Montreal’s new ‘Westmount at War’ exhibit

From an interactive map bringing you to historic locations to a physical exhibit, ‘Westmount at War’ focuses on the contributions of Westmount residents to Canada’s war effort, from World War I to the present. Looking back at local Montreal history this Remembrance Day.

“I came with my dad, who’s 85 years old, and he would like to see this as well,” said Brian Israel, veteran of the United States Navy and former Montreal resident who visited the temporary exhibition on Monday. “This was something of interest to me.”

“Having grown up in Westmount and attending Westmount High and being a veteran myself, I served in the United States Navy with service in a combat theater in the Persian Gulf,” he added.

From military equipment to photographs, the physical exhibition features historical artefacts and eight bilingual interpretive panels, reflecting Westmount’s eight electoral districts.

Also covering different themes.

“We have women, women participation,” said Melanie Presseau, Historian at the Royal Montreal Regiment. “When we think about the conflict, we often think about people out there. But a lot of people were here participating in the wartime effort.”

Their online exhibition, a memorial map – available on their website. 

“We always like people to contact us if they want to add their family member to the map,” explained Presseau. “That’s always great, it makes my day.”

One of the many locations the interactive map of Westmount can bring you: the former home of Flight Sergeant Donald Ross Stewart.

“Stuart, he actually joined the Canadian Royal Air Force when he was only 21,” said Presseau. “He participated in a lot of sports club over there, he was a runner, he was quite an athlete.”

“Roughly half of all the men from Westmount during World War II joined the Canadian Royal Air Force.”

 

The free exhibit, open to all, runs until Nov. 13th at the The Royal Montreal Regiment Armoury.

“I know what it is to serve in the military and what it is to serve in harsh conditions,” said Israel. “It’s not something you wish on anybody else, but some of us have to do that so everybody else on the face of the earth could live free.”