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WOODLAND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY Northern Reflections PO Box
846, La Ronge, Saskatchewan S0J
1L0
Telephone: (306)
425-3186
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ABOUT US PRODUCTS & SERVICES IN THE NEWS THEIR NAMES LIVE ON
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WOODLAND AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY How it evolved - By Doug Chisholm My name is Doug Chisholm, and I was born in Scotland in 1953 , and came to Canada with my parents in 1957, where the family settled in Oakville, Ontario. Always interested in aviation, I started flying lessons in Hamilton at age 16. After aircraft maintenance college in Thunder Bay, I headed west at age 20, in pursuit of the bush pilot dream. When I arrived in La Ronge Saskatchewan in 1975, it was all I could of hoped for. Those were busy times, with lots of float planes and ski planes, a great place where young people could work hard and enjoy strong friendships. At that time, I apprenticed as an aircraft mechanic and bought a share in a Cessna 172 to build flying time. In 1977, I obtained my Commercial Pilot License, and in 1978 I obtained my Aircraft Maintenance Engineer license. My pilot log book now shows over 4000 hours flying time. My first flying job was at Jackson Air Service in Sandy Bay, Saskatchewan, where I was the first pilot Bill Jackson ever hired. It was a wonderful few years, and I even got to log 500 hours on the DHC-2 Beaver.
At that time, Kathy was the outpost nurse in Sandy Bay, and we were married in 1978. Together in 1979, we bought CF-KDF, the 1954 Cessna 180 aircraft which I still fly today.
Life here in northern Saskatchewan has been great, with lots to do. Kathy still works in the health field, and our daughter Carina is in 3rd year at university, while son Alex is in Grade 11 here in La Ronge. Since 1983, my real life job is working as an aircraft mechanic on the provincial government water bomber fleet. Summers can be busy, chasing the bombers around the country, trying to keep the forest fires cool. In the winter months, major inspections are completed on the old radial engine aircraft.
When I get a chance, I love to go flying in my Cessna 180. As the years went by, and my young family grew, the aircraft looked more like an expensive toy. Not wanting to have to sell the Cessna, in 1997 I started to take photographs from my aircraft. There are many of beautiful sites which I see out my window when I go flying across "my big backyard". Through aerial photography, I have been able to continue to operate my aircraft. The evolution of my research activities regarding the Saskatchewan Second World War casualties, appears in the Preface to my new book titled "Their Names Live On" and appears in this website.
Previous community service here in La Ronge includes 1990 -1996 as Vice Chairman of the La Ronge Hospital Board. During that time, I chaired the community fundraising campaign which raised $1.4 million to furnish the new La Ronge Health Center which was completed in 1995
I currently serve as a board member for the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society, as well as a board member for the Saskatchewan Geographic Names Board. I am an associate member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch in La Ronge, as well a member of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society. I also serve on a SaskCulture Heritage Advisory Committee. The family photo below, was recorded in November 2001 at the launch of my new book.
Geo-Memorial
Sites in Northern Saskatchewan
The
Names Live On During the
Second World War, over 91,000 men and women from Saskatchewan enlisted in
the Canadian Armed Forces, and served in the army, air force and navy.
In active service for their country, over 3800 servicemen from Saskatchewan
lost their lives. During the 1950's and 1960's the province of
Saskatchewan, named geographic features in memory of these individuals, who
made the supreme sacrifice. The 3800
northern lakes, islands and bays named after the men who gave their lives in
the war are a perpetual sign of our indebtedness to those who gave their
lives in defense of democratic ideals. As a bush
pilot in northern Saskatchewan, I have long been intrigued by the many lakes
and islands which were named in memory of the Saskatchewan servicemen who
lost their lives in the Second World War. Over the
past year, I have been taking aerial photos of the sites in the La Ronge
area. I have now recorded aerial photos of over 1000 of these geo-memorial
locations. I am
continuing to research the names of these servicemen, establishing an
extensive database regarding home communities, military service, and burial
location and remaining family. For some
families, with supporting text I have prepared framed tributes utilizing an
aerial photo of the lake, and a service photo of the individual. The naming
of the lakes and islands was a fine tribute by our province, in memory of
Saskatchewan servicemen who made the supreme sacrifice for our country. |
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