Kingston, Ontario, September 14, 1995
On Tuesday, September 14, 1995, at 10:10 am, a memorial plaque dedicated to the Ukrainian Canadian Soldiers who served their country with distinction overseas during the Second World War will be unveiled at the St. James's Church, Sussex Gardens, Paddington, London, England.
Over 35,000 Ukrainian Canadian men and women served with the Canadian Armed Forces during the Second World War. They formed a Ukrainian Canadian Servicemen's Association (UCSA) and, in August 1943, established a Club in the vicarage of St. James's Church. This building became a unique "home away from home" for thousands of Canadian soldiers of Ukrainian heritage. It also served as the headquarters of the Central Ukrainian Relief Bureau (CURB), which aided thousands of Ukrainian Displaced Persons and Victims of War. Many eventually resettled in Canada, the United States of American and the United Kingdom.
Donations from the Ukrainian communities of Canada and Great Britain, and the generous support of the owners of the building, have made the installation of this plaque possible. No financial assistance received was provided by the Government of Canada.
Mrs. Anne Panchuk, a veteran of UCSA and CURB, and the widow of a founding member and president of both organizations, Gordon Richard Bohdan Panchuk, will unveil this plaque, following a brief ecumenical service in St. James's Church.
