Lambton County Library hosts renowned military historian

Wyoming, ON – Lambton County Library, in partnership with The Canadian Great War Society, is hosting military historian and author Andrew Robertshaw for a Talk and Film Screening event at the Sarnia Library Theatre on Wednesday, November 2. Starting at 7:00 p.m. Robertshaw will discuss his experience as a historical and military advisor for films including War Horse, 1917 and They Shall Not Grow Old. The talk will be followed by a screening of Peter Jackson’s 2018 documentary They Shall Not Grow Old.

In addition to advising on major films, Robertshaw is an educator who specializes in the history of the First World War. He is best known for his television appearances in programs such as Two Men in a Trench and Time Team. Robertshaw was born in Doncaster, England. During his career he has worked as Curator/Manager of the Royal Logistic Corps Museum in Deepcut, and previously as Head of Education at The National Army Museum in London. He is now Director of BattleFields Partnerships Limited. He is also the lead historian for The Centre for Experimental Military Archaeology (CEMA) at the Kent Show Ground.

The documentary They Shall Not Grow Old was directed and produced by Peter Jackson. The film was created using original footage of the First World War from the Imperial War Museum's archives, most previously unseen, all over 100 years old by the time of release. Audio is from BBC and Imperial War Museum (IWM) interviews of British servicemen who fought in the conflict. Most of the footage has been colourised and transformed with modern production techniques, with the addition of sound effects and voice acting to be more evocative and feel closer to the soldiers' actual experiences.

“Andrew Robertshaw offers a unique perspective and wealth of knowledge into military history,” says Andrea Basra, Public Services Coordinator – Adult Programs & Outreach. “We are thrilled for the opportunity to work with The Canadian Great War Society and bring such a respected presenter to Sarnia-Lambton.”

Lambton County Library will also host four additional Lambton Remembers programs leading up to Remembrance Day to honour veterans, including:

Lambton Remembers – Valour Remembered
Wednesday, November 2, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Sarnia Library Theatre

Learn about the Sarnia War Remembrance Project, a comprehensive historical record of Sarnia’s contributions and sacrifices made during times of war. Project creator and local historian Tom Slater will discuss the project, the research process and information on the resources used, the vision for how the book will be used by the community, and where to access it.

The second half of this presentation will feature Tom Slater and fellow local historian Tom St. Amand sharing excerpts from the stories in their upcoming book, Valour Remembered, about several Sarnia-Lambton veterans and fallen soldiers.

Tom Slater and Tom St. Amand are retired teachers who have collaborated over several years, researching and writing stories about Sarnia-Lambton’s veterans and fallen soldiers. All their work is volunteer, and their hope is to make people aware of the sacrifices of some of the local soldiers and their families.

Lambton Remembers – Researching Military History
Wednesday, November 2, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Sarnia Library Theatre

Nicole Aszalos, Archivist with Lambton County Archives, will give an overview of the war records that can be found free online from Library and Archives Canada, including information on resources to access WWII records or War Brides records. She will also highlight Lambton County Archives’ military history records and additional book resources available to review on the Archives website that detail Lambton individuals who answered the call to serve their country.

Now Showing 1917 at the Sarnia Library Theatre
Wednesday, November 9, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sarnia Library Theatre

View a free screening of 1917 at the Sarnia Library Theatre. On April 6, 1917 at the height of World War One, two soldiers are tasked with crossing into enemy territory to deliver a message that could potentially save 1,600 of their comrades. In a race against time, they must achieve this seemingly impossible task before disaster strikes.

This movie has a run time of two hours and is rated 14A (violence, language, smoking).

Lambton Remembers - Local Stories from WWI & WWII
Wednesday, November 9, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Port Lambton Library

Learn about the local men and women of St. Clair Township who served in the World Wars and what was happening on the home front to support the war effort. This will be a presentation featuring first and secondhand sources and a question and answer period.

Space is limited at all programs and registration is required. To register call your local library or visit lclibrary.ca/lambtonremembers.

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Please contact:

Andrea Basra
Public Services Coordinator - Adult Programs & Outreach, Lambton County Library
County of Lambton
519-845-0801 ext. 5217
Email Andrea Basra