The other evening I happened to stop by a local location of liquid libation to enjoy a glass of Merlot and bask in the comforting sounds of bluegrass/folk musician Jens Jeppesen. I was unfamiliar with Mr. Jeppesen's music, but he immediately intrigued me with a simply marvelous version of Jesus on the Mainline, an obscure hymn (of sorts) recorded by the incomparable Ry Cooder in the 1970's. Mr. Jeppesen and I spoke briefly after the performance and as our discussion meandered from lyrics to lineage, we discovered a common bond beyond music.

He informed me that he was originally from New Denmark, which happens to be the same village that my wife's family is from. When I mentioned that her father's name is Donald Bertelsen, a noted educator who is still highly regarded for his skills as an aviator, Mr. Jeppesen's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. He carefully recounted that he had recently returned from visit to Trenton, Ontario, where he was researching the war record for his great aunt's brother, whose name was, coincidently, Freddy Bertelsen. This information uncorked the historian in me and I was able to uncover a unique connection that unites these two families. With Remembrance Day right around the corner, it's only fitting that a wartime sacrifice is the link that binds the chain. Mr. Bertelsen's uncle, Albert, was the first Canadian soldier to return home from the Western front during the Great War after losing a leg in battle. Albert's daughter Helen married a man named Jeppesen while his son Freddy joined the Air Force and was killed during World War II. As it turns out, Mr. Bertelsen had recently visited the Lancaster Museum in Nanton, Alberta, where a plaque has been dedicated to every airman who lost his life in the sky over France, including Freddy Bertelsen, cousin and comrade.

On Friday, November 11, Goose Lane will launch Steel Calvary - The 8th (New Brunswick) Hussars and the Italian Campaign - the latest edition in its esteemed New Brunswick Military Heritage Project series. On that day, I will be celebrating the memory of all those brave men and women who gave their lives to make our lives better, a reflection made distinctly more special by a chance meeting with a talented musician who helped equal the degrees of separation between family and new-found friends.