Story Path: Canadian War Brides

Story Path: Canadian War Brides By Jessica Chapman October 29 2008 Dr. S. Murray EDUC 5843 Methods in Social Studies Education

Index Page Outcomes 2 Resources for Teacher 2 Resources for Students 2 Characters 3 Setting Museum 6 Script Writers 6 Mail 6 Map 6 Optional Conclusion Activity 6 Photographic Resources 7

Chapman 1 Grade 9 Social Studies

Canadian World War II Brides

9.3.3 Analyse the effect of WWII on Canada and her people • examine how the war strained ethnic and cultural relations within our nation, including the Maritimes and Newfoundland • analyse the economic, social and political changes as a result of WWII • examine Canada’s reaction and response to the moral and ethical issues raised by events such as the Holocaust and the use of the first atomic bombs

Resources for teacher - http://www.canadianwarbrides.com/ - http://www.pier21.ca/research/collections/the-story-collection/online-story- collection/war-brides/ - http://www.travelandtransitions.com/interviews/pier_21.htm - http://archives.cbc.ca/war_conflict/second_world_war/topics/1542/ o Great video clips, audio clips - Hibbert, J. (1932). The War Brides. Toronto: Paul Michael Solomon.

Resources for students - http://archives.cbc.ca/war_conflict/second_world_war/topics/1542/ - http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm? PgNm=ArchivedFeatures&Params=A138 - Grandfield, L. (2000). Pier 21: Gateway of Hope. Toronto: Tundra Books. o Many good quality photographs

Subjects in Story Path will include… - Characters - Setting - Script Writers - Museum - Mail - Map (smaller group)

Chapman 2 Characters Below are some examples of the women who immigrated over to Canada during World War II. Some of these memories are written from a long time ago, while some others are written more recently. - Choose from the accounts below, - Find more at http://www.pier21.ca/research/collections/the-story-collection/online- story-collection/war-brides/ or - Make up your own characters (i.e. the children, captain of the ship, a mother-in-law waiting at the pier, Red Cross workers ready to greet the new immigrants, the new husband a Canadian solider)

Create character profiles for each. Give list of characters to script writing group as soon as you have a brief description.

Margaret Chase Huxford Canadian War Bride Bayano 1944 On September 3rd I was in Times Square, New York. I saw the declaration of war spelt out on the moving letters on the top of the clock. I should have been overwhelmed with dread at the news and perhaps taken the next train home. But this was the trip of a lifetime, my first bit of independence and the chance to study art in summer school in this huge cosmopolitan city. I felt the British could get on without me for another three weeks, and so I stayed. What I do remember with warmth was the fact that everybody I had met and had become temporary friends with in the college and the hostel was feeling so anxious for me, as if I was the only one in the entire United States whose native country was at war. I felt a little guilty that I was not feeling more anxious myself. When I did return home I found Halifax coming to terms with its special role in the new war. With the enormous Bedford Basin, and its position on the eastern-most point of the mainland, Halifax became the starting point for the all-important convoys that supplied Britain with food, materials and personnel throughout the war. Watching, from Citadel Hill, the gradual growth of the convoys in the Basin and their eventual departure, became a regular occupation for local people. As I watched, I had no idea that, before the war was over, I would watch my future husband set sail and then follow him myself a year later with our baby daughter. In the meantime we, like many Halifax families, wondered how best we could contribute to the war effort. With two daughters in their mid-twenties, a small house and a piano, we decided we would offer hospitality to the sailors as they waited for their ships to be re-fuelled and re-loaded for the return journey. A local committee had been set-up to coordinate this and my mother would phone each Friday to see who they had that needed some home comforts for the weekend. We could offer a hot meal, friendly conversation, the chance to show off at the piano and the opportunity to flirt with my sister and I as we did the dishes. Above all it was the glimpse of normal family life after so many weeks with the danger and discomfort of life on board.

Chapman 3 Bessie Whissell by Daughter Jacqueline Grace Anne Smith nee Whissell English War Bride Queen mary July 4, 1946 I visited Pier 21 a few years ago and was absolutely surprised to see and read all about the War Brides and War Brides. My mother, Bessie, was a War Bride and I was a War Baby. I was only 13 months old when we made the "Big Crossing" on the Queen Mary. We arrived on July 4, 1946. My mother often told the story of how rough the crossing was and how everyone, except me, was seasick. Apparently I was eating everything in sight. My mother w5 months pregnant with my brother, Warren, she was coming to a strange country - having been away from home in her life - with a young child. When she arrived it was very hot, about 90 degrees F, and she was wearing a fur coat. She almost collapsed from the heat. There were thousands of women and children on board and registration for a landed immigrant was long and tedious. My father, who was still in the Air Force, had previously left for Canada and was waiting for Mom and me in Montreal. We took the train from Halifax to Montreal and were greeted by my anxious father and all his French Canadian family. At the time my father spoke very little English and of course my mother knew no French. But love prevailed and they started this new life by sharing a duplex accommodation with my father's parents and his younger brother, eight adults and a small child. There were many hardships in finding employment and language was a huge barrier. Within the next few years we settled into a "war time" house in Tetreaultville, Montreal East, and remained there for 46 years. We all survived and my brother Warren and I grew up in a very loving family atmosphere, surrounded by aunts and uncles, grand-parents and lots of cousins. I grew-up with two languages, but my mother never did master speaking French, although she could understand everything that was being said.

Olive H. Ripley English War Bride Letitia April 30, 1946 My reasons for coming to Canada - I am a war bride. My recollections of the ship Letitia - seasick mostly. The landing was fine - we were put in some kind of a hanger. I stood under the letter E waiting for my luggage then went on a bus. I think to the train station. Oh my, what a long trip to Sask; we thought we would never get there. Yes - I love Canada. I am proud of being a Canadian; although at the beginning I was terribly homesick. I have been married to my Canadian R.C.A.F. Air Gunner for 53 years. I belong to the Sask. War Brides Association and the Royal Canadian Legion.

Rhonda Fulford Scottish War Bride Chapman 4 Queen Mary June of 1946 I was a war bride and came to Canada in 1946 on the Queen Mary. I think it was July 1st I arrived in Canada. I know I left Southampton, England at the end of June 1946. I am originally from Scotland and travelled down from Dundee Scotland with my 2 yr old daughter. I know the trip on the Queen Mary was wonderful, we saw so much lovely food, we hadn’t seen all the war years in Britain. I know we were all given a postcard of the Queen Mary, signed by the captain; but over the years it has gone astray. The train trip wasn’t as nice, as it was very hot, not air conditioned then, but the service-men were all very helpful to us. I was going to Kirkland Lake and our carriage was taken off the across Canada train and left overnight to link up with the Toronto train going to Northern Ontario. The meals were really nice on the train and my daughter behaved so well for the whole trip. My husband was at the Swastika Station to meet us, having been returned to Canada by his army regiment in June 1945. I arrived one year later. I was a member of the Royal Air Force from 1941 to 1943 in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. I met my husband in 1941 while he was on leave in Dundee Scotland a week before I left for Air Force duty. We married in 1943 in Dundee, Scotland, while on leave from our units in England. I was stationed in the North of England, he was stationed in the South of England, so we had to part after our 3 day honeymoon back to our Units, so we corresponded regularly arranging our leaves together. I have been very happy in Canada, we lived in Kirkland Lake till 1994 when we moved to North Bay as my husband’s health wasn’t very good. He died in 2001. I have 2 daughters and a son. 6 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. 2 just this year (June and October 2006). I visit my sisters in Scotland and England over the years but Canada is my home and I love it and I know I made the right decision to come here, but it must have been terrible for our parents to think their daughters were going so far away.

Joyce Ada Beck English War Bride Queen Mary July 4, 1946 I remember thinking how white the bread rolls were when we went for our first meal on the Queen Mary. It turned out to be my only meal of the voyage as I was sea sick for the first five days crossing over to Canada. The other War Brides looked after my 15 month old son David as I could not get out of my bunk. When I arrived in Halifax, my husband Lester was very sick with T.B. which he caught in France during the War. I stayed with my Mother and Father in- law and their family for 10 months. Then I moved to the Annapolis Valley to be near my husband who was in the hospital there for 2 1/2 years. When he got out he could not work for another 2 1/2 years. But I am happy to say that, God willing, we will be celebrating our 53rd. anniversary this June. My husband also left for overseas from Pier 21.

Chapman 5 Setting Create setting by creating a mural of Pier 21 at the Halifax harbour. Be sure to include one of the boats either entering the station, or already docked and unloading. See Photograph for War Brides Story Path

Museum Using the bag of goodies (ie. Cardboard, markers, cloth, string, felt, glue, scissors, tea bags (make things look old) etc. Recreate possible artifacts that would be found from the War Bride’s travels and arrival. Below are some possible suggestions… - suit cases - doll - photographs - passports (as Character group for list of names) - Berthing Card - Book - Menu from the ship - Clothing (if possible make clothing for the end performance)

Script Writer Choose a major incident in war brides arrival to Canada. Using the characters from the other group, write a script for the scene. (suggested event is the travel from Europe and the arrival at Pier 21) Type and print script for each character so that they may read it in front of the mural.

Mail Using the information you already know, make postcards from Halifax, from the War Brides to their husbands back at war. This is to let them know they arrived to their destination safely.

Map (smaller group) Draw a map of the world and outline the route travelled by the War Brides from the different parts of Europe. See World Map in Photograph for War Brides Story Path

Optional Conclusion Project Compose a letter from a war bride to their husbands who are still at war. Describe how they are adjusting to their new homes in Canada. OR… look back at war brides today as immigrants of Canada to see how they are living today. Chapman 6 PHOTOGRAPHS FOR WAR BRIDES STORYPATH

Queen Mary

Arrival at Pier 21

Chapman 7 On the ship

Canadian Wife’s Bureau

Chapman 8 Pier 21

War Brides

Chapman 9 Halifax Pier

War Bride Trunks

Chapman 10 Immigration

War Brides and their Children

Chapman 11 War Brides arriving in Canada in 1946

Halifax Harbour during WWII

Chapman 12 Red Cross Escort Officer May Feetham worked in the Red Cross Port Nursery at Pier 21 and she also made 17 trips across the Atlantic helping to transport war brides. Photo courtesy of May's niece, Marion Gaetan

Telegram sent back to Canada by Wm. Lyster, requesting funds from his savings

Chapman 13

Birth Card February 4 1986 Immigration Stamp

World Map

Chapman 14