The Billy Bishop Museum is introducing two new exhibits this month.
The museum is launching In Their Steps/Through Their Eyes, which is part of a partnership with Owen Sound District Secondary School, Georgian Bay Community School, and the Meaford Museum.
The students were tasked with researching and interviewing 16 veterans, 9 from Owen Sound.
After their research, they travelled to France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.
Curator Morgan Woodhouse says that the exhibit is in two parts – one the research that the students completed, and the other is the students’ thoughts and feelings from their research and travels.
She says that it was special for the students to be able to meet veterans of World War 2 and learn their stories.
“Certainly when I was in high school, we were able to have veterans of the Second World War come and speak,” says Woodhouse. “Now it’s becoming less and less common as they age and so many of them are passing away. So this project was important in that doing this research the students were able to get first-hand knowledge of these men that were involved, and be able to learn about their lives.”
She says that for the teens to be able to complete this project is special. “And the sense of pride that they have in being able to be part of continuing to tell the story of these men has been incredible.”
The second exhibit officially launching on July 10th is Crusaders Saving the World: Going to War with the Royal Canadian Air Force, aimed at celebrating the 100th anniversary of RCAF by telling the stories of local servicemen and women.
Woodhouse says that while the museum was putting together the exhibit, she was also able to learn something, namely how common enlisting in the Air Force was for local servicemen and women, compared to the Army or Navy.
“Something I learned was how popular the Air Force was in this area during the Second World War, and how many people were enlisting, especially from the Owen Sound and Grey County area.”
She says that while compiling the names of those who served, it was interesting to understand each person’s background. She says that the list of those who enlisted included farmers, a hotel clerk, and someone training to become a lawyer.
There were also two women who were part of the Women’s Division and helped with the more administrative side of the war.
The museum is also grateful to the families of those who served who were willing to loan items such as service medals for the exhibit.
She says that big exhibits like the two features at the museum take about a year to put together, particularly the In Their Steps/Through Their Eyes.
The exhibits are now open to the public with an opening reception on July 10th. They’ll be available at the museum until the spring.
