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    • Better than a textbook: Remembrance Day convoy to roll once again into Oshawa, Ont.

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    OSHAWA, ONT. -

    An army of volunteers has been polishing up old Second World War Jeeps, trucks and other military vehicles that will be part of a special convoy of remembrance in Oshawa on Friday.

    It will see relics of past wars and conflicts drive past the veterans who once served in them, along with their family members and the public.

    “We've had people contacting us that are travelling for hours to come to this parade to specifically see these vehicles,†says Ontario Regiment Museum executive director Jeremy Blowers.

    “There's an emotional attachment to them.â€

    A Model T truck from the First World War will lead the convoy, which is being organized by the Ontario Regiment Museum. It has the biggest collection of operational military vehicles in North America.

    “It's keeping history alive,†says Blowers.

    The museum features tanks, armoured personnel carriers, Humvees, scout cars and other military machines on wheels -- so many they fill a huge building in Oshawa where the smell of motor oil is ever present.

    More than 130 can be driven and span from the First World War era to present day, including M4 Sherman and German Leopard tanks.

    Canadian veteran Phil Martin served in Cyprus and is among the 150 people who volunteer at the museum.

    “It's an honour and a privilege to be a part of this,†he says.

    "When the ground rumbles under your feet it's a heart pounding event -- if you've never seen it you've got to experience it just once."

    The collection started in 1980 after a group of military retirees formed a club and acquired several Ferret scout cars that they would drive at Remembrance Day parades.

    Other vehicles were added, including the tanks, and they have expanded greatly in the last decade.

    The museum puts on tank weekend events during the summer, including mock battles, and offers tank rides. It used to be called one of Oshawa's best-kept secrets, but the events now draw large crowds and word has gotten out.

    The museum is currently fundraising to build an even larger facility to house even more military vehicles.

    The interior of the Ontario Regiment Museum

    “It started as Canadian vehicles and it has since expanded to those of our allies and others around the world," says Blowers.

    Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they haven't participated in a parade since 2019, and unlike past convoys, this one will not include tanks.

    “I'm happy that it's back," says volunteer Richard Bennett. “It's always been a source of pride for us here.â€

    A Model T truck, widely used by British and U.S. armies during the First World War, will lead the convoy in Oshawa, Ont., on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.

    Volunteer Jessica Freeman-Mason is a Grade 12 student. The seventeen-year-old would like to join the military after she graduates and feels the work they do is important.

    “Because everyone probably has a veteran in their family, and it's incredible to learn about all the history,†says Freeman-Mason.

    A Gulf War Land Rover is pictured.

    Mike Rashotte has been a volunteer at the museum for 11 years. As he drove around preparing a 1950s military Jeep for the parade he said it's a way to show thanks and respect for the veterans as their numbers continue to dwindle.

    “It's important to us to keep the legacy alive,†says Rashotte.

    “We're the benefactors of their sacrifice and it's the least we could do.â€

    Ferret scout cars in 1981

    Second World War Willy's Jeep

    Many of the vehicles on display, including a Chevrolet wireless radio truck from the Second World War, were built locally in Oshawa.

    “Canada built over 800,000 military vehicles during World War Two,†says Blowers. “So Canada alone built more military vehicles than all of the Axis powers combined.â€

    Canadian Military Pattern truck and other vehicles built in Canada

    The exterior of the Ontario Regiment Museum

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