Click here for video of parts of the ceremony
In a special ceremony at the Port Hope Public Library on Monday, December 9, 2019 author Farley Mowat’s officer tunic was unveiled.
The event was held on the second floor in the area of “Farley’s Lookout.”
Captain Mowat served as a platoon commander and later Intelligence Officer with the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment throughout Sicily and north-west Europe.
Mowat was a member of the Order of Canada and the recipient of nine Honourary Doctorates. He was the author of 42 books . Among them was The Regiment, published in 1955.
On hand for the ceremony were Mowat’s wife, Claire, family members, members of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment and dignitaries along with members of the public.
Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment Commanding Officer Major Roy VanDenberg’s comments are below:
The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment as we know it today was born in 1920 but our lineage pre-dates confederation. From modest beginnings as several local militia units in 1800 to being awarded more Battle Honours during WW II than any other Canadian Infantry Regiment, the Hasty P’s have served well and selflessly when called upon, always living up to The Regimental motto: PARATUS….meaning “ready” in Latin.
Though we are best known for our Second World War successes, the Regiment has remained “ready” having served on many operations through the decades including deploying companies for service in Germany in the immediate post-Second World War period at the beginning of the Cold War in the 1950’s.
This was followed by sending soldiers to serve on many United Nations’ Peacekeeping missions through the 1970’s and 80’s, service in the Balkans during the 1990’s.
More recent events have seen the Hasty P’s serve in Afghanistan, Latvia, and Iraq as well as supporting training, exercises and ceremonial events in Guatemala, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, the United States and Peru.
Though, as stated, the Hasty P’s have remained quite active, the elevation of our Regiment’s name in the hearts and minds of Canadian was in no small part due to one of our own, author Farley Mowat.
His book, The Regiment, provided Canada and the world a very personal inside look into the Hasty P’s actions – both human and heroic – through the Second World War.
During the Second World War, Farley enlisted joining the Second Battalion, The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, and deployed overseas as a reinforcement officer for the regiment.
In July 1943, he commanded a rifle platoon and participated in the Allied invasion of Sicily, named Operation Husky. Farley served as a platoon commander through Sicily and moved to Italy in September 1943, seeing further combat until December of that year.
Shortly afterwards, now Lieutenant Mowat was assigned to be an Intelligence Officer at battalion headquarters and later moving to Brigade Headquarters.
He stayed in Italy with the 1st Canadian Division for most of the war and was eventually promoted to the rank of Captain.
At the conclusion of the Second World War, Captain Mowat was discharged in 1945.
For his service, he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Italy Campaign Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteers Serve Medal and the War Medal 1939-1945.
As we are all well aware, Farley Mowat’s post-was experiences and observations were captured in the over 40 books he had written and translated into 52 languages.
He has been honoured in varying manners: he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, was recognized for his activism against the whaling trade by becoming the namesake for the Sea Sheppard ship RV Farley Mowat, and has a public school graced with his name in Ottawa.
Not to take away from any of these wonder achievements, I am selfishly glad to share a title with him and that is of being a Hasty P.
Our Regiment has been blessed to have been the benefactor of the Mowat family’s quiet yet persistent support through the decades.
The Mowat family has long been a stalwart supporter of the military here in Port Hope.
Claire has been at the forefront of the support.
From visits with the Regiment’s command teams to making this presentation possible, Claire has always been there for the Hasty P’s.
For this we are truly and eternally thankful.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
