Jason and the Memory Box

This is a book about a boy named Jason.

This book is dedicated to all the men and women who served our country in Canada and overseas and to the families who stayed behind. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Inside Cover

OK the story is about to begin. Go to the bottom of this page...

Page 1

Jason was very excited. Today was the day he was going to visit his grandma in Ottawa.

Grandma had called him to invite him for a visit. She told him she had a very special gift to give him. Something that belonged to his grandfather.

Jason didn't remember his grandfather. He died when Jason was little, but his mother always talked about him. He was very curious to see what Grandma's gift was.

Page 2

Grandma met Jason at the airport.

"Welcome to Ottawa", Grandma told him, giving him a great big hug.

It had been a long time since Jason had seen her, and he missed her very much. Jason gave her a big hug back.

Page 3

"I'm so glad you could make it Jason", Grandma said.

"I have something very special planned for you tomorrow. And I have something very special to give you today".

Page 4

After they had arrived at Grandma's and rested for a bit, Grandma asked Jason to come into the living room. There on the floor beside the couch was a big wooden box that looked like a trunk.

Grandma called Jason over to sit beside her on the couch. "This is my gift to you Jason", said Grandma, "this is a memory box. Because the year 2000 is a very special year I've decided to collect 2,000 memories of your Grandpa and what he did for Canada during the Second World War.

We can go through the memory box together and count up all the memories. Some of them you will understand right away, but some of them you won't really understand until you are much older", she added.

Page 5

Jason was very curious about what sorts of things could be in the box.

Grandma opened the lid.

"Before we begin", Grandma said, "you can use that notepad and pencil on the table to add up everything in the box to make sure it all adds up to 2,000".

Jason quickly took the pencil and notepad off the table.

You are going to help Jason add up the memories. So maybe you will need paper and a pencil too, .

Page 6

Jason reached into the box and the first thing he pulled out was a little black book.

His Grandmother told him that it was a diary that belonged to his Grandfather. She said his Grandpa tried to write something in the diary almost every day while he was away at war. Grandpa was away for more than 4 years, she told him - so Jason knew that meant he must have made a lot of entries!

"1,234 to be exact", said Grandma.

Jason wrote down 1,234 in his notebook.

Give it a try

One thousand two hundred and thirty four !! That's over half of 2,000 isn't it, ? Write that down like Jason did.

Page 7

Jason reached in again and pulled out a square tin container about the size of a shoebox.

Inside the tin container were dozens and dozens of photos.

"There are 97 pictures in the tin", said Grandma. "I've tried to label the back of each one with a place and date".

Jason picked up one picture of two young men, arm-in-arm, smiling at the camera. When he flipped the picture over, it said "Joseph and Larry on their way to enlist - June 3, 1941".

"Larry was your Grandpa's younger brother - he would be your Great-Uncle", Grandma told him. Jason thought Larry looked about the same age as his babysitter Tim.

Give it a try

OK , that's 97 more memories. Write that down and add it to the number you already have.

Page 8

1,331.

Next came 8 medals.

"Some of these medals are your Grandpa's", said Grandma, "and some of them belonged to your Uncle Larry. Your Mom told me she'll take you to the library sometime soon to look up what each medal means on the Internet", she added.

Give it a try

OK , 8 medals added to the 1,331 memories we have so far equals how many memories?

Page 9

1,339.

Then came a package of letters and postcards tied up in a bright red ribbon.

"These are the letters your Grandpa and I wrote to each other when he was away", said Grandma.

There are 114 in total. I kept every one your Grandfather ever wrote to me - all 113 of them", she said.

"Grandpa was only able to keep 1 of the letters I wrote to him. He kept it in his pocket at all times. It was the letter that I replied that I would marry him", she said with a smile. "That's it on the very top".

Give it a try

Love letters...Yuk! Add the 114 letters to the 1,339 other memories. Now how many memories?

Page 10

1,453.

"Here are your Uncle Larry's memories", said Grandma as Jason began to pull out several different items that were bound together.

One (1) of the items was a beautiful colour page of the Book of Remembrance.

"Your Uncle's name is in a Book of Remembrance in the Peace Tower here in Ottawa", Grandma told him. "His name was put in that book along with all the other young men and women who never made it back home. On a special day, once a year, a member of the House of Commons Service Staff turns the page of the Book and your Uncle's name appears on top for everyone to see for that day. This is a copy of the page where his name appears", she said.

Give it a try

This one's too easy. 1,453 + 1 = ?.

Page 11

1,454.

Now we have to add three different memories.

Grandma also showed Jason 6 pages of records she had received from the National Archives of Canada. "This is from the place where all the records of anyone who served in the Canadian Armed Forces are stored", she told him.

She also had 2 maps and 4 pages of information from a place called the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Give it a try

6 + 2 + 4 = 12, Right ? Add that to the total and go to the next page.

Page 12

1,466.

"Grandpa's records from the National Archives are also here", said Grandma. There was a total of 26 pages of information about him.

Give it a try

Now add on these 26...

Page 13

1,492.

Next, Jason pulled out 2 things - 1 funny looking hat and 1 pair of white gloves.

"These were part of your Grandfather's dress up uniform he would wear when he had to attend special occasions", Grandma told him.

"One of the last special occasions he attended was at a pilgrimage he went on a few years ago. Veterans Affairs Canada invited your Grandpa and a group of other veterans to return to the United Kingdom to commemorate the anniversary of The Battle of the Atlantic" she said. "When you are a little older, you can read some of the booklets I've received from Veterans Affairs that tell all about the war. I've put them in the box with Grandpa's records".

Give it a try

2 more with the 1,492 equals...?

Page 14

1,494.

You're doing really awesome, !

"And here are 4 buttons he saved from his jacket", she added.

"And 1 ID card he had to carry at all times".

Give it a try

The 4 buttons and the ID card make 5 more to add to the 1494 memories.

Page 15

1,499.

You're doing really awesome, !

You and Jason have counted almost 1,500 memories!

Jason then pulled out.....

1 prayer book

2 ration books

1 Book of Victory Stamps

And 2 cans of something called C-Rations. One was peanut butter and the other was cheese spread. Jason looked at the 55 year old peanut butter and wondered what it would taste like.

Give it a try

Would you like to taste 55 year old peanut butter, ? I don't think I would. So instead let's add these 6 to the total.

Page 16

1,505.

Then came....... 1 pay book

And finally 2 sweetheart handkerchiefs. "A soldier would buy their sweetheart a handkerchief and send it to her. This is one your Grandpa bought for me", she said.

"This one he bought for his other sweetheart - his mother", she added with a little smile.

Give it a try

I wonder how much of Grandpa's pay it took to buy those handkerchiefs? 1 paybook and 2 handkerchiefs and 1,505 other memories make how many now?

Page 17

1,508.

This page is going to get you and Jason really close to the 2,000 memories.

Finally, the last thing Jason pulled out of the memory box was a little yellow book.

"That's my diary", said Grandma. "I didn't start it until the last year or so before the war ended, so I don't have as many entries in it as your Grandpa's."

"But I did manage to make 491 entries in all", she told him.

"You'll be able to read all about what it was like for those of us who stayed behind, on the homefront", Grandma said. "Many people, including women, played a very important role in the war effort right here in Canada - from recycling, to rationing, to working in factories", she added.

Give it a try

I think that these 491 diary entries and the 1508 memories you've already counted will just about do it. Add them up and see.

Page 18

1,999.

Jason looked at the notepad where he had added up all the items he had pulled out of the memory box.

The total was at 1,999.

He reached into the box to pull out the final item that would give him a grand total of 2,000 memories, but to his surprise, the box was now empty.

"Did I miss one Grandma?" Asked Jason in confusion. "I only counted 1,999 memories. Where's the last memory?" he asked her.

You will have to read a few more pages to find out what the last memory is.

Page 19

Grandma just smiled and told Jason that he didn't miss one, that there was only 1,999 memories in the box.

"The last item for the box isn't ready yet", she told him. "It will be ready by tomorrow. Rest now, because we have a very big day ahead", she added.

Jason closed his eyes and went to sleep thinking about what the final item could possibly be.

What could the last memory possibly be? I hope Jason doesn't stay awake wondering. Keep reading, . The answer is coming.

Page 20

The next day, Grandma got Jason out of bed early.

"We have a very special day today", she said. "Today we are going to a ceremony at the local cenotaph".

Do you know what a "cenotaph" is, ? I think Jason's grandmother explains it to him on the next page.

Page 21

Still at 1,999 memories, .

Grandma told Jason that a cenotaph was a special monument that was erected in almost every town in Canada. It was done to remind everyone about all the men and women who went to war and died.

On the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month, a special ceremony is held at all the cenotaphs across the country to honour those men and women.

"Today is November 11^th - Remembrance Day", Grandma told him. "We are going to attend the ceremony at the cenotaph so we can remember together".

Have you ever been to a Remembrance Day ceremony?

Page 22

We still haven't found the last memory yet. Maybe this page will give you a hint.

Just before they left, Grandma pinned a bright red poppy to Jason's coat.

"The poppy is our symbol for remembering", she told him. "We wear it over our hearts to show that we have not forgotten the sacrifices that were made for our freedom".

Can you guess what it might be, ?

Page 23

I think you're right, !

"When we come back from the cenotaph", Grandma told Jason, "you can place this poppy in your memory box to remind you of what we did today to remember your Grandpa and your Uncle Larry".

"This 1 poppy will be the last item for your memory box to make the grand total of 2,000 memories", she said.

"It is my hope that this memory box will encourage you to remember not only on Remembrance Day, but throughout the year as well", she added.

Give it a try

Check your adding, . Did Jason get it right?

Page 24

Page 25

At the cenotaph, the man at the front talked about how it was important that we don't forget all of the people who had to go to war and that they did it to keep us free. He asked everyone to bow their heads and take 2 minutes of silence to remember them. And to thank them.

Jason bowed his head.

He thought about the memory box that his Grandma had made for him.

He thought about his Uncle Larry who wasn't much older than Tim who babysat him sometimes.

And as the silence continued, Jason thought about his Grandpa...................

Do you know anyone you should remember who was in a war, ?

Page 26

Back Cover

Hope you enjoyed this story. Bye, !

Sources of additional information

For more information on commemoration, education Initiatives, pilgrimages, historical information, Veterans' Week, memorials and much more, visit our homepage.

Here are some places where you can find out more about Veterans, the wars they were in and other things.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Address

Ottawa, Ontario,

K1A 0P4

Phone

613-992-3224

Fax

613-995-0431

Website

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Library and Archives Canada

Address

550 de la Cité Boulevard

Gatineau, Quebec

J8T 0A7

Phone

1-866-578-7777

Fax

819-934-6828

Website

Library and Archives Canada

Medal information

Veterans Affairs Canada

Address

Honours & Awards

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0P4

Phone

613-995-5022

Fax

613-947-3421

Website

Orders, Decorations and Medals

Books of Remembrance

For information on the Books of Remembrance write to Robert Biron or visit the digital Books of Remembrance.

Robert Biron

Address

Deputy Sgt at Arms

Room 647 North

Parliament Buildings

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0A6

Veterans' Week

For information on Veterans' Week activities in Ontario or the book readings, contact Veterans Affairs Canada.

Veterans Affairs Canada

Address

Ontario Regional Office

Bag Service 4000

Kirkland Lake, Ontario

P2N 3P4

Phone

1-866-522-2122

About the Book

This page tells about the people who wrote this story and drew the pictures. It also tells you about Veterans' Week and some other things.

About the Author

Shelley Fiset is a Communications and Commemorations Officer with Veterans Affairs Canada. She has spent the past eight years working with the Ontario Regional Office, the past four in Communications. Mrs. Fiset is a former journalist and graduate of Canadore College in North Bay, Ontario. Born and raised in the North, she now resides in Kirkland Lake, Ontario with her husband and two children - a daughter Charlie and a son Alexander.

About the Illustrator

Aimée Chatelaine is a Youth Intern with Veterans Affairs Canada as part of the Career Edge Youth Internship Program. Ms. Chatelaine, originally from Timmins, Ontario joined the Ontario Regional Office of Veterans Affairs Canada in the spring of 99. An avid artist her whole life, she has often had her art displayed in her local community. Ms. Chatelaine works with many different mediums, where native influences, hard work and dedication often come through in her work. She has studied art in school, as well as private lessons, and hopes to someday make it her career.

Veterans' Week

November 5^th to 11^th is a week to honour and remember the achievements and sacrifices of Canadian veterans. It is an opportunity for Canadians in communities and classrooms to honour and pay tribute to veterans and peacekeepers at numerous activities and events across the country. In the Ontario Region, Veterans Affairs Canada's main focus is on Book Readings held throughout the province. During Veterans' Week 1998, over 30,000 Ontario children participated in the Book Readings. To learn more about it, contact the Ontario Regional Office at the address listed at the back of the book.

Special Thanks

• Jim Jones, Curator of the Bunker Military Museum in Cobalt, Ontario.

  Mr. Jones, a Second World War veteran himself, has been of tremendous assistance with the historical and research portions of the book.

• The Royal Canadian Legion
• Huguette Brunet

Definitions

Here are some definitions that help to explain some of the words used in this book.

C-Rations

Soldiers sometimes carried either a 24 or 48 hour pack of emergency rations. A typical C-Ration pack could contain such items as 5 graham crackers, a tin of peanut butter, a tin of cheese spread, compressed liver, a bit of chocolate and compressed tea (which was milk, sugar & tea compressed down into the size of a bouillon cube)

Stamp Books

Victory Stamps, purchased for as little as a quarter, could be glued into a savings booklet. When filled, the booklet became a $4 War Savings Certificate, which could be redeemed with the Canadian Government after 7 years for $5. Businesses would often offer Victory Stamps as change.

Ration Books

The Wartime Prices & Trade Board introduced coupon rationing in 1942. Each family received a booklet of coupons every few months. Examples of items that were rationed included: coffee, tea, sugar, butter.

Sweetheart Handkerchiefs

Soldiers would often buy their sweetheart a handkerchief from the country they were stationed in or passing through. They would send it back home with their letters. Ladies also bought handkerchiefs to wave at the marching troops.

Pay Books

Everyone was required to carry their pay book in order to receive their pay. It was also commonly used for identification purposes.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Established by Royal Charter shortly after the end of the First World War, the Commission's duties are to mark and maintain the graves of the members of the forces of the Commonwealth who were killed during the two World Wars. They also are responsible to build memorials to those who have no known grave and to keep records and registers.

Books of Remembrance

The 6 Books of Remembrance contain the names of Canadians who fought in wars and died either during or after them. They are kept in the Memorial Chamber located in the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. All together, the 6 books contain a total of 114,710 names.

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day commemorates Canadians who died in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. It is held every November 11. Originally called Armistice Day, it commemorated the end of the First World War on Monday, November 11, 1918 at 11:00 a.m. - the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month. A bill was passed in 1931 and the first official Remembrance Day was conducted on November 11, 1931.

Poppy

The poppy is the symbol for Remembrance Day. Replica poppies are sold by the Royal Canadian Legion to raise money for needy veterans.

2 minutes of silence/The Wave of Silence

On the 11^th Hour, of the 11^th day, of the 11^th month! The Royal Canadian Legion is calling on all Canadians - wherever they may be - to remember the service and sacrifice of Canadians in wartime by observing two minutes of silence at 11:00 a.m. on November 11 - Remembrance Day. Why not organize two minutes of silence in your community?