Rich was proud to have one of his paintings included in this set of six medallions, developed by the Royal Canadian Mint in concert with the Canadian Battle of Normandy Foundation to recognize Canada's contribution to the cause of freedom in the Second world War. He was pleased to be included in this national project with one of his Canadian art heroes, Alex Collville, who had been an official war artist during WW2.
Each medallion highlights a portion of a painting selected from the Canadian War Museum Collection. These paintings by Canadian artists illustrate scenes from the Battle of Britain, the Battle of the Atlantic, the Sicily and Italy Campaigns, the Battle of Normandy, the Liberation of Holland and the Far East Campaign.
When war broke out in 1939, eleven million Candians were emerging from the hardships of the Great Depression. With its small and ill-equipped armed forces, and industrial enterprises struggling to recover from economic setbacks, Canada had to blend ingrnuity, with a willto succeed.
Men and women on the home front mobilized for an effort of unprecedented size. The Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force immediately took escorting responsibilities in the North Atlantic and the Canadian Army sent a Division overseas. Canadian airmen fought in the Battle of Britain and Canada became the "aerodrome of democracy" following the agreement in December 1939 to sponsor the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Canadians also made unforgettable and heroic sacrifices in the defence of Hong Kong in December 1941 and the raid on Dieppe in August 1942. These were desperate days indeed.
By June 1944, when the Allies launched their assult on occupied France, Canada was a major participant in every phase and every theatre of wartime activity.
Canadians distinguished themselves in land, sea and air operations as well as on the home front. By the end of the war on Sept. 1, 1945, over a million men and women had served in uniform and the merchant marine and 45,607 Canadians had given their lives for their country.
Paintings Featured:
Passing? by Harold Beament
D-Day, The Assult by Orville Fisher
The Nijmegen Bridge, Holland by Alex Colville
Entry Into Assoro, Sicily by Will Ogilvie
We Flew With the Heroic Few by Rich Thistle
Finale by Don Connolly
The paintings toured Canada for that fiftieth anniversary year in 1995.
