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.
Beer, Lewis Herbert
Lt.-Col Lewis Herbert Beer was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island in December, 1873. Beer enlisted initially in October, 1914 and then received his commission as Lt.-Col. in 1916. The collection consists of a portion of his diary from May to August, 1917.
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').
Brock, Edward (Ted)
Edward (Ted) Brock served overseas with the 48th Highlanders and fought in the Italian campaign and later in Holland. As a Lieut. Platoon Commander is was Brock's duty to write letters to the families of men killed or missing from his platoon. The collection consists of a letter of condolence, reponses from families to whom he wrote, and a short memoir.
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.
Callcott, Clifford
Clifford Henry Callcott was born in August, 1916 and served overseas with the RCAF as a mechanic from 1943 to 1945. The collection consists of nine letters, photographs, cards, and miscellaneous items. Callcott died in 1969.
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.
Crawford, Norvin Smith
Norvin Smith Crawford served with the 8th Princess Louise's (New Brunswick) Hussars, R.C.A.C., 5th Canadian Armoured Division as a tank driver. Crawford was killed in Italy on September 1, 1944 at the age of 28. The collection currently consists of one photograph of Crawford and one letter from his commanding officer to Crawford's fiance Grace Fulton describing the circumstances of his death.
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.