Great excitement prevails in Chapleau on VE Day in 1945 with whistles blowing and church bells ringing

 

George Collinson (centre) honored for 50 yrs in RCL, left is son Toddy and right John Rose

Very great excitement prevailed in Chapleau on May 8, 1945 with the news of the unconditional surrender of Germany which became commonly referred to as Victory in Europe or "VE Day".

The Chapleau Post reported that the "very atmosphere" in the community seemed to change at once. "Whistles from the CPR engines and shops, fire sirens blosing and church bells ringing made the people realize that at last the great day had come.

"Everyone was happy that at times it was hard to know whether to laugh or cry. As if by magic flags appeared on housefronts.

"Schools were closed immediately and the children were excited as the older people."

A peace celebration dance organized by the Canadian Legion was held with the Town Hall filled to capacity.

Later a VE Day celebration was held but a "very cold wind and snow" made outdoor activities impossible so they took place in the Town Hall.

Les Beeston was the master of ceremonies and a "carnival spirit was evident."

Speakers included Reeve Frank Edwards, Reg Thrush, Harry Searle (one of the main founders of Branch Number 5 and a World War I veteran), and Rev. H. W. Strapp, the minister at Trinity United Church.

A play "The Trial and Hanging of Hitler" was perfromed. It starred A.H. Leigh, Reg Thrush, Vera Purich, J. Deluce and Ross Kemp.

Following the celebration which included a treat of hot dogs, the children paraded to the Regent Theatre for a free show.

A Monster Dance was held in the Town Hall in the evening.

Writing about VE Day, my aunt Marion Morris, who had lost her brother, my father Flying Officer James Morris , who was killed on active service in the RCAF on July 16, 1943, noted in a letter to me many years later "parishioners of all faiths streamed into their churches -- no parade -- just Thanksgiving for all the boys and girls in the services and prayers -- joined together from all churches."

After VE Day, the Legion organized a Service of Thanksgiving at the Cenotaph. Children from all the schools attended as well as a huge number of citizens.

Speakers included Walter Steed, a World War I veteran and branch president at the time  as well as Rev. J.H. Morris of St. John's Anglican Church (no relation) and Father Romeo Gascon, of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church.

Wreaths were placed on the cenotaph by Reeve Frank Edwards, Mrs. L.A. Montgomery, Ross Whitney, Terence Delaney and Hiram Paul. The Last Post was played by Tom Godfrey Sr. Father Gascon pronounced the Benediction

 The Canadian War Museum web site sums up the end of World War II in Europe: "On April 30, 1945, Hitler committed suicide. On May 5, German forces in North-West Europe surrendered. Victory in Europe, or VE, Day was officially celebrated three days later. 

Thanks to Doug Greig. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

 

 

Nicholson generosity left Chapleau with 'most elegant and distinctive of all Royal Canadian Legion properties in Canada'

Royal Canadian Legion hall Chapleau

Lt. Lorne Weller Nicholson was killed in action just one week before the armistice that ended World War I on November 11, 1918.

The Toronto Star of November 26, 1918, in his obituary said, "Lieut. Nicholson went overseas with the 227th Battalion, 'Men-of-The- North. He was transferred to the 4th C.M.Rs and went to France in 1917. 

The Star story continued: He was wounded with shrapnel in January of this year (1918), but recovered quickly, not leaving his battalion. He was wounded again in April, and was in a Canadian hospital in France when it was bombed and more than 300 lives lost.

"He was transferred to the Prince of Wales Hospital in London, where after three and a half months, he fully recovered, returning to his battalion on September 29. He was in the lines continually from that time until just one week before the armistice was signed when he made the supreme sacrifice".

Lorne Weller Nicholson was the only child of George Brecken and Charlotte (Weller) Nicholson On April 19, 1920, the St. John's Memorial Hall, first called Parish House, which his parents had built, was officially opened.

As George Evans once wrote "It is significant that the donors of the building did not put their names on the monumental inscription: they were content that the world remember them simply as the father and mother of Lt. Lorne W. Nicholson."  

It reads: "St. John's Parish House. In memory of Lt. Lorne W. Nicholson and all those who with him voluntarily gave their lives in the Great War. Erected by his father and mother A.D. 1919", and at the bottom of it, the words from the Gospel According to John, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends". (John 15:13)

Mr. Nicholson was the first reeve of Chapleau serving from 1901 to 1913, and at the time the hall was opened was the Member of Parliament for East Algoma , and Mrs. Nicholson had been one of the first school teachers in Chapleau.

Some of those participating in the memorial service at St. John's Anglican Church and official opening at the hall included  Rev. John Nelson Blodgett, Rector of St. John's Anglican Church; Rev. Dr. Robert John Renison, later Bishop of the Anglican Church diocese of Moosonee; Rt. Rev. John George Anderson, Bishop of Moosonee; Reeve Max Brunette, Township of Chapleau; Rev. George Prewer and Rev. White.

Lt. -Col. C. H. LeP. Jones , the commanding officer of 227th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and Major D.M. Brodie also participated.

Ian Macdonald, retired head of the department of architecture and professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, who has researched and written extensively on Chapleau buildings kindly agreed to let me share some of his thoughts about the building, now commonly referred to simply as "The Legion".

"A building as distinctive and prominent as the Nicholson Hall accurately reflected the public honour for war sacrifice, military service, veterans and the Union Jack that the World War I vets fought under. The Victorian gothic revival style of the building, which is closely associated with monarchism, reminds us of the significant cultural role of architecture and the British Dominion that we were at the time," Ian wrote.

"The Canadian Parliement buildings were also built in the same style to echo the architecture of Westminster and provide a permanent reminder of our British heritage."

"The Legion Hall is formally organized around a central axis, and the gothic revival windows, doors and details are what most individuals would associate with a religious building," Ian noted.

In fact, when I googled Chapleau Legion Hall recently, a photo popped up on a web site and whoever posted it, thought it was a church. A Chapleau person had posted a correction in the comments section.

Ian also speculated on what the Legion in Chapleau might have built, had it not been for the philanthropic act of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson, albeit that it was first given to St. John's Anglican Church as a parish house.

"There are plenty of examples of other Legion facilities in small Canadian communities to provide an idea of what might have been", Ian wrote, adding that the Nicholson generosity "has left Chapleau with what is probably the most elegant and distinctive of all Royal Canadian Legion properties in Canada. It is clearly the most sophisticated building of its time in Chapleau."

By the 1930s and the onset of the Great Depression, St. John's was no longer able to maintain the hall, and it was subsequently closed and turned over to the municipality. Branch Number 5 of the Royal Canadian Legion rented it for some years until 1955 when B.W. "Bubs" Zufelt was reeve, the Legion took ownership of the building. Mr. Zufelt was made a life member of the branch for his efforts.

On November 11, Remembrance Day, Chapleau will once again "remember them" including Lt. Lorne Weller Nicholson and all those who gave their lives in World War I, World War II, Korea and NATO service.

My thanks to Ian Macdonald and Doug Greig for their assistance. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

High scoring trio of Pat Swanson, Ernie Chambers, Garry Prusky lead Junior 'B' Huskies to first place early in 1970-71 hockey season

Many played later for Junior "B" Huskies (David Mizuguchi collection)

The Chapleau Junior "B" Huskies were off to a fast start in the 1970-71 season finding themselves "all alone in top spot" after two weeks of play in the International Junior "B" Hockey League, according to Keith 'Buddy' Swanson, who doubled as hockey writer for the Chapleau Sentinel and team manager at the time. 

The Huskies had four wins and no losses after defeating their archrivals the Wawa Travellers at the Chapleau Memorial Arena 7-3, followed by a "thrilling" 5-3 win in Wawa on Sunday afternoon on the first weekend in November.

Both wins were "keyed up by their already high scoring trio of Pat Swanson, Ernie Chambers and Garry Prusky" who accounted for 10 of 12 goals, Buddy wrote.

Buddy also gave credit to the blue line brigade which was outstanding with lapses being few and far between.

As I read Buddy's coverage of the games 43 years later, I could not help but recall our road hockey games in the general environs of Aberdeen Street where he would play and do the play by play at one and the same time.

Also, I was refereeing in the International Junior "B" League  and Buddy and I played a little game with each other. As long as he was in the stands commenting on the general lack of quality of my officiating, even though he was the team's manager, there was little I could do about it.

However, one night, he made a mistake and went on the bench where he picked up his usual refrain, and very quickly I gave him a game misconduct, forcing him to the team's dressing room  for the rest of the night. We remained friends!

Those really were great days and a cavalcade of cars would leave Chapleau for games on the road especially to Wawa.

Back to the action! Buddy noted that the line of Allan Pellow, Richard Lacroix and Jim Morin had their moments in the Saturday night matchup but with no luck around the net in either game. The third line with "hustling" Maurice Blais skating between wingers Steve Prusky and Terry Bryson more than held their own any time coach Earle Freeborn sent them over the boards.

David McAdam gave the Huskies steady goaltending and in the second game of the weekend Billy Westerman played admirably when called upon.

Garry Prusky was the "spark plug" on Saturday as he "cashed two shots to put the Huskies ahead 2-0 after the first." Brother Doug Prusky picked up assists on both of the "picturesque plays". Ernie Chambers connected early in the second frame. 

Pat Swanson and Richard Lacroix upped the Huskies margin to 5-1 before the second ended while Jim Cannon scored for Wawa.

Garry Prusky finished off his hat trick 25 seconds into the third. 

Steve Prusky scored his first Junior "B" goal when his 70 foot slapshot zoomed past Real Samson in the Wawa goal. Over the years Steve became famous for his zooming slapshots after he started playing defence.

In the 1970-71 season Steve also played for the Chapleau Midgets where brother Garry was the manager. I was the coach and we had to plan Midget games around the Junior "B" schedule, but it was never a problem.

In the Sunday match in Wawa, Pat Swanson continued his "torrid scoring pace" and "blinked the light twice" in the first period giving the Huskies a 2-0 lead.

Ernie Chambers rammed home Chapleau's third goal  for a 3-0 lead but Gary Varin responded for Wawa.

With mere seconds left in the second period trouble erupted, and when it all cooled down, the Huskies were minus Garry Prusky and goaltender David McAdam with game misconducts. Buddy described it as a "violent fight" behind the Huskies goal.

The Travellers stormed to the attack with Gary Varin scoring two more goals but the defence of Wayne Murphy, Doug Prusky, Terry Higuchi and Tom Laframboise held their ground.

Richard Lacroix made one of his patented end to end rushes, passing to Ernie Chambers who scored and then followed up as he skidded a backhander the length of the ice to clinch things for Chapleau with 33 seconds left.

The Junior "B" Huskies started play in the International Junior "B" Hockey League in the 1966-67 season when they won the league and Northern Ontario Hockey Association championships. Lorne Riley started as coach with Buddy as manager but they reversed roles when Lorne was unable to continue. Tom Welch was the other founder of the team.

Teams for the 1970-71 season were Chapleau, North Shore, Soo Rapids, Soo Indians, Elliot Lake and Wawa.

Those really were the days, and on those cold winter nights in the Chapleau Memorial Arena, the community came together with crowds of 1,000 plus very common. 

Thanks to Doug Greig for sending me Buddy's account of the games. My email is mj.morris@live.ca