My grandfather was a veteran of the First World War and he was determined to take his family to Vimy in 1936. He and my grandmother saved their pennies — it was expensive and they actually lied about my mother’s age so that she could have a cheaper fare. They sailed from Montreal with great fanfare arriving in France to start their adventure. The family went on various tours of the battle sites, culminating in the unveiling of the Vimy Memorial by King Edward VIII. After attending the Garden Party on the grounds of Buckingham Place, they extended their stay in England, visiting friends and relatives.

The trip was documented by my grandfather in photographs, which he put into an album detailing dates and places. This is one of the photographs from his album. This photo shows my mother, Kathleen Trickey (nee Wilcox), and her sister, Gwendolyn Clark (nee Wilcox), at the opening of the Vimy Memorial in 1936. As you can see, they are standing in “No Man’s Land.” My mother, Kathleen Trickey, is now 90, but has an excellent memory, and I enjoy listening to her stories about the past, and specifically about their Vimy trip.

Submitted by Carolyn Trickey-Bapty.