Thinking of my Grands– Passing It On

Photo by Tracy Soucy

My great Aunt Anna Bella Landry Bradley shared family stories with me.  Now it’s my turn to share her stories with my grand niece and nephew, Nora and Tommy.

Nora and Tommy, are young now, both being less than five years old.  They are in my thoughts with each word that I write about their Meme’s and my grandfather Joseph’s family.  Our great Aunt Anna Bella is one of his younger sisters. 

Many hours of transcribing my great aunt's and my visits, additional stories from my dad's and my generations, and research both in the United States and Canada are now coming together in a more coherent form.. As the words make their way onto the page its my desire to create a memoir that will captivate Nora and Tommy.  Hoping that it will be worthy of their passing it on to the next generation.  

The book is taking shape as I work to complete this draft by the end of the year with plans to self-publish later next year.

For a little about how this book came about and Aunt Anna Bella's Experience: A Picture on the Wall: the Halifax Explosion

Great Grandfather Michael Landry:  A Father's Love - Halifax Explosion

100th Anniversary of Halifax Explosion: 
A Walk in Fort Needham Memorial Park,
Hope and Survival Quilt

A Walk in Fort Needham Memorial Park - Halifax Explosion Remembered

Artistically forged metal and stone structures line the walkways of Fort Needham Memorial Park - giving insight into the magnitude of loss as a result of the Halifax Explosion on December 6, 1917.

It's a cold December day in Halifax and my cousin Linda Landry Horne and her husband David are giving me a tour of this reverent and peaceful park.

The steep grade of the stairs leading to the summit is evident as the individual letters of the word "RICHMOND" lead the way toward the summit of Fort Needham Memorial Park.  

Photo by Cal Shook

Richmond is the area in the North End of Halifax that suffered the greatest loss and destruction from the explosion.

Linda's grandfather Daniel Landry (age 25) and my grandfather Joseph Landry (age 28) co-owned the family home, not far from the base of these stairs, at what was 38 Union Street in 1917.

Tall cut-out steel posts baring the names of  churches, schools, and businesses destroyed support the hand rail to the left of the stairs.

Photo by Cal Shook

At the summit is the Memorial Bell Tower.  It overlooks the section of the narrows in Halifax Harbor where a fully loaded munitions ship, the Mont Blanc and a Belgium cargo ship, the Imo collided causing the horrific explosion - the Halifax Explosion. 

Photo by Cal Shook

The Memorial Bell Tower's carillon bells were donated by Barbara (Orr) Thompson

in memory of her family, the Samuel Orr family, that perished during the explosion. 

Barbara was 14 years old at the time.

Anna Bella Landry Bradley, Linda's and my great aunt and one of Dan and Joseph Landry's younger sisters, was also 14 years old that fateful day. She too, would survive.

Heading down the hill are statistics etched in stone:

Photo by Cal Shook

1 in Every 10 Left Homeless.

1 in Every 10 Was Military.

Photo by Cal Shook

1 of  Every 5 Injured.

1 of  Every 25 Killed.

This was a beautiful yet humbling walk.  So grateful for family members Linda and David for this opportunity and their insights.

Do you have family members that were forever changed by this horrific explosion?
Have you had a chance to check out this memorial park?

Note:  Newspaper clippings and minutes for original planning and dedication in 1985
           Hope and Survival Quilt 

Hope and Survival Quilt and Scroll of Remembrance – Halifax Explosion

It’s December 2017 and the week of the 100th Anniversary of the Halifax Explosion.  I’m at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Hope And Survival Quilt by Laurie Swim

The Hope and Survival Quilt surrounded by its Scroll of Remembrance fill the room that I’ve just entered.  A tear rolls down my check. Names of family members that I’ve been researching and writing about are on the wall being memorialized through the scroll and what they lived through is in front of me in the form of a quilt. Thanks to artist Laurie Swim for creating this and her host of volunteers.

The quilt is a creatively stitched painting on a canvas of turbulent indigo blue and black clouds.
Life flies through the air in the form of a girl with her arms outstretched.  Her hat and boot, having been blown off, are flying with her.  Her pose resembles that of superman as she flies to a safe place where she survives.

As though miles below her, in the upper left hand corner a tiny map of the devastated area appears with sparkly red threads spurting out.

The framed scenes around her add to the narrative as a ship explodes, help arrives, and survivors appear, some with eyes shut having lost their sight.  Within the clouds lie finer details, like a canoe and the silhouettes of people in various heights and sizes appear to rise from the ashes.

Surrounding this masterpiece is the Scroll of Remembrance.  The magnitude of the loss is felt with height and depth of the scroll that surrounds the quilt.  One thousand nine hundred and forty six lives are remembered and represented on the 172 panels that make up the scroll. 

Scroll of Remembrance - Laurie Swim

Hundreds of volunteers took panels and embroidered names in beaded Braille and English.

Gratitude overwhelms me as I search for and find:

Annie Landry (23) and Clarence Landry (18 months) 
(Annie and Clarence - my great Uncle Dan Landry’s pregnant wife and son.)




Joseph Burke (54)
(Joseph - Pauline Bouchard Landry’s husband and father of five.  Joseph was working as a stevedore*. Pauline is my great Uncle Dan and my paternal Grandfather Joe’s mother - Charlotte Bouchard Landry's sister.)

The scroll of Remembrance touched me.
Do you know someone who is listed on the scroll?  I'd love to here how you're connected?



Note:
*A stevedore is "one who works at or is responsible for loading and unloading ships in port" according to www.merriam-webster.com

For more about Laurie Swim's work go to www.laurieswim.com

Halifax Explosion Remembrance Book - Search for Names

Stowaway Soldier (Remembrance Day)

Brave, adventurous, and quite the risk taker are terms that describe my great Uncle Leo Landry.

I'm thrilled to be sharing this short war story which almost was missed because of his rank. His service record lists him as Private Leo Landry. He originally was given a title when he entered the service that in today's world means something quite different.

Uncle Leo was born on December 15, 1896 in River Bourgeois, Cape Breton to Seraphin (Michael) Landry and Charlotte Bouchard.  My paternal grandfather Joseph is Leo’s older brother.

In 1911, the Landry family moved from River Bourgeois to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Over the next three years Canadian’s witnessed a rapid military buildup with the approach of WWI.  Halifax and its harbor were no exception.

In 1915, almost a year after the start of WWI,  military personnel and equipment were moving in and out of Halifax. The harbor and train depots were buzzing with activity. Unable to resist its draw, eighteen year old Leo joined the Canadian Permanent Army Service Corps.  He became Dr Leo Landry.

My first impression was that “Dr” stands for doctor.  During this time in history the CPASC rank “Dr” stood for Driver.  There’s a good possibility that Leo drove a team of horses that pulled canons and/or wagons with other military supplies.

From Naval Warfare

On August 17, 1915 the SS Caledonia, a British passenger ship that had been converted for use in the war, was docked in Halifax Harbor. Aboard were members of the Royal Canadian Regiment who had returned from Bermuda. In about a week’s time, most would be back on board and heading for Europe. Since not all the men re-upped, there were some openings. Unfortunately there weren’t enough spots for all who wanted to go and fight.

Leo, two of his fellow CPASC service personnel, and four other service men were among those not allowed to board. On August 25, sometime before the SS Caledonia departed for England, all seven military men would sneak onto the ship and hide. 

Once far enough out to sea these stow-a-way soldiers surrendered. They all faced rations and disciplinary action and would become part of the Royal Canadian Regiment.   My uncle was given the rank Private (Pte) Leo Landry.

I’m saddened to say that my young Uncle Leo lost his life in the Battle of Ypres on June 4, 1916.

On this Remembrance Day (Canada) and Veteran’s Day (US) –
Thank you, to all military personnel for your sacrifice and service.
May we never forget.

Note: 

Thank you:
Cousin Linda Landry Horne for your research assistance which made this blog possible.
Laurie Gildart for proofreading and editing assistance.
Captain Michael M. O' Leary for writing, "Surrendered as Stowaways"

Do You Know What A Photo Negative Is?

Do you know what a photo negative is?
How about younger children in your family?

Note: Due to cable/internet outage this blog is incomplete. Will share the rest of the story when connection is restored. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Update:  After the storm, this blog has not come together the way I'd hoped.  When it does, I will post it.

My Writing Space

Cal Shook - Gilford, NH

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”  ― Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods

Our new home in Gilford, NH is set on a hill and surrounded by trees.  Though not completely isolated, it has the feeling of being off on its own. A perfect setting for writing.

For my writing space, I've chosen a room slightly smaller than Thoreau's cabin on Walden Pond. 

A small desk with a chair is located in one corner, an end table in the other, with a lamp on each. Next to the end table is a futon lounger.

Whether at the desk using my laptop or lounging back with pad and pen, it is quiet and the space feels comfortable. My mind is free of distractions as my brain stretches to put my passion, bringing the Landry/Bouchard family to life, onto the page. 

My new life, like my writing space, is less cluttered.  I'm writing daily, and with mentor Sylvia Clark providing editorial feedback I'm making revisions. 

Could Use Your Help

If you're related to or know the Landry/Bouchard family, I'd appreciate it if you'd share a story and/or a photo that could be added to this narrative.  To contribute check out last month's blog, The Landry/Bouchard Family of River Bourgeois, Cape Breton.

Feeling More at Home

Sometimes, not long after you've moved, it is helpful to go out exploring with a new friend and tour guide. (with Joyce Keyser)

We saw:

Beautiful landscape 

went down dirt roads

saw sheep in a field

and up close

A place to walk 

and have fun.

with a tree house,

and a place to cook

then relax.

This day out has ended...

feeling more at home.

Two places worth checking out:  

Shepherd's Hut Market

Prescott Farm Natural Playscape