Every human life tells a story. Some of these stories – the lives of the rich and famous – are very familiar to us. Many others remain untold, yet have much to reveal about the human experience.
My goal is to share the life stories of Guysborough’s World War I veterans, some through the medium of this blog and the remainder in the form of a future publication. At present count, there are approximately 900 stories to tell. Some will contain a great amount of detail; others will remain frustratingly incomplete. Some will exhibit bravery and determination; others will seem mundane and routine. Some will end in triumph, others in tragedy. All stories will reveal something about the experience of participating in what is perhaps the most significant event of the 20th century – certainly, one that shaped the world in which we live.
The task of collecting the fragments of these stories and combining them into a coherent narrative is a challenging one, as some pieces of information are simply not available. It is my hope to make each story as complete as possible, given the available sources of information.
I plan to share several veterans’ stories on this blog – as well as updates on the project’s progress – over the upcoming months. My goal is to complete biographical sketches of all Guysborough Great War veterans as we mark the commemoration of the centenary of the war’s events from 2014 to 2018. The final format remains to be determined. Whether print or web format, my goal is to make these stories available to all interested in reading them.
I will begin shortly by posting the story of the veteran whose life story brought me to this project – my great-uncle, Robert Burns of Salmon River Lake. In the meantime, please contact me if you have any information to contribute to this project. I would also be pleased to answer any questions you may have about individuals of interest to you, should such information be available.
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