The Lucknow Sentinel, 1987-01-14, Page 5Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, January 14, 1981—Page 5
Mollie reviews her year's activities to Canadian friends
To the Editor:
Here it's nearly Christmas again and my
letter to you isn't away yet in spite of all
my good intentions. You'll think I've
forgotten you. As if I could! It's only time
I'm short of. When I tell you about my
ar, you'll understand.
986 started as usual with Legion and
.B. work, dinners, conferences,
m tings, minutes galore, then my hus-
b - tirement when we got all sorts. of
bs done, hanged the car, attended all
Jorts of functions including the Golden
ubilee Ball of the National Trust, which
cares -very much, as we do, for wild life,
the environment and beautiful historical
buildings. Among the guests were Lord
O'Neill, Lord Brookborough and many
others with famous names and famous
faces whose ancestors built the homes,
planted the trees and were responsible for
much of the beauty we're now trying to
preserve.
During the spring and early summer, we
were inundated with visitors in search of
their roots, some from Australia, others
from Canada and New Zealand, and one,
called Haven Whiteside, from USA, who
hoped we would be long, lost relatives.
Sadly, we were not. But now we have love-
ly new friends all over the world. We were
° disappointed, though, not to see Mr. Alfred
Manary of Gravenhurst, Ontario. He wrote
to me because of . my letters• in your
newspaper and I was able to find links for
him with several families here. He even
spoke to some on the telephone. But we
never heard anything further. Perhaps
- somebody would let me know. I'm worried
in case he may have taken ill. That would
be a pity When lie was so enthusiastic and
everyone here was looking forward to
greeting, him.
The Mar
To. See Is
I'I9NTEE
i CO t 1.14 1 T 1 0
•IALTO
ASHFIELD TWP. 100 acres, 96 workable;
systematic drainage, 3-4 bedroom home with
new addition, new coloured steel implement
shed 58 x 84, beef barn.
DAIRY FARM 240 acres ongoing operation,
35-40 cows, excellent home, all dairy equip-
ment, cows, quota negotiable.
6ASHFIELD TWP., 147 acres"120 workable, 3
bedroom home, good cash crop land.
KINLOSS TWP., 200 acres, immaculate
fieldstone home, beef barn, covered \ pit
silo, steel implement shed, maple sugar
bush.
89.5 ACRES, Ashfield Twp. systematically
undercained, barns for beef, silo 20 x 70,
steel implement shed 40 x 70, comfortable
home.
RIPLEY AREA. 96 acres, 70% systematically
tiled, Targe barn, reduced to sell.,,
ASHFIELD TWP., 100 acres systematically
tiled, highly productive cosh crop.
ASHFIELD TWP., 100 acres cash crop, 90
workable, well tiled, 40 acres fresh_
seeding.
RIPLEY 'AREA, 90 workable, 3 bedroom
home, large renovated beef hog barn;
productive loam soil.
ASHFIELD,, 200 acres, approximately 170
workable, well tiled, balance hardwood,
cedar bush.
LUCKNOW, 3 bedrooms, large kitchen,
living room, dining room, propane heat.
Reduced to '23,500.
LUCKNOW, desirable building lot, owner
has reduced asking price, prime location.
LUCKNOW DUPLEX located close to store
and post office, both apts. 2 bedrooms, ask-
ing '29,000. REDUCED to '26,500,
LUCKNOW, 3 bedroom, with added family
room, oil and electric heat, we!I insulated,
full lot. Priced to sell.
WARREN ZINN, 528-3710
ALVIN ROBB, 395-3174
In August, I flew to Brussels for a holi-
day with the Belgian army veterans who
came over last year to march with us in
our VE Anniversary Parade. During the
war, they escaped from occupied Europe
and did theij army training in the Dungan-
non area. They've been over several times
but we haven't met them previously. Last
year, however, I became their enterpreter
and we entertained them in our home and
at the Legion, becoming such friends that
they insisted I visit them in their homes,
too. Hardly any one of them spoke English,
but within a day or two I foupd myself even
thinking in French. ft wa5'very good prac-
tice for me.
Being in Belgium made me think of my
stay among your in Canada. How kind you
were and how welcoming ! Three men met
me at Brussels airport and I thought of
K.K. Dawson meeting me in Toronto in a
Dungannon T-shirt, accompanied by his
wife and Mrs. Margaret Pritchard. As in
Canada, I was wined and dined and enter-
tained like royalty. In Belgium, the war is
still very close and they took me on tours of
many of the battle areas of the last and
previous conflicts, including Waterloo
where Napoleon met his match. Every day
I was entertained, by a different family,
meeting wives and children and grand-
children, toured through the Ardennes and
into Luxembourg, visited museums, -
castles, churches; was given a mayoral
reception in Namur and finally was guest
of honor at a farewell party that moved me
almost to tears, like the farewell party laid
on for me by the Canadian Legion in
Goderich. Just turn it into French . and it
was the same, the friendship for life, the
singing, the speeches, the gifts. At the end,
they said they had for me "une grande sur-
prise". All these dear French-speaking
souls stood to attention and sang in English
"God Save the Queen". It was absolutely
marvellous. We'd hardly have coped as
well with their National Anthem in
French!
The gifts, mostly copper and pewter,
nearly caused an international incident
when I was flying home by showing up
black and menacing as my luggage passed
through the X-ray machine, just like a
BOMB! I had to be re -frisked and all my
possessions unpacked before they felt safe.
Apologies then all round, but we're very
keen on security so I didn't mind at all and,
of course, it made me laugh because I
always work so hard for peace.
Nearly causes
International incident
Back in Dungannon, I won the City for
roses in our Flower Show. We organized a
super Poppy Ball in aid of the Earl Haig
Poppy Fund and I attended a W.A.A.F.
Reunion, three days of meeting old com-
rades, cocktail party, banquet, church
paxadetyhat was super, too. And next
-year, the 50th anniversary of its founda-
tion, we plan a thanksgiving service in
Westminster Abbey and a trip to Windsor
Castle where we hope the Queen will greet
us. More details later so Canadian ex-
Waafs, keep in touch, We'd really like to
see you there so do come and join us.
In November, my husband and I flew to
London to ,see our son and attend the Na-
tional Festival of Remembrance in the
Royal Albert Hall, sitting just above the
TO
Royal Box, ,and next morning marched
with ousands of other ex -service men
and w men past the Cenotaph in their Ar-
mistice Parade, all very thrilling, though
I'm afraid my marching days are nearly
over. We were shown on television which
caused great excitement in Dungannon,
well in step, they said, so that was nice.
Now, you'll see where my year has gone
and forgive my long silence. I spend my
time trying to catch up and. Christmas, of
course, is a great rush as well as great joy.
We expect our son tonight, the turkey's
stuffed and everything's laid on. Pure joy.
r Except that two days ago, terrorists blew
up our only hotel. Pea( e and goodwill/ Our
house shook, windows were broken over a
wide area and all Christmas cards fell
down. but we soldier on regardless.
. Happy Christmas to everyone out there,
Happy New Year. Thank -you for all your
cards and letter and news of your families:
My love to you all,
Mollie Whiteside (Mrs.),
59, Killyman Road,
Dungannon, Co. Tyrone,
Northern Ireland