Remembrance Day November 11

Shortly after my Mother-in-law moved into a seniors home, I arrived at her door with my then 19 year old son. As she was expecting me, I knocked and then opened the door and walked in. As she came towards the door, she cried out and grabbed a chair to sit down. When she caught her breath, she said that she thought her brother had just walked in the door.

It was November 11th and my son had just finished participating in a parade. As a member of the Reserves, he was in full military uniform. This was the mid 1990's. Her brother had died in the First World War. She was about seven years when she last saw him. This is the photograph taken in Chilliwack before her brother went overseas.

On my side of the family, my Uncle Jack served in the First World War. He came home with a war bride, my Aunt Nora. They moved to northern Canada to live for many years in a mining camp without running water or even electricity at the beginning. In spite of this, children were born with great regularity every year or so. Eventually they did move from the mine site into town. My Mother often remarked on how hard life would have been for Nora who had only known 'balmy England' (my mother's words). My Uncle Jack lived well into his 90's and always had war stories to tell. Unfortunately, I don't remember any of them.

We lost a member of our family in WW2 as well. My Uncle Bob lost his life in the Second World War at Normandy on August 10, 1944. He had one son who was born in 1942. I don't know if he ever had the chance to see his son.

This is a ration book that belonged to my father-in-law who worked in a munitions factory near Valleyfield, Quebec during the Second World War. My Mother kept her ration books too for many years after the war. Sugar, butter and gasoline were some of the products that were rationed.