Remembrance Day series ‘Our War’ highlights legendary Six Nations runner Tom Longboat
As we reflect on Remembrance Day, Friday, Nov. 11, there is as always the question of what to remember and how, when it comes to the history of Canada's prodigious wartime efforts.
Everyone's answer is their own, but when you have several wars to choose from, most notably First and Second World Wars, and the whole vast expanse of the country as the pool from which to draw your stories, the task of deciding is daunting.
So it is impressive and telling that the makers of the four-part docuseries Our War" which premieres on the History channel on Friday have chosen a great Hamilton story to key in on.
What's more, the subject of the Our War" focus on Hamilton is an Indigenous man, an athlete famous even before he signed up for service in the First World War.
The legendary Tom Longboat, of Six Nations.
In the show, the story of Tom Longboat (1886-1949) is seen through the lens of a present-day descendant who shares his ancestor's love of sport.
What Jagger Miller, a young Six Nations man, finds out about his ancestor Tom Longboat is not only that he was the premier long distance runner of his day - in the world - but he was also at the centre of a fascinating First World War story.
Tom Longboat, who only ever lost three races in his life, was running marathons in two tours and 24 minutes back in the very early 1900s, which was unheard of back then. He was shaving full four and five minute chunks off of previous marathon records.
He began racing in 1905, and scored his first important victory in 1906 when he won the Around the Bay Race" in Hamilton, eclipsing his nearest rival by three whole minutes.
In 1907, he won the prestigious Boston Marathon in a record time of 2:24:24, four minutes and 59 seconds faster than any of the previous winners of the event. He turned professional in 1909 and won the title Professional Champion of the World in front of sellout crowds at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The Our War" episode on Longboat keys in on his service during the so-called Great War." Longboat signed up with the Canadian Expeditionary Force and served as a dispatch runner.
I don't want to give too much away but the show follows Jagger as he learns about Tom Longboat's service," says Erin Haskett, executive producer. He knew he was a sports superstar but not about his service. Why did he make the decision to sign up? What did he do? Who was he as a person? The episode visits how Tom's unit was put together, what special skills the people in the unit had?"
The Our War" docuseries was developed and produced by the award-winning Lark Productions, out of Vancouver. The series reveals epic Canadian stories about ordinary individuals who made extraordinary sacrifices and heroic contributions during WWI and WWII. The project is real-life genealogical investigation that reveals the past through a younger generation and follows families from across Canada."
The series as a whole focuses on people whose (war) stories havent been told" as often as some others.
From the descendents of one of Canada's first Black servicemen to the great-grand-nephew of a female intelligence officer stationed at Bletchley Park, the series follows descendents as they search for clues to uncover the amazing true stories of their kin. It's refreshing that the series shines a light on people whose contributions had been historically under-recognized.
Iskut First Nation director and director of photography, Michael Bourquin (British Columbia: An Untold History"), and Vancouver director and DOP, Zachary Williams (Emergency Room: Life and Death at VGH") have created a poignant and compelling look at these unforgettable and often harrowing stories. Our War" is narrated by Jessica Garcie.
Jeff Mahoney is a Hamilton-based reporter and columnist covering culture and lifestyle stories, commentary and humour for The Spectator.jmahoney@thespec.com