VanHighlanders

One more picture from our Christmas party at tanken by too good not to make a second post!

Thank you to for allowing us to host our group Christmas party at their site! A very special thank you to everyone who attended and made the evening so much fun and to for being the primary organizer.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Over the weekend a small number of us attended the fall fair. A good crowd came out to see the attractions.

Impressions ranged from Canadian field artillery to Royal Canadian Engineers and of course the 72nd battalion (Seaforth Highlanders) CEF.

We hope to return to the site soon.

Another successful year at the !!
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For the 2025 show, the Vanhighlanders put up a public display showcasing Canadian army equipment during the Second World War, as well telegraph machine to discuss the importance of communication equipment during the conflict.
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We had lots of public engagement with our reenactors’ impressions and our display; especially the telegraph machine, which could be heard beeping away from start to finish!
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We’d like to thank the organizers of the Boundary Bay Airshow, it is always a fantastic day and a highlight event for us, as well as Linda Spouler with the LAMB vintage car show display for being our contact with the organization.
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Also to thank are our friends at Western Command who let us set up among their restored military vehicle displays.
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Photo 1 by .read23 & edited by
Photo 2 & edits by
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On this day in 1918 the First World War came to an end. We seek to portray those who fought in this conflict and the memory of all who have served Canada and the cause of freedom. Though we might enjoy recreating certain aspects of their experiences, it important to remember the suffering the war caused and those who had to endure it.

Lest we forget.

This past weekend the 72nd battalion was invited to literally go over seas and participate in the annual 1st Battalion Kings Royal Rifle corps training event at Fort Worden in Washington State.

Members of the 72nd gave instruction to members of the KRRC in their areas of expertise and vice versa. We then rounded off the weekend of training with a very enjoyable mess dinner.

We hope to be back next year and in greater numbers!

Thank you to the new people who came out your addition was much appreciated.

Very special thanks belong to the leadership of the KRRC for facilitating our visit.

Monday, April 1st 2024 marked the Centennial anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force! The Vanhighlanders were invited to contribute to the commemoration event out in Langley BC, engaging the public with the history of the during war and peace.

After an estimated 20,000 Canadians contributed to Britain’s flying services in the Great War, the RCAF was created on April 1st, 1924. Spending the interwar years assisting civilian services, the organization greatly expanded during the Second World War, training allied air personnel through the and meeting the enemy in the skies above Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. After the war, the RCAF saw service in the Korean War and as frontline defence for NORAD and NATO defence strategies, as well as numerous UN missions.

Thank you to the for inviting us to participate in the event! You can visit their museum and experience their hard work to preserve Canada’s aviation history for future generations.

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Happy New Year to all!

2023 was a fantastic, and at times extraordinarily busy year for the Vanhighlanders. In addition to events with VEMRA and Western Command, we had a few of our own events as an independent group. We tried lots of new things this year and gained valuable experience we look forward to applying to 2024!

We would like to express the utmost gratitude towards our group members, our photographers, the staff and volunteers of the museums we were invited to, the warm reception of the public, and our followers for supporting our group and making this a year to remember. We can’t wait to see what the new year holds!

1. May Encampment at the , WW1 72nd Btn.
2. Range day, WW2 Battledress
3. 2023 International Hyack Parade, New Westminster, with Western Command, Sicily Campaign
4. with Western Command, various impressions
5. open house, Cyprus UN 1974
6. Battle of Britain commemoration, various impressions
7-8. Trench Event, WW1 & WW2

Thank you to the following for lending their photography skills to the group: Ursula Maxwell-Lewis

And thank you to the following organizations for allowing us to have public displays at their events: and

This last weekend we were kindly invited to take part in the Canadian Museum of Flight’s commemoration.
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During the Battle of Britain, hundreds of Canadian aviators, soldiers, and sailors served to protect Britain from a potential German invasion that would only be possible through domination of the air. Canadians in RCAF and RAF squadrons, alongside British, Australian, New Zealand, South African, French, Polish, Norwegian, Czech and aviators from other nations were able to hold out against the Luftwaffe, allowing the Allies to fight on.
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Located just east of the Langley, BC, the Canadian Museum of Flight is a fantastic site dedicated to the preservation of a varied collection of primarily military aircraft and Air Force history from the Great War to the modern era. Stop by for a visit and explore their great collection!
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Once again thank you to the Canadian Museum of Flight, Ursula Maxwell-Lewis for the photo, and all our members for participating!

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This summer we were invited by our friends over at Western Command, Canada’s West Coast military vehicle preservation group, to come at set up the display at the fantastic

It was overall an amazing day enjoyed by all, with an energetic and attentive crowd coming around our table, among many other great displays, all while being treated to an incredible performance by military, vintage, and air acrobatic aircraft.

This was our first event as a independent group, and our first event on the mainland, and it was a resounding success and a day we won’t soon forget!

Special thanks again to the folks at Western Command, including Dave Beale, for arranging our participation.
And a massive thank you to the organizers and volunteers of the who make the event possible! If you’re an aviation enthusiast in the area, this free event can’t be missed!

Till next year!

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Congratulations to ! Winner of the impression contest. As the lucky winner in our random prize draw Mr Protea will receive a $30 USD gift card to What Price Glory. Thank you to everybody who participated and helped to shine the spotlight on what is often a forgotten campaign. We hope to see you back next year.

Now, onward to Rome boys!

The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada engage the enemy after dismounting from their vehicles, Sicily 1943.

80 years ago the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada landed on the beaches of Sicily as part of the 2nd Canadian infantry Brigade, 1st Division, part of Montgomery’s veteran 8th Army from the N. Africa campaign. After a month of fighting through the central mountains of the Italian island, the regiment had proved itself as a combat-capable unit, and would continue to fight up the boot of the Italian peninsula until March, 1945, adding many engagements to their battle honours.

Today we reflect on the sacrifice by all the allied service personnel who took part in Operation Husky and ensuing Italian Campaign. This overlooked theatre was instrumental in victory on both Western and Eastern fronts, drawing significant desperately-needed German resources to bolster their Southern line, away from other theatres.

Later known as the “D-Day Dodgers” men like those of the Seaforths fought hard through stiff resistance and challenging geography, suffering considerable loss of life and both physical and mental injuries in their fight to liberate Europe.

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