First World War camps in Vernon, Mara and the Monashees part of documentary to be shown in Vernon

Fred Kohse Jr. and his cousin, Victor Heiny, were two of the children held with their families at the Vernon Internment Camp during the First World War. Their story will be featured in the documentary film That Never Happened: Canada’s First National Internment Operations to be shown Tuesday at the Vernon Towne Cinema. (Photo courtesy of Andrea Malysh)

The multi-award-winning documentary That Never Happened: Canada’s First National Internment Operations, which includes a piece on the Vernon Internment camp from 1914- 20, will be marked with a gala event as it make its Vernon premiere Tuesday.

The documentary, produced by Armistice Films Inc., and presented by the Vernon and District Family History Society, will be shown at the Towne Cinema. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the film begins at 7:15 p.m.

The film recounts the forced internment of thousands of Ukrainians and other Europeans from 1914 to 1920. The Vernon internment camp, located at what is now W.L. Seaton Secondary, was one of the largest and longest opened, one of only two that held women and children.

The Vernon premiere reveals how public records were destroyed in 1954. Three decades later, researchers began the task of stitching together the story of this dark chapter in Canadian history.

Local residents are featured in this documentary include Andrea Malysh, Lawrna Myers, Charlotte Hanaghan and Michele Loughery.

“My family story is in connection with the Monashee Camp (located at the top of Mine Hill, 12 kilometres past Cherryville on Highway 6),” said Myers, who appears in the film along with her cousin, Hanaghan. “My great-grandfather, Benjamin F. Myers, supplied the commissary for the camp.

In the film, Vernon, Mara and Monashee camps are featured.

That Never Happened has met with critical acclaim at film festivals across North America.

It has garnered one nomination and six awards: four awards in the Best Documentary category and the People’s Choice Award at the Bay Street Film Festival in Thunder Bay.

Special guest at the Vernon gala/premiere will be the film’s director/producer, Ryan Boyko, who will take part in a Q&A session.

There will be a VIP Wine and Cheese Reception at the film which is included in the $25 ticket price.

Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketseller.ca/1500.

There is more information on the film at: http://www.armisticefilms.com/that-never-happened.



newstips@vernonmorningstar.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.



Sign up here Get local stories you won't find anywhere else right to your inbox.