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Preserving Canada's WWI History

Legion looking support in preparing display of picture spread from 1914 newspaper
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Carrie Lawrence and Doug Carey discuss the plan for preserving a very special newspaper photo spread.

Doug Carey is looking for the publics help in preserving an immensely important time in Canadian history.

Virtually every Canadian knows someone from their family or friends who has a connection to the First World War. Canada provided a significant contribution to that conflict.

Carey, 2nd vice president in charge of memorabilia at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 94 is working very hard to preserve a newspaper spread from the Montreal Standard newspaper printed October 14, 1914. War was declared in Europe July 28, 1914 and Canada quickly mobilized an armada of 11 war vessels, 31 transports, artillery  and thousands of troops and horses which headed to Great British to assist in the war effort.

The photos include a panoramic picture of the armada, individual pictures of soldiers saying goodbye to loved ones, a picture of Canada’s Commander-in-Chief Sam Hughes boarding a ship, the nursing sisters who shipped out with the troops and many other monumental images.

“These amazing photos are a true Canadian treasure,” Carey said.

“I found this newspaper in a Legion donation from Phil Goffic and recognized it as an extremely significant piece of Canadian history.”

Wondering how to preserve this treasure, Carey turned to his trusted framer Carrie Lawrence of Carrie’s Custom Picture Framing.

“Knowing the great work she does, I knew she was the right person to do it,” Carey said.

Together Carey and Lawrence have designed the preservation and display of this two-sided photo spread.

The newspaper will first be restored to its best possible condition, then pressed between archival heavy-duty acrylic.

Then it will be framed with another layer of archival Lexan with a back-to-back wooden frame.

“This work needs to be viewed from both sides,” Lawrence said.

“We’re still working out the details on how the display will be viewed at the Legion.”

However, there’s a big obstacle – the $800 price tag for such a task.

Doug has been diligently soliciting help with this project. He’s hoping people will recognize the importance of this document. Anyone able to give what they can, may drop off their donation at the Legion.

“I just can’t say enough how important this pictorial record of Canada’s first independent war mobilization is for Canadian history,” Carey said.

“I doubt this has been preserved anywhere else in Canada.”