Hogan’s father, Aiden Hogan, served in the First World War and a picture of him was incorporated into one of 17 quilts that make up the “Peace by Piece: Quilted Memories of Newfoundland in the Great War” exhibition. The quilts were crafted by the Cabot Quilter Guild in St. John’s.
Adien Hogan was 19 when he signed up and became part of the First 500, the Blue Puttees.
He travelled to Europe on The Florizel, trained in Scotland, went to Turkey and Gallipoli. He got sick in Gallipoli and was in hospital in Egypt on the way back for five or six weeks. Then it was on to France for further training.
He was in the July 1, 1916 drive at the Battle of the Somme and was wounded in both legs. A broken femur in one resulted in an 11-month stay in hospital.
He returned home after that, but had to go back to hospital to have one of his legs amputated.
Hogan’s dad died in 1967. He never really talked much about his time in the war.
Hogan said he got the feeling it was a hard time for his father.
Now he wishes he had been able to find out more. “Because I never asked questions.”
Looking at the quilts his focus goes to the one with the picture and poem written about his father.
“It’s hard to say,” he replied when asked what he was thinking.
Hogan said his father became a part of the quilt after a cousin in Placentia contacted him about the project and asked if he had any information or pictures that he could send out.
The exhibition has been brought the city by the Corner Brook Museum and Archives, the City of Corner Brook and the Corner Brook Public Library.
The quilts will be on display in city hall and the library until May 31.
