I was invited to attend the concert and was particularly delighted to sit with Reg's daughter Laurie and Reg's sister Sylvia. We reminisced about this man we all loved and we shed a few tears when parts of his wartime story were shared with the sold-out audience at Darke Hall in Regina.
Reg left the farm at Lorlie, Saskatchewan, in search of adventure. He became a bomber pilot, flying Halifax and then Lancaster bombers, and he survived four plane crashes. When he returned home, he met his future wife in an airport while he was offering condolences on the loss of his friend and her fiancé. Reg returned to Saskatchewan to work with Veterans Affairs, honour other veterans at various Remembrance Day ceremonies, and become an Honorary Snowbird with the Canadian Forces aerobatics squadron.
There is much more to Crash Harrison's story and much more to this man, who became a cherished friend of mine during the time we worked together to create his biography. You can watch videos with me and Reg on my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@deanajdriverwriter) and search for more details online, but here are some snippets of this special Remembrance Day that my new husband, Marlowe, and I had with The Nightingales and Reg's daughter and sister...
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| I recently retired from book publishing, so I donated the remainder of my Crash Harrison book stock to the Royal United Services Institute to sell at The Nightingales' War Tribute concert. One of the RUSI volunteers kindly posed with me and my books. Nov. 11, 2026 |
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| The stage was set for The Nightingales' Wartime Tribute concert, Darke Hall, Regina, SK, Nov. 11, 2026 |
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| Reg Harrison's daughter Laurie (left) and his sister Sylvia (right) posed with me (centre) before the concert, Nov. 11, 2026 |
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| The concert program |
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| The song list, The Nightingales War Tribute concert, Nov. 11, 2026 |
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| The Tribute to the late Reginald "Crash" Harrison |
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| The Harrison women pose with The Nightingales - Left to right: Diane Burrows, Suzanne Williams, Sylvia Acton, Laurie Harrison, Carolyn Speirs, Marlene Hinz - Nov. 11, 2026 |
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| Marlowe and I enjoyed a wonderful visit over supper with Sylvia and Laurie Harrison. This family has welcomed me and my new husband. Reg met Marlowe in December 2024, when Reg received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in honour of Reg's contributions to the community. "You got a good one," Reg pronounced about Marlowe. Yes, I did. Nov. 11, 2026 |
