Thematic Photographic 399 - Hat trick

Hats in my opinion, can tell us a lot about a person or an activity.  It can literally tell us who you are, where you come from and what you do.  Around Canada's War Memorial is the Valiants Memorial with busts of some of our war heros.  Their hats tell us a lot about their war and their role in that war. Here is a bit of Canadian history.

The first man on the right with not only his hat but a huge wig of his time.  He is Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville who fought the English and captured the British outport York Fort in Hudson Bay in 1697.

The next one is Captain John Wallace Thomas, a Newfoundlander who manoeuvred his ship The Empress of Scotland to safety while under air attack off the coast of Ireland in WWII.  Captain Wallace fought under the British flag because Newfoundland was not yet part of Canada in 1940.

The next, surprisingly, is Matron Georgina Pope, the first Matron of the Canadian Medical Army Corps. She served in WWI on the battlefield in 1917.  She is wearing a sheep wool sidecap.

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Michel d'Irumberry de Salaberry with the big military hat was a professional soldier of the Voltigeurs Canadiens and defeated the Americans at the Battle of Châteauguay in the War of 1812.  I know Americans believe they won the war of 1812 but you didn't.

General Sir Isaac Brock, captured Detroit in the War of 1812.  It was his inspiration and and skills that saved Upper Canada.

The Compte de Frontenac, Governor of New France in 1690, successfully defended Québec against the British.

In the background is Laura Secord, a Canadian héroïne, who is said to have walked 32 kilometres in the war of 1812 to warn the British army of an impending American attack.

To get back to the 21st century, hats have many uses still. Feeling sleepy on the train? Use you ball cap to cover your eyes.

Now these hats tell you a lot about what we are celebrating!

Want to see more about hats, go to Carmi Lévy's blog Written Inc.