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Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
@CraigBaird
Jun 13, 2023 • 8 tweets • 4 min read • Read on X
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It is #IndigenousHistoryMonth and this is the story of Sgt. Tommy Prince, one of Canada's most decorated soldiers.

Tommy Prince was born in Petersfield, Manitoba on Oct. 15, 1915. His family had a long military tradition, which he would carry in his adult life.

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Despite easily meeting requirements, he was turned down several times when he tried to enlist to fight in the Second World War.
He was finally accepted on June 3, 1940. Originally part of the Royal Canadian Engineers, he joined the Devil's Brigade in 1942.

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Prince was highly skilled with covert abilities. In February 1944, he ran a communication line 1,400 metres to a house only 200 metres from a Germany artillery position. He spent three days reporting on German activities from that house.

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When the line was severed by shelling, he pretended to be a farmer, went out and fixed it as he stooped to tie his shoes, then went back to the house.
His actions led the destruction of four German tanks by the Allies.
In the summer of 1944, he was given a new mission.

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He walked through rugged terrain without food or water for 72 hours to locate a German camp. He then relayed the location to the Allies, leading to the capture of 1,000 German soldiers.
He was one of only 59 Canadians to earn Military Medal & the American Silver Star.

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Returning back to Canada, he was unable to vote in any elections & was refused the same benefits given to other veterans.
With no employment, he enlisted with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and began to train new recruits.

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He was part of the first Canadian unit to land in Korea & during the war he led many patrols into North Korean territory. He launched sneak attacks before retreating.
He remained in the army until 1954, and then devoted himself to helping the Indigenous people.

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He fell on hard times & was living out of a shelter at one point. He was also forced to sell his medals to feed his family.
He died on Nov. 25, 1977. More than 500 people, including Manitoba's Lt. Gov. attended his funeral.

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More from @CraigBaird

Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 25
Since 1947, the Canadian Rangers have provided a military presence in the Canadian North.
Experts in wilderness survival, they cover areas of Canada that are not practical for conventional Army units.
Considered to be "always on duty", this is their legendary story.

🧵1/10 The photo shows a group of individuals standing in a line, all wearing red hoodies and matching red caps. The hoodies feature a logo with the text "CANADA RANGERS" and an emblem including crossed rifles and a maple leaf. They are dressed in green pants and appear to be in a formal or organized setting, possibly a ceremony or group gathering. The background features a scenic landscape with a body of water, mountains, and a cloudy sky, suggesting a remote or northern location. The ground they are standing on appears to be a paved or gravel surface near the water's edge.
The origin of the Canadian Rangers dates back to the Second World War and the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers. The PCMR monitored the British Columbia coast for a Japanese attack. The militia was made up of self-sufficient loggers, trappers and fishermen.

🧵2/10 The photo is a black-and-white image of a group of soldiers posing together outdoors in a wooded area. They are dressed in military uniforms typical of the early 20th century, including wide-brimmed hats and coats, and many are holding rifles. The group is arranged in two rows, with some soldiers standing and others kneeling or sitting on the ground. The background consists of bare trees and dense foliage, suggesting a rural or forested setting, possibly during a military campaign or training exercise. The overall mood appears serious and formal, reflecting the era's military context.
After the war ended, the force was disbanded.
Two years later, with Cold War tensions increasing, the need to have a military presence in the Canadian North became apparent.
Rather than station regular troops in the Arctic, the Canadian Rangers were formed.

🧵3/10 The photo depicts a formal outdoor ceremony involving the Canadian Rangers. A group of individuals in red hoodies and caps, with "CANADIAN RANGERS" logos on their uniforms, are lined up on a grassy field, holding rifles in a salute position. Two people in the foreground, also in red hoodies and camouflage pants, are walking past the line; one is carrying a ceremonial sword and wearing a white belt, while the other has medals pinned to their hoodie. In the background, military personnel in dress uniforms, including one in a peaked cap with insignia, stand at attention. The setting ...
Read 11 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 17
Elijah Harper was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, little known outside of the province.
But when he refused to accept the Meech Lake Accord and voted against it while holding an eagle's feather, he became an icon of resistance.
This is his story.

🧵1/12 The black-and-white photo shows Elijah Harper seated at a desk, wearing a suit with a patterned tie and a large circular pendant. He holds an eagle feather in one hand, with an earpiece visible, and a microphone on the table in front of him, suggesting a formal or parliamentary setting.
Elijah Harper was born on March 3, 1949 at Red Sucker Lake, Manitoba.
As a young man, he studied at the University of Manitoba and then worked as a community development worker and program analyst for the Manitoba Department of Northern Affairs.

🧵2/12 The photo shows Elijah Harper in a suit, with his hair tied back, seated against a backdrop of vertical wooden panels. A microphone is partially visible on the left, suggesting a formal or speaking event.
In 1978, he was elected Chief for Red Sucker Lake Band, serving for four years.
In 1981, he was elected as an NDP MLA to the Manitoba Legislature. He was the first Treaty Indigenous to be elected.
In 1990, the Meech Lake Accord was being debated in Canada.

🧵3/12 The photo shows Elijah Harper wearing a traditional headdress with white feathers, yellow accents, and blue diamond patterns. He is dressed in a fringed leather jacket with a beaded necklace over a collared shirt, standing against a plain white background.
Read 13 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 17
When King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrived in Canada on May 17, 1939, one of the biggest events in Canadian history began.
This is the story of the 1939 Royal Tour of Canada.

Listen to my episode about it here 👇


🧵1/15 pdst.fm/e/chtbl.com/tr…The black-and-white photo shows Queen Elizabeth and King George VI in an open car. Queen Elizabeth, wearing a light-colored dress and a wide-brimmed hat, waves with a smile. King George VI, in a suit, sits beside her, looking forward. A top hat and flowers are visible in the foreground.
Prior to 1939, various members of the Royal Family had visited Canada but no reigning monarch had ever done so.
The idea for a Royal Tour was started by Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir who saw it as something that could foster Canadian identity.

🧵2/15 The black-and-white photo depicts Lord Tweedsmuir in a formal suit with a tie and a pocket square. His hair is neatly combed back, and he stands against a plain, dark background, giving the portrait a classic, dignified appearance.
At the coronation of King George VI in 1937, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King consulted the monarch about a possible tour of Canada. He told the King it would bolster trans-Atlantic support for Britain in the event of war.

🧵3/15 The black-and-white photo captures King George VI's coronation, showing the royal family on a balcony. King George VI, in a crown and ornate robe, stands prominently. Queen Elizabeth, also crowned and adorned with pearls, is beside him. Others, including young princesses in tiaras and ceremonial attire, join them against a stone backdrop.
Read 16 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 14
Until 1969, homosexual acts in private or public in Canada were listed under the Criminal Code as "gross indecency".
A person caught in a same sex relationship faced jail time. That all changed (somewhat) with the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1968/69.

🧵1/12 A black-and-white photograph shows a group of people marching on a wet street, holding banners and signs. Prominent banners read "TORONTO GAY ACTION" and "CANADA TRUE NORTH STRONG & GAY," while another sign says "WE DEMAND FREEDOM TO LOVE." Some participants hold umbrellas, and a large building is visible in the background, suggesting an urban setting during a rainy protest.
Since colonization began in Canada, laws prohibited sexual relations between two men. In 1892, a law made what was termed "gross indecency" between men illegal. That included touching, dancing and kissing.
The gross indecency law extended to women in 1953.

🧵2/12 A black-and-white newspaper clipping with the headline "Homosexuals haven't grown up" in bold, large font. The text below reads: "Another cause for worry is homosexuality, which is far more widespread than many older people ever dream. Homosexuals are simply fixated at a more immature stage in emotional development." The font and style suggest an older publication.
Up until 1869, two men engaging in sexual relations would be put to death. This was later commuted to imprisonment.
Things began to change in the 1965 after George Klippert was convicted on 18 charges of gross indecency and sentenced to four years in prison.

🧵3/12 A person in a light blue shirt holds a rotary phone receiver to their ear while sitting in a room. Behind them, an open closet reveals hanging clothes and shelves with items, including a pink bottle. A wall chart or map is partially visible on the right, and the setting has a vintage feel with wooden doorframes and a coiled phone cord.
Read 13 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 12
While the Prime Minister's residence 24 Sussex has fallen into disrepair and is unoccupied, the residence of the Leader of the Opposition continues to be used.
Maintained yearly by the government, its history dates back many decades.
This is the story of Stornoway.

🧵1/12 A two-story house with a stucco exterior and red-tiled roof features a prominent entrance with a blue door, white-framed windows, and a small porch. The front yard is well-maintained with green grass, bushes, and potted flowers, surrounded by tall trees under a clear sky.
Stornoway was built in 1914 for Ascanio Major. It was not until the second owners, Irvine Gale Perley-Robertson and his wife Ethel, moved in in 1923 that it was given the name of Stornoway. The named honoured the ancestral home of the Perley family in Scotland.

🧵2/12 A black-and-white photo of a two-story house with a gabled roof and a central entrance, flanked by tall bushes and trees. A pathway leads to the front door, with bare trees and shadows suggesting a winter or early spring setting.
From 1941 to 1945, the Perley family offered the home to Juliana of the Netherlands and the Dutch Royal Family while they were in exile during the Second World War.
In 1950, it became the home of the Leader of the Official Opposition.

🧵3/12 A black-and-white photo shows a family group outdoors near a gazebo. Two adults and three young children, dressed in formal attire, sit and stand together, with one child holding a baby. Trees and a clear sky form the background.
Read 13 tweets
Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx Profile picture
May 6
Farley Mowat was one of Canada's most successful and beloved authors.
His books have sold more than 17 million copies in 52 languages, but he was also a decorated Second World War veteran and an Arctic researcher.
This is his story.

🧵1/16 The photo shows Farley Mowat sitting outdoors near a body of water, possibly a coastline, with a rocky and driftwood-filled background. He is wearing a dark jacket with a fur-lined hood, which is pulled up around his shoulders. The jacket appears to be designed for cold weather, with a zipper down the front and fur trim around the hood. Mowat has a relaxed pose, with one hand resting on the driftwood beside him. The overall scene suggests a rugged, natural environment, fitting for Mowat's reputation as a writer deeply connected to nature and the wilderness.
Farley Mowat was born on May 12, 1921 in Belleville, Ontario. His great-great-uncle was Ontario Premier Sir Oliver Mowat, the longest-serving premier in Ontario's history. His father Angus fought at Vimy Ridge and was an influential librarian in Ontario and Saskatchewan.

🧵2/16 The photo features two black-and-white portraits. On the left, Sir Oliver Mowat, an older man with white hair and a beard, wears glasses and a formal suit with a bow tie. On the right, Angus Mowat, a younger man with short hair and a mustache, is dressed in a suit with a tie and a pocket square.
His childhood was spent in Richmond Hill and briefly in Windsor. In the 1930s, the family moved to Saskatoon where Mowat wrote columns about birds for the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. He also wrote a nature newsletter called Nature Lore during this time.

🧵3/16 The black-and-white photo shows a young boy sitting on a brick ledge outside a house, with a large dog beside him. The boy, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, smiles at the camera while holding the dog's paw. The background includes a house with a window and some bushes.
Read 17 tweets

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