The Glengarry Historical Society Speakers Series is putting up the Christmas lights and seasoning the eggnog while it gets ready for its next speaker, Bainville’s own Mackie Robertson. Join us as we celebrate what is fast becoming our yearly tradition of a presentation given by Mackie at the Lancaster Legion during the Christmas season. He will be regaling us with the stories of four young men from the Bainsville-Lancaster area who served in WWII. These four young men saw the worst of WWII and yet were lucky enough to make it home for Christmas.
Archie Robertson, John Ross, Louis Geoffrion and Leonard Fourney joined the WWII effort and each, in their own time, made it home safe and sound, three of them in time for Christmas with their families. Robertson, Ross and Geoffion were Canadian Airmen and Fourney was a member of the Army Provost Corps (military police). Robertson, from Bainsville, joined in 1941 at age 21. Ross, also from Bainsville joined in 1939 at the young age of 18. Fourney from Lancaster, joined in 1940 at the age of 21, and finally Geoffrion, who grew up in Montréal but later retired to Bainsville, joined when he was 20 in 1940.
During this evening’s presentation, the audience will hear each of their stories including the story of Fourney who was handcuffed to a Nazi General as he escorted him from Germany to England! Each story will touch your heart and fill you with pride and reverence for the courage and strength these young local men showed as they navigated one of the worst chapters in world history.
On this, the 80th anniversary of the war’s end, it is an important time to remember these men and to, through them, pay homage to the sacrifices made for all.
This presentation will be on Wednesday, December 3, from 7 pm to 8 pm p.m. at the Lancaster Legion at 119 Military Road North in Lancaster. For non-members, tickets are $10 and for members, $5.
A second showing is on Sunday, December 7 from 3 pm to 4 p.m. at the Lancaster Legion.
The next speaker of the series will be Caitlyn Bailey, who is the Executive Director of the Vimy Foundation: Canadian Centre for The Great War. The title of her presentation is “World War 1; The 100 Day Offensive” This will take place on Wednesday, February 4 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Michel Depratto Hall at the Glengarry Sports Palace in Alexandria.
