One of Our Honoured War Dead: Flight-Sergeant Johnny Arundel
Recently a book, emails, and photos came into my possession that brought to life someone I knew only as a name on the Millbrook cenotaph: J.S. Arundel. That aristocratic surname (there is a castle in England by this name) has often made me wonder about him. And now I know. And I hope you…
Profiles of Local War Brides
We continue last month’s discussion of the impact of war brides from WWII by providing a few profiles of some of the 48,000 ladies that came to Canada as newlyweds with babies in tow or en route to make a new life in a new country. With almost half a million Canadian service men…
Joan Elizbeth Savage – War Bride
The second of four children, Joan was born in 1924 in a small cottage on the Bylsborough Estate near the village of Henfield, West Sussex. During the war, the south coast of England was dotted with camps filled with Canadian soldiers preparing to fight in Europe. Every village sponsored recreational activities for the soldiers,…
Dorothy De Mille – War Bride
Dorothy met her husband-to-be in the Black Prince Pub across the street from her home in New Haw, Surrey, just 20 miles from London. Thomas began their conversation with a timeless pick-up line that still makes Dorothy smile – “Hello, stranger”. It was 1945 so the war was nearing its end. Because of the…
Susan Lasch – War Bride
Susan grew up in the Larkhall area of Scotland. Working in the coal mines had taken a toll on her father who passed away when she was 13 years old, leaving behind a wife and six children. While young men left the community to join the war efforts, other children arrived, being sent north…
Two Events Mark Armistice Centenary
Remembrance Day is a time when those who have served and are serving in the Armed Forces are honoured and remembered. To mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended hostilities between the Allies and Germany in 1918, the Millbrook & Cavan Historical Society is holding two special events, the…