World War Wednesdays: World War Women at the Canadian War Museum

     Last week I had the pleasure of taking part in a private tour of the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa with a group of Members of Parliament. The tour included the museum's permanent exhibits as well as a walk through their current special exhibit, World War Women, with one of its creators. The museum and its contents probably rank among my top five favorite things on planet earth, and it was a great excuse to finally see the new exhibit! The nature of the group and tours meant that I was unable to take any photos to share with you, but I thought I'd share some interesting facts about the exhibit along with images courtesy of the Canadian War Museum.

     Here's the official description:
"The First and Second World Wars brought enormous changes to Canadian women’s lives. They adapted to the conditions of total war in practical terms – working, volunteering and serving in uniform. In the wake of war’s inevitable tragedies, they also faced other challenges. The contributions made by women to the Canadian war efforts were crucial, and their experiences forged a new understanding of women’s capabilities both within themselves and within society.
Through artifacts, images, audiovisual material, oral history and text, World War Women delves into the personal stories of the women associated with these materials. It is organized in stand-alone thematic zones, each devoted to an element of the wars that particularly involved and affected women."

     These 'zones' are dedicated to each of the areas in which women contributed to the war effort. For example, there is a section for women who worked in factories, ones who served as nurses, ones who served in Women's Divisions overseas, and all around the outside are little windows into the lives of women who wrote and received letters to and from loved ones who were fighting. At the end, we found ourselves in a room plastered with propaganda posters which gave a sense of how inundated women were at home with instructions to ration, save waste, buy war bonds, not spread any important secrets, and do their duties. It was a powerful ending to a truly moving experience!

Here are some of my favorite featured ladies:

Library and Archives Canada / e010785939

     Lillian Grant, at 23 years of age, was the only woman in the world to sport the Pipe Major’s insignia on her uniform sleeve during the Second World War. An experienced piper, Grant was asked to recruit, train and lead the Canadian Women Army Corps’ Pipe Band.

     Another interesting story which unfortunately does not have an image is that of Minnie Jarvis from London, Ontario. While her fiancé was fighting in Europe during the First World War, he sent her a length of handmade lace. Sadly, he was killed shortly after, and Minnie kept the lace in its original envelope for 62 years before donating it to the War Museum.

CWM 20070060-002. Canadian War Museum

     This item has become one of the exhibit's most familiar symbols. It is an apron worn by Miss Canadas, who sold War Savings Stamps to Canadians on behalf of the government during the Second World War. This particular apron was worn by Barbara McNutt, who was only eleven years old when she signed up to canvass her hometown of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Finally, some interesting facts about Canadian women at war (some might sound familiar if you're a regular reader!):

During the First World War, to raise money for prisoners of war, the Ottawa Women’s Canadian Club sold souvenirs made from the debris of the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings, which had burned down in 1916. (*** Some great examples of these can be found at the Bytown Museum, Ottawa!***)

During the Second World War, women could purchase pattern books that they could use to knit items for military personnel, including amputation covers.

Women and girls — some as young as 11 years of age — sold 25-cent War Savings Stamps on behalf of the federal government during the Second World War. By the end of the program, they had raised $318 million.

More than 50,000 women served with the Canadian Armed Forces during the two World Wars.

Personnel of the Canadian Women's Army Corps at No. 3 CWAC, collectionscanada

Molly Lamb Bobak was the only female Canadian official war artist sent overseas during the Second World War. She went on to be one of Canada’s most celebrated war artists.

Canadian War Museum

3,000 nurses served in the armed forces, and 2,504 were sent overseas with the Canadian Army Medical Corps during the First World War. Canadian nurses were accorded officer status to discourage fraternization and give them authority over patients.

Department of National Defense

During the Second World War, even with a pilot’s licence, women in the Royal Canadian Air Force-Women’s Division were not permitted to fly.

Women's Division, 1942, No. 1 Technical Training School, St. Thomas, Ontario

In 1942, the Canadian Women’s Army Corps established the first all-female military pipe band.

pipesforfreedom.com

During the Second World War, more than 300,000 Canadian women held jobs related to war production.

Defence Industries Limited, Ajax, Ontario

In 1942, more than 100 contestants from Canada’s major military manufacturing plants vied for the title of “Miss War Worker.” The winner, Dorothy Linham, starred in a Palmolive Soap advertisement.

At the end of the Second World War, only three of the 3,000 women employed at the Canadian Car and Foundry plant kept their jobs.

Women soldering and assembling cables for airplanes, Canadian Car and Foundry Co., 1945.

During the two World Wars, approximately 100,000 Silver Crosses were given to the mothers and wives of soldiers who were killed.

  Special thanks to the Canadian War Museum for the information and images (unless otherwise labelled). The exhibit remains open until April 3rd so if you have the opportunity, I highly recommend experiencing it while it's still here!

    Thanks for reading,
Delany (@DLeitchHistory on Twitter)  

World War Wednesdays: One for the Ladies

   This week's post is all about the gals of the Second World War, with a bit of a Scottish twist! Thanks to a great page by Lillian Davis at pipesforfreedom.com, we'll be discussing the Canadian Women's Army Corps Pipe Band.

   
    On 13 August 1941, the Canadian government authorized the formation of the Canadian Women's Army Corps (CWAC) for the enlistment of several thousand women in support roles for the armed forces. Despite the Corps not being a formal part of the army, woman trained as drivers, cooks, typists, clerks, stenographers, messengers, telephone operators, and quartermasters.

    Since the CWAC was not an infantry regiment, its pipe band did not take part in the Massed Bands playing at infantry parades. However, it did play a significant role among the Canadian 1st Army pipe bands which played in Europe.

      The band was formed on 8 August, 1942 and accomplished piper Lillian M. Grant of Victoria, BC was recruited as its pipe major. The intention of the pipe band and its sister ensemble, the CWAC Brass Band, was to improve the perception of women in the military and encourage more ladies to join the forces. At its strongest, the band consisted of 27 drummers and pipers.


     Here is a letter written by Pipe Major Grant to former band members in April 1992:

“I shall be pleased to give you information on the Canadian Women's Army Corps Pipe Band of which I was the organizer and Pipe Major.

The nucleus of the band came from British Columbia where six pipers and four drummers began practising in the old Hotel Vancouver. In 1943 we went transferred to Ottawa where we picked another six pipers and four drummers.

The band played a heavy role in recruiting and morale building for the Canadian Forces. After a recruiting tour of Canada covering over 100 cities and towns, we repeated the same tour, more extensively, the following year. In the spring of 1945 we were sent to Pennsylvania U.S.A. to promote their War Bond Drive. While there we played in 25 cities and towns to hundreds of employees outside factories and indoors at concerts and rallies.

On returning to our base in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada we were given the great news that we were to be transported to Holland! Apeldoorn was "home" for seven months. We were put up in a place called "Jasper Lodge" which was across from Wilhelmina Park, if I can remember correctly. I do not recall the street name as the roads all had army connotations and ours was known as "London Up".

     The band was deactivated in 1946 following the conclusion of the war. The CWAC Pipe Band had the distinction of being the only active-service women's military pipe band in the Commonwealth during the second World War, and it remains the only women's military pipe band in Canadian history.

Edmonton, May 31, 1987: 6th. Reunion of the C.W.A.C. Pipe Band

     If you're interested in reading more about the band, including personal memoirs and photos by Lillian Davis and the nominal roll of the pipe band, check her out at http://pipesforfreedom.com/webtxt/0500THE_CANADIAN_WOMEN'S_ARMY_CORPS.htm

 Thanks so much for reading about this amazing group of ladies who faced adversity from both the home front and the Western Front. Theirs is one of my favorite stories of the Second World War, and their legacy is a huge inspiration.

    Until next week,

          Delany