Fort Willow 2014Published: 9/22/2014
A ceremony was conducted in September 11, 2014, with the Friends of Fort Willow and the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.
Fort Willow is located just west of Barrie, Ontario.
A monument was unveiled commemorating this site as the location where 200 men of the Regiment in early 1814 built 29 batteaux entirely of local materials, using their knowledge of boats and boat building. The boats were loaded with 30 tons of badly supplies to relieve beseiged Michilimackinac on Lake Michigan, a key Briitish position, as it blocked any American entry from the west into Lake Huron.
The batteaux were embarked by the Regiment and then moved down the Nottasawaga River to Georgian Bay in late winter, and then travelled in conditions of ice breakup in the spring across Lake Huron all the way to Michilimackinac. It was a remarkable feat of resourcefulness, perseverance, and stamina. As a result of the Regiment's action, the Americans lifted their seige and Fort Mackinac remained in British hands.
On the same trip, Lt Bulger and picked members of the Regiment were instrumental in capturing two blockading American ships, the Tigris and Scorpion.
LCol Andrew Heale and RSM CWO W Allen represented today's Regiment. Also attending were local re-enactors representing the Regiment of 1812.
See also the Fort Willow web site.
(All photos courtesy of LCol Heale).
