Camp Hill

by Wolverine Mon 23 Jul 2018, 2:23 pm

Norway honouring Second World War soldier as Canadian veterans protest his treatment

Jon Tattrie · CBC News · Posted: Jun 16, 2016

Camp Hill Norwegian-veteran-hospital-20160603

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/petter-blindheim-protest-camp-hill-1.3638118

by Wolverine Mon 23 Jul 2018, 2:34 pm

Norwegian war hero to get care at Halifax veterans' hospital after months of struggle

Michael Gorman, Carly Stagg · CBC News · Posted: Jun 24, 2016

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/norwegian-veteran-petter-blindheim-admitted-camp-hill-1.3650822

by Wolverine Mon 23 Jul 2018, 2:37 pm

BLINDHEIM, Peter Johan

Posted Jul 20, 2018

Camp Hill Peter-blindheim-halifax-ns-obituary

With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Peter Johan Blindheim, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, and veteran. Aged 96, Peter passed away peacefully on July 18, 2018, at the Camp Hill Veterans Memorial facility, surrounded by his loving wife and four children.

Peter was born in Vigra, Norway, on December 2, 1921 to his loving parents Johanne and Jakob Hans. A lifelong Christian, Peter was raised in Norway until he escaped German occupation at age 18 to serve in the Second World War. Peter served in the Royal Norwegian Navy from 1941-1945. After the war, Peter settled first in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and later in Halifax.

Peter is survived by his wife Marilyn, his daughter Johanna Atkinson, daughter Karen (Kevin) Higgins, daughter Wendy (Harry) Westerlund, son Peter (Meghan) Blendheim, his five grandchildren, Heidi Hopf, Ted Atkinson, Shannon Higgins, Lars Tore Westerlund and Melissa Westerlund, as well as his four great-grandchildren, Mitchel Hopf, and Arerie, Addyson, and Aiden Atkinson. He is predeceased by his parents, his first wife Helen, his uncle Eivind, and his brother Jon Norvald.

During Peter’s service in the Royal Norwegian Navy, two of the many ships he served on were sunk and lost at sea. Due to Peter’s actions onboard the Montbretia further loss of life was avoided. For his acts of heroism and selflessness he was awarded many medals but worth noting is the Norwegian war medal for the meritous act of removing the primer of his assigned depth charge between torpedo attacks as the ship was sinking, Peter was one of 27 survivors of a crew of 74 men. He was reported as a hero by Lieutenant A. Tenvik after the battle. It was decided by King Haakon VII in a resolution on September 3rd 1943 that he would receive the "Krigsmedaljen" Norwegian war medal and was also later awarded the Government of Norway’s Commemorative medal in 2016. This selflessness reflects Peter’s caring nature and generosity of spirit throughout his life. In addition to his faith and time with his family, Peter enjoyed travelling with his wife Marilyn, took pride in his health, skating and swimming, and took interest in cars and automobile maintenance.

Peter spent the final two years of his life at the Camp Hill Veterans Memorial facility, where he and his family made many joyous memories. Known for his gentle demeanor and many stories, Peter was well-loved and respected, and friends with the other residents and staff alike. Peter’s family extends their heartfelt thanks to the staff at the Camp Hill Veterans Memorial facility for their unwavering care and support.

Visitation will be held from 2:00-4:00 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2018 at Cruikshanks Funeral Home on 2666 Windsor Street in Halifax. A Christian funeral service celebrating Peter’s life will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, July 23, 2018 at the Faith Tabernacle Church on 6225 Summit Street in Halifax, with Pastor Glenn MacLean officiating. Following, there will be a reception in the Church hall, and burial at the Fairview Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Camp Hill Memorial Gardens or Camp Hill Veterans Chapel at 902-334-1546.

https://www.halifaxtoday.ca/obituaries/blindheim-peter-johan-991530

by bosn181 Tue 24 Jul 2018, 1:04 pm

RIP, fair winds and following sea's and ty for service.

by Xrayxservice Fri 31 May 2019, 9:17 am

Truro man who served with Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers refused bed at Camp Hill

Lynn Curwin (lynn.curwin@trurodaily.com)
Published: May 31, 2019

TRURO, N.S. — Bill Bradbury served in the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers but today, at the age of 92, he’s unable to get a bed at Camp Hill Veterans’ Memorial Building.
Bradbury was 17 when he joined the armed forces.
“I wanted to go overseas but they wouldn’t send me,” he said. “They said they needed me here.”
He helped with duties at Camp Debert and then, with his electrical skills, he was placed in the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during the war.
He later joined the air force and was sent overseas a few times but has been told he doesn’t qualify for a bed at Camp Hill.
“They said it was because I wasn’t wounded overseas,” he said.
Admission to the 175-bed facility is regulated through Veterans Affairs, which expanded eligibility requirements in 2016.
In an email, they stated:
“Veterans who served in Canada only but did not incur any injury or illness during their war time service, may be eligible for care in a community bed, if they served for more than 365 days and are deemed income qualified.”
The agency stated, generally speaking, anyone who meets the eligibility of the War Veterans Allowance would meet the income qualification for a community bed. This is an income-tested benefit and Bradbury receives a pension that enables him to cover his needs.
Bradbury was in the services for 30 years and reached the rank of sergeant in the air force.
He’s currently residing in Cedarstone Enhanced Care but feels he would have more in common with residents of Camp Hill.
“I don’t think people are treated fairly,” he said. “I think whoever is behind the desk (at Veterans’ Affairs Canada) at the time a request comes in makes their mind up and that’s it.”

https://www.trurodaily.com/news/local/truro-man-who-served-with-royal-canadian-electrical-and-mechanical-engineers-refused-bed-at-camp-hill-316872/

by **Spider** Fri 07 Jun 2019, 7:18 am

Keeping couples apart ‘cruel.’ Halifax WWII veteran separated from wife in her last days

June 6, 2019

Camp Hill McCabe_couple_large

Irene and Second World War veteran John McCabe are shown in a recent photo. They had been married for 70 years before her death last week.

Her husband was her entire world and Irene McCabe wanted nothing more than to be with the Second World War veteran in her final days.

They had been married seven decades but separated for the last five years since John McCabe was provided a bed in Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Hospital in Halifax. But without fail she would make the weekly trip to Halifax from her Truro home to be with him.

“She would tear up every day that she was leaving him at Camp Hill,” recalled the couple’s son Paul McCabe. “The departure was so difficult for her.”

Irene died on May 28 in Truro, just shy of her 90th birthday with her husband in Halifax. Since last fall the pair had been on a waiting list for beds at Wynn Park Villa in Truro but none became available.

Despite there being empty beds at Camp Hill, Irene didn’t have the option of moving in because Veterans Affairs won’t permit it. Veteran’s spouses aren’t allowed to live at the facility even if they’ve been approved for long-term care.

“Trying to negotiate all this bureaucracy took so long and my mother passed away before we accomplished the objective of getting them back together,” said McCabe. “The policies are so rigid and I think it’s tragic that the government couldn’t have been more flexible in interpreting the guidelines.”

His mother was actually hospitalized about a month ago after falling at her residence. She suffered a stroke soon after and her condition steadily deteriorated. McCabe’s father has dementia and never got to see his wife during the ordeal. His dad wasn’t in the state of mind to provide the emotional and physical support that Irene needed.

“We understand the desire for couples to be able to live together, whether in their own homes or in long-term care facilities. Decisions regarding the use of long-term care beds for spouses or other provincial residents in Nova Scotia fall within the purview of the Department of Health and Wellness."

-Veterans Affairs spokesman Alex Wellstead

Veterans Affairs currently covers the majority of the living costs for 174 Second World War and Korean War veterans currently living in long-term care facilities in Nova Scotia. McCabe is speaking out in the hopes that the department will work out a plan with the province to ensure any of the veterans who want to be with their spouses can be.

“There are others that are older than my father and time is marching on and in my mom’s case we’ve missed an opportunity. In her last month of life she never got to see him again.”

But it doesn’t appear that such a plan is in the works. Veterans Affairs spokesman Alex Wellstead said the department works with provincial authorities to try to ensure couples can live together but that responsibility ultimately lies with the province’s Department of Health.

“We understand the desire for couples to be able to live together, whether in their own homes or in long-term care facilities,” said Wellstead. “Decisions regarding the use of long-term care beds for spouses or other provincial residents in Nova Scotia fall within the purview of the Department of Health and Wellness."

Carla Adams, spokeswoman for the Nova Scotia Health Authority, put the responsibility on Veterans Affairs, saying the authority can place veterans in Department of Health-funded beds but cannot place spouses of veterans in Veterans Affairs beds.

Veterans advocate Sean Bruyea, who’s also a former Royal Canadian Air Force intelligence officer, called the situation “fundamentally wrong on so many levels” and laid most of the blame on Veterans Affairs.

“It shows a callous and cruel insensitivity based solely upon a laziness and an unwillingness to spend money for the very veterans that the government keeps saying they care about,” he said.

https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/news/local/keeping-couples-apart-cruel-halifax-wwii-veteran-separated-from-wife-in-her-last-days-319112/