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Field Trips to the Elgin County Museum
Through community partnerships the Elgin County Museum would like to help teachers encourage students to be active citizens within the communities to which they belong, as well as thoughtful and informed citizens who value a comprehensive society. Through exhibits and cross-curricular educational programing, the Elgin County Museum aims to give students the skills needed to ask questions, solve problems and communicate ideas about important developments, events, and issues in their community. Through a visit to the Elgin County Museum, students will learn about the museum’s purpose and explore how artifacts reveal valuable clues about the people who used them.
This year’s Vimy lecture will be presented by historian Blair Ferguson. He will tell the stories of the eight sons of Dutton-Dunwich who lost their lives at the battle of Vimy Ridge and describe how the community was changed forever by the loss of these men. Blair will also provide an update on the progress of Dutton-Dunwich’s new cenotaph.
The Vimy Lecture honours Lance-Sergeant Ellis Wellwood Sifton whose actions at Vimy Ridge resulted in his posthumously receiving a Victoria Cross, then the Empire’s highest award for valour. His VS is in the museum’s collection and will be on display.
The discovery of carvings in caves beneath Vimy Ridge has added an additional layer to the story of the famous battle.
In April 1917, hundreds of Canadian soldiers, waiting to join the section above, whiled away the hours carving images into the chalk walls.
Zenon Andrusyszyn, artist, founder of CANADIGM and Director of the Souterraine Impressions Project, visited the caves in 2010 and decided that the carvings must be shared with other Canadians.
His team spent years carefully documenting the carvings and researching the soldiers who made them. 3D scans allowed the carvings to be printed at life-size scale. A series of carvings was assembled into an exhibition, Souterraine Impressions, that spend several years touring Canada.
The Elgin County Museum received the work of two men who left their mark in the caves: Privates Earl Lacey and Grant Phelps.
The Vimy Lecture honours all those who fought in that great battle, particularly the 43 Elgin-St. Thomas men who lost their lives, including Lance-Sergeant Ellis Wellwood Sifton, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Sifton’s VC, part of the museum’s collection, will be on display.
Historian Blair Ferguson discusses his educational visits to local high schools to pay tribute to the men and women who have served int eh Canadian armed forces and to teach today’s youth the importance of keeping the deeds, sacrifices and memories of veterans alive.
The Museum’s Vimy Lecture is held annually on the anniversary of the first day of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. On that day, Wallacetown native Ellis Sifton single-handedly eliminated a German machine gun emplacement at the cost of his own life. He was posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross, one of 4 presented to Canadians that day. His VC, part of the museum’s collection, will be on display.
Award-winning historian and UWO Professor Jonathan F. Vance discussed his new book A Township at War. Presented in honour of Victoria Cross recipient and Wallacetown native Lance-Sgt. Ellis Wellwood Sifton.
