Can you see my Timex watch?” asked Afghanistan War veteran and Canadian Army Corporal Andrew Mullett, “My watch means a lot to me.”

Having once struggled to sleep during his tour of duty, the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) soldier recalled placing the timepiece beside his ear and listening to it tick.

The sound, he remembers in a video recorded for posterity, brought great comfort on those difficult nights, evoking memories of his faraway home, his faraway family and the faraway life he had left behind for service: “It was enough to take me away from Afghanistan and focus on something else.”

Meanwhile, Michael Hornburg’s chosen memento for War: In Pieces—a travelling exhibit of written stories by veterans highlighting their individual experiences as former and active military personnel—is a glass of wine never tasted.

“In wellness and good spirits,” the proud father wrote, “I’d talked on the phone to my son for almost a half hour the previous evening from his Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan and he sounded calm and focused.”

Hornburg then chronicled how, after pouring himself a drink the next day, he heard a knock on the door. The wine, discarded on a kitchen countertop, went forever unsavoured as he answered to three Canadian Forces officers.

“How many are the seconds to deliver a few dozen simple words, which contain and shatter a lifetime of befores? Not enough to contain all of eternity.”

Nothing could truly fill the immense chasm opened by Hornburg’s loss. However, in telling his story, he—like Mullett and others—found a new means to channel the memories, unceasingly painful though they remained.

From a bicycle crankset to a single poppy, each item donated to the exhibit—and the often heart-wrenching stories that accompany them—offers an insight into the lives of people shaped by Canada’s military.

The 2014 initiative, a part of the Calgary-based War Stories Society, was the brainchild of founder Melanie Timmons, long a passionate believer in the power of stories and how, at least in the case of some, they may afford catharsis.

Acknowledging that her program is not therapy and emphasizing the merits of professional help, Timmons explained: “Creating a personal story from events may allow us to take control of those events on our own terms. It is the act of creating a sense of order and producing something tangible—on paper, video or otherwise—from those intangible memories and feelings inside one’s head.”

Focusing on a single object not only hones an author’s ability to express themselves. The practice is also intended to promote empathy with would-be readers and viewers, including attendees of the War: In Pieces exhibit.

“Military women and men are a vital part of our country,” said Timmons, who has no known family connection to the Canadian Armed Forces. “It seems that many civilians have no idea who they are, what their daily lives look like, or what they do to protect us and this nation. In overcoming my own ignorance, I realized that a huge gap existed between Canadian civilian and military communities, and I wanted to do something to help bridge that gap.

“Reading these intimate stories, seeing their related mementoes, allows the public to get to know our military men and women one-on-one.”

Perhaps, too, it affords some storytellers the chance to know themselves.

The success of War: In Pieces prompted Timmons to expand the program to other ventures. In the fall of 2019, she helped kickstart a free veterans’ writing workshop now facilitated by Mike Vernon and Kent Griffiths, both former service members with journalistic backgrounds.    

Regardless of experience, aspiring writers can organize, process and find meaning in certain life events. Equally, the nine-month course can enable individuals to record their military careers for loved ones to learn about.   

What prevails is a sense of community in every group and session. Each participant is provided with a safe space to embrace their creativity in an environment defined by constructive feedback and encouragement.

“It’s really across the spectrum in terms of memoir, fiction and more,” noted Vernon of the results. “We’re here to help them find their voice.”

Unfortunately, the initial class encountered a hurdle almost from the start: The COVID-19 pandemic. “That kind of derailed things,” said Vernon, “But it also gave us time to focus on putting together an anthology of the writers.”

Titled A Mile in Their Boots, the since-published book delves deep into a diverse range of military life experiences, including a typical day of basic training, serving at sea, being deployed to another country, facing the challenges of returning from war and dealing with the aftermath of a genocide.

From first to last entry, indeed from first to last page, the writing cohort moves readers with laughter and tears. Nor are they alone in such endeavours.

Beyond the anthology, subsequent classes continue to pour their hearts and souls into writing—something Timmons hopes will continue and signifies the program’s continued growth and outreach to eager-to-write veterans. “My goal is to have free writing workshops across Canada,” she explained. “Furthermore, Mike [Vernon] has suggested that we create virtual writing programs for those in remote areas. I’d also like to curate and share more of these stories in the form of additional books, public readings, video recordings and pop-up galleries. We just need more resources, and the big challenge is to find the right people to facilitate the workshops and help us move forward.”

Nevertheless, the War Stories Society appears to boast a strong trajectory, with both the War: In Pieces exhibit and its writing courses generating considerable interest among civilians and veterans alike. It’s what Timmons always wanted.

“Fundamentally, we humans are not so different from one another. When we meet a stranger in a military uniform on a personal level—through a shared story—we learn how much we have in common. Instead of just saying ‘Thank you for your service’ on Remembrance Day, maybe some civilians will be inspired to start a conversation and get to know these great individuals.”