DBQ- Canadian War Brides
Laura Sherman
Introduction- The study of Canadian War Brides is a fascinating story of the power of love in the midst of war. Why did over 48,000 women leave their homeland to make Canada their new dwelling? What type of challenges did they face on that journey to Canada as well as the obstacles they faced once reunited with their loved one? What impact does this have on Canadian society today? Please read/observe the documents carefully and answer the questions below with these three broader questions in mind.
Document 1
Source- http://www.pier21.ca/wp-content/uploads/files/research_war_brides.pdf
author unknown
Canada’s big and Canada’s new, and Canada’s far away,
Has Canada anything half as fun as Epsom on Derby Day?
Canada’s days are warm and dry and Canada’s skies are clear,
Does Canada know what it’s like to fish from Southern Pier?
Canada works and Canada plays but always Canada grows,
Can Canada show me anything dear as an English rose?
Canada’s hearts are young and strong and I am one of them now,
Does Canada know how the sparrows sing as they follow an English plough?
Canada’s plains are broad and long and Canada’s lakes are deep,
Does Canada know of the Sussex downs and the bleat of English sheep?
Canada’s coming closer now and we’ll soon see the Maple trees,
But part of my heart has been left behind in the wash of the English seas
Questions
1. What preconceptions does the author make about Canada?
2. What hardships or challenges will she be faced with once coming to Canada?
Document 2
Source- The Canadian Encyclopedia
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=ArchivedFeatures&Params=A138
Questions
1. Do you believe that this women and children are arriving to Canada or just leaving their homeland? Why?
2. What are some of the challenges of travelling with young children? Did all war brides have children in your opinion?
Document 3
Source- http://www.pier21.ca/wp-content/uploads/files/research_war_brides.pdf
My War Bride Story
By Eileen Black
In September 1940, our home was demolished by a parachute bomb and my mother died in January 1942 as a result of her injuries. I was buried and then rescued by my father but luckily, I was not injured.
I married a Canadian soldier in November of 1941 and looked forward to the time when I would be coming to Canada. The time finally came in July 1946 and by then I had two children ages four and two. My husband had been home a full year so we were very anxious to follow him. When I was due to leave, my father came to London to say goodbye. It was with mixed feelings that I left but nevertheless, I was excited to be on my way at last.
The voyage over was a little difficult, looking after the two children and trying not to be seasick. When we arrived in Halifax, I remember that it was very hot and as we only had to go as far as Montreal, we were some of the last ones to go ashore. Finally we boarded the train and settled in for a night's sleep. The train was late and didn't arrive until late at night. By that time everyone was very tired.
My husband and his family were at the station to meet us; we were finally together again.
We lived in Montreal for the next two years and I was lucky that several other War Brides from my hometown had also married men from Montreal.
Questions
1. Why would it be important to be close to other war brides?
2. Culturally what type of elements would be different moving from England to Quebec? How could these elements hinder the author’s ability to fit in with her husband’s family?
Document 4
Sources- http://www.canadianwarbrides.com/marriagesstats.asp
http://www.canadianwarbrides.com/anniversary.asp
Country / Wives / Children / TotalBritain / 44,886 / 21,358 / 66,244
Holland / 1,886 / 428 / 2,314
Belgium / 649 / 131 / 780
France / 100 / 15 / 115
Italy / 26 / 10 / 36
Denmark / 7 / 1 / 8
Germany / 6 / 0 / 6
Norway / 1 / 0 / 1
North Africa / 1 / 0 / 1
South Africa / 1 / 0 / 1
Greece / 1 / 0 / 0
Algiers / 1 / 0 / 1
Hungary / 0 / 3 / 3
Russia / 1 / 0 / 1
India / 1 / 0 / 1
Malay / 2 / 0 / 2
Australia / 24 / 2 / 26
Newfoundland and
Carribean Area / 190 / 0 / 190
Totals / 47,783 / 21,950 / 69,733
Between January and December 1946, 45,320 dependents (out of a total of 64,451) arrived in Canada: The monthly totals are as follows:
January – 785
February - 1000
March - 6,129
April - 4, 597
May – 5,698
June – 4,795
July – 6,895
August - 6,895
September – 4,142
October – 2,097
November– 941
December– 1,346
At the time, the War Brides constituted more than 60% of the total immigration to Canada, forming an unprecedented immigrant wave whose impact can still be found in the nearly one in 30 Canadians (one million citizens) who can proudly say they have a War Bride in their family tree.
Questions
1. Based on the birth and marriage rate statistics why did most service men marry British women?
2. Based on the 1946 statistics why would War Brides choose the year and month in which they travelled?
Document 5
Source- Veterans Affairs Canada
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/secondwar/warbrides
Questions
1. What do the conditions on board the ship appear to be?
2. What were the women with the crosses on their head piece role appear to be?
Document 6
Sources- http://www.canadianwarbrides.com/documents/war-bride-op-ed-2006.doc
Pier 21:Getaway of Hope by Linda Granfeild
The War Brides by Joyce Hibbert
FACT: Sixty years ago on February 9, 1946, the first official War Bride ship the Mauretania II arrived in Canada at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.FACT: The majority (45,320 of 64,451 or 70%) of War Brides and children arrived in Canada in 1946.
FACT: Between August 1944 and January 1947, the Canadian Wives Bureau, a directorate of the Adjutant-General's Branch at Canadian Military Headquarters, organized the transportation of War Brides and children to Canada.
FACT: The province of New Brunswick became the first to declare 2006 Year of the War Bride when it unanimously passed a resolution brought forth by MLA TJ Burke, the grandson of a British War Bride.
DID YOU KNOW?
1 in 10 Canadian Serviceman married overseas
Betty Oliphant, the founding architect of the National Ballet School of Canada was a British War Bride who came to Canada in 1947.
Some War Brides gave birth at sea during their voyage over to Canada
Marriage to Canada Serviceman gave British Women automatic citizenship and their trip over to Canada was free
War Brides were issued with Canadian cookbooks upon arrival
Many different types of food were introduced on the trip over to Canada including: bananas, grapefruits, spaghetti, hot dogs and processed cheese
Questions
1. Comment on one of the details that you found the most interesting or surprising. Why did you find this interesting?
Document 7
Source- http://www.canadianwarbrides.com/documents/tj-nov-11-05.pdf
Melynda Jarratt, who has researched war brides since 1987, is urging Ottawa to declare next year in honour of war brides to mark the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the majority of them in Canada. She said it would be a fitting tribute to these women, especially coming after 2005, which is the Year of the Veteran.
"It's a no-brainer. The war brides are an indelible part of the Canadian cultural mosaic. They are who we are. We look at them, they are a mirror of us. They represent so much," Ms. Jarratt says. "They had a huge impact (on Canada)."
Ms. Jarratt says about 40,000 war brides plus their children came to Canada in 1946. About 3,000 came to New Brunswick. She says about one million Canadians have a war bride somewhere in their family tree.
Ms. Jarratt says these women deserve to be commemorated nationally for their sacrifices, their grit and their contributions to Canada.
"They were an unprecedented immigrant wave, a unique phenomenon that will never occur again in Canadian immigration history," she says. "They married for life. They stuck it out. They dug in. They adapted and they became good Canadian citizens." She said war brides, the majority of whom came from Britain, reinforced Canada's connection to its mother country and strengthened cultural ties between the two countries.
Ms. Jarratt says these women also changed the communities where they lived. "There's very few people who grew up during that period who don't recall a war bride in their community. They became leaders. They became very much a part of their local community," she said.
Questions
1. Do you believe that war brides strengthened our relationship with Britain? How so or why not?
2. Do you have any special memories of war brides in your local community? How could you honor a war bride in your area?