Chatham Daily News, July 7, 2012 — By: Bob Boughner
Gathering Our Heroes!
That’s the name of a research project to locate the names of veterans from Chatham-Kent who served in Canada’s fighting forces in the First and Second World Wars.
Local historian jerry Hind has already recorded the names of more than 10,000 veterans from both conflicts and continues to research new names and stories.
The Kent Regiment chapter of the IODE of Chatham, which is behind the project, received a $25,000 grant Friday from the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors program.
A new website will include a comprehensive database of veterans who served from Chatham-Kent or enlisted in Chatham-Kent.
the Kent Regiment chapter IODE which will mark its 100th anniversary in 2013, has recorded the service of many area veterans in 13 Books of Remembrance, which were donated to the Chatham-Kent Museum for safekeeping.
The new website is being developed by A. Thiel Marketing and Graphic design.
Local historian Jerry Hind has already recorded the names of more than 10,000 veterans from both conflicts and continues to research new names and stories. Hind will share his research on the website and serve as curator. The Chatham-Kent Museum will share the digital Books of Remembrance on the website.
“We have collected and will continue to collect additional information about our veterans from both conflicts and it will be included on the website,” said Hind.
It’s estimated the names of as many as 5,000 more veterans, not currently included in the Books of Remembrance, will turn up in ongoing research.
Hind said the aim is to find the names, photographs and stories of the lives of Second World War veterans.
To include a name, visit kentregimentiode@yahoo.ca.
