Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada)
RCAF HALIFAX LW170 Recovery
(424 Squadron)
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Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada)
RCAF HALIFAX LW170 Recovery (424 Squadron) |
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LW170 Recovery Phase I
Progress Reports
Halifax 57 Rescue
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Progress Report No.11 March 6, 2006 By Karl Kjarsgaard (Project Manager)
Registered Charity 84586 5740 RR0001
As we start into our full second year of this historic quest to find and recover R.C.A.F. Halifax LW170, I would like to welcome all our new members and supporters who have joined our most worthy cause.
I envision this most honourable project as one where not only do we see Halifax LW170 returned to Canada as a mighty memorial and tribute, but one where we must tell everyone we meet, as we proceed on our epic adventure, of the vital contributions to the allied victory of these gallant young allied aircrews. Freedom is neither automatic nor free. Thousands of our fellow citizens paid with their lives for this Freedom. It is imperative that all Canadians remember their sacrifices.
The activities of this determined outfit over the past 2 years have yielded much support and co-operation for the Halifax Project. We must not rest on our laurels or waver in our efforts. No matter what difficulties and obstacles are put in our way, we must press on because we know (even if many in high circles have not figured it out yet) how great will be the prize and reward for all of us when LW170 comes home.
The real treasures of this world are not solid or man-made objects. There may be; however, man-made symbols that represent the best and most heart-felt intentions of an entire nation. All those families who lost a loved one in the Second World War along with all who appreciate the freedom they have, realize that RCAF Halifax LW170 is one of the greatest symbols of Allied sacrifice and effort we could ever reclaim.
Let us press on in our mission.
ON TO BUSINESS, these are the HALI-FACTS.
Since I sent you Progress Report No. 10 in December of 2005, there have been several positive developments for the Halifax Project. Step by step we are moving towards our goal.
An indicator of the fact that we are starting to be noticed by the Canadian public and are gaining prominence was pointed out by our web service provider Troy Marcotte at Cybercan. He called me asking what we were doing to get such attention on our website. I stated that we were getting visitors every day on our website, but did not know how many. Troy said that even in June of 2005, we were getting over 5,000 hits a month on our Halifax 57 Rescue website. He had just reviewed the number of visitors to the Halifax website in January 2006. We had over 13,000 hits during that month, an all time high! (that means over 400 people per day or over 140,000 per year are learning about our Halifax Project!) We are going to become even more popular soon and I am sure this will be important for all those officials who no doubt will ask, “Do you have the support of a lot of voters?” Many of those hits were from the U.S.A. and the United Kingdom.
Our beautiful Halifax print of LW170, "INVINCIBLE ITEM", has been selling very well since we released it for sale in late December and early January. To date, we have sold almost 100 copies of the prints (both signed and unsigned) to many people across Canada and the U.S.A. We are getting letters and telephone inquiries on a daily basis concerning the purchase of this unique Halifax painting. Everyone is pleased with the quality and accuracy of Michael McCabe's creation of our beloved LW170. It is arguably one of the best Halifax prints of recent times. It finally gives full credit to the Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons of R.A.F. Bomber Command. Remember, every buyer of a signed print of "INVINCIBLE ITEM" receives a free 2006 Membership in Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada).
I have seen our print when fully framed on display and it is simply stunning. We hope you will, as valued supporters and members, purchase a print. It is a truly valuable heritage item for all families. I would like to ask all of you to be our agents for promoting the sale of the print with your local Royal Canadian Legion and Air Force Association Wing.
If you will check both the Royal Canadian Legion and Air Force Association national web sites, you will notice that both of these important and venerated associations have fully endorsed the Halifax Project of Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada). Please tell the manager and president of your branch or wing about our historic print and that the national executive supports this project. Tell them you are tired of looking at only a Lancaster print on the wall. Let them know that it’s high time to get behind our historic Halifax cause by getting a print of Halifax LW170 called "INVINCIBLE ITEM". So far we have had 7 Royal Canadian Legion branches from varied locations purchase the Halifax print. We need every single branch across the country to purchase a print for their buildings. I hope you will help.
In January I was invited to speak at the Air Force Association meeting held at the Royal Canadian Legion – Centennial Branch No. 285 on Horton Road S.W. in Calgary, Alberta. I gave the members a full briefing as Project Manager on the past successful recoveries of Halifax NA337 and LW682. It was highlighted with special video footage of the November 5th, 2005 dedication ceremony of NA337 courtesy of one of our Directors of Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada), Mr. Jim Blondeau of Dunrobin Castle Entertainment. The presentation was well received by the Air Force Association members who pledged to support our historic quest to bring Halifax LW170 home to Alberta and specifically, the Nanton Lancaster Society Museum.
After the briefing, I had the pleasure of presenting an artist’s proof signed copy of "INVINCIBLE ITEM" to Claire Anastasio (nee Hannah) of Calgary. This was in memory of her brother Flying Officer Harold Allan Hannah who flew seven combat operations in Halifax LW170. Unfortunately, like so many fine young Canadian servicemen, he was killed in action. Flying Officer Hannah was killed on the 27th of January 1945 while serving as part of an Avro Lancaster crew with No. 405 ‘’Vancouver’ (B) Squadron which was assigned to the famous ‘Pathfinder Force’.
Tragedy struck the Hannah family twice. Lloyd Albert
Hannah was killed in action on the 14th of October 1944 while piloting an
Avro Lancaster of No. 625 (B) Squadron
On the political scene; we have both the Federal and Provincial arenas to deal with in order to gain support for the Halifax Project. Unfortunately, we have heard very little from the Alberta government on garnering support for our cause. While this was initially disappointing, Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada) has been brainstorming with the executive and friends at the Nanton Lancaster Society. We do believe we still have some options open for gaining some support for the Halifax Project in Alberta. We hope to have some positive news on these options in the near future as we collaborate with the Nanton Museum, so standby for further on the Alberta scene.
On the federal scene we have a whole new ball game. During the past year, prior to the recent federal election, one of our most ardent supporters of the Halifax Project was and still is Edmonton-based businessman Laurie Hawn. He is a former Canadian Forces senior officer and fighter pilot. Mr. Hawn is a legend within the military community. He was recently elected to serve as a Conservative M.P. for Edmonton Center ! During the past two weeks I have been brainstorming with the Honourable Member from Edmonton Center as he begins his term in Ottawa. We have come up with a whole new strategy for fund-raising and building support for the Halifax Project and Halifax 57 Rescue (Ca nada). We are so pleased to have Laurie Hawn, as an ardent supporter of our historic project.
Remember that with the previous government, our project was not deemed worthy of support because of lack of vision by the administrators. This was the case even after the most sincere efforts of yours truly and our Directors to show the heritage value of Halifax LW170 and her significance as an icon of Canadian history. After all we most certainly would not have broken bank of the previous government as we were only requesting financing to the tune $185,750. to get started.
A lot more money has been wasted on lesser things. On top of that, these same ‘visionaries’ or better ‘non-visionaries’, looked at the proposed future home of LW170 in Nanton, Alberta and decided that this great group and their wonderful museum did not, somehow, meet their museum standards!
(I am sorry for starting to carry on, ‘BUT’ I have come across this ‘progressive’ type of thinking before in every one of these historic projects. It becomes very tiresome to have to continually prove we deserve to be supported on these projects and are worthy of support, based on our deeds, which speak for themselves!)
Please see below the photo of ‘THE’ most significant Bomber Command Memorial in all of Canada. Every single R.C.A.F. crewmember killed-in-action while serving with R.A.F. Bomber Command has his name inscribed for all eternity. It has been called ‘The Wall’ and this national memorial is located in Nanton, Alberta.
On February 22nd, I spoke at the Vancouver Aircrew Association’s monthly meeting. It was attended by close to 80 members. I gave a full briefing to these R.C.A.F. and R.A.F. veterans of the past Halifax projects. It was backed up with a video presentation showcasing the Halifax Project endeavors in locating and finally recovering our LW170.
The briefing was well received and support will soon be forthcoming for our recovery project in the near future. The attentive audience was most pleased with the finished print of our Halifax "INVINCIBLE ITEM". Additionally, there was much interest in acquiring copies for a number of members.
I must tell you about a most exciting and recent development that has come about between Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada) and a special group in the U.K. called ‘Flying Zone Publications’.
Over the past three years, Flying Zone Publications has produced and is currently selling special CD-ROM 's of historic aircraft. These are veritable digital encyclopedias of everything any historian or collector ever wanted to know technically and historically about a specific aircraft. To date, they are selling their special CD-ROM's on the Lancaster and Spitfire. The titles are: ‘Lancaster Explored’ and ‘Spitfire Explored’. After reviewing these great CD's, I contacted Flying Zone Director Bryan Atkinson in Maidstone, Kent. I filled him in on our quest for LW170 and asked him if he would consider doing his next historic CD-ROM on the Halifax. Due to the timely nature of our Halifax Project, I asked him if he would delay the Hurricane and Mosquito CD's he was originally planning to do. Bryan stated that he did not have any data on the Halifax, but would consider doing it as soon as he could get the manuals and photos of the Halifax in his hands.
That was all I needed to get going, so about two weeks later, in early January, I dutifully arrived in Maidstone with a suitcase of Halifax manuals and microfilm, Bristol Hercules manuals and several hundred photos of Halifaxes taken by myself and friends.
Bryan and I brainstormed so that he was able to come up with a basic plan for his next CD-ROM, which I am very pleased to announce will be called ‘Halifax Explored’. It should be available for sale in late summer of 2006. It will be based on the Halifax MK. III, with earlier and later marks included in an overall format. Bryan has arranged with both the National Archives of England and Royal Air Force senior officials, that his company will be allowed to use all historical and technical documents available to construct his CD-ROM's. We sincerely appreciate all the official co-operation by these entities that makes his CD's the most definitive sources of data on these famous aircraft. There will be upwards of 3,000 pages and photos included of the Halifax and will be about the same price range as previous titles ($50. - $60. Canadian).
I am very excited about this CD-ROM of the Halifax. We as a group should be appreciative of Bryan's co-operation to make such a great and long-awaited Halifax CD at just the right time for our Halifax Project. I will be working with Bryan closely to provide any and all data to make this his best CD-ROM yet. Stay tuned for updates on the finalizing of ‘Halifax Explored’.
Getting back to our Halifax Project proposal, Laurie Hawn and I will be meeting for a third time this month to discuss the type of support and method of gaining this support. We fully intend to include gaining the support of the American public and officials, as we are determined that those 704 Americans killed-in-action while serving with the RCAF, the majority of them on Halifaxes, will not be forgotten. Their stories of sacrifice will finally be told through our project after all these years. This R.C.A.F. American/Canadian comradeship could be great for both our nations, as we do need to build up our relations with our good friends and neighbours in the U.S.A.
For our members who donated funds to our cause in 2005, our first year as a Registered Charity, your charitable tax receipts are being sent out this first week of March.
I am sorry for any delay or inconvenience to those members, but the original tax receipts were printed without proper sequence numbers, which is a requirement for C.C.R.A. The printers are redoing the receipts as we go to press and we will fire them off to you this week. Thanks for your patience.
We urgently need your support in all areas, including donations, print purchases, lobbying locally in your hometowns or on a federal level and your continued moral support as we continue the progress to our ultimate goal.
Please keep the faith and your eyes on the target. "Press on Regardless..."
Sincerely,
Karl Kjarsgaard Project Manager Halifax 57 Rescue (Canada) Suite 212 - 2980 Colonial Road Sarsfield, ON K0A 3E0 phone 613 835 1748 email 57rescuecanada@rogers.com website www.57rescuecanada.com
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