Entry 125 — Friday, January 27, 2012
Preamble Quiz for Placentia Area Readers
Do you know who the girl in the preceding photograph is? . . . . . . . . . . . Continue reading!
Part I The Ode To Newfoundland The Ode To Newfoundland is the official provincial anthem of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and it was formally given that status through Royal Assent in 1979. It was originally a poem titled Newfoundland, which Sir Cavendish Boyle composed in 1902. On May 20, 1904, the government of the day chose it to be the official national anthem of Newfoundland, with the term “national” being understood as a “colony” of Great Britain. Last Saturday, January 21, 2012, was the 110th anniversary of the Ode To Newfoundland being sung in public for the first time. That event took place during the closure of the play Mamzelle at the Casino Theater in St. John's and the person who sang it was Frances Daisy Foster. Sir Hubert Parry, a British composer, wrote the music for the song.
Here are the lyrics to Sir Cavendish Boyle's song, Ode To Newfoundland: When sunrays crown thy pine-clad hills, And summer spreads her hand, When silvern voices tune thy rills We love thee smiling land, We love thee, we love thee, We love thee smiling land.
When blinding storm gusts fret thy shore, And wild waves lash thy strand, Thro' spindrift swirl and tempest roar, We love thee windswept land, We love thee, we love thee, We love thee windswept land.
When spreads thy cloak of shimm'ring white, At winter's stern command, Thro' shortened day and starlit night, We love thee frozen land, We love thee, we love thee, We love thee frozen land.
As loved our fathers, so we love, Where once they stood we stand, Their prayer we raise to heav'n above, God guard thee, Newfoundland, God guard thee, God guard thee, God guard thee, Newfoundland.
Part II Remember Titanic
RMS Titanic It would be difficult for any publisher not to issue some sort of statement about the RMS Titanic this year, because it is the 100th anniversary of that vessels sinking on its inaugural voyage across the North Atlantic Ocean. Special events will be occurring throughout the year and most especially on April 15, the date if the renowned disaster.
Part III Another Part of Argentia's History Disappears Lawrence Carroll of Little Placentia (now Argentia) was married to Ellen Hartley of Dunville and they had five children, three daughters and two sons. In those days, girls usually did not get highly educated because they were expected to marry and rear their children. Lawrence and Ellen Carroll knew that their sons would fare well in life, but they wanted their daughters to have a higher education and the opportunity to become whatever would serve them best in life. Toward that end, and after they completed their “basic schooling” in Argentia, they sent their daughters to St. Bride's College at Littledale in St. John's. Association with the Mercy nuns who operated St. Bride's College must have had a profound effect on the three Carroll girls … because they became nuns. The last of the Carroll sisters was Sister Mary Eugenio, RSM, who lived at McCauley Convent after she retired as librarian at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital School of Nursing. Prior to being associated with St. Clare's Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, Sister Eugenio was a teacher and she taught children in various communities throughout Newfoundland. At the direction of her parents, she left Argentia at the age of 16 in 1933 and went to Littledale for a more advanced education. She was not around when her family were evicted from Argentia in 1941. Nevertheless, she was a former Argentia resident and she died on Saturday, January 14, 2012 … another human aspect of Argentia's rich history who has passed into the annals of time. Sister Eugenio's obituary is as follows:
Argentia.org herby extends sincere condolences to the surviving relatives of Sister Mary Eugenio Carroll, RSM, and to the Sisters of Mercy with whom she was associated. As an added tidbit of history — sports history, that is — Sister Eugenio's nephew, Lawrence, son of Thomas Carroll, was the first softball pitcher in Newfoundland to use the fast wind-up pitch. He played with Freshwater in the Placentia Intertown Softball League. He learned the wind-up style of pitching from American softball players at U.S. Naval Station, Argentia and he perfected it on his own with many, many hours of practice. As an adult, Lawrence Carroll became a member of the RCMP and spent most of his career in Ottawa, where he still resides. Just another way in which the American presence at Argentia affected local practices, many of which spread out provincially. Many of the softball players of today are probably not aware of that interesting fact.
Part IV Were you able to identify the girl in the Preamble Quiz? Well, it was Marina Gambin, as seen while she was attending summer school in 1964. After a career in teaching, she is now retired and committing her many memories to print. She has a bi-weekly column called “Where the Foghorns Wail” in The Charter and is a regular contributor to Postings. On this edition of Postings, we presenting four of Marina's stories under the headings From a Guest Writer's Pen.
Number I Time Is Passing By Marina Gambin As a new year rolls up on the calendar of my life, I cannot help but reflect on the passing of time. I am reminded of my grandmother who passed away in 1966. Kate (English) Power was my father's mother and she lived next door to my family home in branch. It was because there was more than one Kate Power in Branch, and my grandfather's name was Gus, that she was affectionately called Mrs. Katie Gus. To her grandchildren, she was known as Mom Power. Mom Power had an interesting fascination with time and its components. By the time you read this, we will already be three weeks past the winter solstice. My grandmother never specifically used the word solstice, but she would speak of how the sun had crossed the line and was swinging back toward us, and that we would soon notice the days getting longer. She would say, “After Twelfth Day, you will notice that every day will be a cock's step and a jump longer.” She would bring to my attention to how shadows were gradually getting shorter. At evening time, she would make me inspect the picket fence shadows on the ground to see the difference from the day before. I realize now that her preoccupation with all that seasonal stuff was her way of wishing for the departure of winter and the arrival of spring. My obsession with the passing of time and the changing of the seasons originated in her company. I remember sitting in her kitchen as she directed me to listen to the tick-tock of the clock, which she called a “timepiece.” She told me it was saying, “Time is passing. Time is passing.” But when you are not yet ten years old, the passing of time does not mean a whole lot because you think you will be young forever. As I watched Mom Power rock in her chair by the window, I wished that she would not talk about dying. I did not want to think about her being gone because that kind of stuff is too sad for children. She had her own way of preparing me for her leaving and I will never forget her little verse. “So shall it be when I am gone. Those joyful bells will still ring on.” Although her words strayed a bit from those of the Irish poet Thomas Moore, thanks to Google, I have since located the source of her quote, a delightful poem titled Those Evening Bells. My grandmother's house was torn down twelve years ago but, before they took the chainsaw to the walls, I ventured in for one last look. I could not find the pencil scratches behind the pantry door. I longed to get a glimpse of those telltale lines which were put there every year from the time I was about three. They probably stopped during some teenage year when I felt I was too old to be getting my height measured by my grandmother. Now, I can see that her simple pencil marking was just another way of monitoring the passing of time. And now I find myself the same age Mom Power was when she tried to teach me those important lessons about time. I guess some of it rubbed off because now one of my most frequently used quotes is that time and tide wait for no man. Happy New Year, dear readers.
As for the poem to which Marina referred in the preceding story, here are the words to Thomas Moore' poem: Those evening bells! those evening bells! How many a tale their music tells, Of youth and home and that sweet time, When last I heard their soothing chime.
Those joyous hours are past away: And many a heart, that then was gay. Within the tomb now darkly dwells, And hears no more those evening bells.
And so 'twill be when I am gone, That tuneful peal will still ring on, While other bards shall walk these dells, And sing your praise, sweet evening bells!
Part V Claude Jones and James Spurvey Our friend, Claude Jones, in North Carolina recently returned home after a two-month hospitalization for a serious health problem that we are not at liberty to disclose. Claude sent his friend, Edward Lake, an e-mail to let him know he is stable and progressing steadily. We wish Claude well and hope that his progress continues to complete recovery. As our regular readers know, Claude Jones was stationed at U.S. Naval Station, Argentia during the late 1950s. While in Argentia, he developed friendships with various people. Probably his best friend and co-worker at the time was James Spurvey of Fox Harbour. Claude loved his time in Argentia and has a large photo collection — which he gave a copy of to Edward Lake in August 2010 — to prove it. It was only in the summer of 2001 that he was able to return to Argentia for a visit and, by then, the installation he had liked so much had been destroyed by idiots. On that first visit back to Newfoundland, he went to Fox Harbour in the hope of finding his former friend. Upon arriving in Fox Harbour, he discovered that there were three James Spurveys living there. He found his former friend and had a great visit with James R. Spurvey and his wife, Teresa. Claude was glad that he had a memorable visit with James Spurvey because he died a little more than two years later. James Spurvey's obituary read as follows:
Argentia.org was not in existence in 2003, so we now extend our belated condolences to the immediate and extended members of the Spurvey family.
Part VI An Argentia Douglas C-47 Goes Into Ocean When one takes the time to delve into the history of any event, it is easy to see how the facts often become skewed or totally distorted. The information pertaining to the crash of an Argentia aircraft in 1949 is a good example for many reasons. Some of the stories that were circulating at the time were pure speculation and based on what several Newfoundlanders surmised what happened. The vague information issued by the legal officer and the mistake-riddled short article in The Evening Telegram did not help matters. In the late morning of Wednesday, October 26, 1949, a four-man crew of a Douglas C-47 Skytrain was on its way back to Argentia from the Azores when their plane developed engine trouble. The co-pilot sent out an S.O.S. as the pilot was trying to control the crash landing in the Atlantic Ocean … approximately 600 miles southeast of U.S. Naval Operating Base, Argentia. The Coast Guard Cutter USS Sebago was already at sea and returning to Argentia when its radioman picked up the distress call and the captain ordered a change of course and headed for the crash area.
Had the aircraft crashed head-first into the ocean, or had the ocean been rough, there would not have been anything for the crew of the Sebago to find. However, the pilot was successful in controlling his descent and made a belly landing on the relatively calm sea. Amazingly, the aircraft had taken on some water but was still afloat when the Sebago arrived! After taking the four airmen aboard, the captain of the stood by for almost an hour until the aircraft sank. Had it not sunk on its own, he was going to give it a nudge with his vessel and sink it because it would have been a hazard to shipping in the area, especially at night or in foggy conditions. It was 0830 hours on Thursday, October 27 when the USS Sebago arrived at the Fleet Dock in Argentia. Shortly after the Sebago 's arrival, Commander Edward Collins, the legal officer at U.S. Naval Operating Base, Argentia, issued a press release to The Evening Telegram regarding the plane crash and rescue of the crew. Normally, officials at Argentia did not issue press releases regarding operations because it was all considered to be “confidential” or “classified.” Had the four men been lost, Newfoundlanders would not have known about it, except through the workers' grapevine in Argentia. The rescue was a goodwill story, to the legal officer issued a statement, probably because “… it looked good on them,” as radio host Aubrey MacDonald commented. In spite of releasing information to The Evening Telegram , Commander Collins did not include the names of the men who were rescued. The short article in The Evening Telegram read: Ditched Fliers Reach Argentia
The name of the person at The Evening Telegram who wrote the article was not identified or credited with it. Obviously, he/she were lacking in basic grammar and publication protocol. As you can see, that very short article — two paragraphs consisting of four sentences — had seven errors, which is a massive error rate and just bad writing. Consequently, we have to address the errors with the following points: • The vessel's name was Sebago and not “Sabago.” Also, the name was not italicized, as is the standard practice when writing the names of ships. • The branch of the U.S. military to which the Sebago belonged was the U.S. Coast Guard, not “coastguard.” • As for “engined,” it is not a word. The correct term is twin-engine, which is a compound adjective, and the first of two adjectives describing the noun “plane.” • The past tense of speed is sped and not “speeded,” as was written in the article. • The Douglas C-47 Skytrain crashed landed on the ocean 600 mile southeast, and not “southwest,” of Newfoundland. If the Sebago had been 600 miles southwest of Newfoundland, as stated in the article, then it would have been grounded almost 150 miles inland in Nova Scotia. The USCGC Sebago was one of the two most famous coast guard cutters that operated out of Argentia during the 1940s and 1950s … the USCGC Ingram being the other vessel. Thus, it is only fitting that we present a short history of the Sebago in this section of Entry 125.
Western Pipe and Steel of California built the USCGC Sebago , the WPS Hull Number of which was 148. The keel for that Owasco-class U.S. Coast Guard Cutter was laid down on June 7, 1943 and the vessel was launched on May 28, 1944. The christening sponsor was Margaret P. Steinmetz and the vessel was or iginally named Wachusett from (WPG-40). It was then changed to Sebago (WHEC-40) and the vessel was commissioned on September 20, 1945. The Sebago 254 feet long, 43 feet, one inch wide, and 17 feet, three inches deep. Its d isplacement was 1,342 tons light and 1,978 tons when fully loaded. Its propulsion consisted of oneWestinghouse electric motor driven by a turbine that generated 4,000 horsepower through the shaft and drove the vessel to a maximum speed of 17 knots. Fully fueled, it had a range of 6,157 miles at 17 knots and 10,376 miles at 10 knots. The crew consisted of 10 officers, 3 warrants, and 130 enlisted men. Upon commissioning in 1945, it had an a rmament: two twin 5-inch, 38 caliber dual-purpose gun mounts, one fore and aft, two quad 40 mm AA gun mounts, two depth-charge tracks; six K-gun depth-charge projectors, and one hedgehog A/S projector. During the 1960s, it had one 5-inch, 38 caliber gun, one Mk-10 gun, one A/S projector, two Mk-32 gun, five torpedo mounts, one 81 mm mortar, and two .50 caliber MGs. The USCHC Sebago was in existence for 29 years, five of which were spent at U.S. Naval Station, Argentia. It was decommissioned on February 29, 1972 and lay inactive until it was scrapped in 1974.
Part VII
Back in 2000, Placentia's mayor Bill Hogan and residents Len Hickey and John Seay were all “gung-ho” to have a provincial softball museum built in Placentia. Remember that? How about the article that appeared in the December 2000 edition of the Downhomer magazine?
The idea of having a softball museum in Placentia was a good idea. After all, everything the Provincial Softball Association accomplished since 1962 was the result of the ground work for and the popularity of the game that was generated by the Placentia Intertown Softball League. Also, we cannot forget the many contributions of teaching and donations of services and equipment by the dedicated sports-minded officials at U.S. Naval Station, Argentia. So, one question remains; whatever happened to the idea? Obviously, it died, but why?
Part VIII
Number II Remembrance of Pancake Days In The Past By Marina Gambin Recently, I saw an Aunt Jemima advertisement on TV informing us that February 27 is Pancake Day, aka Shrove Tuesday, which is, of course, the eve of the Lenten season. That advertisement certainly triggered some childhood memories of Pancake Days gone by. I spent my childhood years in the small fishing outport of Branch, and I have vivid remembrances that Lent, in the 1950s and 1960s, formed quite a significant block of time in our Roman Catholic liturgical calendar. We were ushered into the Lenten season with the important pancake ceremonies of Shrove Tuesday. I wonder now why I never realized then that the word “shrove” means repent, forgive, penance. I probably thought “shrove” meant pancake. I have figured out in hindsight, with 50-odd years of figuring behind me, that the pancake feast must have been meant to be one last glut before the Lenten fast, which would help us atone for past sins. Long before we knew of Betty Crocker or Aunt Jemima, we had pancakes made from scratch on Pancake Day. Added to the pancakes were tiny objects that would determine one's future occupation. Other households may have used different entities, but my mother always put in a straw, a nail, a button, a ring, and some coins. It is a miracle that someone did not choke to death on one of those tiny additives. I have never heard of such an incident happening, but it is a known fact in my family that my mother lost her wedding ring one Pancake Day. It never showed up, but for weeks after, if anyone so much as complained of the slightest stomach ache, he/she immediately got blamed for ingesting the wedding band and was told to keep an eye out for it. As for the prophetic attributes of the pancake ingredients, no one in my family became a farmer, a carpenter, a bachelor/spinster, or a millionaire. However, the consumed ring worked — all seven siblings are married with children. The coins were the most coveted items on Shrove Tuesday. Small change (or big stuff, for that matter) was not a plentiful commodity in a fisherman's family of seven children. But my mother was diplomatic enough to make sure she included seven nickels in seven different pancakes. As conniving as one of us may have been, she always managed to make sure the cash got shared, and all the youngsters were left with the hope that one day Lady Luck would shine down on him or her. May I hasten to add that everyone had to end up working for a living. None of us is filthy rich. I suppose pancake syrup had not yet been introduced to us, because all I can remember as a topping for the pancakes was molasses or jam. Washed down with a fine cup of tea, the meal was complete, and the togetherness of it all is still etched in my mind. The next day in school, the topic of the day was, “What did you get in the pancakes?” Pancake Day is another one of those treasures I have stored in my life's memory box, among a million others.
Part IX Placentia Information On Tuesday, January 11, 2012, we received the following e-mail from Tom O'Keefe of Placentia:
Argentia.org thanks Mr. O'Keefe for his e-mail. The following is the basic presentation that is on the Geotourism website. We omitted all the add-ons and advertisements that are associated with it. Tom O'Keefe's information, photos, and messages from readers can be accessed at: http://www.nlgeotourism.com/content/town-of-placentia/nfl48D2CC65D32D78264.
Eastern Newfoundland Geotourism Map Guide ………………………..…………….. National Geographic Town of Placentia
Placentia Region By Darlene Pomroy.
Tom O'Keefe, the site's author. Placentia (called Plaisance by the French) is a community on the east side of Placentia Bay and west side of the Avalon Peninsula in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It has a great history of occupation going back to the 1500s. There are reports of early visits from the Basque, Portuguese, Spanish, Aboriginals and others. Besides being a onetime capital (1662 to 1713) for the French in Newfoundland, it also has an interesting history associated with the English and Irish and, in more recent times, the Americans. There are a number of locations of old forts, one of which has been developed as the Castle Hill National Historic Site. When we talk about Placentia or Plaisance, in history, we are frequently referring to a larger area that probably included Point Verde, Townside, Jerseyside, Ferndale, Freshwater, Argentia (Little Placentia), Southeast, Bond's Path, and Dunville (Northeast Arm). With the exception of Point Verde, these were all amalgamated into the Town of Placentia in 1994 (Population just under [sic] 4,000 in 2011). Today Placentia is a modern community with paved roads and some sidewalks, a new school, churches, postal services, RCMP, fire department, shopping mall and other business including banks, service stations, liquor store, furniture stores, restaurants, hotels, RV park and camping grounds, art studios, used car dealership, and more. It also has a unique lift bridge and a unique river that flows in two directions because of tidal action. Placentia is blessed with tourism attractions within the community and nearby. There is Castle Hill, archaeological digs, old buildings, graveyards, museum, former U.S. Military base and others within the municipality. Nearby are such attractions as the Atlantic Charter monument, Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve (bird sanctuary) and other nature attractions near Colinet. Placentia which is about an hour and a half from St. John's can be reached by the Trans Canada highway [sic] all year and by the East Coast Ferry in Argentia during the summer months. For More Information, Contact: Town of Placentia townofplacentia@placentia.ca http://www..placentia.ca/default.asp P.O. Box 99, Placentia, NL A0B 2Y0 (709) 227-2151 · fax (709) 227-2323 Share A Comment Comments : Capt. Sabino Laucirica (Plentzia) wrote on January 11, 2012: Many thanks, Tom for your interest in the links between your Placentia and mine in the Basque Country (Spain). Steve Gosse wrote on January 10, 2012: only [sic] spent 3 years there while in school but i [sic] fucking loved every minute of it ... get homesick but have health issues right now. Larry Carroll wrote on January 10, 2012: Great pics and they bring back some great memories of growing up in a place that was so alive and vibrant when I was a teenager ... God's country for sure!,,,, [sic] Tim Careen wrote on January 10, 2012: There is no better place than “OUR” town of Placentia. Awesome pictures thanks. Edward Traverse wrote on January 10, 2012: Tom I think you done [sic] a great job, maybe you could add the different trails systems that we have, like board walk, First beech [sic] [sic], and Argentia trails. Tom O'Keefe was the town clerk with the Town of Placentia several decades ago and he has a keen interest in the history of the immediate Argentia region. Indeed, he is probably the only original Placentia resident who has a lot of first-hand and acquired knowledge about his community's history. Understandably, Tom is also the president of the Placentia Area Historical Society.
Part X
Number III The Gasoline Washer By Marina Gambin I grew up in a small Newfoundland outport on the southern tip of the Avalon Peninsula; namely, Branch in St. Mary's Bay. I knew no luxuries in our community. We did not experience the convenience of electricity until 1965. But, in 1958, we had a gasoline washing machine that we purchased on the “budget plan” from the Great Eastern Oil Company in St. John's. We were probably one of the last families in Branch to buy a washer. So, when ours arrived and was subsequently set up, my older sister and I proudly trotted down the lane to the shop and purchased the necessary gallon of gasoline for less than a quarter. My sister swung that gallon can so everyone around could plainly see we were now the owners of a coveted washer. No matter that we still did not yet have running water or indoor bathroom facilities! The washer was a monster of a machine. It was started — and not easily — by means of a pulley and, once it got going, it made a noise comparable to the engine room of a boat. What intrigued us most the first time we used it was how it danced all over the kitchen floor. My baby brother, who was in his crib at the time, almost went into convulsions. How we solved the problem of the moving washer now escapes my memory, but it was eventually immobilized. Once we got the hang of operating the machine, we could fill three clotheslines quite proficiently in jig time. Wash day was a continuous cycle of boiling water on the woodstove, dumping it into the washer, pumping it out, filling it up with the rinse water, and so on. I will never forget the steam rising out of that McClary Easy washer. We did not mind the labor — we were moving into the age of modern times and we were not about to complain. We enjoyed passing the clothes through the attached wringer after we had turned off the dangerous washer. All the youngsters in the family waited their turn to pass the clothing through the wringer under the watchful eye of someone older. But enough about the mechanics! Recently, I asked my 88-year-old father if he remembered our gas washer. “Indeed I do,” he said. “The first time we used it outdoors in the summertime, it made so much noise that Uncle Jack's old mare ran away and nearly killed poor old Lucy Anne.” I cannot remember how often we used that washer each week, but I vividly recall the smell of gas that permeated the house, and I still sweat when I think of the steam filling the kitchen. The whole fiasco was quite the adventure for the first summer. Toward the coming of fall, we were all sick of the washer, and everyone tried to pass the job to someone else. Today, my older siblings fondly remember the gas washer episode, and the summer that we were initiated into the world of household machinery.
Ironically, the preceding photo looks exactly like the way more that 40 percent of Newfoundlanders get ring of their used household appliances and garbage … absolutely no respect for their own environment.
Part XI
Number IV The Ungentle Cow By Marina Gambin
I grew up in the community of Branch, St. Mary's Bay where my father was a fisherman and, out of necessity, a part-time farmer. We had a vegetable garden, the customary root cellar, and a stable, which housed a horse, some sheep, hens, and a cow. The cow, ah yes, the cow! Therein lies my story. My family, and almost everyone in the community, kept a cow or two to help augment the food supply. Milking the cow was a daily chore, and the responsibility of us children. Extracting the milk from Bossy was done by hand, and let me tell you, it was no easy task. There is an art to cow-milking. A certain proficiency is necessary for the “squeeze-pull” procedure and, if one, executes the act incorrectly, the stubborn bovine will flatly refuse to deliver her product. However, if I must say so myself, at the age of 12 or 13, I had perfected the technique quite efficiently and could coax a bucketful of milk from the large animal in jig time. As long as she stood still, the chore was a piece of cake. Our cows always co-operated and nothing untoward ever occurred until my father purchased a fine big red and white Jersey from a farmer in Conception Bay South. The cow's name was Biddy and I always called her Giddy Biddy because if there was ever a cantankerous cow, it was Biddy. She did not want to be petted, she hated getting milked, and she broke out of the meadow at every opportunity. I do not think she even wanted anyone looking at her. My grandmother was spot-on when she said, “She's got a bit of the devil in her.” My father was the first to attempt to milk Giddy Biddy. Equipped with two aluminum buckets, one for the seat and the other to hold the wholesome white liquid, he was sent tumbling head over heels at the first tug on her udder. He went one way, the buckets flew into the air, and Biddy bolted toward the meadow. I can still hear the uproar as she mooed wildly, her cow bell clinking rambunctiously as my startled father yelled and shook his fist at her. Of course, there was no fresh milk for supper that evening. My mother, who had not witnessed the escapade in the yard, told my father that perhaps he had been too rough with the cow. “Let Marina milk her tomorrow, John. She is more used to handling a cow.” And with that note of confidence, I was given the ungodly task of taming the shrew. But subduing that hellion was not to be. We tried tying her to the fence, squashing her in her pound, milking her at dawn, at dusk, and at noon. If memory serves me correctly, I am sure we talked to her and sang to her, and I know I recited poetry to her. On the advice of a very learned farmer from down the lane, we even sent to the mainland for an item called a “spancel” from a renowned farmer's magazine. That invention, when attached to a cow's hind legs, was guaranteed to render the cow motionless. Alas, it had the opposite effect on the cranky Jersey. She garnered so much strength that the hapless spancel burst in so many pieces there was not enough of it left to send back to the company for a refund. And so it went for the whole summer! Biddy was so ill-tempered and fidgety that, on good days, we were lucky to procure a quarter of a bucket of milk. Even I, the accomplished cow milker, could not break the “devil cow,” although I spent the best part of that summer trying. When the fall rolled around, the fate of the stubborn cow was decided. She was loaded aboard a pickup truck and sold to a butcher in Long Pond, Manuels. Maybe it was my imagination, but to this day I contend that as she disappeared down the lane, the look in her eyes was one of defiant satisfaction. She mooed boisterously, as if to say, “I got the best of you.” My uncle wryly remarked that he did not think anyone would get much pleasure from eating Biddy's beef because she was too tough. “You wouldn't fry a steak off her with a pound of fatback,” he said. Surprisingly enough, I missed the old critter for awhile. The cow that replaced her was very docile. She provided us with no excitement and, to tell the truth, I cannot even recall what we named her. As a matter of interest, a simple spancel is a short length of rope with loops at either end and is used for “hobbling” the back legs of horses or cows. A fancy spancel is used with a harness-Type of strapping for the same purpose. In the photo of a cow in a lift below, the red adjustable strap is the spancel.
As for “Giddy Biddy” looking “defiant,” we think that the cow in the photo below best demonstrates the one from Marina Gambin's childhood memory. Its glaring look combined with excessive mucous dripping from the nostrils is certainly in keeping with defiance.
To us, the defiant looking cow is conveying the message, “How dare you look at me like that.” Another great memory from the Cape Shore, Marina!
Part XII Artful Alliterations Alliterations in titles and text make for colorful and interesting reading, provided that they are not repetitious and over-used like the many clichés one sees and hears every day. How about that stupid, over-used baseball cliché “Step up to the plate!” Everybody from the President of the United States to an unassuming Newfoundland fisherman in Bonavista uses it two or more times a week. Just pay attention and you will hear what we mean. In the next edition of Postings, we will have two short articles pertaining to Placentia and their titles are of the alliterative “P” variety.
Part XIII Pacific Charter That Almost Was Have you ever heard of the Pacific Charter? Of course not, there is no such thing! However, that does not mean that the now famous Atlantic Charter could just as easily have been the Pacific Charter. Not many people are aware of that fact, but Alexander (Alex) Bruce, a veteran of the Canadian Navy and a resident of Jerseyside, was one of those who did. During the summer of 1999, he wrote a short article that he titled “Pacific Charter … That Almost Was.” In December 2000, he decided to have it published so he sent a copy to The Telegram in St. John's. As a matter of general interest, the name of Newfoundland's premier newspaper was officially changed from The Evening Telegram to The Telegram as of the Sunday, September 11, 1998 edition. The editorial staff at The Telegram decided to publish Bruce's article and it appeared in the Sunday, January 21, 2001 edition. The version you are about to read is a copy of the original that Alex Bruce gave to Edward Lake, shortly after he wrote it. The editors at The Telegram shortened the version Bruce submitted and added many contractions because of space restrictions
Number V — Posthumously Pacific Charter … That Almost Was By Alexander Bruce Everyone has heard of the so-called Atlantic Charter stemming from the first summit of Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill at Argentia outer harbour in August 1941. But there was no such thing as that grandiloquent-titled make-believe document, as such. The only thing that came out of the summit was an eight-point communiqué that was read to reporters at 10:00 a.m. — 11:30 a.m. Newfoundland Time — by press secretary Stephen Early in Washington D.C. and at 3:30 p.m. — 7:00 p.m. Newfoundland Time — by Clement Attlee in London. Roosevelt never had any intention of engaging the United States in any more European squabbles — they had had enough in 1915–1918. Churchill tried to bully Roosevelt into joining the war, but Roosevelt — backed by his Anglophobe Admiral of the Fleet, Ernest J. King, and his two sons, Elliott and F.D.R. Jr. — would not be bullied by any “drunken warmonger,” as Hitler always referred to the English “Bulldog.” Hitler was not a German and Churchill called him The Austrian Corporal. There was almost a “Pacific Charter” in 1941. The Atlantic region remained Roosevelt's first concern, but the situation in the Far East continued to deteriorate and both Roosevelt and Churchill became increasingly concerned. In private, Roosevelt talked alternately tough and conciliatory with the Japanese negotiators, who were admirals Kichisabura Nomura, Saburo Kuruso, and Prince Fumimoro Konoye, but neither tactic brought results. Prince Konoye, in good faith, proposed a high-level meeting aboard a warship off California, but he was unaware that his government was plotting war against the United Suddenly, on October 17, 1941, the moderate Prince Konoye resigned as prime minister. He was replaced by the militant General Hideki Tojo. Weeks later, the BBC reported the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbour. Churchill immediately drafted a British declaration of war against the Japanese to be signed by King George VI and read in the British House of Commons. Consequently, it was General Tojo, and not fate, who dictated that there would not be a Pacific Charter.
Part XIV
Late Wednesday an editor with The Telegram called Edward Lake to let him know that a letter by Elaine Murray of Placentia would be appearing the Thursday edition of The Charter. After giving the gist of the letter's contents, he asked for a comment. Lake declined to comment because he is well aware of how certain writers at The Telegram will distort comments just to intensify their story and make it more sensational. Also, why take such an avenue when Argentia.org is here specifically for that purpose. The added bonus is that some self-important reporter or editor would not be able to censor certain comments and free speech, or writing, in this case. Elaine Murray's letter to the editor of The Charter read as follows:
That was a typical Elaine Murray letter … starting out on a single subject and then moving on to mixing in multiple subjects, not the least of which is her proposed “International Museum of World Peace,” as if there were not any others involved, and which leaves many readers wondering about her real agenda. While she cited the page number of the editorial, “Remembering Argentia,” as being A4, she did not identify the issue of The Charter. It was not the previous week's issue, which was Thursday, January 19, 2012, but the Thursday, January 12, 2012 edition to which she was referring. That is an important fact if a writer wanted readers to follow his/her line of thought. As a rule, people do not want to ramble through two or more editions of a newspaper to find a referenced article. Elaine Murray is right by stating, “hard working descendants from the former community of Argentia also make a valuable contribution to our municipality…” But that is the case in the hundreds of communities around the world where descendants of former residents of Argentia ended up living … and it is, as we suspect, the same for the descendants of deceased residents of any community. She is also correct in her statement, “I think knowledge about our past and our ancestors puts character on the very bones of our human flesh and gives us strength and a sense of what is important and, particularly, of what is right and fitting. We, the people of Argentia, believe that an acknowledgment of the contribution made by our ancestors in 1941 is very right and fitting. If the community of Placentia had been lost in this way in 1941, I would hope and feel certain that this same need would be felt in Placentia today.” And now for our rebuttal to her non-rebuttal and comments pertaining to the content Argentia.org! The errors signified by the numerical [sic] entries are self explanatory. However, we do have to address [sic 2] and [sic 2], which, again, pertain to the so-called “sacrifices” of the Argentia people. As stated in Entry 119, the Argentia residents did not join any branch of the military never made any “sacrifices” for the war effort … absolutely no sacrifices. Only those residents who joined various branches of the military actually made “sacrifices.” The British government imposed its discretion on the residents of Argentia and expropriated their entire community to make way for a U.S. military installation of imposing proportions. That was certainly not a “sacrifice,” and imposition is as far removed from “sacrifice” as black is from white. What is it about that fact which Elaine Murray and certain other individuals do not understand! Are they really that historically challenged? Elaine Murray is well aware that Edward Lake's great-grandmother, grandmother (both grandfather and great-grandfather were dead by that time), mother, uncle, aunt, and great uncles and aunts were also evicted from their homes in Argentia. They were like all the other residents, bitter at the British government for taking away their homes, land, and a contented way of life. It was because most of them relocated to Freshwater, and had each other on which to rely, that they were able to recover from the hurt and get on with their lives. It was only a select few who remained bitter all their lives and greatly embellished and distorted their accounts of what actually transpired at Argentia between October 1940 and December 1941. If Elaine Murray does not recognize and accept that fact then she has a much more “serious problem” than she realizes. How can she “promote” Argentia's history when she has so very little of it. Edward Lake's grandmother and mother were good friends with Elaine Murray's parents and they visited each other's homes fairly frequently. But Elaine does not know very much about those visits and what transpired because she had married a U.S. Marine and was living in the United States. It was during visits with Elaine Murray's aunt and uncle, Bridget (Bride) and Michael (Mike) Murray, of Jerseyside that Edward Lake obtained rare Argentia-related artifacts that belonged to her aunt Bride, uncle Mike, and uncle Paddy Evans. Perhaps she is secretly pissed off about that as well. For anyone who might be doubting that information send us an e-mail requesting a private viewing of those artifacts and we will make immediate arrangements with Edward Lake. That is not an idle statement; it is a genuine invitation to anyone who might be interested. Perhaps Tom O'Keefe, the president of the Placentia Area Historical Society, and Elizabeth MacDonald, the editor of The Charter, might like to avail of our invitation! We could also arrange for you to see other artifacts that will “knock your socks off!” Murray's statement, “I think knowledge about our past and our ancestors puts character on the very bones of our human flesh and gives us strength and a sense of what is important and, particularly, of what is right and fitting,” was a good one. Unfortunately, much of her “knowledge” of Argentia that she is so apt too pass on is either flawed or completely incorrect. Perhaps she truly believes it to be correct! If by some miracle that the proposed “large-scale” International Museum of World Peace becomes a reality, what “in hell's flames,” as the saying goes, are they going to put into it? By alienating Edward Lake, the so-called influentials in the Placentia area lost out on the opportunity to someday have an astounding collection of American Argentia artifacts. Between May 2010 and August 2011 many personnel uniforms and a 1952 U.S. Marine patrol jeep from Argentia were transferred from the Edward Lake Argentia Artifact Collection to various military archival collections in the United States. They are just the latest of the 817 artifacts that have returned to the United States since July 2006. Elaine Murray's statement, “I would also like to comment on the recommendation from the Editor to visit the website of Mr. Bud Lake at www.argentia.org to learn more about Argentia. Surely the Editor is not recommending argentia.org as an unbiased, objective source of information on Argentia? On a regular basis, Mr. Lake, on his website, gives very subjective, angry treatment of the work of any person who researches and writes on Argentia.” That is a loaded comment! The editor of The Charter appears to be an educated and intelligent newspaper woman and, unless proven otherwise, we are certain she is quite capable and has the ability to wade through the bullshit that crosses her desk on a daily basis and discern what and what is not worth recommending to her readers. Murray's accusation of us being “unbiased,” is an outright lie. Argentia.org is one of the very few advertisements-free Domains that tell things as they were, or are. We do not gloss anything over like she does. That seems to be her particular area of expertise! The same goes for her accusation of Edward Lake being “angry” and “subjective!” Nobody associated with Argentia.org is “angry.” On the contrary, we truly enjoy and get a kick out of what we do. It is Elaine Murray's aggressive statements in The Charter that reek of anger and bitterness. Neither Edward Lake nor any of his seven associates at Argentia.org have demonstrated subjectivity and we have copies of every Entry that has been published on Postings to prove it. However, her interpretation of the word may not be the same as the rest of the world perceives it. We are like the proverbial “Orange and Green” by telling it like it is. If that is offensive to anyone, then so be it. We do not demonstrate favoritism to any one side and we treat priests, politicians, celebrities, and ordinary people the same way. As an example, does Elaine Murray not remember the non-flattering, but factual, articles we published about Senator John McCain when he was running for the presidency of the United States? We do not favor anyone at any level of the social stratum. We praise and support the good work and efforts of anyone with ties to Argentia who deserve it. Has she forgotten all such entries in the past? As for others who write about Argentia, it is only the work of those who publish erroneous information about Argentia that we critique and try to correct. There are others who have researched and written articles about Argentia that we praise and publish as examples. We suppose Elaine Murray does not remember those either! One such article appeared just before this one. For her information, Entry 126 will have a large number of pages dedicated to former Argentia resident who loved the stories of and about Argentia and kept written notes and articles pertaining to them. She was a good researcher, published many articles, had her information in other author's books, published a book of her own, won several prizes in the annual Newfoundland Arts and Letters Competition, and was in the planning stages of writing another book when she died of cancer. Also, she was probably the single most important factor in women all across Canada getting wage parity with their male counterparts. Is Elaine Murray even vaguely familiar with that aspect of her history? If we were so “angry,” “biased,” and “subjective” would we spend significant amounts of time tracking down the records, details, and photos to make such a presentation to the world? We think not! As for research, it has many facets that fit into two categories, preliminary and primary. Interviewing people who were not part of an event or several decades removed from it is preliminary and a means of obtaining dates, etcetera so that they can them be either verified or discarded through hands-on archival research. The same applies to newspapers. Looking up stories is preliminary research and should never be used as primary research. Why? Articles in newspapers may be correct, but there is no way of knowing that. One has to consider the fact that the authors may be biased, have an axe to grind with some individual or organization, or just exaggerating to make their stories more sensational … because that is what usually sells. Newspapers, however, can be very useful preliminary research tools. If a researcher wants to get information about a specific event and has not idea as to the time frame, then it is utterly useless to start primary research unless he/she is prepared to spend months, and sometimes years, going through official records, only to be unsuccessful in the end. If he/she conducts his/her preliminary research by reading newspapers, then he/she has a better chance of finding a time frame. If successful in tracking down a story then he/she has a date and starting point. As an example, if a researcher finds a story and the newspaper was published on a specific date, then he/she can conduct an archival search for about a week or so prior to the date the story was published and he/she will meet with success in finding official records the vast majority of the time. Reading newspapers can be a great pastime but it is certainly not primary research. When Edward Lake was compiling information for his unpublished encyclopedia containing the entire history of Argentia from 1662 until the end of the twentieth century, he spent 972 hours and 45 minutes conducting preliminary research in newspapers that were located at the A. C. Hunter Library and the Center for Newfoundland Studies in Memorial University of Newfoundland. The time was well spent because 97.8 percent of 263 newspaper stories was supported by official archival records. Argentia.org has been live on the Internet for almost five years. Why is it only now that Elaine Murray is so upset and has a “serious problem” about the German flag being displayed on ourHome Page? She never seemed to mind when she was sending her many e-mails to us looking for some one sort of information or another (her version of research). The truth is that she got “royally pissed off” when we corrected her misinformation about Argentia in Part VI of Entry 119, which we published on Friday, September 23, 2011. Remember that? It pertained to a letter she wrote to The Charter complaining that Neil Earl of Carbonear had written “a few serious oversights.” Well, in taking Neil Earl to task, Elaine Murray wrote more misinformation than he did. Her letter had the amazing number of 33 errors — each one pointed out by [sic]. After receiving a copy of the article in PDF format from Sandra Tobin of Halifax, Nova Scotia, we addressed the majority of errors and misinformation, as put forth by Neil Earle and Elaine Murray. That, and only that, is what made Elaine Murray's blood boil. If seeing the German flag is so insulting to Elaine Murray, then only one question needs to be asked … why does she keep logging onto Argentia.org so often? Is it that she is like a select few from the area who despise our Domain but are so nosy that they log on at least once a week, and sometimes more often, because they are afraid they might miss something. If she “has a problem” with it, then solve that “problem” … stop visiting our Domain. If she is under the impression that her words in The Charter will change anything, she is certainly not a realist. Remember, there is such a thing as free speech through writing and we make the best use of it on Argentia.org. Since Elaine Murray was so apt to use a nickname for Edward Lake, instead of keeping her debate formal, as is the normal and expected practice for such communications, that gives us the latitude to do likewise. As the proverbial saying goes, “What's good for the goose is good go the gander,” only in this situation, the nouns should be reversed. Elaine Murray is so self-content in sharing certain misinformation about the history of Argentia — whether accidentally or deliberately — that she seems not to be aware of the fact that at least 37 people in the Placentia area mockingly refer to her as “Miss Argentia.” It was Alexander (Alex) Bruce (1934-2004) of Jerseyside, by the way, who coined that moniker in 1995… after having some untoward dealings with her and her cohorts when she worked with the infamous Argentia Management Authority (AMA). At the time, Alex Bruce was trying to convince local influential groups and individuals, as well as the provincial government and the City of St. John's to have the U.S. Marines' monument returned to its rightful place, under Murphy's Hill in Argentia. He was very upset that John Cardoulis was allowed to “…take that historic monument out of Argentia and stick it on the north bank of Quidi Vidi Lake in St. John's.” For the intimate details pertaining to that debacle, double click U.S. Marines' Argentia Monument Farce on our Home Page. While there, you will also read some statements that are probably the main reason why certain individuals and groups in the Placentia area dislike Argentia.org. Alex Bruce eventually convinced Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to build a concrete replica of the U.S. Marines' monument and place it on the original base that was still in place. By that time, Elaine Murray had left the employ of the AMA. If Ms. Murray's Festival of Flags organization is as influential as she would have everyone believe it is why not get involved in a worthwhile project … adopt and promote Alex Bruce's idea and start a lobbying campaign to have the U.S. Marines' monument returned to its rightful place, Argentia. But, of course, that might be too inconvenient and publicly confrontational and result in some unwanted publicity … and they would not want that, now, would they! Obtaining anything worthwhile usually has a price to be paid and it is obvious that Ms. Murray is not like us … she is not willing to pay any price to have a significant piece of Argentia's history returned to the “beloved” place of her roots. Since Alex Bruce was from Argentia, and within the same generation as Elaine Murray, is she aware that her former co-Argentian was christened “Aloysius” and legally changed his name to Alexander in adulthood? That is why some people who knew him as a youth called him “Al” while most others called him Alex. Now, there is an interesting piece of trivia pertaining to the human aspect of Argentia's history! Also, why does Ms. Murray continue to perpetuate information that is contrary to what her uncle, Patrick (Paddy) Evans left behind. He lived his entire life in Argentia and was a very keen observer who put the details of many events into poetry and song … and he did not mind upsetting the well-known apple cart by expressing the truth. Remember his song Hail Mary and Our Dear Father, which was a song he composed about Father Adrian Dee having a woman living in the presbytery with him. Remember that? Paddy Evans told it like it was and did not dress up any kind of event just to please the “holier-than-thou” types. Ooooops … there we go mentioning that “beloved” priest again! Now we have probably upset the ever-inquisitive Miss Holy Rosary as well, Miss Argentia's counterpart when it comes to expressing thoughts about having certain events of history glossed over for the sake of whatever it is that they deem it should be. As for uploading her “rebuttal” to “another website,” why did she not name that website. We, as well as anyone who has minimal brain function, know that she is referring to the Red Island website. If she thinks that action will alter our style and approach to addressing misinformation about Argentia's history, she is sadly mistaken. Oh, and by the way, Argentia.org is not a website. It is a Domain and we can host up to 175 large-volume websites. We choose not to get into that aspect of our existence on the Internet too deeply because it would distract from our primary objective. Having stated that, there are thirteen websites — a baker's dozen — now functioning on the Internet that are within the Argentia.org Domain. We cannot name those websites because their owners pay monthly fees for their hosting packages and the contract details are confidential business transactions … unless, of course, any one or all of them choose to make that information public. We can state that the very people who dislike Argentia.org — and it is only in the Placentia area where that situation exists — are also logging onto those websites as often, and more in some cases, as they log onto Argentia.org. If Elaine Murray loves Argentia as much as she proclaims, then why would she not want the most accurate history of the place of her roots displayed for the rest of the world to see and read? Is it because she was not the one who put it there? How juvenile, even for a senior citizen! We can only assume that she is satisfied with us correcting the much misinformation that is floating around about Argentia … as long as it does not apply to her. We critiqued Elaine Murrays printed statements in Entry 119, but she preferred to make it appear as being much worse by using the verb “attack.” However, it is to her credit that she did not claim we made an “attack” on her. We have absolutely no problem with Elaine Murray as a person, just the misinformation that she is helping to propagate. Each of the six flags that adorn the Home Page of Argentia.org is representative of a change in the course of Argentia's history. If Elaine Murray knew as much about Argentia's history as she claims, then she should know the reason for the German flag on our Home Page. So, for her benefit, and anyone else who might be interested, this will be a detailed explanation. Argentia.org is supported by a group of Americans ... descendants of former Argentia residents and former U.S. servicemen who were stationed at U.S. Naval Operating Base, Argentia. Both groups have a keen interest in preserving the most accurate history possible of Argentia … and having some of it displayed for anyone who wishes to read and use it. While the information that appears on Argentia.org comes from a number of sources, Argentia historian and researcher Edward F. J. Lake, RN (Retired) is the primary source. He has spent more than 50 years collecting information and artifacts pertaining to Argentia. He also conducted at 10-year period of concentrated research at local, national, and international (general and military) archives. Whenever his research led to information pertaining to communities in the surrounding region, he also added that to his collection. After a lengthy conversation with — and a suggestion by — Dr. Norman Perry, Director of the U.S. National Archives in 1992, Edward Lake compiled a 1,500-page encyclopedia on Argentia. To date, it has not been published because the author is retired and cannot afford the prohibitive printing costs. Edward Lake titled the encyclopedia Pilgrim of Nations: Argentia 1662–2000. That 338-year span began with the establishment of Plaisance as the French capital of Newfoundland and concluded with the end of the twentieth century. According to various dictionaries, a pilgrim is, “one who journeys to and among foreign lands.” The term is also taken to mean “a person who is, or has been, governed by two or more nations.” Lake used the term “Pilgrim” as a metaphor for the place of his roots because it had been governed by four different nations … France, Great Britain, United States, and now Canada. However, Argentia was most significantly impacted by the political unrest in two other nations. When it was known as Little Placentia, Argentia became 99 percent populated — and continued to be so throughout its colonial existence — by Irish immigrants who were searching for a better way of life in the New World. Thus, the presence of the Irish flag on Argentia.org! It was Germany's political unrest and desire for world dominance, however, that had the most profound effect on Argentia's history. It was because of German military aggression that Colonial Argentia was totally eradicated through expropriation to make way for the largest U.S. military installation outside continental United States. Thus, the presence of the German Swastika on Argentia.org! What is it about that Elaine Murray cannot understand! Other Allied flags had nothing to do with Argentia's history. Not showing the German flag would be akin to the idiots who still maintain that the Holocaust never happened when there are numerous photographs showing the bodies, charred remains, and skeletons of millions of Jews heaped up in piles like trash. More closer to home it is also akin to all those who still do not accept the fact that Father Adrian Dee of Argentia had Mary McCarthy living with him in the presbytery. Did he think that his two housekeepers were deaf, dumb, or blind! And what about Father MacDermott Penney's sexual abuse of little girls? Many locals still do not believe that kind of thing happened right under their so-called religious noses. Does Elaine Murray think that she is the only one who has visited the battlegrounds of Europe and was awed by the sights? In terms of terrain and scenery, it is no more spectacular than what exists on this side of the North Atlantic. What does stand out, and can be very awe inspiring to see, are the tens of thousands of graves that have been well maintained and the various monuments that exist. However, standing on that “hallowed” ground is not much different than standing on the sites where Father Penney defiled innocent little girls … that was just as much a tragedy as any of the deaths that occurred at the hands of a German lunatic. Having cited the subject of the European war graves being well maintained, why is Ms. Murray not concerned about dilapidated state of the former Argentia graves that are now located in Holy Rosary Cemetery in Freshwater? Why does she and her Festival of Flags not take some remedial action instead of moaning and complaining about the situation. Not showing a German flag or going to a church and praying does not change history … it happened, so why not remember it. Remember it so that, hopefully, it will not be allowed to happen again. When people like Miss Argentia and Miss Holy Rosary blatantly ignore or deny certain aspects of their own history, it is the same as denying their own existence. The Argentia-Placentia area has a fantastic international history, which includes all the good and bad things that have occurred there over the centuries. Ignoring or denying even the smallest portion of it is absolutely ludicrous … and it certainly is not a good basis upon which to lay the foundation for any kind of a credible international museum. There is not a place on planet Earth that does not have a combination of good and bad history. It is time that certain individuals in the Placentia area lift their heads out of the sand, or their asses, and enjoy what is going on around them! Accept and appreciate all that has taken place before you and try to imagine what it will be like after you have become part of the environment upon which you now tread. Why no Newfoundland flag on Argentia.org? Our theme is Pilgrim of Nations and Newfoundland was never a “nation.” While it was part of Newfoundland, Argentia was governed by the laws of the nation of Great Britain. Newfoundland was a country but — contrary to what certain people have maintained over the past few years — it was a merely colony of Great Britain. Many of its laws were subject to and dependant upon the wishes and/or parliamentary approval of Great Britain. Great Britain's Union Jack was the flag that represented English governance of Argentia prior to 1941. Argentia was a Pilgrim among the six nations whose flags adorn our Home Page. Newfoundland is now a province within the nation of Canada. Thus, the absence of a “Newfoundland flag” on Argentia.org! As for the “Pink, White, and Green” flag, which so many people call the “flag of Newfoundland,” it was absolutely never the “flag of Newfoundland.” It was a Roman Catholic banner that Bishop Michael A. Fleming of St. John's hastily created to settle ongoing hostilities between the permanent settlers at the time and the immigrants who were entering the settlement on an ever-increasing basis. Also, there was NEVER any such entity as the “Republic of Newfoundland,” a term that is so freely and erroneously portrayed by some writers for the Downhome Magazine. To reiterate, Newfoundland was not a nation; it was a country, but in the form of a dependant colony of Great Britain. Most people — maybe Elaine Murray included — do not realize that when Newfoundland joined the Confederation of Canada in 1949, Argentia did not. In 1941, Argentia went directly from the control of Great Britain to that of the United States of America. Contrary to what others have maintained over the past couple of decades, Argentia did not become Canadian territory until 1994 ... during the official Decommissioning Ceremony of U.S. Naval Facility, Argentia. A video — as well as a large collection of still photographs — of the decommissioning of U.S. Naval Facility, Argentia is also part of the Edward Lake Argentia Artifact Collection. The moment of transition when Argentia went from American to Canadian control occurred at exactly 1725 hours on Tuesday, September 27, 1994. At that time, Captain Douglas Scott Thompson — the last commanding officer of American Argentia — turned Argentia over to Canada by symbolically presenting the American flag to Fred Mifflin, the Member of Parliament for the federal district of Bonavista-Trinity-Conception and official representative of the Canadian government. As the flag was changing hands, both men saluted each other and the bugler of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Band played a very poignant rendition of The Last Post. Did Elaine Murray receive a special invitation from the commanding officer to attend that historic function like Edward Lake did? Consequently, and especially for Elaine Murray's benefit, that is the reason for the six flags that adorn the Home Page of Argentia.org. That situation will not change. Each and every flag — either directly or indirectly — is an integral part of Argentia's distinctive heritage, which makes it part of Elaine Murray's heritage as well. It may be only in Placentia where some people do not take Argentia.org seriously. Our publications are read by expatriate Newfoundlanders, former U.S. military men who were stationed in Argentia, and various other people with connections to Argentia, and they all take us quite seriously. According to the e-mails we have received, they are spread out over 32 countries. We also have had archival organizations, various other communal organizations across North America, and lawyers representing servicemen contaminated with chemical and biological agents consult with us … and that certainly would not have happened if they did not recognize the quantity, quantity, and in-depthness of Edward Lake's research work. Those consults involve highly educated and experienced professionals and they readily recognized the authenticity of information, especially when it is accompanied by photographs and copies of legal or official documents. But then again, they are all probably “subjective” as well in Elaine Murray's world! Contrary to what Elaine Murray may think or claim, Argentia.org is well recognized internationally … which means we certainly do not need her particular stamp of approval. She should get real, get with the program, and not be such an “old fogey,” as her mother used to say. If Elaine Murray thinks that placing her article in The Charter or on a website will cause us some sort of damage or concern , she is sadly mistaken. Go ahead, knock yourself out! As with that old American adage “publicity, even bad publicity, is good publicity.” We normally get an average of 61 hits a day on Argentia.org but there has been a sudden one-day surge since the appearance of Elaine Murray's letter to the editor in The Charter. Thanks to her article, she succeeded in having 220 curious individuals log onto Argentia.org just to see to what her rambling pertained. Of those 220 new visitors, we received 97 e-mails, and guess what … every one of them was positive. We must hereby formally thank Ms. Murray for bringing about so many new visitors to Argentia.org in just one day. If history unfolds as with similar previous surges, at least 12 percent of them will become regular readers of our publications. From a commercial point of view, publicity like that is priceless and Elaine Murray has just given us a great gift to help ease the chills of winter.
Argentia — Remember Everything — |
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