News & Events:  United States and Canada

10-11 Sept., 2010.  Joint National WW1 Seminar of the Western Front Association and the Great War Society.  This event will be held at the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri.  Visit the website of either organization for details.

February 18, 2010:  Last Canadian veteran, John Babcock, dies at age 109.  John enlisted in the army in Ontario at the age of 15, telling recruiters that he was 18.  He made it to England before his true age was discovered, but because of his age the war ended before he could serve in the front lines.  After the war, he moved to the U.S., where he found employment as an electrician and mechanical contractor.  Some time later he moved to Spokane, Washington.  Mr. Babcock's memorial ceremony was held on 27 February at the Messiah Lutheran Church in Spokane.  It was attended by Canada's Veterans Affairs Minister and a Canadian general, but it was much less than the state funeral that the Canadian government proposed.  Mr. Babcock declined that offer because he never saw active service.  His passing leaves only two veterans from WW1:  American Frank Buckles and Australian Claude Choules. 

February 1, 2010:  Frank Buckles Celebrated his 109th Birthday!  Frank is the last surviving U.S. veteran of World War 1.  Unfortunately, coming on the heals of the President's budget release and other national and international new, most of the country forgot to take a moment to celebrate the birthday.  CNN was the only major news service to cover the story.

7 Nov., 2009.  Western Front Association New England - New York Chapter Seminar.  Boston University, Boston, MA.  www.wfa-usa.org/new/news_ev.htm.

7 Nov., 2009.  Western Front Association East Coast Chapter Seminar.  Baltimore War Memorial, Baltimore, MD.  www.wfa-usa.org/new/news_ev.htm.

12-14 Sept., 2008.  Western Front Association 19th National Seminar.  The event will be held at the Carlisle Barracks in Carlisle, PA.  For more information see:  www.wfa-usa.org/new/news_ev.htm.

7-9 Nov., 2008.  Western Front Association New England - New York Annual Chapter Seminar.  The event will be held at West Point Military Academy in New York State.  For more information see:  www.wfa-usa.org/new/news_ev.htm.

24 Feb.-19 March, 2006.  Houston, TX.  Journey's End (play) at The Alley Theatre.  The Houston Chronicle calls this play "A gripping portrait of a group of English soldiers during World War I's last major German offensive."  The original production premiered in 1929.  Previews begin on 24 February.  The play runs from 1-19 March.  For ticket information call:  713-228-8421.

23-25 Sept., 2005.  Newport News, VA.  Annual National Seminar, The Western Front Association, United States Branch.  For details, look on the WFA USA's website (www.wfa-usa.org) or email Steve Gehnrich at scgehnrich@salisbury.edu.

24-25 April, 2005.  Los Angeles, CA.  America and the Great War, 1914-1920.  The 14th Annual Seminar of The Great War Society.  Look on their website or email Sal Compagno for details:  sal00@mindspring.com.

19 March, 2005.  Philadelphia, PA.  WFA East Coast Chapter Spring 2005 Seminar.  Featuring a naval emphasis, this one-day seminar includes a tour of the USS OLYMPIA, the ship which brought back the remains of the Unknown Soldier following WWI.  For details, look on the WFA USA's website (www.wfa-usa.org) or contact coordinator Jeffrey LaMonica at jeffreylamonica@webtv.net. 

11 Nov. 2004 - 31 May, 2005.  National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.  Exhibition:  "Strange Hells Within the Minds War Made:  War and Trauma in the 20th Century."  "This exhibit shows how shell shock manifested itself during the Great War, the medical response to it, and its literary heritage."  www.nlm.nih.gov/

13 November, 2004.  Baltimore, Maryland.  WFA East Coast Chapter Meeting.  This all-day meeting will include:  a panel discussion on Von Schlieffen's Gamble, discussions of German Picture Postcards, Henry Farre's WWI Aviation Art, the U.S. Marines at Belleau Wood, and a book discussion on Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger.  For more details contact the webmaster lavarennes@patmedia.net or WFA Chapter President, Paul Cora, pbcora@earthlink.net.

WFA Seminars in the U.S.  Regional chapters of the WFA-USA Branch are held in various U.S. locations throughout the year.  WFA--US Branch: Welcome Page

WW1 Newspaper Pictorials.  The Library of Congress has built a digital collection of Newspaper Pictorials:  World War 1 Rotogravures on its website.  http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/rotogravures/.  Source:  Stand To!  No. 73 of The Western Front Association.  (Note:  When checking the link, I could not get into the American Memory section of the LOC's website.  27 May, 2005.)

Canadian War Memorial Opens.  On 8 May, 2005, the new Canadian War Museum opened in Ottawa.  Visitors can get information at:  http://www.warmuseum.ca.  Source:  Stand To! No. 73 of The Western Front Association

Liberty Memorial, Kansas City.  On Oct. 29, 2004, the U.S. Congress designated the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City as America's official World War One Museum.  The provision was made in the 2004 Defense Authorization Bill signed into law on that date.  Submitted by Len Shurtleff to Bulletin No. 71 of The Western Front Association.

Stars and Stripes Online.  (August 2004):  Long-time friend Stephen Miller reports that the Library of Congress has placed the WWI issues of Stars and Stripes on the Internet in down-loadable formats.  http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/sgphtml/sashtml/sashome.html.  (Note:  When checking the link, I could not get into the American Memory section of the LOC's website.  27 May, 2005.)

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