I have never been one to lower myself to someone else level of personal character attacks and I have always tried to fight the fights that need fighting. I have said a few things over the years here
and there but for the most part have always soldiered on wards and upwards. Return to Pennfield Ridge Air Station Page
t has now been six days since the “Service of Remembrance” was held and I’m still mad as hell with very little sleep in the time since.
There is renewed talk that after this coming provincial election [24-September-2018, 12 years to the day from when the Pennfield Ridge War Memorial dedication service took place] that the small road-side rest area located in Pennfield
will be sold and the two existing memorial stones, namely the Mollison/Quaker monument and the Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Stone, will be relocated to an undetermined location.
My research shows the Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Stone was brought to fruition by the hard work and dedication of the Charlotte County War Memorial Committee (2005) whose members were J. David Stuart, Mark Pedersen, Charlotte Fundy
Kin Club and 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, AFAC.
The name of the said committee, along with the names of its members, and a photograph of the memorial stone was always included in each of my program hand-outs for the annual Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Services (2009-2017). No one
ever raised any issues with me that it should be any different. Nor was there any objections raised or permission required with respect to hosting three of my memorial services at the Pennfield Ridge War Memorial (2009-2011). – memorial
services after this point, at the request of our Veterans, were moved to The Royal Canadian Legion (Branch #40), St. George.
I interviewed J. David Stuart over a two-day period (March 15 & 16, 2008) at his home in Ottawa, ON where I spent over eight (8) hours with him covering a wide range of material and topics. So when I left Ottawa to return home I did so
with a better understanding of the man along with the goals he had accomplished as a member of the Charlotte County War Memorial Committee (2005) and the goals he still wished to accomplish on behalf of the said committee. One of the
last items he wanted the said committee to accomplish was Historical Designation for the former Pennfield Ridge Air Station.
Taken from Mr. Stuart’s hand-written notes from our last phone conversation June-23, 2008 is the following notation: “Call from W. Hicks, Fredericton, N.B. following up previous conversation. He talked with Chris Larsen this am. Both now
have a clear understanding. Chris is the activator of the Pennfield Historical project and Chris will see it through to successful completion or failure.” By this remark Mr. Stuart, who was “running out of energy and time”, made me his
replacement on the said Charlotte County War Memorial Committee (2005).
I again travelled to Ottawa (August 22-25, 2008) to conduct an additional interview Mr. Stuart. Sadly he was too ill during my visit and passed away August 27, 2008 (age 91).
On February 2, 2009 Mr. Stuart’s daughter mailed me her father’s material relating to the Charlotte County War Memorial Committee (2005) for my records. After reviewing this intensive material I drew the same conclusion I did from
speaking to Mr. Stuart on March 15-16, 2008, this being that the committee members were J. David Stuart, Mark Pedersen, Charlotte Fundy Kin Club and 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, AFAC.
On February 4, 2009 I spoke with Morris Harris, former President of Charlotte Fundy Kin Club, over the telephone regarding the Kin Clubs involvement with the said committee. This conversation was then followed up with an e-mail to which
Harris replied on February 5, 2008 suggesting we meet to discuss things further.
On February 11, 2009 from 1215 until 13:38 hours I interviewed Morris Harris with respect the Kin Clubs involvement with the said committee. During this meeting Harris outlined that the committee members were J. David Stuart, Mark
Pedersen, Charlotte Fundy Kin Club and 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, AFAC. Also, I continued to obtain additional information from Harris through various e-mail exchanges until February 24, 2009 when the Charlotte Fundy Kin Club withdrew
from hosting any future Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Services.
Additionally, the Charlotte Fundy Kin Club sold their headquarters on April 11, 2013 and ceased to exist shortly thereafter and, as such, is no longer a member of the said committee.
I interviewed Mark Pedersen, via telephone consultations and e-mail exchanges, between February 10, 2009 and February 11, 2009. Mr. Pedersen provided me with a copy of his “Talking Points” from the dedication service held September 24,
2006.
Mr. Pedersen basically related that his involvement in the said Charlotte County War Memorial Committee (2005) was providing copies of his research material on Pennfield Ridge Air Station and Camp Utopia that he had obtained from
National Archives of Canada, BCATP books and an ad placed in The Saint Croix Courier (St. Stephen, NB). This research material he had used to produce a documentary on Pennfield Ridge Air Station. Regarding this documentary Mr. Pedersen
remarked “There was such a positive reaction, we did the secondary one (Camp Utopia).”
When inquiring if Mr. Pedersen still had his original research material, Mr. Pedersen replied: “I was contacted earlier by another Charlotte County resident, Jason Gaudet, and gave him material I had collected about the bases.” This
nformation is now in private hands and is excluded from the general public.
Mr. Pedersen departed this life April 16, 2012 (age 64) in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, AFAC still exists and remains the sole remaining “original” member of the said committee.
The “Service of Remembrance”, which was sponsored and hosted by the 250 (Saint John) Wing, AFAC & the Turnbull Chapter, CAHS, took the position in their program hand-outs that Morris Harris alone is the sole surviving member of the said
committee. It seems funny they would exclude themselves [250 (Saint John) Wing, AFAC] but they did just that.
It is my position that I, G. Christian Larsen, and the 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, AFAC are the two (2) members of the said Charlotte County War Memorial Committee (2005) and, as such, are owners of the said Pennfield Ridge War Memorial
Stone.
With respect to the “Service of Remembrance” program hand-outs done by Saint John historian Harold E. Wright you find the following quote “The Charlotte-Fundy Kin Club and the Air Force Association of Canada, Saint John 250 Wing joined
together to create and dedicate the memorial to the fallen.” (New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, 25 September 2006, page B1). However, when one examines the actual newspaper article itself you find the quote is actually as follows: “There
is nothing to mark the terrain as the place where 68 air force veterans lost their lives as they prepared to go on overseas missions during the Second World War. / Tomorrow, that will change as members of the Charlotte Fundy Kin Club and
the Air Force Association of Canada, Saint John 250 Wing, come together to dedicate a monument in memory of their fallen comrades and of the soldiers of the Lake Utopia Military Camp.” You come away with two entirely different meanings
between the incorrect quote and the correct quote. I find it unimaginable that the 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, AFAC and Turnbull Chapter, CAHS would condone such behavior.
On February 24, 2009 I stepped into the role of hosting the annual Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Services. To assist in this endeavor I meet with the 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, AFAC on two separate occasions, namely May 1, 2009 and
August 23, 2009. I hosted annual Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Services from 2009 until 2017, and during my tenure both the 250 RCAF (Saint John) Wing, AFAC and the Turnbull Chapter, CAHS were always included. Now the 250 RCAF (Saint
John) Wing, AFAC ceased all communications with myself 11-April-2008 and the Turnbull Chapter, CAHS 26-July-2018.
Now “outsiders” from outside of Charlotte County who had nothing to do with the Charlotte County War Memorial Committee (2005), the Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Stone and the annual Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Services want complete
say on the future of the where the memorial stone will be relocated to.
Should this be allowed? We welcome any thoughts.
pennfieldparish@yahoo.com
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