WWII
These collections contains all materials relating to Canadian from 1939 to 1945. Some individual collections may contain materials beyond this time frame. External links in collection descriptions are to casualty and burial information at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Arnold, Wayne H.
Wayne Arnold enlisted in December, 1942 in Calgary, Alberta. Arnold arrived in England in October, 1943, participated in the D-Day landing in June, 1944, and then returned to Canada at the end of the war. The collection consists of a memoir written by Arnold following his return to Canada. Arnold died in October, 2004.
Barnes, Gordon
The collection consists of two poems written by Barnes during WWII. Barnes had participated at Dieppe and was taken prisoner there, and the poem Dieppe was written while a prisoner of war.
Bell, Elmer David
Elmer David Bell was born in Drew, Wellington County, Ontario in 1909. Elmer was practising law when he enlisted in the army in 1941. He served overseas until 1945 and was awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Order of the Crown (Belgium) as a result of his service. He returned to Canada at the end of the war and died in 1998. The collection includes fifteen letters from Elmer. See also the correspondence from his brothers James Bond Bell and William Robert Bell.
Bell, James Bond
James Bond Bell was born in Drew, Ontario in 1921 and joined the RCAF in 1940. He participated in more than twenty raids before he was killed over France on the night of April 18th -19th, 1944. The collection includes forty letters either from James or official correspondence relating to his death. See also the correspondence of his brothers Elmer David Bell and William Robert Bell.
Bell, William Robert
William Robert Bell was born in Drew, Ontario in 1915 and joined the RCAF in 1941. William Bell served overseas in Britian and returned to Canada in 1945. He died in 1977. The collection includes twenty-eight letters from William. See also the correspondence from his bothers James Bond Bell and Elmer David Bell.
Billard, Lewis G.
Lewis G. Billard was born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia in 1923. He joined the R.C.A.F. in 1943 and worked on the Rolls-Royce Merlin engines in Lancaster bombers in England and in Mosquito Nightfighters in Europe. The collection consists of more than one hundred letters written home by Billard from 1943 to 1946.
Biollo, Peter Joseph
Peter Joseph Biollo was born in 1924 in Edmonton, Alberta. He joined the RCAF and served with the rank of Flying Officer (Air Bomber). Biollo was shot down over France and died July 29, 1944. The collection currently consists of thirty letters.
Bohan, John Herbert
John Herbert Bohan was born August 26, 1917, son of Herbert and Nellie Bohan of Kitchener, British Columbia. During the war Bohan served overseas with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. He was killed in the Italian campaign on September 20, 1944 and is buried in the Coriano Ridge Military Cemetery in Italy. The collection consists of two letters, four photographs, and two telegrams.
Bright, Richard Aubrey
Richard Aubrey Bright was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in January, 1910. He attended The University of British Columbia, graduating with a degree in civil engineering and during the war served in England with the Royal Canadian Engineers. The collection consists of more than twenty five letters covering the period from 1940 to 1946 written to his sister Muriel ('Moo') and her husband Charles Dustin ('Dusty').
Bull, Stewart Hastings
Stewart Hastings Bull was born in Windsor, Ontario in 1916. He was educated at the University of Toronto and enlisted with the Essex Scottish in 1940. Bull was wounded at Caen, France by a mortar a few months after D-Day. He was hospitalized for several months and never returned to the front. Bull finished with the rank of Major. The collection consists of his memoir of the war transcribed from a recording by Bull in September, 2002 at the age of 86, as well as two photographs of Bull from 1941.
Burnard, Harvey Simion
Lt. Harvey Simion Burnard was from Theodore, Saskatchewan. Burnard served overseas with the South Saskatchewan Regiment, R.C.I.C until he was killed at age twenty-five on July 25, 1944 in France. The collection consists of more than fifty letters written by Burnard.
Butler, Karl Vincent
Karl Vincent Butler was born May 6, 1912, son of Horace and Violetta Butler of Sydney, Nova Scotia. Butler served as a Lance Corporal with the West Nova Scotia Regiment, R.C.I.C. and was part of the invasion of Italy in 1943. He was killed August 2, 1943 in Italy, age 31. The collection consists of more than seventy letters, some photographs, postcards, and other miscellaneous items.
Charman, Frances
Frances Charman was born in Joggins, Nova Scotia. After graduating from Aberdeen hospital in 1926, she nursed briefly in Truro, Nova Scotia before joining the staff of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She enlisted with the United States Nursing Corps in 1942. After service overseas during WWII with the rank of Captain she returned to work at the Massachusetts General. The collection consists of more than forty letters written between 1942 to 1945.
Creswell, George
George Elliot Creswell was born in Saskatchewan in 1924. He enlisted in the RCAF on June 8, 1942, the day after his 18th birthday. Creswell went overseas in the fall of 1943 and served as a Flight Officer with the 432 Sqdn. He was shot down and killed on his 15th mission on February 21, 1945. The collection consists of 95 letters, photographs, and other printed items.
Davis, Henry Lawrence
Henry Lawrence Davis was born near Ivy, Ontario, in 1913 and joined the RCAF in December 1940. He received his wings in September 1941 and was stationed to England in October 1941. Davis was killed with all his crew in a crash in Wales, May 28, 1942.
Dennison, Gordon Joshua
Gordon Joshua Dennison was born in Assiniboia, Saskatchewan in July, 1922. He enlisted with the RCAF in January, 1941 and served first as an Air Engine Mechanic. Dennison later switched to Gunnery School. He went overseas in January, 1944 and served as a tail gunner with the 199th Sqaudron. Dennison was shot down September 16, 1944.
Depreaux, Marie-Louise
Mm. Marie-Louise Depreaux was an American born woman who lived in Paris with her French husband, Albert Depreaux, during the German Occupation. The collection consists of an ongoing letter written to her two sisters to relate to them the details of her life during that time, written between August, 1940 and September, 1944. The spelling in the original has been retained as closely as possible in the transcription.