.

A SALUTE TO OUR BROTHERS DOWN UNDER

We thank Member, Howard Elliott, Winnipeg, Manitoba, for the following.

Darwin Australia November 1944. 
Catalina RAAF A24-87. Crew: 

P/O Keith Houston             Captain
W/O Arthur Brown            2nd. Pilot
W/O Terry O’Brian            Navigator
F/S J.Keith Bower             Wireless Op. Air Gunner
F/S J. Alex Sim                 Wireless Op. Air Gunner
F/S H. (Tex) Morton          1st. Flt. Engineer
Sgt. George Boden             2nd. Flt. Engineer
Sgt. Jock Clough                Armourer/Gunner
Sgt. Jack Willis                  Armourer/Fitter

A Mine Laying Mission In a Catalina from the First Engineer’s Position
By Tex Morton.

Catalina aircraft are quite unique to any other aircraft as the fuselage becomes the hull, with a keel, chine, bollards etc. and all gear is in naval terms.

As the aircraft has to operate, in most cases, on its own away from the home base, the crew are made up of the following: 2 pilots, 1 navigator, (doubling as bomb aimer), two wireless operator air gunners. The remaining four crew members are remustered qualified ground staff; 2 engine fitters, 1 airframe fitter, and 1 armourer. All RAAF aircraft must have a daily inspection by qualified persons before they are allowed to fly, and form EE77 must be signed, names of all persons on board have to be entered on the form.

We were airborne at dusk from Darwin heading North and skirting around the Jap held Ambon Island, up past the Western tip of Dutch New Guinea, over the equator about 60 miles, and land at the Island of Marati. We were to operate with the USA Navy, their sea plane tender “The US Tangiar” was to supply our planes with all their needs.

After mooring up amongst a line of US Navy Catalinas, which, to our crew seemed a bit too close to shore, we were informed by the boast crew that two of their planes were cut below the water line during the night. To avoid sinking, these planes were towed over to, and hoisted aboard the “Tangiar for urgent hull repairs. That was news we could have done without. It was decided that all RAAF flying boats would have an anchor watch every night they were moored up.

The crew had to form the watch, 2 hours on and 2 hours off, guns loaded, one in the breech, feed belts connected ready to go if needed. The Skipper came aboard about 0830 hrs. and informed the crew that we had a long and hard trip tonight, requested the fuel tanks filled to maximum and to give the engines a thorough check. To check the engines we had three work 

platforms, two clipped onto the side of the engine with the third slung underneath. The main source of oil leaks are the 28 rocker box covers, and return oil lines to the oil tank.

Flight plan – Darwin, Skirt enemy held Ambon Island, 
Morotia (to refuel),  Brunei (drop site) and return.

The fuel barge arrived and we loaded the maximum amount of fuel, 1460 Imperial gallons. Tank caps were locked and (good old RAAF practice) secured with locking wire. Next to arrive were the U.S. Navy with 2 mines (about 1 Imperial ton each) made up of 1760 lbs of high explosive in high tensile steel case, plus dry battery, firing mechanism and parachute.

The Skipper and rest of the crew arrived about 1430 hrs. with the news we were to mine the oil producing port of Bunri down the West coast of Borneo.

After engine start up, the aircraft was prepared for take off. Airscrew pitch control fine, mixture controls to full rich, fuel cross feed on, hand fuel pumps locked off, sea droughs stowed, gun blisters closed. For an overloaded aircraft to take off in the hottest part of the day will mean a long run. As soon as the cylinder head temperature reached 150, oil temperature 40, I called the Skipper, “all clear for take off.”

By now we were out in the middle of the bay, turned into wind (with a small chop on the water), increased engine RPM to 2700 with manifold pressure at 48” and we were away. One would need good imagination to think that this overloaded Cat, sitting low in the water would ever fly. Still, the bow rose up, spray covered both windows, we gathered speed, up onto the hull step, lifted off, touched down again, then started to climb.

Maximum take off engine power can only be used for two minutes, so RPM was reduced to 2300, manifold pressure to 35” and we climbed to 7000 feet. The Skipper has the engine throttle and airscrew pitch control (RPM) All engine controls are left to the Engineer, which include manual mixture control, fuel flow meters, fuel gages, temperature gauges etc.

We settled down to cruising RPM of 1950, manifold pressure 30”. The Starboard engine cylinder head temperature came below the maximum cruising, but the port engine was still running too hot. To cool an engine in flight you have to enrich the mixture, so a quick  decision to increase the fuel flow by one imperial gallon per hour to port engine had the desired effect.

After three hours of flight a crew change takes place. Fitter 2A and Armourer start to prepare a meal, 2nd. Engineer takes my place. Myself and 1st. Wireless Operator take up positions in the gun blisters. A couple of more crew changes and we are getting close to the Borneo Coast. Skipper requests all crew get into operational gear, which means boots, long slacks, sleeve shirts, webbing belt, which carries water bottle, emergency rations, medical kit, ammo pouch, and revolver. Next is an inflatable life jacket, and over the lot, your parachute harness, as the pack is on the bulkhead near your feet.

The Engineers position is in a small section which connects the hull to the  underside of the mainplane, with a good view either side. For the last hour before reaching the target we descend to 50 feet or less to keep under the radar, which means the aircraft must be hand flown. For a successful mine drop, operations room, from a detailed map work out the deepest water along the shipping channel, select datum point (starting point), compass heading, air speed, height, and length of run to the first mine drop from datum point. Tonight it will be 90 seconds to the first drop then 32 seconds to the second drop.

Crew duties on a mine run: Skipper flies the plane, 2nd. Pilot maintains air speed, Navigator in the bow position with stopwatch in one hand and release button in the other, does the count down from datum. As the mines are hooked onto racks under the wing each side of my position, I have to report each mine gone, as they have been known to hang up on one hook.

We are now flying down the West Coast of Borneo. Skipper sets the Cat at mine laying air speed, and from his position can see the exhaust stubs, and we are showing a red flame. A call on the intercom to lean the fuel mixture down to produce a blue flame. This is done but we lose a bit of our air speed. An increase in RPM brings the speed back up.

We re now flying up the Western side of  Bruni Bay to pick up our datum point. I look out the port window and count 13 “Zekes”(Zero fighters on floats) on the water. We turn at the top of the bay on to our mining run, cross our Datum point, and the counting starts, 90 seconds to the first drop. Again I look out the port window and 5 of those “Zekes” are circling around warming up for take off. We are flying straight and level. I glance at the second hand of the clock on the panel in front of me.. I would have bet any money that second hand was stuck to the inside of the glass, … but  no, the count is now 60—70—80—90—I report “Port mine gone.” Then 10—20—32 “Starboard mine gone.” The tail rises, the wing is relieved of its 2 ton load and up goes the airspeed. None to soon, I know the Skipper has seen the “Zekes”! To our relief there is a storm developing on our starboard side, something you would normally stay out of, but those “Zekes” can’t be far behind and the cloud cover is very welcome.

We round the top of Borneo and head East and the crew have already commenced the preparation of a meal and the Billy ready to boil. We are just breaking out of the storm when we drop into an air pocket. What should have been a meal is now upside down in the bilge! I now recheck my fuel measurements to give the skipper an accurate report of the remaining fuel.
The Navigator drops a flame float onto the water below to get a wind drift from about the 5 o’clock position. Every hour, as the load decreases, we are lowering the RPM to give the best airspeed and to save fuel.

It is now about 0900 hours. I look out the port window and in the eleven o’clock position is the seaplane tender. The Skipper calls for a final fuel report, which is 15 Imperial gallons. “Don’t circle or we will be pushing it home!” He request the fuel feed cross flow left off. If we are going to run out of fuel, he prefers to lose one engine at a time.

The Skipper calls up for, and is given, permission to land. We then taxi to a mooring buoy with both engines still running. The stop engine signal lights up on the panel … but one thing yet remains .. to sign off the engine log, 18.35 hrs. flying. The crew are up on the wing when we opened the tank caps to see what fuel was left. It was a strip about 6” wide from the back edge of the tank.

---

 Japanese propaganda leaflet – 1942

A One Pound note printed by the Japanese to be used
if they occupied Australia. 

Japanese currency notes used during the
Philippines occupation 1942 – 1945.

Japanese Currency notes used during the 
Netherlands East Indies occupation 1942 – 1945.

Original notes provided by Jack Haywood

---

Don Macfie

---

After reading “P/O Prune Catches a Code” I remembered my old “WAGs Bag”, which has been hanging on the wall for 60 years, almost. I looked in there and by golly amongst log books and other goodies, there was Air Publications 3036 1st. publication 1943. “For Use in the Air Only.”

Q Codes amended.

QBA – what is the visibility at ?
QAH – what is your height ?
QFE – can you give me the present barometric pressure at airport surfase?
QTH – what is your position in latitude & longitude?
QFO – may I land direct?
QFR – your undercarriage is damaged.
QGH – you may land using procedure of descent through cloud.
QGX – may I land using ZZ procedure?
QDR – what is my magnetic bearing in relation to you?
QFT -   between what heights has the danger of ice formation been 
             signalled?
QTR -   the exact time is……….
QAA -   beware of collision, other aircraft flying in vicinity.
QAL  -  I am going to land at……….. .
QDM  - the magnetic course to steer with zero wind to reach me is………. .

There was no mention of QVG in the publication.

Ed. Maybe, as the line reads “He stood and shouted QVG”, Prune, as usual, was confused and there isn’t such a code.
Interested parties can check out the May Page which displays the  TEE EMM poem "P/O PRUNE CATCHES A CODE" and apply the code. 
Example: Verse One,
P/O Prune went into town; 
Of beer he had his fill; 
So when they asked him “QBA?”             (what is the visibility?)
He answered sadly “NIL”, 

---

Erik Nielsen forwarded the following

---

Erik at Ex-Air Gunner’s Reunion Sept. 2000

Q code
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Q code is a set of three-letter code signals to be used in radiotelegraphy and amateur radio communications. It was developed and instituted in 1912 as a way to facilitate communication between maritime radio operators of different nationalities. For this reason, callsigns never begin with a Q.

Used in their formal "question/answer" sense, their meaning varies depending on whether they are sent as a question or an answer. For example, the message "QRP?" means "Shall I decrease transmitter power?", and a reply of "QRP" means "Yes, decrease your transmitter power". This structured use of Q codes is fairly rare and now mainly limited to amateur radio and military CW traffic networks.

Many militaries and other organizations that use Morse code have their own code they use besides the Q code, such as the Z code that is in use in most European and NATO countries. The Z code contains many commands and questions that are needed in military radio transmissions, that were not included in the Q codes, such as ZBW 2 (change to backup frequency nr. 2) or ZNB abc (my checksum is abc, what is yours).

For instance, in most military Morse code transmissions, any freeform text is strictly forbidden and all communications must be accomplished by the use of three-letter abbreviations, the Q and Z code.

(Members will remember Erik as the guest speaker at our final reunion September 2000. Erik did his first tour on 101 RAF Sqdn. It was a Special Duties Sqdn conducting "Airborne Cigar" operations while carrying out the same duties as other A/C in the Bomber Stream. There were a good number of Canadian Members of the RCAF on 101. Post war Erik graduated from Dalhousie  Law School and applied to enlist in the Judge Advocate General’s Branch of the RCAF. He was not accepted due to a bureaucratic technicality. 

Erik practiced law in the Yukon, was elected Member of Parliament, became Minister of National Defence, and Deputy Prime Minister.  From rejection to HEAD MAN. Now that is class!

We could sure use you again Eric, not in the Lanc, but in The House!)

---

Bob Henderson

---

Your “Short Bursts” Web Site continues to be a major source of information for a massive cross section of people around the world.

The MAY 05 issue included a request for “Short Snorter Rolls”, which reminded me of an item in the Regina Sk., “Homefront Archives & Museum Collection.”

On checking I realized that an item on display was exactly what you were talking about – this being a series of five different samples of paper currency, with the first and second samples in a row (from left to right) having signatures on it. The first sample is dated 5/18/44.

5 Kronur  - Iceland                   10 Shillings – England

Written on the 5 Kronur Note: William J. Gleason
                                                  5/18/44 “SHORT SNORTER”
this is followed by signatures, which were legible, of his crew:

                                                   George E. Putching
                                                    Ferdinhand G. Rexin
                                                    Grayson G. Monnisset
                                                    John W. Frazer
                                                    Victor G. Aubery JR.
Some first and last names cannot be deciphered

The 10 Shilling note carries the signature: Philip F. Smith.

10 Francs – Belgium                   5 Reichsmark – Nazi Germany

10 Francs - France

They had been collected by William J. Gleason of Tuscon Arizona, who spent time as a guest of the Germans at Stalag Luft 1 for Allied Airmen/ He was released in May 1945. 

William J. Gleason PoW Identification 
Card from German Control Office

Post Card to family of William J. Gleason from Mr. Leroy Scum,
Short Wave Amateur Monitor Club, Reading, Pa. Advising that
Their son was a PoW.

---

Ted Hackett

---

Sid Beaudoin, who was Ted Hackett’s boss at Cold Lake post war, sent Ted the following letter and pictures:

“Some of you may miss the significance of 8 May 2005. This coming May 8th is the 60th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day, the day on which the war against Hitler's Germany came to an end. Admittedly the Allied Armies and Navies played a significant role in defeating the German Fifth Reich, Hitler's 'Thousand Year Reich', but my interest is primarily in the Air Force. I would be the first to admit that the Air Forces could not have done it by themselves. I probably wouldn't have put this together except that my good friend Ted sent me some interesting pictures taken during wartime and I thought that this might be a good way to use them. There is no sequence to this presentation, nor does one photo necessarily have a link to the next. They simply commemorate a very difficult job well done by a large number of brave young men."

I thought that perhaps I would use the first picture to introduce you to Ted. Please bear in mind that this photo was taken some 60 years ago and you might not recognize Ted if you bumped into him on the street. Time has wrought changes in all of us.

Ted Hackett on left. (Ted can’t remember what he
Is holding in his right hand. Any ideas?

Ted adds:
The other chap is Gordie Heslop, he was our mid-upper. We met at Manning Depot and when we got to OTU we decided to stay as a pair.  He went back to work at Bailey Meter Co. in Montreal and rose up through the ranks as it were. He died of cancer a few years ago.  We corresponded over the years and his passing was a sad moment.  We had a lot of fun and I think of him often.

Some other photos Sid Beaudoin sent to Ted:

 The Work Horse.  Many of our Airmen can say
they graduated from Harvard!

Another Work Horse in CATP. The Avro Anson
Used for training pilots and Navigators.

Then came the War Horses

Mosquito - The Canadian plywood jewel of 409 Squadron ,
and the Lancaster

---

WHERE WERE YOU ON VE-DAY?

---

We would like to hear your recollections of VE-DAY. Your Editor had to fly that day. It seemed that some of the German Submarine Captains did not get the ceasefire message. War does not come to a complete stop at the scratch of a pen. Our First Engineer, F/O Benny Hunt, was killed in an unfortunate accident returning from a patrol on May 13, 1945, five days after VE-Day. Benny was the last casualty on 422 Squadron.

Blacon War Graves Commission Cemetery, Chester, UK.
RCAF C/47486 B. C. Hunt, of Alberta. Wife - Beatrice
Parents William and Lillian Hunt
Grave No. 887, Section ‘A’

---

LAST POST

---

CLIFFORD ALVIN SHIRLEY, DFC, DFM, Weyburn, SK. Cliff was not an Air Gunner but served on 50 Squadron RAF as a Navigator and Bomb Aimer. Pre war Cliff was a school teacher in South East Saskatchewan, and when he joined the RCAF in 1940, he was channelled into Navigational training. The CATP had a propensity to make all teacher enlistees Navigators. (My Navigator was a teacher). Cliff did his first tour as a Navigator, his second tour as a Bomb Aimer, and along with is Pilot, Harold Southgate, was awarded the DFM and DFC. Cliff had great respect for his RAF crew.

Post war Cliff went back to teaching and farming in the Arcola, SK. Area. As a high school Principal he was liked and respected by students and staff. I’m taking the liberty of printing this obituary as Cliff and his wife, Marjorie, were our neighbours at Kenosee Lake, SK., for many years. 

Those of you who have the book, COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE 1983-93 Selections from SHORT BURSTS, can see one of Cliff’s articles entitled TV WAR DRAMA DISTORTED TRUTH – page 166. The article, published in the Winnipeg Free Press, was Cliff’s reaction to the film, The Valour and the Horror.

---

ROGER JEAN LERMINIAUX, Indian Head Sask. Passed away May 15, 2005. Rodger enlisted in the RCAF in 1941, and served overseas with 425 (Alouette) Squadron as a Tail Gunner from 1943 to 1945. Post war Roger farmed south of Indian Head.

---

PHILIP ALFRED DUBOIS

---

The following Obituaries received from Doug Penny: BRANCH, HOWARD J. MBR #229  PICTURE BUTTE, AB:  Passed away April 4th, 2005.  (No obituary, but Howard's wife phoned Doug to advise.  Howard's brother, Alec, was the Navigator on Doug's crew).  Howard enlisted in Calgary during September 1942.  Following Manning Depot in Edmonton and 6 weeks of Guard Duty at Penhold, AB he was sent for Ground School Training at Trenton, ON, the to #3 B&G at MacDonald, MB. where he completed his Gunnery training.  Posted overseas, he joined #424 Squadron at Skipton-on-Swale, Yorks.  Shortly after being commissioned he and his crew were shot down June 28/44 and he became a prisoner of war until being liberated in April 4th, 1945.  Returned to Canada July '45, he was discharged October 1945 and placed on Reserve E Class. 

MALLORY, DONALD, MBR #726 VULCAN, AB: Passed away January 6th, 2005.  At #2 Manning Depot, Don was selected for WAG training and attended #3 Wireless School in Winnipeg and was awarded his WAG Brevet at #5 B&G, Dafoe, SK.  He served with #13 and #17 B/R Squadrons in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and the UK.  Service #185522.
 

MacDONALD, ROY, MBR #1149, CALGARY, AB:  Passed away May 13th, 2005.  Roy enlisted October 1942, R183276, and was selected for Gunnery training which he received at #9 B&G, Mont Joli, PQ.  Overseas he was posted to #424 Squadron, Skipton-on-Swale, who were operating in Halifax iii aircraft.  He completed 32 Ops and was screened in May 1945.  Discharged as a WO 2, September 1945.

---

Bill Hillman our volunteer Web Master forwarded the following:

---

Update from Frantic Films on the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan 4-hour film project
that our son Robin appears in. I have been sending information and photos that they have requested for use in the production.

Bomber Boys: The Fighting Lancaster.

Things are going well and good television takes time to create. The broadcaster (History Television) has decided on a fall airdate.  Most likely November 2005. Don Young and David McGunigal (the editor) are about 2/3rds of the way though the post-production process. Everyone agrees that the shows are terrific. They’re creating a compelling story from complex material.  It’s revealing and moving and funny.  I know you’ll be impressed.

Don and David will probably be done around the end of May and then myself and Diedra Bayne will spend the month of June retrieving all the archival footage.  We have scheduled the month of July as the
‘online’ time, which also includes recording the narration. If all goes as planned we’ll have finished master copies by the end of July.

As soon as I have a confirmation on the broadcast date, you’ll be the first to know. Thanks again for sending us more photos. They are being well taken care of and are in a safe place.  Please don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions.

Julie Arnal
Post-Production Supervisor
Frantic Films

We've displayed more about this project on our Website at:
www.hillmanweb.com/bomberboys

The Winnipeg Free Press ran a large feature on my uncle William Campbell and his Lancaster crew  in a May 1, 2005 Sunday feature. The article text and photos may be seen at:
http://www.hillmanweb.com/rcaf/william/crash.html
 

Also had a request from Doug Chisholm from La Ronge who has done the book "Their Names Live On: Remembering Saskatchewan's Fallen in World War II" -- he wants photos of my Hillman uncles to use in a follow-up book.

Donald Ernest Hillman F/L(P)

James Gordon Hillman F/O(N)

William Gavin Campbell F/L(P)

---

CORRESPONDENCE

---

Hello,
I am carrying out some research purely for personal interest in RAF Moving Target Ranges as used for turret gunnery training during WW2. These ranges consisted of an oval of narrow gauge railway track on which a trolley with attached model aircraft ran, being fired at by gunners under training. 

There were a number of these ranges in the UK: at Millom, Silloth, Theddlethorpe & Walney (Barrow) in England; Jurby ÍOM; Dalcross, Dumfries, Tain, West Freugh, Wigtown in Scotland; and Hell's Mouth in Wales. There is not much left of the ranges now but I am planning to visit many of the sites to record what remains and see what I can discover about the ranges.

I came across the Short Bursts magazine at www.airmuseum.ca/mag whilst browsing on the web and wondered if there are any readers who may have memories of training at these specific ranges ? Any information about the ranges would be of interest, especially memories of how the ranges operated and photographs, etc.

Many thanks,
John Gilby
16 Coombe Avenue
Wendover
Buckinghamshire
HP22 6BX
J.Gilby@lse.ac.uk

---

Letter, in part, from Charley Yule
............I have received info from my daughter in Calgary regarding the Nanton Museum planning their Annual 'Special Day' on August 20th. 2005.
 This has something to do with a refurbished engine for their Lancaster and also the Dedication of a Wall Of Memory.  I believe they talked about this at the 'do' during the fall of 2004.   I am wondering if this might have anything to do with the  'Air Gunner's' memorial benches proposed by Ted Hackett and the Edmonton Group of our Association.....................

---

Ted Hackett reports on Nanton Memorial Benches
Good morning John.  The two benches have been ordered from a firm in Calgary, Westcon Precast.  They are going to notify me when they are ready for delivery.  My youngest, Captain Bob, has made arrangements with a unit in Calgary to pick up the benches and deliver them to Nanton, they are going to do this as a Community Relations exercise.  I have been in touch with the Museum people in regards to this. The benches are called Artisan Italian Benches and are curved in shape and weigh about 112 kilos. They are the type of bench you might find in a memorial park or cemetery, the folks at the last luncheon thought they were a good choice.  I am supposed to get a site plan from Dave as soon as they have one drawn up.

Hand poured  curved concrete bench

---

Dave Southland
At the command of her Majesty she asks that you make formal application for one of her Veterans Badges. Please go to www.207squadron.rafinfo.org.uk  and click on the green link saying Veterans Badge application form. Send it in and in due course your badge will arrive as it did for me. By the way, Veterans affairs Canada have also come up with a badge to commemorate the “year of the veteran”. 

---

Todd Yates ~ tayates@shaw.ca
Hello,
My name is Todd Yates. I am researching a 405 Squadron aircrew who had just returned from OP's October 6/1942. They were flying Halifax W7703 LQ-Q when it made a second attempt to land at West Malling and crashed. The five Canadians onboard were killed, the remainder of the crew managed to bail out before impact.
I am looking to talk or correspond with any ex 405 Squadron members who might have known these brave Canadians. Is there any chance you could place this query in the Short Bursts newsletter?

Here are the five Canadians who died:
Sgt.Michael Hudema
F/O Roy Erickson
Sgt. J.E Park
Sgt. N.Gislason
Sgt. J.F.P.Behn

Todd’s second letter
Hello John,
Thank-you for the quick response!  One other question. Do you know of anyone through short bursts that trained at 10 OTU Abingdon in the spring of 1942. My Uncle trained and died during a night navex in Wales May 9/1942. I'm looking for anyone who may have known him. I could keep you busy for hours with questions! :-) I wish I had started asking these questions many years ago. I was on the BBC news last year three times looking for answers to my Uncle's death. Here's one of three links if you'd like a quick read. 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/3569080.stm

Best wishes, 
Todd Yates

---

Dear Mr. Moyles: 
In the May edition of Short Bursts, I saw reference to Cam Taylor of the 407 Squadron. My late father, Don McAskile, was with the Royal Canadian Dental Corps during the war and was attached to the 407 Squadron for much of that time. Upon his 80th birthday in 1993, Mr. Taylor and others awarded him honorary membership in the squadron. 

I would like to contact both Mr. Tom Proctor and Mr. Ross Hamilton to find out more about Mr. Taylor's health so that I can pass on word to the rest of my family. He had been a close family friend prior to my father's passing. I would also like to learn more about the history of the squadron and if possible, my father's connection with it.

Many thanks for your assistance. 
Best regards, 
Andy McAskile
PricewaterhouseCooper LLP
Phone: 416-869-8725
Fax: 416-814-3200
andrew.mcaskile@ca.pwc.com 

---

Editor’s Report

---

We thank those who put pen to paper, stamp to envelope, and finger to keyboard, to make this Page possible. If you can help those who have asked us for information, don’t hesitate to contact them direct.

Doreene and I are going to take a break during July and August. This is Saskatchewan’s Centennial and there is a lot happening. In the May Short Bursts Page there is a picture of an English Cemetery that was founded in 1050. Our Province is spending millions celebrating 100 years!

It will be a time to sit in the sun and carve my walking sticks. You can see one of the P/O Prune sticks at  http://www.ryze.com/go/gopher

Keep well. Hopefully, we will be back in September.
John and Doreene Moyles.
 

Members are requested to send their experiences, articles, anecdotes, pictures, etc., to John Moyles and I will forward them to our Web Master in Brandon. Articles and Last Post items will be deleted from the page each month after the designated Member in each region has had an opportunity to copy the material for their Members. Notices of deceased Members are to be sent to Charlie Yule who is still our 'Keeper of the Rolls'. 
This is your SHORT BURSTS with no printing or mailing costs, and no deadlines! 
We thank our Web Master, Bill Hillman, for his volunteer time and expertise.