Thank you to our members who attended in person, and to those who sent in their Proxy votes. Our meeting, which was held on site with social distancing protocols in place August 20, 2021, was an enjoyable and positive event. In spite of the challenges caused by a global pandemic that lead to restrictions and closures, over all the year April 1, 2020-March 31, 2021 was strong. Our finances are healthier and our community involvement on multiple platforms has increased. Steve Bourdeau reported on the activities of the Museum, Dan Steinhaur reported on the finances, which were accepted. Maya Hirschman reported on the Museum’s acquisitions, and gave a short talk about her PhD research which is interested in SORM and the veterans who founded it. Of significance, a motion was made and approved to raise the membership fees in 2022, which have not increased since 2006. More information on that will follow in the forthcoming Autumn newsletter. All members of the executive stood for re-election and have returned for another two-year term. The Board is looking for two additional members to assist with memberships and fundraising. If you have interest, please contact us to learn more. Your current Board of Directors is Steve Bourdeau (President), Dan Steinhaur P.Eng (Treasurer), Dr. Paul Joe, and Maya Hirschman MA.
Notice of Annual General Meeting 2016
Join us for our Annual General Meeting taking place Friday, September 16, 2016 at 7:30 P.M. Light refreshments will be served. Members in good standing of the Secrets of Radar Museum who are unable to attend are invited to complete the Proxy Form and return it by mail or electronically before the 16th of September.
Not in good standing? You can renew your membership online through PayPal.
Manager & Curator Maya Hirschman talks up the Museum in this week's "Our London"
In case you missed the story in this week's Our London, reporter Whitney South spent some time visiting the Museum and interviewing Manager and Curator, Maya Hirschman. You can read the full article online.
“ Imagine helping to save the world — and having to keep it a secret for 50 years.
But more than a story in an old spy novel, this was reality for thousands of men and women working behind the scenes during the Second World War. Groups of radar mechanics and operators, physicists and researchers, working to protect soldiers abroad, all in complete secrecy.
These days, their stories live on at the Secrets of Radar Museum, here in London.
For curator Maya Hirschman, nothing is more important than getting the chance to share those stories with a new generation.
“These were Canadian men and women, from all walks of life, who never expected to end up doing top secret work,” she explained. “Like spies and codebreakers, they promised their silence, and their reward was that the official history completely forgot about them.” ”
LARC Opens its Club Station at SORM
We're thrilled to announce our partnership with the London Amateur Radio Club, who have opened up their club station at our museum. VE3LS is on the air ! They are typically on-site Saturdays during our open hours, and they'll be running their autumn radio course in our lounge this coming autumn. Stay tuned for news. We celebrated their club's official opening on May 18th, at which many long-time SoRM friends and LARC members were treated to museum tours, sunshine, barbecue, and cake. It was a great day.
Corbin Lippert (foreground), SORM's London Amateur Radio Club representative on the Board, with friends in the 'Clinton Room' during the LARC grand opening event, May 18, 2015.
In Memorium
I would like to take this opportunity to note the passing of two of SORM's founding members. On December 5, 2014, Edna Simpson passed away. Edna came to Canada as a war bride having met Doug while they both worked on radar, serving in the RAF. In later years, she became very involved in the War Brides organisation and could be seen at events singing, “Till we meet again” with fellow war brides. More recently, Horace "Red" Macaulay passed away on April 8, 2015. Red had a Distinguished Military Service during World War II as a pioneer in radar training and maintenance at Mt Allison University, NB and overseas with the RAF and 406 Squadron of the RCAF. Post-war service in the military included many technical assignments with NORAD radar systems and with NATO as the Wing Telecommunications Officer at Zweibrucken, West Germany. Both Edna and Red contributed significantly to SORM's permanent collection through artefact donations, photographs, reference material, and interviews. Their presence will be sorely missed.
Road Construction
Stock photo. Not representative.
There's a joke we tell in Canada: we have two seasons-- winter and construction. And so it goes. Every year, here in London, beginning in mid-April and lasting through November, the city becomes mired in road work. Sometimes road construction pops up with no warning and you have to find a new way to get to work.
Well, this year, we at the Secrets of Radar Museum get the equivalent of the backhoe parked at the end of the street. As of today, May 5th, Western Counties Road, which is the main access used to enter the Westminster Ponds ESA where we're located, is closed for construction. There is an alternate entrance to Parkwood Hospital and the Ponds (and therefore the Museum, as well) closer to Wellington off Commissioners. There may also be an entrance off of Wellington, just north of the Tourism London office, but we recommend the alternate Commissioner's entrance.
From the City of London website:
WESTERN COUNTIES RD (PVT) between COMMISSIONERS RD E and HARMONY RD (PVT)
Start date:2014-05-05 6AM
End date:2014-07-31 5PM
Category:Private / Utility
Impact(s):Closed
Notes:Contractor will do own signage
Honouring people and organisations that make London a better place
We are thrilled that Manager Maya and SoRM were selected as a recipient of this year's Vital People Award, granted by the London Community Foundation. She is in good company among some truly committed Londoners. The grant will enable her to pursue Project Management at Western's School of Continuing Studies.
The awards ceremony was held in the early evening on Monday, December 2nd at the Goodwill Centre. It was a very well attended event with members of London's many communities and organisations present. The event was short and sweet, well produced, and truly made the recipients feel valued and honoured. And, following the celebration, many guests wandered into the bright, spacious Goodwill Store downstairs for a bit of a browse (because who doesn't love a bargain?!).
You can learn more about the individual recipients here, and the London Community Foundation here. We encourage you to donate to this excellent organisation, if you have the means, as they support many initiatives around London.
Come see our new arrival: H2X !
On Sunday, we welcomed the newest member of our tech family, a complete H2X airborne, ground-scanning radar set. Rob and Linda Adams brought the unit to us from the Ottawa Radar Group, which organised its transfer from the private collection of David Barlow to us. We have put the unit on display in our Technology Room, and expect to have a plaque produced, early in the new year, thanking the donor and those who made its delivery possible. Click here to learn more about the H2X. Thank you very much to the donor, Mr. Barlow, and to radar veterans Julien Olsen and Ken Shoultz for organising the transport of this unique piece of WW2 history.
Rob and Linda Adams with the H2X. Linda is the daughter of Ken Shoultz, WW2 radar veteran with the Ottawa Radar Group.
Remembrance Day
We here at SoRM never forget the sacrifices our veterans have made, but Remembrance Day is something very special. On the 11th day of the 11th month, we see the men and women who served standing together and we can see the lines etched in the faces of those who served during World War Two.
Radar was a new technology in 1939 and the men and women who worked with it were pioneers in the field. There are fewer and fewer WW2 radar veterans with us each year. If it wasn't fresh in our minds before, we lost a beloved member of our community, Ed Morgan, just on November 1st. We are reminded that these people, not so different from me and you, led deep and meaningful lives, were brave in the face of adversity, and though now advanced in age, once they were strong and firm, vibrant members of their communities, both military and civilian.
Today, two different WW2 radar veterans visited us. We were happy to host Hilda, a WAAF who served as a radar operator in England, her grand daughter and four great-grand sons. John Tevlin, who came with his son, served his whole WW2 radar career with the night fighters.
We humbly thank Hilda and John for their service and wish them all the best, as we do for all veterans, old and young.
Hilda is surrounded by her family, attentively listening to one of our volunteers talking about wavelengths.
Our volunteer and WW2 veteran Roy Taylor stands with another visiting radar veteran, John Tevlin.