Tag Archives: First World War

Some corner of a foreign field

To the memory of Raymond Hummel, 1886–1916, and John Sieber, 1893–1917, and to the 166 men and 1 woman of Perth Academy who died in the Great War. The remains of my great-uncle Raymond Hummel lie in France, in a … Continue reading

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Paris in the First World War

It’s that time of year again. The poppy-sellers are out on the streets of Toronto, and soon, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we will stop what we are doing for a minute or … Continue reading

Posted in Paris churches, Paris history, Paris postcards, Paris streets, World War I | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

A French family in wartime

Today, November 11, is the anniversary of the end of the First World War. In France the Jour de L’Armistice or le Jour du Souvenir is a day of military parades and ceremonies. But there is more to remembrance than … Continue reading

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The bouquinistes and the photographer of shadows

To quote from last week’s blog by Norman: “The sense of continuity is part of the fascination of learning more and more about Paris.” But it’s not just about the continuity of major monuments and landmark buildings. It’s also the … Continue reading

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Tall tales and some Paris-Marseille rivalry

Tall tales abound in every culture. When Philippa and I set out to explore our new neighbourhood in May, we never suspected that we would learn more about tall tales in France. On the nearby Rond-Point des Champs Elysées, a … Continue reading

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