HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-08-18, Page 5Wednesday,August 18, 2004
Exeter Times—Advocate
5
Opinion Forum News
ROSS
HAUGH
BACK IN TIME
I OYEARS AGO
August 17, 1994 - Michael
Stevens of Dashwood has just
returned from Italy with a trophy
as the best leading male actor in
the Giffoni Children's Film
Festival for his part in "The
Return of Tommy Tricker".
Faced with tragedy and even
possible death, people do some
pretty remarkable things.
Thursday night, 14 -year-old
Shannon Gielen disregarded her own safety and
went into a burning barn to save her horse Destiny.
The fire causing $250,000 in damages was in a
barn owned by her parents John and Kathy Gielen
of R.R. 2, Crediton.
20YEARS AGO
August 15, 1984 - The Grand Bend Colonial
Turrets team again came up big as they won the
castle building division of the Sandcastle Days con-
test. Team members are Pat Breen, Cam Anderson,
Jim Jean, Paul Maguire and Tony Vermeulen.
Jim Lamure of Usborne township is proud to have
a huge sunflower in his garden. It has 17 blooms.
Gerry Smith of Exeter won the Shelbourne old
time fiddlers contest intermediate championship on
the weekend.
25YEARS AGO
August 18, 1979 - Tuckersmith Township council
has approved a manure tank bylaw, recognizing liq-
uid manure as a potential cause of water and air
pollution. The bylaw calls for the erection and use of
liquid manure pits in the municipality.
Tracey Campbell, representing Exeter Fall Fair
will be among 95 contestants seeking the Miss CNE
Queen of the Fair contest when the Canadian
National Exhibition opens today.
Tom Russell of R.R. 2, Dashwood was the first
member of the Exeter Claybird Gun club to shoot a
perfect 25 in both trap and skeet.
35 YEARS AGO
August 14, 1969 - Chester Gaiser, who was a top
notch pitcher with Dashwood baseball teams of 35
years ago threw out the first pitch at Friday's official
opening of the new floodlighting system at
Dashwood Athletic Field.
40YEARS AGO
August 16, 1964 - A Cooksville firm moved into
Exeter this week to commence immediate demoli-
tion of the Central Hotel building, the last of Exeter's
nine hotels. It will be replaced by a modern one -
storey office for British Mortgage and Trust who
purchased the building a year ago.
45YEARS AGO
August 18, 1959 - Robert Wolfe as King and Ann
Robertson as Queen reigned over the Cowboy and
Indian parade which marked the end of the Exeter
Kinsmen summer playground program.
First Scholarship to be won by a member of the
1959 SHDHS graduating class is a $200 UWO
entrance award which went to Bill Etherington of
R.R. 1, Hensall.
55 YEARS AGO
August 15, 1949 - Exeter council voted $470 to
the fire department to purchase trailer equipment
for added protection to the village.
Hydro men will start surveying electrical equip-
ment this fall and winter prior to the district change
over from 25 to 60 cycle.
Members of the Exeter turf club decided at a
recent meeting to donate $800 to Exeter Community
Park.
The Brenner Garage, one of the landmarks of
Grand Bend has been bought by John Manore.
A new town of 300 homes complete with church-
es, a school and food market is under construction
at Centralia Airport.
60YEARS AGO
August 14, 1944 - One of the first to arrive home
safe and well from the D -Day invasion of France is
Lt. Stuart Mair,a former student of Exeter High
School. He is visiting his parents Rev. and Mrs. Mair.
80YEARS AGO
August 16, 1924 - Students from Exeter High
School who will attend London Normal School this
year are Almer Christie, Carrie Davis, Gertie
Francis, Mary Horney, Ruth Lamport and Mildred
Rowe.
I I OYEARS AGO
August 9, 1984 - Canada has had only 116
divorces in the past 20 years.
Seniors' Perspective
By Jim Bearss
ADULT ACTIVITIES C0 -ORDINATOR
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Exeter Legion Auxiliary Bingo:
Thursdays at 7:00 p.m .Aug. 19, Sept. 2, Sept. 30.
Mark your calendar for these dates and help support a
local charity.
Bayfield Hoedown:
Sat. Aug. 21, 6:30 P.M. at Bayfield Town Hall on Clan
Gregor Square, sponsored by the Bayfield Town Hall
Heritage Society. Corn roast, fiddles, beer,
dancing...this is the one and only annual Town Hall
fundraiser.. Contact: Gayle Waters (519) 565-2143.
Fiddling at the Falls;
Sat. Aug. 21, 1 P.M. at the Benmiller Falls Reserve
Conservation Area (junction of County Roads 31 and 1),
sponsored by the Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority. An afternoon of terrific music in a relaxing,
scenic setting. Musicians are welcome to register and
play. Bring a lawn chair and sit back and enjoy the
music. Contact: Stewart Lockie, MVCA (519) 524-6429.
2004 Huron County Plowing Match:
Fri., Aug., 27, R.R.#1, Varna, Municipality of
Bluewater. Located 1.5 km west of Varna on Mill Road,
then 1 km south on Babylon Line. Contact: Bill or Joyce
Dowson (519) 233-9854.
Annual Wellesley Apple Butter & Cheese
Festival:
September 25 - Come for the Pancake Breakfast,
crafts, meats, cheeses, market, etc. Smorgasbord.
Dinner, Farm Tours, Cider Mill Tours. Apple fritters &
dumplings; Sausage/schnitzel on a bun; chicken BBQ;
Local entertainment. Quilt auction, Horseshoe tourna-
ment, antique cars & tractors.
Huron PioneerThreshers Show:
September 11 — 13. Huron Pioneer Threshers Show
to be held at Blyth. Contact Marian Hallahan (519)
523-9330
CentralialHuron Park Lions Bingo:
September 12. The Centralia/Huron Park Lions Bingo
will be held at the South Huron Rec. Centre on Sunday,
September 12, 2004. Doors open at 12:00 p.m. and
bingo starts at 1:00 p.m.
Canada's Outdoor Farm Show:
September 14 — 16. Canada's Outdoor Farm Show to
be held at Woodstock, Ontario.
International Plowing Match:
September 22 — 26. International Plowing Match and
Rural Expo held at Meaford, Ontario, in Grey County.
LEGION HALL FOR RENT:
Calling all farm organizations, manufacturers, service
clubs, seniors etc. : The Legion has its hall for rent for
your occasion, whether its for meetings, weddings,
meals, games, etc. Contact The Legion Branch 167 at
235-2962, or Ron Helm (519) 235-2644 or Jim Bearss
(519) 235-0310 x239.
FRAUD 2004:
"Shopping Online" is different than shopping at the
mall, where you can touch the merchandise, and where
you pay when you receive the goods. As well, you know
who has access to your credit information, if you are
there in-person. Consumer experts at the Ontario
Government want to help you keep safe when you shop
in cyberspace. The government recommends these
online shopping tips:
• "Fake" or "spoof' Web sites are designed to trick
consumers and collect their personal information. Be
cautious when clicking on a link or an unknown Web
site or unfamiliar e-mail. The link may take you to a
fraudulent site.
• Buy from reputable companies. Never give business
to a company unless they offer the merchant's name
and address, telephone and fax numbers on the Web
site.
• Protect your personal information. Ensure the Web
site is properly protected and secured before you trans-
mit any personal and financial information. Responsible
businesses usually advertise this fact.
• Keep records. Print a copy of the contract for your
records.
If you have a consumer problem, the Government of
Ontario may be able to help. You can call 24 hours a
day for bilingual, automated information, and personal
assistance is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday to Friday at these telephone numbers:
Toll Free # 1-800-889-9768 or cbsinfo@cbs.gov.on.ca
or www.cbs.gov.on.ca
LESTWE FORGET:
William Harold Wilson
William Harold Wilson was born in January, 1918 in
Exeter, Ontario. He attended the Exeter Public School,
and after graduating from grade eight, he continued on
to Exeter High School, and completed to the end of
grade thirteen and graduation. After completing High
school, he accepted a position, and served four years in
Pharmacy Apprenticeship at Strong's Drug Store in
London, Ontario.
William decided that he would enlist in the Royal
Canadian Air Force in the early months of 1942. At that
time, he was given the service number of #J/20701.
Later in the same year, he received his Wings and his
Pilot Officer's Commission, at # 5 S.F. T .S. Brantford,
Ontario, in September of 1942. Then, he was posted to
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and following
that, to Patricia Bay, British Columbia, where he
received further training. He was also flying with
Coastal Command while stationed at
these Air Force bases. `P 10' William
Harold Wilson was then posted over-
seas to England in May of 1943. He
had been there for about one year,
when he received a promotion to Flight
Lieutenant. Up to this time he had
been mentioned in dispatches, and had
completed 10 bombing missions over
enemy territory. On one of the mis-
sions that occurred on April 8th 1944,
FIO Wilson was with eight R.C.A.F.
bomber squadrons, which flew
through bad weather including 35
degree below zero temperatures to blast Karlsruhe.
Returning airmen reported the bombing was concen-
trated and great fires were left burning in Karlsruhe.
Some told of electrical storms, sending lightning bounc-
ing across the wings of their giant planes. Weather on
the way to the target was the worst some of the crew
had ever encountered. Clouds were heavy, and ice con-
ditions on the planes were severe. The Canadians who
took off at dusk on the 1,200 mile round trip, returned
seven hours later. The dispatch from that April, 1944
mission said that FIO Wilson of Exeter, Ontario and his
Iroquois Squadron of Halifax Bombers, were attacked
by enemy fighters all the way from Karlsruhe to the
coast, on the return journey.
Wilson said the first attack came from a
Messerschmitt 110 soon after his bombs fell on target.
He said he took violent, evasive action, and they
thought they had shaken it off, but soon afterwards, the
fighter reappeared with another. Then, the enemy
planes came at the Halifax bomber together, and at
intervals, there were exchanges of gun -fire all the way
to the coast, and then, they had had enough and
sheared off. Sgt. Jim Bill of Ottawa, FIO Wilson's rear
gunner, said the German fighters attacked five times.
FIO William Harold Wilson took off on his last fatal
mission on May 9th, 1944, with # 431 Squadron, in a
Halifax Bomber Aircraft # MZ521. The mission was to
take them round trip over Haine St. Pierre in Belgium.
Missing from that trip to Haine were five Canadians,
WO's MacStoker Cassey, FIO. Schubert, Sgts. Walker,
and Bull, were either taken Prisoners of War, or were
evaders. One of the crew, who was not a Canadian,
went missing and was believed killed. It was on this
mission that FIO William Harold Wilson was killed in
action, on May 9th, 1944. He was buried in the
Wevelgem Communal Cemetery in Belgium. The British
Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of
the defense of Belgium, following the German invasion
in May, 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering
the withdrawal from Dunkirk Commonwealth forces
did not return until September of 1944.
F/O William Harold Wilson was the son of Charles
Leslie and Laura Blanche Wilson of Exeter, Ontario.
Besides his parents, at that time, he had two brothers in
the service, CSM Ted Wilson, of Mount Pleasant, Sgt.
Hugh Wilson of London, a sister Norma and a brother
Jim at home in Exeter, Ontario. As of January 11th
2004, this family had all passed away.
Next Week Franklin Charles Zurbrigg
EYE-CATCHER
A man who lived in a block of apartments thought it
was raining and put his head out the window to check.
As he did so a glass eye fell into his hand. He looked up
to see a young woman looking down. "Is this yours?" he
asked. She said, "Yes, could you bring it up?" and the
man agreed.
On his arrival, she was profuse in her thanks and
offered the man a drink. As she was very attractive, he
agreed. Shortly afterwards she said, " I'm about to have
dinner. There's plenty; would you like to join me?" He
readily accepted her offer and both enjoyed a lovely
meal. As the evening was drawing to a close, the lady
became more and more flirtatious. Finally, the man
said, "Do you act like this with every man you meet?"
"No," she replied, "Only with those who catch my eye."
Oti
Jim Bearss
Ageism Quiz
Here is one definition of ageism:
The offensive stereotyping of older folks, the idea that
all people older than a certain age are senile, infirm,
unproductive, unattractive, intolerant, unhappy, asexu-
See PERSPECTIVE page 6