biography
Lifting the Silence
I usually mark Remembrance Day in the same way I have since I was in grade school. I take a minute of silence to remember those who fought to give us our freedom, and I’ll wear a poppy. This year, I’ll have more involvement due to Lifting the Silence: A World War II RCAF Bomber Pilot Reunites with His Past by Sydney P. Smith with David Scott Smith. This book tells the remarkable true story of Sydney Smith, a young bomber pilot who is shot down over the French countryside during the Second World War. He hides himself in a haystack, unsure of who he can trust. He makes the life-or-death decision to turn himself over to the mercy of the local farmer who happens to be sympathetic to his cause (had Sydney ventured to the next farm down the road, he would definitely have been turned over the Germans). As it happens, the farmer knows the chatelaine of the local chateau – she and her daughter are both members of the Comete Line (Belgian Resistance). With their help, along with numerous others, the young pilot is secreted into Paris. He then undergoes a remarkable trek through the mountains into Spain, before heading back to his base in England. The truly amazing thing is that Sydney, who later became a dentist, and made his home in Thunder Bay, never spoke of this unbelieveable experience. It wasn’t until his son David began clearing out his grandfather’s effects that he found a letter that Sydney’s father had kept since 1946. The rest of the story I’ll leave for you to discover! I cannot begin to imagine undergoing the perils that Sydney Smith encountered – thankfully I don’t have to, but I look forward to the launch of the book tomorrow night in Waterloo (where I grew up as it happens). David will tell his father’s story (sadly, Sydney died in August, before the book was published) tomorrow night, it’s bound to be an emotional experience for many.
Tags: About the author
Karen has been active in the Canadian publishing industry for almost fourteen years. During that time, she's worked in the marketing and publicity departments of numerous publishers including Owl Books (now Maple Tree Press), Stoddart Kids, and Penguin Group Canada. She joined Dundurn Press in October, 2009 as their Publicity Manager. While she enjoys a good scary movie, she doesn't like it when people sneak up on her.
Discussion
3 comments for “Lifting the Silence”
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Thank you for telling us about this book; there are so many war stories that I am sure we do not know. I hope the launch goes well. Wish I could be there, but will look for the book.
[...] of Flanders fields now that I’m old enough to understand what it means (maybe). So, like Karen, I plan to take the opportunities working at Dundurn has given me and spend some time with Hell in [...]
This comment is of course bias, David, the author being my brother. Regardless, it is important as, knowing both people involved I can say it honestly was written as Dad would have told the story. Very difficult to do and the comments I’ve received from others who never met my Dad tell me it hit a home run in their hearts and minds. Way to go Dave.