Calgarians mark Remembrance Day at Field of Crosses

Date: Nov 11, 2022 Global News https://globalnews.ca/video/embed/9272965/ On Remembrance Day in Calgary this year, a special tribute was made to the men and women of southern Alberta who died during the Dieppe Raid and the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Michael King...

read more

Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
4 days ago
Field of Crosses

In 2024, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the legendary Great Escape—an extraordinary tale of courage and camaraderie among a diverse group determined to break free from the confines of the Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp.

Today, we share the story of Flight Lieutenant Henry Birkland. For the Great Escape operation, Birkland who was at one time a gold miner, became one of the leading and most energetic of the many prisoners who were involved in the tunnelling of three tunnels code named Tom, Dick and Harry.

𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐲
Age 26 – F/L (P) RCAF
Date of Death: 31/03/1944

Henry Birkland was born 16 August 1917 in Caldwell, Manitoba. Birkland was educated in Calgary, Alberta and worked for the Burns Co. Birkland enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in July 1940 as an aircrew candidate. Following his basic training, he was promoted to leading aircraftman and was posted to elementary flying school RCAF. He graduated in January 1941 and was transferred to No. 9 Service Flight Training School. Now as a qualified pilot he was promoted om April 1941 as a commissioned Pilot Officer. Shortly after, he sailed for England to fly operationally with the Royal Air Force Fighter Command. After six weeks of operational training, Birkland joined No. 122 RAF Command and assigned to Spitfire aircraft. He was later transferred to No. 72 Squadron RAF where he continued to fly Spitfires.

On the afternoon of 7 November 1941, he was on a mission over occupied Europe when he was shot down. After bailing out, he was captured becoming a prisoner of war. Following German interrogation, he was sent to Stalag Luft 1, and later to Stalag Luft 3 which is near Sagan, now in Poland.

The escape plan, conceived by RAF Roger Bushnell, a South African lawyer who also volunteered for the RAF, was for three tunnels and the escape of 200 prisoners in one night. On the night of March 24/25 1944, Birkland was in the first group to go through the tunnel with 75 others, now famously known as ‘The Great Escape’. Most of the escapees did not get very far, when the alarm was raised and most caught in a massive manhunt. Birkland was recaptured and taken with other prisoners to Gorlitz Prison 36 miles from the camp. In March 1944, Birkland was among the taken from the prison by the Gestapo and were never seen again. As a result, he became one of the 50 who were selected from the 76 escapees and were murdered by the Gestapo on direct orders of Adolf Hitler.

Henry Birkland was just 26 years old. He is buried at Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery in Poland and honored each November in the Field of Crosses.

www.fieldofcrosses.com/

#FieldofCrosses #TheGreatEscape #StalagLuftIII #CanadaRemember #Remembrance #CanadianArmedForces #AirForce #RAF #RCAF
... See MoreSee Less

In 2024, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the legendary Great Escape—an extraordinary tale of courage and camaraderie among a diverse group determined to break free from the confines of the Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp.

Today, we share the story of Flight Lieutenant Henry Birkland. For the Great Escape operation, Birkland who was at one time a gold miner, became one of the leading and most energetic of the many prisoners who were involved in the tunnelling of three tunnels code named Tom, Dick and Harry.

𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐲
Age 26 – F/L (P) RCAF
Date of Death: 31/03/1944

Henry Birkland was born 16 August 1917 in Caldwell, Manitoba. Birkland was educated in Calgary, Alberta and worked for the Burns Co. Birkland enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in July 1940 as an aircrew candidate. Following his basic training, he was promoted to leading aircraftman and was posted to elementary flying school RCAF. He graduated in January 1941 and was transferred to No. 9 Service Flight Training School. Now as a qualified pilot he was promoted om April 1941 as a commissioned Pilot Officer. Shortly after, he sailed for England to fly operationally with the Royal Air Force Fighter Command. After six weeks of operational training, Birkland joined No. 122 RAF Command and assigned to Spitfire aircraft. He was later transferred to No. 72 Squadron RAF where he continued to fly Spitfires. 

On the afternoon of 7 November 1941, he was on a mission over occupied Europe when he was shot down. After bailing out, he was captured becoming a prisoner of war. Following German interrogation, he was sent to Stalag Luft 1, and later to Stalag Luft 3 which is near Sagan, now in Poland.

The escape plan, conceived by RAF Roger Bushnell, a South African lawyer who also volunteered for the RAF, was for three tunnels and the escape of 200 prisoners in one night. On the night of March 24/25 1944, Birkland was in the first group to go through the tunnel with 75 others, now famously known as ‘The Great Escape’. Most of the escapees did not get very far, when the alarm was raised and most caught in a massive manhunt. Birkland was recaptured and taken with other prisoners to Gorlitz Prison 36 miles from the camp. In March 1944, Birkland was among the taken from the prison by the Gestapo and were never seen again. As a result, he became one of the 50 who were selected from the 76 escapees and were murdered by the Gestapo on direct orders of Adolf Hitler. 

Henry Birkland was just 26 years old. He is buried at Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery in Poland and honored each November in the Field of Crosses.

https://www.fieldofcrosses.com/

#FieldofCrosses #TheGreatEscape #StalagLuftIII #CanadaRemember #Remembrance #CanadianArmedForces #AirForce #RAF #RCAF

Comment on Facebook

What a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing.

2 weeks ago
Field of Crosses

A St. Patrick’s Day blessing from one of our favourite Irishmen . . . . . .

“𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩,

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩.

𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦,

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

J. Murray McCann
Chairman Emeritus
Field of Crosses
... See MoreSee Less

A St. Patrick’s Day blessing from one of our favourite Irishmen . . . . . .  

“𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩,

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩.

𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦,

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

J. Murray McCann
Chairman Emeritus
Field of Crosses
2 weeks ago
Field of Crosses

Today, on K9 Veterans Day, we salute the brave and selfless service of our country's four-legged heroes!

Throughout Canada's history, dogs, horses, and even carrier pigeons have played pivotal roles in wartime efforts, mirroring the practices of many nations. Notably, in Afghanistan, sniffer dogs played a critical role in detecting improvised explosive devices, which tragically accounted for the majority of Canadian casualties during the decade-long mission.

Let's take a moment to reflect on their valour, remember those who have passed, and recognize the tireless efforts of our active-duty service dogs.

Photo Credit: Canadian Joint Operations Command

#FieldofCrosses #K9VeteransDay #CanadianArmedForces #Canada #WeRemember #NeverForget
... See MoreSee Less

Today, on K9 Veterans Day, we salute the brave and selfless service of our countrys four-legged heroes! 

Throughout Canadas history, dogs, horses, and even carrier pigeons have played pivotal roles in wartime efforts, mirroring the practices of many nations. Notably, in Afghanistan, sniffer dogs played a critical role in detecting improvised explosive devices, which tragically accounted for the majority of Canadian casualties during the decade-long mission.

Lets take a moment to reflect on their valour, remember those who have passed, and recognize the tireless efforts of our active-duty service dogs.

Photo Credit: Canadian Joint Operations Command 

#FieldofCrosses #K9VeteransDay #CanadianArmedForces #Canada #WeRemember #NeverForget

Comment on Facebook

Love this salute to animals. They’re so loyal.

3 weeks ago
Field of Crosses

💜 Today, on International Women’s Day, we celebrate the incredible women who have helped shape our local community and beyond.

🌺 To all the brave women past and present who have courageously protected our nation's freedoms, we thank you for your service. In the face of distinct challenges and overcoming barriers, women have proven their commitment to Canada's freedom with their dedication and bravery. Your sacrifices and contributions have made an enduring mark on history.

#InternationalWomensDay #FieldofCrosses #IWD2024
... See MoreSee Less

💜 Today, on International Women’s Day, we celebrate the incredible women who have helped shape our local community and beyond.

🌺 To all the brave women past and present who have courageously protected our nations freedoms, we thank you for your service. In the face of distinct challenges and overcoming barriers, women have proven their commitment to Canadas freedom with their dedication and bravery. Your sacrifices and contributions have made an enduring mark on history.

#InternationalWomensDay #FieldofCrosses #IWD2024
1 month ago
Field of Crosses

Please join us in congratulating George Brookman on being the recipient of Valour Canada’s 2024 Sir General Arthur Currie Award.

As Valour Canada state in their newsletter below – George certainly is a distinguished Calgary business leader, philanthropist, and community advocate.

Congratulations George – We are proud to know you and to have you as part of our Field of Crosses team ! Thank you for all of the good work you do !Save the date! Join us on April 22 for the 2024 General Sir Arthur Currie Award dinner, honouring Mr. George Brookman. As a distinguished Calgary business leader, philanthropist, and founder of the "Breakfast on the Bridge" fundraiser, he's a committed supporter of Canadian military heritage.

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, and to purchase tickets, please visit: valourcanada.ca/events/gsac-dinner-2024

#GSAC2024 #GeorgeBrookman #CanadianMilitaryHeritage 🇨🇦
... See MoreSee Less

Please join us  in congratulating George Brookman on being the recipient of Valour Canada’s 2024 Sir General Arthur Currie Award.

As Valour Canada state in their newsletter below – George certainly is a distinguished Calgary business leader, philanthropist, and community advocate. 

Congratulations George – We are proud to know you and to have you as part of our Field of Crosses team !  Thank you for all of the good work you do !

Comment on Facebook

Congratulations George!!

Congratulations George Brookman!

Congratulations

Congratulations George Brookman - what tremendous news!

Load more