War of 1812 Bicentennial Symposium
A History Conference
Opening Keynote
Donald Graves: Historian and Author
"Whither the War of 1812?: A Scholar of the Conflict Reviews Four Decades of Work in the Field and Prognosticates about the Future."
Synopsis: Donald Graves, who has researched professionally in the field of the War of 1812 since 1973, surveys the historical literature of the last forty years, pinpoints current scholarly trends, analyzes the effect of the Bicentennial on the subject and makes some predictions about future studies in the subject.
Biography: A graduate of the University of Saskatchewan and Carleton University, Donald Graves has worked as an historian for Parks Canada, the National Archives of Canada and the Department of National Defence. He published his first article on the subject of the war in 1979 and since then has written or edited numerous books or articles on the conflict including the updated edition of J.M. Hitsman's classic work, The Incredible War of 1812. He is best known for his "Forgotten Soldiers" trilogy which includes Field of Glory: The Battle of Crysler's Farm, 1813, and Where Right and Glory Lead: The Battle of Lundy's Lane, 1814 with a third and final volume to be published in 2012. Graves is the vice-chairman of the Honour our 1812 Heroes" advocacy group which is trying to get an intransigent Department of National Defence to both recognize the modern military units that perpetuate the 1812 units and to get them the Battle Honours they deserve.
Closing Keynote
Lieutenant General Jonathon Riley CB DSO PhD MA: Soldier and Historian
"1812 Coalition War, World War"
Synopsis: The War of 1812 did not happen in isolation. It was one of a number of significant world events during this time in history.
Considering this broader context, Lieutenant General Riley will examine the four main areas of military operations: Central Europe, Spain, the Mediterranean and North America looking at the strategic connections and paradoxes that linked them.
Biography: Dr. Jonathon Riley was appointed Director-General and Master of the Armouries in April 2009 after 36 years in the Army, latterly as Deputy Commander of NATO ISAF in Afghanistan.
During his military career, he has served in Britain, the USA, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Kenya and Cyprus and taught at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and the Army Staff College, Camberley. He is also a former Deputy Commandant of the Joint Services Staff College.
He was made an Officer of the Legion of Merit of the United States of America in 2004 and a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath in the New Year's Honours, 2008.
He has authored and edited a number of published works which include a number of military histories, the most recent of which is A Matter of Honour: The Life, Campaigns and Generalship of Isaac Brock (2011)