Remembrance Day 2009 at Lisgar: A Memorable Occasion

Lisgar Collegiate was the site of a moving slideshow about former student, David Rouleau (1933-1938). Mike Purdy, former Lisgar teacher and a volunteer with Vintage Wings suggested this as a possibility for this year's assembly and the idea was quickly embraced by the alumni executive. Vintage Wings is an organization interested in the history and preservation of old planes and the lives of those who flew them. It was the finding of a jacket belonging to a Spitfire pilot traced back to David Rouleau and the resulting research that prompted David O'Malley of Vintage Wings to create a short work of historical fiction - All the Things Never Done - The Last Day and Final Sacrifice of Ottawa's Son - David Francis Gaston Rouleau based on details of David's final days. The jacket was on display at the assembly and will remain in the school during the month of November.

Along with Mike Purdy, who narrated the accompanying script, David O'Malley was in attendance to present a plaque chronicling David's life and interesting history of the jacket's identification. It was our good fortune to have Joe Leggett, former student (1935-1941), teacher (1960-1981), Head of Phys. Ed., and himself a World War II Spitfire pilot accept the plaque on behalf of the school. Though Joe overlapped at Lisgar with David he did not know him. David, it appears, was somewhat older, and a quiet student though he does appear in the 1936 Vox as a member of the Vox executive. Interestingly, Joe's war experience paralleled that of his fellow Lisgarite and he arrived in Malta shortly after David's death as he sought to fly there. In Joe's few words of acceptance he spoke of the youth of many of those who signed up eagerly in defence of the freedom current students enjoy. His presence was doubly fitting as he had been a fellow student and team mate of Alan Hague, also a World War II airman, whose war memorabilia was on display in the alumni showcase.

The Lisgar band and choir provided the music for the assembly and student Y. Ang played a very professional reveille. Teachers Richard Arrigo and Trevor Grills had arranged to have a power point rotation of the names of those who had served during the Second World War during the assembly. The students paid rapt attention throughout the proceedings and it was fitting that the fly past for the National Remembrance Day service at the War Memorial occurred during the minute of silence. It was indeed a day to remember.