Leighton Stultz comments on The Chapleau Boys Go To War

I was very excited to receive a copy of your new book Michael! We've been best friends of 10+ years now and I knew you were a great writer but this book showcases just how talented you really are. I think it's a must read not only for anyone from Chapleau and surrounding area but anyone who wants to know more about ww1 and ww2.

 It's fascinating how much you can learn from this book and extremely interesting so if you have a chance and you see this comment please do yourself a favor and get a copy! 

You'll be amazed how good the book really is! Just another reason I know I'm lucky to have a friend as great as you. Congrats to your cousin Michael too .....

Thanks Leighton! The book can be ordered on amazon.com, amazon.ca or Kindle. Key words "chapleau boys war"..mjm

"When Cranbrook boys meet Chapleau boys and everyone from everywhere in between and beyond"

 Brenda with her dad 'Babe' Therriault

Although The Chapleau Boys Go To War  which I co-authored with my cousin Michael McMullen, will be officially launched during weekend events from July 3 to 5 in Chapleau, a presentation of a copy was made to the Cranbrook Public Library, which included veterans of Canada's armed forces in attendance.

First, Cranbrook. I was so deeply honoured to have my good friends, Ron McFarland, who served in the Royal Canadian Navy in World War 2 and Bill Nightingale, who served in the Royal Canadian Air Force for 33 years accompany me to the Cranbrook Public Library. They joined me in making a book presentation to chief librarian Ursula Brigl.

Ron and Bill represented veterans everywhere for the occasion. I think of it as "When Cranbrook boys meet Chapleau boys and everyone from everywhere in between and beyond".

Terry, Ron. MJM. Ursula, Bill (Joel Vinge photo)

Terry Burgess, treasurer of the Friends of the Cranbrook Public Library made the arrangements, and Joel Vinge took photos. 

While in Chapleau, we plan to present a copy of the book to Donald White, Chapleau's oldest surviving veteran of World War 2, and a member of Chapleau Cree First Nation. Thanks to his daughter Norma for assisting with arrangements to meet with her father.

In an email. Michael McMullen, wrote ""As many of you know, Michael Morris and I have been working on a book about Chapleau’s contributions and sacrifices during WW1 and WW2 with an emphasis on those who died in these two wars. The Chapleau Boys Go To War has just been published and we plan to be in  Chapleau on the weekend of July 3-5, 2015 to launch the book. 

My friends Dane Ries and Jessica Portsmouth, both lifeguards at the pool where I have been swimming almost daily for the past four years took time for photo-op with their copies.

Dane, MJM, Jessica

"Butch and Brigitte Pellow, who held a fantastic party in Toronto in 2014, are hoping to come to Chapleau for this weekend event. It will be a reunion back home this time if they can make it."

I would just add that at time of writing, our good friends from childhood Ian Macdonald and Ken Schroeder, have indicated they will also be home for the occasion. Others are yet to confirm.

Michael wrote: "Arrangements have been made to have the following events to meet us and for those who wish get signed copies of the book::

 Friday, July 3, 2-4 pm at Chapleau Public Library and from  5-7 pm Chapleau Legion Hall

On Saturday, July 4  from 5 pm we plan to be at Hongers Redwood Restaurant

My friend,Leighton Stultz. who lives in the United States was among the first to get a copy.

Leighton Stultz

Michael noted:"Not only has Jim Hong offered his restaurant for a signing event on Saturday, but he will provide a buffet (reasonable cost) for those who want to stay for dinner.

"For those of you who live in Chapleau, and those of you who can make it home, we hope you will be able to join us on Saturday evening at Hongers Redwood (I still call it the Boston).  Please give Jim a heads-up if you can make it for dinner."

I was chatting on the phone with Jim about the get together and yes, I too, still call it "the Boston",

The Chapleau Boys Go To War is on sale  on amazon.com, amazon.ca and Kindle, and after July 4 will be at Chapleau Village Shops where Lucy Bignucolo has agreed to make it available.

We have already received comments on the book, and I will share one from Brenda (Therriault) May who bought a copy for her father Arthur 'Babe' Therrialult.  Babe is a World War 2 veteran who served in the Royal Canaadian Navy.

Brenda wrote:  "I gave my father, Arthur Therriault, your new book (Chapleau Boys Go To War) for Father's Day. He has already read it once...& is going thru it again!! His Uncle Arthur is in it!! He absolutely LOVES it & at 91 yrs old, it is hard to get him anything he loves!! Thank you..."

And thank you for writing Brenda, and all the others who have too. We look forward to seeing all of you in Chapleau from July 3 to 5. I am planning to make time for a walk about the community for old time's sake.

  I will also be celebrating six years of Chapleau Moments, I look forward to chatting with you about potential future columns.  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Chapleau like a 'western town with a frontier attitude' in 1937 but George Theriault returned to set up air base

After retiring from the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1953, George Theriault was looking for a place to set up an airbase, run a flying service and establish outpost camps for fishing and hunting.

Although he would have liked to return to his hometown of Timmins to establish it, the existing air services had sole rights to fly commercially in the area.

Chapleau became a possibility, Mr. Theriault wrote in his wonderful book 'Trespassing in God's Country'. He had first flown into Chapleau in 1937 when gold mining camps were active in the area.

He describes his first impression: " In 1937 the community of Chapleau was like a western town with a frontier attitude: even the stores had fashionable false fronts. The highlights of the main street were the Chapples (Smith and Chapple Ltd, now Village Shops) and the Queens Hotel. The hotel had little balconies on the front where the airmen sat and socialized after they finished flying for the day,

"All the famous bush pilots of the time - including Matt Berry, Phil Sauve and Punch Dickens - came to Chapleau at some point because aircraft supplied the mines in Swayze Township for at least five years."

Mr. Theriault, and his wife Joan, had two young children in 1953, were looking for a community with schools and a hospital.

He noted that Chapleau was "prospering" as a major centre for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Highway 129 had been completed and the town had become easily accessible for American sportsmen from Michigan and other states.

He arrived in Chapleau in 1954 with a Stinson Stationwagon on skis and a set of floats to change over in the Spring. He "bunked down" at the YMCA, and bought an old boathouse on the Chapleau River.

He brought his wife and children to Chapleau on May 5, 1954, "in a snowstorm". 

He sums up his decision to set up his business in Chapleau: "The town of Chapleau proved to be a perfect location for an air service. There was plenty of charter work as well as many excellent fishing and hunting possibilities. 

"The walleye and northern fishing was highly rated and the speckled trout fishing was better than I expected. 

"As I entered my first year of  operation, I was certain that I had made the right choice. Despite the long hours of work. it was a fulfilling experience to create something of my own. I was doing everything I enjoyed -- flying, exploring and fishing. Every moment was worth the years it had taken me to get there."

Over the years Mr. Theriault established outpost camps throughout the area, and he noted that all his children grew up "reading maps. Each took their turn sitting in the co-pilot seat acting as the navigator."

'Trespassing in God's Country: Sixty Years of Flying in Northern Canada' is a must read for anyone interested in our north country..

George Theriault died on May 26, 2015 at age 95. I leave you with the final paragraph from his book: "That's the most amazing thing: life just goes on  -- with us and without us. None of us are permanent fixtures on this landscape; we are all trespassers in God's country." Rest in peace George.

My sincere thanks to his son John for providing me with a copy of the book. My email is mj.morris@live.ca