Link to First Five Years of "Dora's Page", 2019-2024
Then war came, and Bill volunteered immediately, was accepted into the RCAF. I have a couple more pictures of him, visiting one of Aunt Jessie's cousins in England, another in Scotland. But his war records say, that just 16 days after he reported for duty, he was killed on one of his first training missions, before anybody got to fight, before the Battle of Britain. A lot of deaths in war are just that undramatic and pointless; simply getting the equipment to work kills many. He was just part of the cost of war.
My mother remained friends with Bill's brother, Murray, all their lives; Aunt Jessie went off to serve in South Africa, of all places, and never came back, save two brief visits. She named her fourth son, not after Bill, but the name they would have given a first son, had they had one. His only family, Murray, never had children, died decades ago; there are none to remember Bill Gibb now, that he ever lived and served. There are just these pictures in my mother's old album.
The one at right, was captioned "Bill Gibb - England", no doubt visiting
some family friend, as most Canadians had relatives in the Old Country then. It had to be taken just days before his service started, and his death.
The last picture of him: RIP.
2024 November 9: Two Lilies from Alan
2024 November 8: The Cost of the Windstorm (III/III)
2024 November 7: The Cost of the Windstorm (II/III)
2024 November 6: The Cost of the Windstorm (I/III)
2024 November 5: Last Day of the Cherry Trees
2024 November 4: One Dreary Day
2024 November 3: Heron Framed in the Leaves
2024 November 2: Last Fall of the Doomed Forest (Again Again)
2024 November 1: Last Fall of the Doomed Forest (Again)
2024 October 31: Last Roses of Summer (2024)
2024 October 30: Atocha Station, Madrid
2024 October 29: Yes, It's Fall
2024 October 26: Greatest Art Store Ever
2024 October 25: Alan and Tracy at Rideau Falls
2024 October 24: Plaza Chamberi, Madrid, for Kids
2024 October 23: Hugh Costello's Timeline of Decisions
2024 October 21: Citadel of Valencia
2024 October 20: Streets of Valencia
2024 October 19: Space Hotel in Barcelona
2024 October 18: Restaurant of Lights
2024 October 17: Woman, Man, Duck in the Jardin
2024 October 16: Paris Stairs and Gardens
2024 September 20: Extra Day for Goodbye!
2024 September 19: Alan's Peahen
2024 September 18: "All Things Electric" Show IX: Odds and Ends
2024 September 17: "All Things Electric" Show VIII: Marine
2024 September 16: "All Things Electric" Show VII: Minimobility
2024 September 15: "All Things Electric" Show VI: Test Driving
2024 September 14: "All Things Electric" Show V: Electric @ Work
2024 September 13: "All Things Electric" Show IV: BIG Money
2024 September 10: "All Things Electric" Show III: Micromobility
2024 September 10: "All Things Electric" Show II: Luxury
2024 September 9: "All Things Electric" Show I: Not
2024 September 8: Two Views of Lion's Gate
2024 September 5: Tree Shadow Creates Mural
2024 September 4: Cutest Things in the Park
2024 September 3: Embracing the Aquarium
2024 September 2: The Ross Fountain
2024 September 1: Heron and Flower
2024 August 31: Pointing Up and Down
2024 August 29: Sunken Garden, Perfect
2024 August 28: Ride Around the Seawall, Busy
2024 August 27: New Otter Pups!
2024 August 26: Shakespeare; And, At the Aquarium
2024 August 25: Two Kinds of Coleus
2024 August 22: Development is Big
2024 August 20: Bluecrown Passionflower
2024 August 19: Ducks on a Log
2024 August 17: Seaside Fleabane
2024 August 16: More Ravine Trail
2024 August 14: Phone addiction at Beaver Lake
2024 August 13: Japanese Andromeda
2024 August 12: Plants with Veins
2024 August 3: One Ugly Flower
2024 August 1: Sunset the Colour of Blood
2024 July 31: Flowers I Misnamed
2024 July 30: Visit to the Sea
2024 July 28: Ready for their Closeup
2024 July 27: Spacing, Then and Now (Pandemic ends)
2024 July 25: Old House, Old Tree, Old Crow
2024 July 22: Lost Lagoon Scum
2024 July 20: 33rd Anniversary! Spiders and Spray
2024 July 17: Efficient Housing in West Kelowna
2024 July 6: Last Post for a Week: Lily
2024 July 5: Clearing Out Beairsto Bounty (II)
2024 July 4: Clearing Out Beairsto Bounty (I)
2024 July 3: Rose Garden is Back for 2024, Baby!
2024 June 30: Long Exposure at Bolton
2024 June 26-27: Splendor in the Grass
2024 June 25: Under the Canopy
2024 June 23: Catching Up With Allan
2024 June 22: I Got Back to Work!
2024 June 20: I Got Into The Newspaper
2024 June 19: Deer and Sticky Willie
2024 June 17: Alan's New Flowers: Busy Lizzie
2024 June 16: Flock Gathers Below My Podium
2024 June 15: Bell with an Ant
2024 June 13: Rugosa Rose, and Oh, Deer!
2024 June 11: Beairsto Backlog
2024 June 10: Resumption of Dora's Page with Alan!
2024 June 6: The Great Calgary Mainbreak of 2024
2024 June 5: Rainy Day Pictures
2024 May 31: Rose Garden Up and Running
2024 May 30: Beaver Lake Lily Pads
2024 May 28: Duck Couple with Two Ponds
2024 May 27: 12 Geese Parents, 20 goslings
2024 May 26: Yellow-White Iris
2024 May 27: 12 Geese Parents, 20 goslings
2024 May 24: Flowers from Alan and Loblaw
2024 May 23: Not-Dead Tree and the Lordly Goose
2024 May 22: Layers of Flowers at the Golf Course
2024 May 20: Streets of Flowers
2024 May 17: Two Gardens, One Ready, One Done