Orland FrenchOrland French grew up in Waverley, Ontario, a couple of kilometres from the farm where his Uncle Oscar was raised. This little crossroads village near Georgian Bay is nestled in a valley among the glacial hills of northern Simcoe County. Orland worke in the newsrooms of The Ottawa Citizen and The Globe and Mail and was a regular Globe columnist covering provincial and national politics. Later he taught journalism at Loyalist College in Belleville, Ontario, and developed an interest in local history. For a decade, he was president of the Hastings County Historical Society. His interest led to producing history and geology books on the counties of Prince Edward, Lennox & Addington, and Hastings. He also advised clients on developing their own local history books through the Friesens History Book Program. For his work as a volunteer in history-related projects, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal in 2012 and the Governor-General's Caring Canadian Award in 2013.

Letters to Vimy bridges the gap of a century between the years of the First World War and today. It serves as a teaching tool and learning mechanism for readers of the book. Mr. French is pleased that younger members of the family began to develop an interest in their great-great-Uncle Oscar as the author worked on this project. Read More Read Less