

With Herb's permission I am posting this photo of Herb and George Blackburn at an event.


Carman

Hi carmen
That picture of George and Herb was taken in Coe Hill on Warriors day of 2005..about three months before George had his stroke.
Here is a picture of George ,taking the salute as he passed the reviewing stand at the same day's parade ..
I wrote up an article in Convoy magazine on the events of the weekend and took some extra copies to George in the Hospital on Rememberance Day ,Nov.11 2005..
I was pleased when he signed my copy.."To Alex from your friend,George Blackburn" 11 Nov 2005..
I shall treasure my time with George..a true Canadian hero,and friend..

What a great photograph of him, Alex

And thank you for explaining when and where the photo of George and Herb were taken, as I couldn't remember.

It sounds like Mr. Blackburn made friends far and wide, and many will miss him a whole lot ...

Karmen

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Barry Churcher
The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery sincerely regrets to announce the passing of Capt George G. Blackburn, CM, MC. A celebration of George's life will be held on Saturday, November 18, at Pinecrest Visitation Centre, 2500 Baseline Road, Ottawa, from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Will anyone here be in attendance? If so, please report here afterwards.

Good morning Everyone,

On Herb Danter's request and on behalf of him, I gladly post this photo for him, of himself and George Blackburn at the Canadian War Museum (in 2005?)

Says Herb,

(at the Canadian War Museum) there's an area that shows the visitor the history and photographs of the Battle Of Normandy ( in which both George and I were in fighting alongside of each other, he as a FOO with the 4th Field Regiment RCA with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division and me with the 23rd Self Propelled Field Reg't RCA in the 4th Canadian Armoured Division as a FOO Tech or O.P. Ack as we were called in those days
On the wall is a photograph of George when he was in Normandy and giving details of his exploits and beside his photo is one of General Crerar, the Commander In Chief of the Canadian Army.
Now to me I am going to treasure this photo because it's the perfect portrait of a real war hero.
I urge everyone who visits the War Museum that they visit this wall and pay tribute to this famous soldier.

Karmen