Stratford students study D-Day through award-winning Heritage Fair project
Two Stratford Elementary students delved into the history of D-Day earlier this year for a project that took home three awards at the Provincial Heritage Fair.
"It was interesting, happy in some parts sad and others, and I think it was honestly a great choice," said 10-year-old Jasper MacPherson, who worked with his classmate Luke Riley on the project.
The Grade 5 students were among 178 students from 24 schools across the province that participated.
"It felt very rewarding because we put a lot of effort and it took us, like, around four or three weeks," said 11-year-old Riley.
The models used in MacPherson and Riley's project show how troops landed on the beach at Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. (Government of Prince Edward Island)
Their project contained research about D-Day, three real D-Day medals, and a plastic diorama depicting the beach at Normandy, France.
"We had to glue and cement every single piece on there, and paint everything," said MacPherson.
D-Day marked the Allied invasion of western Europe on June 6, 1944. Less than a year after D-Day, the Germans surrendered to the Allies on May 7, 1945, bringing an end to the Second World War in Europe.
Island connections
The students' research mainly focused on how Islanders were involved in the event, also known as Operation Overlord.
"We had a few photos of Islanders who participated in the operation. We had a photo of a minesweeper, the HMCS Malpeque," said MacPherson.
The project focused on Islanders that were a part of D-Day. (Submitted)
"I didn't know how much they had contributed to this war before. I thought they were more of a minor player."
On D-Day, roughly 150,000 Allied troops invaded western Europe in Normandy, 14,000 of whom were Canadians. There were 1,074 Canadian casualties on D-Day.
The students say they learned all about the North Novas [the North Nova Scotia Highlanders], as well as Islanders who participated in the war like Spitfire pilot Charlie Trainor.
"He got shot down and he switched clothes with a farmer and he made it through Spain, Belgium, Germany," Riley said.
"It felt amazing to see how much history was collected in this museum and it was very interesting to see."
MacPherson and Riley dressed to look the part, each donning a military uniform borrowed from the P.E.I. Regiment Museum.
Riley also borrowed a bulletproof vest from his own father, who served more recently in Afghanistan.
"To show the difference between modern warfare and warfare back then," MacPherson said.
The students visited the provincial archives and got a tour of the museum as part of their research for the project.
"Greg Gallant, who's in France right now, he was really helpful for lending us this stuff. His museum is just really amazing," said MacPherson.
The duo received both the P.E.I. Regiment Museum Award, the Town of Stratford Award, the Archives Council of P.E.I. award, and were a finalist in the Grade 5 category. They will compete in an online video contest put on by Canada's History Young Citizens for a chance to win $500 toward their education funds.
