Niagara Advance, January 8, 2010
by Penny Coles
It looked like retired history professor Wesley Turner who doffed his top hat to speak to the citizens gathered at Navy Hall for the New Year's Levee Friday.
But he told the large crowd jammed into the hall that his name was Ralfe Clench, and that he was born in 1762 and had served King George III in the war of American Independence.
He left the army and settled in town, he said, joining the Lincoln militia.
"I served under Major General Sir Isaac Brock and under his successor, Major General Sir Roger Sheaffe. In the summer of 1813 I was taken prisoner by the Americans and spent the rest of the war in captivity," he said, adding that there is a debt owed to the militia of Upper Canada for the successful defence of the province, and to their families, all those who tended them and took care of the home and farm in the midst of tumult.
"I see that the town has established a War of 1812 Bicentennial Committee to commemorate the events and people of that war as well as to celebrate the ensuing long peace between the US and Canada. The committee has a website—a thing we did not have in my day—but I'm sure all of you know what it is and how to use it," said Turner, co-chair of the bicentennial committee.
"I urge you to support the efforts of the committee to learn about the loyal and brave citizen soldiers and their families who defended this province and helped to build this beautiful town and this great country."
As is the tradition at Navy Hall on New Years, many around him were dressed as officers of the day, but Turner was portraying a civilian, he said, to encourage others to think about the civilians of 1812 and the effect war had on them, and to encourage "civilians of today" to think about their contribution to the bicentennial celebrations.
The website he referred to is www.1812niagaraonthelake.ca.
Source: Niagara Advance