Bradford Legion

01/15/2025

01/15/2025

Do you know someone who was or is in the military? Please consider putting in an application before June 1st to go in the next issue of the book.
There is no cost and all the past submissions can be found on the Ontario Command website: https://www.on.legion.ca/remembrance/military-service-recognition-book

01/14/2025

Attention all Barrie Legion Members and Followers, Branch Historian Steve Glover is hoping that you might be able to make contact with a descendant of Roy Shaw who was a long-time member of the Barrie Legion and a WWII Veteran who served with the Queens Own Rifles Regiment as a Medic.

Steve's interest is to obtain a quality photo of Roy in WWII Uniform for a potential Flag Pole Banner to be in place for the 80th Anniversary of VE-Day - May 8, 1945. Appreciate any contact to be sent in a phone message for the Branch Historian at the Barrie Legion - 705-728-1412

Thank you!

01/14/2025

WO (Retd) “Shorty” Ronald Moyes passed away on January 4, 2025 at the age of 99. A veteran of World War II, WO Moyes joined the RCAF in 1943 at age 17 and was trained as an air gunner. In the spring of 1944, he was transferred to the United Kingdom where he flew 30 missions with 429 Squadron in Yorkshire and 405 Pathfinder Squadron in Bedforshire as a tail gunner on the Halifax and Lancaster aircraft, a dangerous occupation with a notoriously low survival rate.

After the war, WO Moyes served with the RCAF until his retirement in 1974 when he began a second career as a civilian member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at the Crime Detection Laboratory in Ottawa. His 99th year coincided with the RCAF Centennial and we were honoured that he was able to participate in several Centennial events over the past year.

01/14/2025

Veterans, and their immediate family, in need of financial assistance can reach out to The Royal Canadian Legion. Grants are available for food, heating, clothing prescription medication, essential home repairs, and more.

To speak with someone about financial assistance, contact your local Legion Branch Service Office, or reach out to a Command Service Officer by visiting: https://legion.ca/support-for-veterans/contact-a-service-officer

01/14/2025

Open to all Ontario Residents; you don’t have to be a member of a Legion.

01/12/2025

Are you a Veteran or direct family member of a Veteran and never joined the Legion? We are offering a first-year free membership for you to get involved and make an impact in the lives of fellow Veterans, their families, and your community!

Branches need folks like you to help with peer-to-peer programs like Operation VetBuild and Buddy Check Coffee.

Sign up and get involved today! https://www.legion.ca/join-us/veteran-welcome-program

01/08/2025

01/05/2025

Legion President Wendy Lang, joined by Sports Officer Nancy Gradeen accepted a $500 donation cheque from Up North Pigeon Racing Combine Union President Bruce Biden and Treasurer Ellen.

Thank you to the Up North Pigeon Racing Combine Union for your Generous Donation to Branch 521.

01/05/2025

Come in and get your membership for 2025.

$65/Member
$60/Seniors
$55/Veterans

*New Veterans and spouse receive First Year FREE*

***Legion Member Perks***

01/05/2025

ATTENTION MEMBERS

The next MEMBERS General Meeting is Jan 22nd at 7pm, Please join us to have your say and hear about what your executive team is doing for the Legion.

01/02/2025

$15/Person
6pm Serving

01/02/2025

We would like to thank all of those who came out yesterday for the New Year's Levee.

12/30/2024

Happy New Year!!!

***NO Bid Euchre on Saturday Jan 11th. ***

12/26/2024

December is Festive Season at Canadian Virtual Military Museum
Photo of the Day - December 25, 1943
Pause for Christmas dinner - but the war goes on.

IMAGE - Canadian soldiers enjoying a few drinks on Christmas Day at the front,
near Ortona, Italy,
Date: 25 December 1943
Photographer: Lieut. Frederick G. Whitcombe
Source: Library and Archives Canada / PA-163936

Photo Note from member Rob Enfield: this photo was taken near San Vito Chientino (6km from Ortona). The 'identifiable' men are of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps.

Notes about Christmas Dinner

*Troops from the Loyal Edmonton Regiment stayed on the front lines and a "primitive" Christmas dinner was delivered to them, which included a cold pork chop and a bottle of beer, according to historian Mark Zuehlke.

*Meanwhile, the B.C.-based Seaforth Highlanders of Canada shuffled its troops in and out for a more proper dinner at a church that was a few blocks away from the fighting.

*On offer was soup, pork with applesauce, cauliflower with mixed vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy. There was Christmas pudding and minced pie for dessert. And a couple of bottles of beer per man.

*The Highlanders even sang some carols, before heading back to the front lines, swapping out for others who had yet to eat Christmas dinner.

*The Canadians liberated Ortona three days later.

EXPLORE the Ortona Christmas story, in our Italy 1943 album,
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.945494125509049&type=3

12/26/2024

Christmas Eve in 1914
Stars were burning, burning bright
And all along the Western Front
Guns were lying still and quiet.
Men lay dozing in the trenches,
In the cold and in the dark,
And far away behind the lines
A village dog began to bark.



Some lay thinking of their families,
Some sang songs while others were quiet
Rolling f**s and playing brag
To while away that Christmas night.
But as they watched the German trenches
Something moved in No Man’s Land
And through the dark came a soldier
Carrying a white flag in his hand.





Then from both sides men came running,
Crossing into No Man’s Land,
Through the barbed-wire, mud and shell holes,
Shyly stood there shaking hands.
Fritz brought out ci**rs and brandy,
Tommy brought corned beef and f**s,
Stood there talking, singing, laughing,
As the moon shone on No Man’s Land.



Christmas Day we all played football
In the mud of No Man’s Land;
Tommy brought some Christmas pudding,
Fritz brought out a German band.
When they beat us at football
We shared out all the grub and drink
And Fritz showed me a faded photo
Of a dark-haired girl back in Berlin.

12/24/2024

May you enjoy a dinner as fine as the Seaforths did here in Ortona on December 25, 1943.

To all our Veterans, Members and Supporters of the Orville Hand Bradford Legion.
MERRY CHRISTMAS,
JOYEUX NOEL,
HAPPY HANNUKAH,
HAPPY KWANZA,
HAPPY YULE AND
BEST WISHES FOR A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON.