A lecture on the First World War “Hedley Boys” - enlisted soldiers from Hedley – will be presented by researchers, Andy English and Jennifer Douglass, at the Keremeos Grist Mill on Sunday, 17 August, at 1:30 p.m. Half-price admission is being offered to Keremeos Museum and Hedley Museum members. Additionally, any descendents of the Hedley Boys are invited to attend as guests of the Grist Mill.
The first public presentation of this material was recently well-received in Hedley, last week. Mr. Gordon Lloyd, a descendent of one of the soldiers, and an educator by profession, wrote the following after attending the WWI Hedley Boys lecture in Hedley:
“I attended one of the best presentations ever I have observed. Jennifer Douglass and Andy English gave an illustrated talk on the Hedley boys (the “Machine Gun Boys”) from Hedley who served in the Canadian Army during WWI. They used slides to augment and enhance their presentation. They identified each casualty from Hedley: told where the person was born, described their life in Hedley and when, where and how the person enlisted, where the person served their country and where the man was killed as well as the impact this had on that soldier’s family. All the facts were carefully researched and supported by letters, archival information and contacts with survivors.
In teacher education, their approach is what is known as a “Sample Study,” using specifics of the known to describe an historic event. Their approach and presentation would be an excellent model for teachers in training as well as for students of history and/or museum curators or directors. Their emphasis was on the Hedley boys, but could be used as an example how WWI impacted every village, town or city in the world.”
English and Douglass have, so far, identified three of the Hedley soldiers to have had familial ties with Keremeos: William Liddicoat, Blair Mills and Jack Lorenzetto. These three soldiers’ lives and military service will be especially highlighted at the 17 August presentation at the Keremeos Grist Mill (in addition to others).
Lecture: Sunday, August 17, 1:30pm
Location: Keremeos Grist Mill & Gardens, 2691 Upper Bench Road
Phone: 250-499-2888 www.oldgristmill.ca
For further information on the research call the Hedley Museum at 250-292-8787.