Success Stories

Pieces of Paper: Japanese Air Balloon Bombing

Preserving a Grandfather's memory

Pieces of Paper: The Japanese Air Balloon Bombings web site is much more than an informative site of a little known aspect of World War II. It is a sixteen-year-old's effort to preserve his grandfather's memories and to learn more about his late grandfather, Erle Guy Welch.

Paul Welch's grandfather joined the RCAF during World War II. His division was responsible for monitoring, locating and disarming Japanese air balloon bombs that landed in Canada. These bombs consisted of a rice paper balloon and a basket containing explosive materials. The explosion mechanism was triggered by weight. When the last sandbag fell off the basket, the explosion occurred. These bombs, launched in Japan, traveled as far West as Manitoba.

When Paul's grandfather died in November 1997 at the age of 92, having suffered from Alzheimer's throughout most of Paul's life, the young teenager decided to pay homage to him. He submitted a proposal to Digital Collections to produce a web site displaying his grandfather's Japanese air balloon personal records and documents. "My grandfather played a big part in the Japanese air bombs' [recovery and dismantling]," explains the young Paul Welch. Digital Collections accepted the proposal and he was awarded a contract to produce the site.

The Digital Collections program, funded by the federal Youth Employment Strategy, has enabled over 1400 young Canadians (ages 15-30) to gain valuable work experience in the multimedia sector. By converting significant Canadian content for display on the Information Highway, Canadian youth have not only gained skills for knowledge-based employment but have provided greater access to Canadian holdings located in archives, libraries, museums, associations and other sources.

This Digital Collections project is unusual for a few reasons. First, the contractor was only 16 years old when he produced the site. Although many of the Digital Collections teams have young workers like Paul, contractors are usually professionals from government institutions or private organizations.

Second, the project was an intergenerational product that bridged the gap between two generations, one that saw war where the other knew only peace and stability. With the help of his mentor, Brigadier General (Retired) Ian C. Douglas, Paul was able to better understand and preserve his grandfather's contribution to the war effort.

The young man first learned of his grandfather's involvement in World War II after his grandfather died. "It's the type of thing I wish I could have known before [his death]," admits Paul. "My appreciation of my grandfather's unique role during WWII was hampered by his affliction with Alzheimer's disease for most of my life. His personal records helped me considerably in understanding his role during the war." Paul's grandmother was very pleased with his initiatives and his aunt was honoured and touched by his relentless dedication.

Paul worked on all aspects of the site, which included everything from intense archival research to elaborate HTML coding. A self-taught computer wizard, Paul had to expand his HTML skills in order to produce some sections of the site. "I immerse myself in HTML - that's how I teach myself."

Paul is very proud of his accomplishment. Searching through many texts at the National Library and documents at the National Archives for additional information on Japanese air balloons "took a lot of patience since little was available." His sharp time management skills permitted him to complete the project within the contract's allotted time frame, a deadline that can be difficult to meet when working in a team and even more so when working alone.

Pleased with his efforts, Paul hopes that the web site will "spark an interest in Canadian history and make it readily available [to all Canadians]." He also wishes it will inspire other young Canadians to explore and preserve their grandparents' recollections of important world events.

The young and ambitious Paul is grateful to the Digital Collections program for allowing him to have his first working experience. Subsequently, he has found part-time work in the multimedia field.

Visit the SchoolNet Digital Collections World Wide Web Site at http://collections.ic.gc.ca/