A longtime member and current leader of the Old Cemeteries Society walks the audience through a historic Victoria moment, the experiences of one group of Canadians who served in an active war zone far from the Western Front.
When the First World War began in 1914, the Canadian Army Medical Corps had 127 members, including doctors, nursing sisters and non-commissioned personnel. From 1914 through 1918, it expanded dramatically.
Society president Yvonne Van Ruskenveld frequently leads the walking tours covering a wide range of topics, including women’s history, gold rushes, symbolism, and epitaphs. Her sit-down talk on April 24 describes how the unit known as Canadian General Hospital No. 5 was organized in Victoria in 1915 and disbanded in 1920.
The talk, A Victoria Hospital Goes to War — Canadian General Hospital No. 5, takes place at James Bay New Horizons, 234 Menzies St. on April 24. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Admission is $5 for non-members.
