No news is good news unless you are a mother waiting to hear from your child serving overseas. In this episode we follow the story E.L. Knight and Gordon Sinclair serving in the South African War at the turn of the twentieth century. The harrowing and heroic stories told by Knight and Sinclair in personal letters
to family members, were also shared with the entire town through the local newspaper. These letters not only give insight into the war itself, but into the hearts and minds of those waiting at home for news of their friends and loved ones.
Following the story we take a moment to invite everyone to join us on the museum grounds on Saturday November 11 for Collingwood’s Remembrance Day service, and we also provide some information on an upcoming PA day program for children ages 6-12. For more information and to register go to our Facebook page (facebook.com/collingwoodmuseum)
or see our website (collingwood.ca/culture-recreation-events/heritage-museum/collingwood-museum).
Episode Picture:
Military portrait of Major Edward Lewin Knight [Collingwood Museum Collection X2009.63.1]
Research:
Lane-Moore, Laurel. Collingwood Historic Homes and Buildings. Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts. 1989. 28.
Enterprise Messenger Dec 19 1901 (C2 p2)
Enterprise Messenger May 29 1902 (p4)
Collingwood Bulletin, July 31, 1902
Canada and South African War published 2006, edited 2021
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/south-african-war
Canada and the Battle of the Somme published 2006, edited 2022 https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/battle-of-the-somme
The Battle of Hart’s River. Veterans Affairs Canada
https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/wars-and-conflicts/south-african-war/battle-of-harts-river
