War Brides, The Canadian Experience

[Zelley10]

Nanaimo and the other Island towns have had their share of War Brides, but
most of the news or reports concerning Canadian War Brides from England, Holland, France and other locations is Eastern Canada focused.

This is Nanaimo's chance to recognize our slice of the War Brides story.

An important question is what must it have been like for say
somebody that spent 20 plus years growing up in say London
and ending up in a place like Nanaimo in the late Forties or early Fifties.
For some, it must have been a shocking experience

[Zelley10]

For those interested or connected to a Canadian War Bride, a link
in the chain would be the Canadian War Brides site:
at http://www.canadianwarbrides.com

[Zelley10]

A picture of a Nanaimo war bride from London, England

[Zelley10]

To add this site as a link, I have informed members of a war brides mail list of this thread.
As some folks have expressed an interest in history of Nanaimo
beyond the history books, the story of Nanaimo's
war brides can be told through the eyes of a war brides" child.

And the old memory banks can be refreshed through to
old song titles displayed in the sites such as Toms Zone.
at http://tomszone.com

Be it "Rock Around The ClocK" (1955).
"Everybody's Somebody's Fool" (1960), or
"Eve of Destruction" (1965)

For those that would just like to relax, why not take a day trip to Crofton
and maybe you will see an old NDSS Alumni at the
"Java Bay Cafe" if it still exists!!

[2rugby]

My Nana is a War Bride from Manchester, England. She just turned 80 last saturday. She is sound as a Pound, and looks 60. Ben Wicks (the cartoonist) has written some good books on Canadian War Brides. "No time to wave goodbye" and "Please take care of my daughter" There was a Vancouver Island War Brides Club" in which Nanaimo had its own chapter. They use to meet every week for as long as I can remeber. Sadly, they disbanded last year as the membership was dwindeling.

[Zelley10]

My Nana is a War Bride from Manchester, England. She just turned 80 last saturday. She is sound as a Pound, and looks 60. Ben Wicks (the cartoonist) has written some good books on Canadian War Brides. "No time to wave goodbye" and "Please take care of my daughter" There was a Vancouver Island War Brides Club" in which Nanaimo had its own chapter. They use to meet every week for as long as I can remeber. Sadly, they disbanded last year as the membership was dwindeling.

Thanks for your input. I agree, it is sad that that the club disbanded.
I wonder of they have old records of their experiences and meetings.
That would be a very important slice of history. It would be a crying shame if that history is lost.