Elinor Florence's Blog, page 13

She Made Them Family

A wartime scrapbook kept by Alice Spackman of Okotoks, Alberta, stuffed with letters, photographs and clippings, is the foundation for a new book called She Made Them Family. It’s a fascinating glimpse of life in a small prairie town during World War Two. 

Animals at War

Thousands of our furry friends performed valuable work during the war, while most simply provided love and comfort to servicemen while they were far away from home. Here are just a few examples.

RCAF Photographer Yvonne Valleau

There’s a reason why it’s called The Greatest Generation – and Yvonne Valleau Wildman of Kindersley, Saskatchewan, aged 92, is a shining example. She had a hardscrabble childhood, served her country with the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War Two, farmed for six decades, and raised seven children.

Meeting the Remarkable Doug Morison

Wartime Wednesdays brings people together. After my recent post about Jack Dye, the young bomb aimer who saved his entire crew before losing his own life, another connection was made. Jack Dye's niece Nancy had an emotional meeting with RAF veteran Doug Morison, the pilot of her uncle’s aircraft on that fateful night.

Meeting the remarkable Doug Morison

Wartime Wednesdays brings people together. After my recent post about Jack Dye, the young bomb aimer who saved his entire crew before losing his own life, another connection was made. Jack Dye's niece Nancy had an emotional meeting with RAF veteran Doug Morison, the pilot of her uncle’s aircraft on that fateful night.

The Brass Pitcher: A Story Lost and Found

Nobody remembered the fascinating history of a humble brass pitcher owned by this Canadian family, until Brenda Blair of Calgary discovered that it was once a prized souvenir of Holland’s liberation by the Canadians.

The Last Canadian Dambuster

Fred Sutherland of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, is now Canada’s last surviving Dambuster -- one of only three left in the world. He’s also a member of my extended family because he is married to my cousin Margaret. On a recent visit, I interviewed him about his wartime past.

My Top Ten Wartime TV Series

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Wartime television series, with time for extra action, more suspense, and greater character development than a two-hour movie, can be absolutely gripping. Here are ten of my favourites.

RCAF Airwoman 'Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World'

Eugenie Francoeur served at a bomber base in Britain, where she witnessed horrific crashes, dodged bombs, and worked around the clock on D-Day. It was the most exciting time of her life.

Nursing Sisters Healed the Wounds of War

My admiration is boundless when it comes to the wartime nursing sisters who bravely carried out their grim duties – so it was a delight to interview 98-year-old Jessie Middleton in Abbotsford, British Columbia.