Vancouver Island Military Museum will open its doors on Remembrance Day in honour the sacrifices of those who fell in past wars and those who served and are serving in Canada’s military and other public services.
A piper will play from the museum’s location in Piper Park downtown the morning of Nov. 11 and the museum will open following Remembrance Day observances in downtown Nanaimo.
Admission will be free to the public, who will be able to view displays depicting the history of Canada’s military and its actions dating from the early 1800s to present day, with sections dedicated to naval, land and air branches of Canada’s Armed Forces, the Canadian Rangers, the RCMP, the work of the Red Cross, St. John’s Ambulance, the Merchant Navy, peacekeeping operations and involvement in major conflicts including the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War and modern-day conflicts such as Afghanistan.
Visitors can also learn about the evolution of women’s roles in Canada’s military and their contributions from early days as nurses during the Boer War to their modern-day roles in all branches of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Exhibits include histories and dioramas of major battles, the secret war of intelligence and deception – some of which was carried out through operations on Vancouver Island – plus extensive displays of weapons, tools and uniforms fielded by Canada and its allies and adversaries.
The most recent additions to the museum convey the impact of war on civilians, many of whom were taken captive as prisoners of previous wars and thousands of other women and men from other countries who made Canada their home after the Second World War as spouses of Canadian military personnel.
To learn more, visit http://militarymuseum.ca.
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