WWII Soldiers from Perth and Area

A Tribute to Our Perth & Area Soldiers

Robert Borthwick and his brother, Joseph Borthwick – born and raised in Perth, then returned after the war and raised their own families there.

submitted by: Erin Borthwick

photo above:  Sgt. William M. Allan, D Company (4.2 mortars), 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa. Landed at Normandy, June 6, 1944, D-Day. From the Scotch Line, Perth, ON. Became a Life Member, Perth-Upon-Tay Branch (244), Royal Canadian Legion.

(photo – used with permission of Lynne Allan -his daughter)

Crawford, Donald

Another poem by Don Crawford:

Crawford, Patrick

source for items on Patrick Crawford: Joanne Crawford

.

.

source: Joanne Crawford

Murphy, Joseph Clement ‘J.C.’

photos submitted by:  Allysa Murphy, great-grandaughter of Joseph Clement ‘J.C.’ Murphy

Soldiers marching down Gore Street in Perth

photo from the Perth Legion

photo above:  Robert ‘Bob’ White, son of William White and Helen (Hannaford) White of Perth, brother of local sports legend Rusty White.

photo used with permission – his niece, Janice (Jordan) Gordon

“Mr. and Mrs. W. G. White received word that their son Robert J. “Bob” White, recently decorated with the Distinguished Flying Medal for gallantry in action, has now been promoted to the rank of Pilot Officer in the R.C.A.F.  Overseas since January, 1942, and posted with the Bomber Command, he participated in some 25(?) raids on industrial Italy, Germany, and occupied France as navigator.  On completing his operations he became an instructor  and at present is carrying on in that capacity.  Born 25 years ago in Perth, he attended the public school and P.C.I. and was very popular with his fellow students.  Outstanding in athletics, Bob starred on Collegiate and town rugby teams for a number of years and made a name for himself as one of the great middle wings turned out at the P.C.I.  In hockey he was a hard hitting defense man, playing junior hockey for four years he was regular defense man with the Blue Wings when they reached the Memorial Cup semi finals in 1938(?).  After graduating from the junior ranks he played with the Perth Crescents and the Smiths Falls Mic Macs.  Bob was also an outstanding Junior base ball player, starring at third base and at the plate where his heavy hitting was a real feature.  Although his future operations with the R.C.A.F. are necessarily uncertain his many friends are wishing him every success and Perth is justly proud of her first decorated flyer in this Second Great War.

Flying Officer, Robert White Receives Medal From The King

“Fifteen members of the RCAF, most of whom are officers, attended a recent investiture at Buckingham Palace, to receive Distinguished Flying Medals from the King.  Among those who received this honor and talked with the King was Flying Officer Robert “Bob” White, whose citation stated that the award was made for exceptional coolness and courage in raids on many important enemy targets.  “Bob” has recently been promoted from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer and has been overseas since January of 1942.  He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. White, 15 Basin St., Perth.”

‘Perth Courier’, April 6, 1944

“F.O. Robert White, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. White, 15 Basin Street, has been posted as missing after air operations.”

‘Perth Courier’ August 17, 1944

F.O. Robert White Now Presumed to Have Died

“Mr. and Mrs. W. J. White, 15 Basin Street, have been advised by the Dept. of Defense, Ottawa, that their son, F.O. Robert White, who was reported missing after air operations over enemy territory on March 31, has now been presumed dead.  A crew of seven manned the bomber which did not return and they are all presumed to have died.  Shortly before he was reported missing on March 31, Bob was decorated with the D.C.M. at Buckingham Palace by the King.”

Lanark and  Renfrew Scottish Regiment “D” Company

Perth, Ontario, 1942

Back row, Left to rt:  Gordon Rutherford, Arnold Douglas, Pte. Dodds, Fred Buker, Sydney Sparks, Tom Oxford, Del Blackburn.

First row, Left to rt:  Hugh Douglas. Gilbert Blair, Jack Lackey, Leslie Fetlock, Pte. Aikman.

photo:  ‘Perth Remembered’

……………………………..

Missing from the Perth Courier’s list, but not forgotten:

Barrie, Henry, served in both WWI and WWII

Henry Barrie

Henry Barrie is in the top row, second from the left

(submitted by his grand-daughter Elaine Delisle)

Burns, George

(submitted by Brenda Burns)

Ferguson, Robert

Frizell,  Ernest Darou, died 1943, buried overseas.

Goodson, Renfred ‘Bob’ Arthur 

(submitted by Corinne Rivington)

……………………………………………………………………

Hall, George Cecil   

…………………………

Kanelakos, James; Flight Sergeant, DFM (Distinguished Flying Medal), POW

Laroque, Kenneth Joseph

Lee, Joseph Patrick

McGrattan, Kenneth Merle  (Gillies Corners)

McGrattan, Marguerite Pauline

(Perth Courier, July 26, 1945 page 1)

Wilmer and Ormond Paul, from Poland, Ontario

“Ormond’s war record shows that he landed in Sicily, and served throughout Italy, France, Germany, Belgium and Holland. Before he passed I asked him where he was when it was announced the war was over. His face lit up and he said, “I know exactly where I was. Nijmegen Holland.”

“Ormond Paul came home on the ‘Queen Elizabeth’, and was given a package with the Christmas dinner menu, a calendar for 1946, and a photo of the ship packed with soldiers.”

(notes from Roy Paul)

Left to Right:   Wilmer Paul, Ormond Paul

Ormond Paul, in Italy, 1944

Paul, Ormond M.F.   C-28750

Paul, Wilmer,  

(from Poland, Ontario, photos submitted by Roy Paul)

………………………………………………………

Rattray, Howard John 
Rattray, Willard Arnold 
Rattray, Clarence William
Rattray, John Elmer

(from Carleton Place) –  submitted by Gloria Wilson

…………………………………………………….

Sweeney, Norman

Norman Sweeney

photo submitted by his daughter, Norma Sweeney

Weir, William Devlin

……………………………………………………..

Wood, Alva

Wood, Eldon ‘Pete’

Wood, Elva

(from Snow Road) – submitted by Trish Fournier

……………………………………………………….

Roll of Honour – Calvin United Church, Bathurst (Tay Valley) Township

……………….

Local War Heroes:  Kyle, McGlade, and Dicola

FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2010

Article by ‘St. John’s School’, Perth, Ontario:

St. John’s School Playground

to Be Dedicated to Local Fallen Heroes and Veterans

“The St. John Playground Committee has chosen two local fallen Canadian Forces heroes and one local Veteran to be part of the dedication of their new playground.

The fundraising efforts for the new playground at the school taking place under the auspices of the Let Them Be Kids foundation dictates that any new playgrounds built are dedicated to a Canadian Forces fallen soldier or veteran from the area. After much reading and research by a Grade 6 class at the school, St. John’s has chosen Flying Officer William Kyle, Corporal James Michael McGlade, and veteran Corporal Francis DiCola to immortalize in the dedication of their new play structures.

Flying Officer William Kyle, born and raised in Perth, flew Dakota aircraft as a member of the RCAF 453 Transport Squadron based out of Tulihal, India. His squadron was responsible for moving freight and soldiers to and from various bases throughout the South Pacific. On June 21, 1945, a mission Kyle was on failed to return. The story of the missing aircraft came to prominence more than 50 years later, when the wreckage of the missing plane was discovered in the jungles of northwestern Myanmar (Burma), and Veterans Affairs Canada sought to uncover the wreckage and bring it home. Flying Officer Kyle’s watch, found at the scene, allowed Veterans Affairs to identify the crew and the plane.

Corporal James Michael McGlade, born in Perth and a graduate of St. John Separate School and PDCI High School, served the Canadian Forces as a member of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. Corporal McGlade signed up for the military in 1940 and was deployed overseas in 1942. Stationed in Antwerp, Belgium, Corporal McGlade’s regiment was responsible for the liberation, capture and preservation of the vital harbour and dock facilities at Antwerp.  He was killed there in 1944 and is buried in Schoonselhof Cemetery in Belgium.

Corporal Francis E. DiCola, also a graduate of St. John Separate School and PDCI, enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a 17 year old in 1943. As a member of the RCAF Squadron 422 he was stationed at Pembroke Dock in Wales and worked as a radio operator. His job was to dispatch aircraft to various bases throughout Great Britain and the continent. While he was offered the opportunity to act as a guard during the Nuremberg Trials after the war, Corporal DiCola was anxious to return to Canada. He took advantage of the RCAF education packages offered to returning soldiers and took an economics degree at University of Toronto before returning to Perth to run the family business, DiCola Petroleum. Here he raised 7 children with his wife, Rose, and as a businessman and father, has contributed to countless endeavors in our community.

St. John’s is proud to dedicate their new play structures and schoolyard to these local Forces heroes. While the children are playing on the structures building their bodies and friendships, may they also be aware of these brave men who gave of themselves so that we could be free.”

…………………………………….

Be Sure to Visit the Perth Legion Hall of Remembrance:

The Hall of Remembrance displays include artifacts donated by local veterans and their families such as war medals, letters, photographs, souvenirs, and display cabinets featuring army and navy memorabilia. The collection focuses on Perth and area’s contributions in World War I, World War II, Korea, Cold War, peacekeeping missions, and Afghanistan.

http://www.hallofremembrance.ca/exhibits/index.html

Hall of Remembrance

Hall of Remembrance – Royal Canadian Legion Branch 244, Perth-Upon-Tay – 26 Beckwith Street East Perth, ON K7H 1B5   Tel: 613-267-4400 (Office)

………………………………………….

Library and Archives Canada Links for WWII Research:

https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng/collection/research-help/military-heritage/Pages/military-heritage.aspx

………………………………………..

Search the Canadian Fallen Heroes Database:

Canadian Fallen Heroes Database

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

This tribute is

in memory of all of the soldiers from the Perth area

who fought bravely for our country,

so that we might live in peace and freedom.

Lest We Forget……

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………….

Arlene Stafford-Wilson

Member, Association of Professional Genealogists

Honorary Life Member, Lanark County Genealogical Society

Lanark County Pioneer Families Humanitarian Award

Author of : “Lanark County Christmas”, “Lanark County Comfort”, “Lanark County Collection”, “Lanark County Calling”, “Lanark County Classics”, “Lanark County Connections”, “Lanark County Calendar”, “Lanark County Chronicle”, “Lanark County Kid”, & “Recipes & Recollections”

and, “Lanark County Kitchen: A Maple Legacy from Tree to Table”

http://www.staffordwilson.com

Finding Our WWI Ancestors

Left to right:  Harry Stafford and Jimmy Traill,  Lanark, Ontario, 1916

“We are the Dead.
Short days ago we lived,
felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
loved and were loved,
and now we lie in Flanders Fields.”

— John McCrae

Over 600,000 men and women enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during the First World War, (1914-1918) as soldiers, nurses and chaplains. The CEF database is an index to those service files, which are held by Library and Archives Canada.

This free online searchable database includes over 600,000 men and women who participated in WWI (1914-1918) including soldiers as well as nurses and clergy:

WWI Canadian Forces Personnel Records

These service files contain the name, address, service number, name of the next of kin, their physical description , skin colour, eye colour and scars or identifiable markings, and the unit number and location where they signed up for service.

On this site you can find links to the soldier’s file, which contain medical and pay records, and encompass a more detailed personal history of the soldier, and includes the specific units where they served, after going overseas. The soldier’s full service records are not available online, however, they may be ordered for a fee from Library and Archives Canada.

Also available are links to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial if the soldier died while in service.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

War Diaries – This is a link to the diaries of the unit, not to personal diaries, but of the records of day to day life in a particular unit. This will give you great insight to how your ancestor lived in times of war in their group as they trekked across Europe and participated in various battles – some successful and some not.

Canadian War Diaries

Using the resources and links mentioned in this article, I was able to search and locate cousin Harry Stafford’s enlistment papers, his detailed medical files, including x-ray images and comments from attending physicians, his pay statements, physical description, and name and address of his next of kin.

I was also able to find out about the specific battle where he was wounded and subsequent hospitals in Europe where he received treatment. The records also state his date and condition at discharge, and pay records of any amount owing.

Harry’s story begins with the 130th Battalion, Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment which was the ‘130th also known as the ‘overseas’ Battalion, based in Perth, Ontario.

They began recruiting in the fall of 1915, in Lanark and Renfrew Counties.

Harry’s Story

Nine-year old Harry stood by the shore, and watched in horror as his eldest brother Wilfred struggled to the surface again and again, until he finally slipped out of sight into the deep blue waters of the Mississippi River near Lanark.

Harry and his brothers often played near the water, although none of them could swim. The four brothers stood on the shore that fateful day in July, and skipped stones on the surface of the water, just as they had so many times before.

Wilfred, two days shy of his thirteenth birthday, was the eldest of the four. He took great pride in showing his younger brothers how to pick the longest flattest stones. He coached them on how to hold the stones on their flat side, and throw them parallel to the water, so they would skip farther along the waves. Dick, at age ten, was beginning to get the hang of it. Harry and his twin brother Frank had turned nine two months before and were doing their best to keep up with the older boys.

Harry, the stronger and more athletic of the twins was trying to help his brother Frank as he struggled with the task. Frank had kyphosis which meant that he had a severe curvature of the spine. People in those days referred to Frank as a ‘hunchback’, but he was still able to do most things; although it might take him a little longer.

One of the boys had thrown his prized pocket-knife into the water by mistake, and Wilfred had gone into the water to retrieve it, slipped on a rock and fell into a deep hole, unable to swim, and drowned. The younger boys had raced back into Lanark to get help, but it was too late. By the time they had met up with the first grown-up it was already after five. Mr. Baker, the local tailor in Lanark hurried back to the spot, and pulled Wilfred’s lifeless body from the river.

Mr. Baker laid the body gently on the shore, and headed back to the Stafford home to deliver the news. Harry’s mother Mary (Murphy) Stafford was pregnant with her next child Carmel at that time, and both she and Harry’s father Peter were overcome with grief.

This would be Harry’s first, though not his last encounter with death at a young age. Two years later in the spring, his mother once again gave birth to twins – this time a boy and a girl – Rose Marie and Martin Wilfred, named for his late brother. The twins were born in the spring, and Harry’s parents were delighted to welcome the new babies into their growing family. Sadly, tragedy struck once again, and Harry’s new little brother Martin Wilfred, the weaker of the two passed away quietly, just seven weeks after his birth.

A few short years after the second tragic event in Harry’s family, war was declared in Europe. Canada was still under British rule at the time and as such would be expected to join in the war efforts overseas.

Within the next couple of years tales of the excitement and adventure on the front lines travelled back to Perth, and acts of heroism and valour were recounted in the local papers. Life on the farm, and the daily chores seemed mundane, compared with the glorified life of a soldier fighting for freedom.

The 130th Battalion, Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment which was the ‘130th “Overseas” Battalion, CEF’ Based in Perth, Ontario, began recruiting in the fall of 1915 in Lanark and Renfrew Counties. When a recruitment officer arrived in the village of Lanark one winter, young Harry, just sixteen at the time lied about his age and signed up on the spot.

The Canadian Expeditionary Forces, as they were known, specifically recruited men between the ages of 18 and 45, so Harry claimed that he was born the same year as his brother Dick and was actually eighteen years old. They took him at his word, and Harry became an enlisted man on January 9th, 1916.

Harry, along with some local lads, was sent for basic training in Valcartier, Quebec and returned home for a brief visit before going overseas.

August 4 1916  – ‘The Perth Courier’

“Corporals Ronald Scott, William Strang and Jack Scott (McDonald’s Corners) and Privates Lance Affleck, Ralph Craig, John Kingston, Harry Stafford, Henry Barrie (Watson’s Corners), and Joseph Bennett (Fallbrook) of the 130th Batt., Valcartier, are home on a week’s furlough – their farewell visit before going overseas.” (Harry was 17 by then)

The 130th Battalion left the Halifax harbour and sailed for Britain on 23 September 1916. After two weeks at sea, arriving in Liverpool, England on October 6th, Harry and the other members of the unit were absorbed by the ’12th Reserve Battalion, CEF. Their prime function was to provide reinforcements for the Canadian Corps that were already fighting in the field.

After fighting bravely in both England and France, Harry found himself participating in one of the most significant campaigns in WWI. Known as the Third Battle of Ypres (or Passchendaele) this battle was remembered both for its tremendous loss of life and casualties and because of the horrendous conditions of the battlefield.

The siege of Passchendaele went on for over three months from July through November 1917. More than 4,000 Canadians died and over 12,000 were wounded. The battlefield consisted of flat, swampy lowlands, and when heavy rainfall pounded the fields that autumn, the ground became a sea of mud. The men had to struggle through the thick mud with very little cover, while German soldiers tore them to pieces with their machine guns.

By November the Canadians were finally beginning to win the battle and began to push the Germans back from their stronghold. It was on the 6th day of November 1917 that 18 year old Harry was wounded in the leg by German gunfire at Passchendaele.

Harry was dragged out of the line of fire, received basic care from one of the medics to stop the bleeding and was sent to a hospital in England. He was admitted two days later on November 8th.

Word of Harry’s injuries was sent to his parents, back on the farm, in Lanark:

” Mr. and Mrs. Peter Stafford received a telegraph from the Director of Records, Ottawa, on Friday, informing them that their son, Pte. Harry Stafford, 787104, had been wounded by gunshot in thigh and leg on Nov 6th, and admitted to No. 6 Field Ambulance Depot. Harry went overseas with the 130th Batt. in September, 1916, was transferred to another battalion for service in France, and has been through some severe engagements since crossing the channel. His many friends hope that Harry’s wounds are not serious.”

—-21 November, 1917, “The Lanark Era”

The medical care during WWI was a very complex set of institutions, which cared for wounded soldiers from the battlefield, as soon after injury as possible. The soldier was evacuated as quickly as possible for treatment, and provided care.

The Field Ambulance was a mobile unit equipped with horse-drawn ambulances. They brought soldiers from the battlefields to an Advanced Dressing Station located at the rear of the siege out of harm’s way.

After Harry was shot, the first day he was sent to the #6 Field Ambulance Nov 6 1917, and after a month’s time was transferred to the Pavilion General Hospital Brighton Nov 23 1917, for three weeks.

Harry’s condition was not improving, and he suffered infection after infection. He was transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom, England on Dec 22, 1917 and he remained there receiving treatment for four and a half months.

In March 1918 he was transferred to Bramshott Military Hospital, where he was treated for one month, with still no sign of improvement.

It was during this time that Harry received word from his parents at home that his brother Carl had enlisted in a month earlier, and like Harry had lied about his age in order to join the service.

On July 8th, 1918 Harry was admitted to the Granville Canadian Special Hospital in Buxton, Derbyshire, England.

In November of 1918 WW1 finally ended. Losses of human life by Canadians and the allies were in the thousands.

After six months of unsuccessful treatment at the Granville Hospital in England Harry was finally discharged on December 3rd, 1918.

His condition continued to deteriorate, and on December 23 1918 Harry embarked for Canada sailing on the S.S. Tunisian.

Due to his medical condition, Harry was discharged from the military at Ottawa, on February 5, 1919.

Jan 10 1919 Perth Courier:

“Pte. Harry Stafford, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Stafford, Lanark, returned home Monday from overseas. He went overseas with the 130th Batt. In November 1917 he was wounded in the leg and latterly has been receiving hospital treatment in England.”

Harry’s condition never improved, and once again he was admitted to St. Luke’s Hospital in Ottawa on February 4th, 1920. He developed a cold two days after being admitted, and his operation was postponed until Feb 9th. Pneumonia developed 12 hours following operation, and Harry died two days later. There was speculation at the time that he may have contracted the flu while in the hospital, and that it turned to pneumonia in his already weakened state.

The influenza pandemic of 1917-1920 was a global disaster, and was actually responsible for killing more people than WWI. It has been said that it was the most devastating flu epidemic in recorded world history.

Because of the close quarters and huge troop movements during the war it is possible that these two factors hastened the pandemic and likely increased transmission of the virus. Many soldiers’ immune systems were weakened by lack of proper nutrition, the stresses of combat and chemical warfare, increasing their susceptibility to any illness.

Feb 20 1920  –

“Died:  In St. Luke’s Hospital, Ottawa on Thursday February 12th, Harry Alphonsus Stafford, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Stafford of Lanark, aged 20 years and 9 months.”

Because he died at St. Luke’s Hospital in Ottawa, Harry’s death was registered in the County of Carleton, Division of Ottawa. His official cause of death was listed as pneumonia.

After a quick search on Ancestry.com, I found Harry’s death certificate:

Harry is buried at the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Lanark, Ontario

“Rest in Peace  Harry.   Our nation thanks you for your service.”

……………………

War Memorial, Ottawa, Canada

Are you researching a Canadian Soldier who fought in WWI?

There are several resources listed below to help with your search.

……………………………………….

(the above is an excerpt from a book on the life and military service of  Pte. Harry Stafford. The hard-cover book is available for research purposes at the Lanark Museum, 80 George Street, Lanark Ontario lanarkanddistrictmuseum@gmail.com, and at Archives Lanark, 1920 Concession 7 Road, Drummond Centre, Perth, Ontario adm.archiveslanark@bell.net)

(photo courtesy of Library and Archives Canada, Harry Stafford and Jimmy Traill, both of Lanark, Ontario)

         Lest We Forget

………………………..

Link to: Canadian Soldiers of WWI

Link to Commonwealth War Graves

Link to Personnel Records WWI

Link to Names in Book of Remembrance

…………………………

Arlene Stafford-Wilson

Member, Association of Professional Genealogists

Honorary Life Member, Lanark County Genealogical Society

Author of : “Lanark County Christmas”, “Lanark County Comfort”, “Lanark County Collection”, “Lanark County Calling”, “Lanark County Classics”, “Lanark County Connections”, “Lanark County Calendar”, “Lanark County Chronicle”, “Lanark County Kid”, & “Recipes & Recollections” and new for 2023 – “Lanark County Kitchen: A Maple Legacy from Tree to Table”

available at local stores or email: lanarkcountybooks@gmail.com

http://www.staffordwilson.com

Stafford House: The Post-War Years

This is the house where it all began. It is the place that became the setting for so many stories, so many books; the idyllic backdrop where canopies of Lanark County sugar maples dominated the peaceful grounds surrounding the house.

The home had been in the family since 1936, when Dad’s aunt and uncle, Thomas and Clara Carberry purchased the property, but it truly became the Stafford house, when Mother and Dad returned from the war in 1946.

…..

Audry stared down thoughtfully, her hands cradling the pink and white china tea cup. Was the war really over?, she wondered. It had been so many months, that turned into years, with those dark uncertain clouds hanging over their heads. All they seemed to hear in those days was bad news; news of young lives lost in battles far away. Could it be true? Could they finally get on with their lives now, and spend time together as a family? She’d read about the victory celebrations, and seen photos in the newspapers of the ticker-tape parades, but it wasn’t until she heard from her husband; it was the news that she’d been waiting for…he’d be boarding a ship bound for Canada. He was coming home.

They met at the #8 Bombing and Gunnery School, in Lethbridge, Alberta. She was a pretty young Air Force Corporal, from Edmonton, and he, a dashing young Sergeant from Lanark County. Mother was drawn to his handsome face, and neat appearance. She claimed that she could spot him across the parade square on the base because the crease of his pants was so crisp.

Corporal Audry Rutherford, W.D. Royal Canadian Air Force

Tobias ‘Tim’ Stafford & Audry Rutherford, on a date in Lethbridge, Alberta

In those days, relationships on the military base developed quickly by necessity, never knowing when someone would be deployed to serve elsewhere. Within a few months of their budding romance, the orders came that Dad was to be shipped overseas, to serve at the RAF base in Bournemouth, England. They quickly made plans to marry. Mother would remain on the base, and continue her duties as a Corporal, and Airforce Physical Education Instructor.

On their wedding day, July 12, 1943

Home At Last

There was an unmistakable sense of hope and optimism beaming from every deck on that grey hulking warship as it left the English port, bound for Halifax. It seemed that every man aboard had a permanent smile on his face, a joke to tell, and precious well-worn photos to show the others; of faces they’d be seeing soon, after so many dark and lonely years.

He longed for home. He missed the rugged Canadian landscape; the tall pines, the colourful sugar maples, and the crystal clear lakes and rivers that dotted the Ontario landscape of his youth. Most of all he missed…her. He could almost see her face above the dark rolling waves of the north Atlantic, as the ship sailed closer to their base in Halifax. The constant ache in his heart whenever he thought of her, gradually easing into a sense of purpose. The nervous dread and unsettling fears of war were behind him now, and he had a wife, and two young children to provide for.

The Stafford House

“My Aunt Clara and Uncle Tom own a beautiful property. They said we can come and stay with them until we get settled. I know you’ll be very happy there; I promise. It’s a red brick house, built on a gentle hill, surrounded by lovely shade trees. There are lots of bedrooms, plenty of space for a growing family. There’s even an apple orchard behind the house. When the kids are older we can send them apple-picking, and you could bake us some pies!”, he grinned.

Clara and Tom were approaching retirement age by the time the young Stafford family moved in with them. Clara didn’t drive, and wanted to move to Perth, so that she could get around a bit easier. Maybe it was time for her nephew and his young family to take over the property….

Some Help for the Veterans

Over one million Canadians served in WWII, and in 1944, the Department of Veterans Affairs was created to assist soldiers returning from duty. Their mandate was to ease the way back to civilian life, after so many years of war. The Veterans’ Land Act was one of the programs established so that veterans were eligible for loans to buy land, livestock, and equipment. Over 30,000 Veterans obtained land for farming through this program.

….and so, the young Stafford family was able to purchase the beautiful property from Aunt Clara and Uncle Tom….

Tim Stafford & Judy Stafford, in the driveway at Stafford House

….and many years later, this 1947 photo was featured on the cover of a book…

Tim and Judy Stafford, featured on the cover of “Recipes & Recollections: Treats and Tales from Our Mother’s Kitchen”

Tobias ‘Tib’, ‘Tim’ Stafford with Judy Stafford, at Stafford House, 1947

…and then there were 3

Judy Stafford, baby Jackie Stafford, and Tim Stafford, 1948, at the Stafford House

The family settled in, and bit by bit, it grew in size. Jackie was born, then Roger, and finally Arlene, and the family was complete.

Judy Stafford, Tim Stafford, Jackie Stafford, and Roger Stafford in 1958

Arlene Stafford in the apple orchard, behind the Stafford House

Many years later, the Stafford House, the picturesque yard, and the woodlands surrounding the property would be the inspiration and the setting for many stories and books.

From the early days of spring and the young buds on the trees, gathering sap, and the house filled with the sweet scents of maple, as the sap boiled in a huge pot on the old stove. The shy tulips and daffodils nudging their way out of the cold ground, and the songbirds returning after a long, cold winter.

Summer was filled with the fresh scents of hay, and the rattling, rumbling tractors and wagons parading up and down the Third Line. Trips to Carl Adams’ swimming hole, and Christie Lake on the steamy hot days, and the nightly spectacles of tiny black bats swooping and sailing through the tall maple branches, followed by the sounds of the bullfrogs in the lowlands, and the crickets lulling us to sleep.

Fall was all about colour, from one end of the yard to the other, and as far as the eye could see; spectacular shades of orange, red, and yellow, and the scents of wood-smoke and the sweet ripe apples hanging low in the orchard.

The year always finished the same way, with the magical weeks leading up to Christmas. It was a busy, bustling, time, for baking, stringing lights, mailing cards, repairing broken ornaments, practicing for Christmas concerts, and most of all, waiting for Santa….

Arlene Stafford, Mike, the family dog, and Roger Stafford

…and so, these were the early years at the Stafford House; the weeks and months after the war. They were the busy years, and years of adjustment. They were the years after two young soldiers met on an airbase in faraway Lethbridge, and fell in love, in such uncertain times.

It was because of their love, their hope for the future, and their sense of optimism that the family grew and prospered at the Stafford House. It was where we developed a strong work ethic, a respect for others, and where we learned about the importance of honesty, integrity, and faith.

Today, on Remembrance Day, I will think of these two soldiers, who possessed both the courage and the optimism to forge ahead with their love and their commitment, even in the darkest days, when the world was at war, and for this, I will be forever grateful.

Lest We Forget

‘Poppies’ – watercolour painting, by Jackie (Stafford) Wharton, 2020

http://www.staffordwilson.com