This is a short note from my files about part of the Canadian contribution during WW2. "Canada contributed with the Commonwealth Air Training Plan, that trained 135,000 pilots and air crew, here in Canada, who came from 40 different Allied nations to learn to fly. Canada not only equipped it's OWN military, with guns planes and ships, but we built all of that for other nations, such as the Indian army who were completely equipped with Canadian made trucks, or the British army that by 1945 was 70 percent equipped with Canadian made rifles and machine guns. We also supplied the Chinese army that was fighting the Japanese in the far east. We built supply ships and naval escort vessels here that were the main life line of food to the U.K. We built our army from a tiny force of less than 3,000 men in 1939 to a two Corps army of 700,000 men that could and did fight in two separate places at the same time ( Italy from 1943 to 1945, and Europe from June 1944 to May 1945). We took more dead and wounded after the D-Day landings, in the summer of 1944 than either the Brits or the Americans did, and we kept on fighting with out a break for 11 months after the Normandy landings. In some cases, Canadian infantry units were completely wiped out, That means that ALL of the 800 men in a unit had been either KILLED or so badly wounded ,that the unit ceased to exist as a fighting force. In the air, we flew fighters and coastal patrol aircraft and heavy bombers at night on bombing raids into the Occupied Countries. We became the acknowledged "best U-boat Hunters" and sank the most of them of any Allied navy in WW2. By the end of WW2 Canada had the third largest navy in the world, a amazing growth from the beginning in 1939, when we only had total of 6 RCN ships in our fleet. So Yes Canada did much more than her share in WW2 . Jim Bunting. Toronto. Ontario. Canada.
DID YOU KNOW... that members raised $12,000,000 in the Two World Wars to purchase hospitals, hospital ships, ambulances, bomber and fighter aircraft. Relief to prisoners of war and refugee camps, libraries and canteens for servicemen and thousands of volunteer hours were among the many contributions in both wars. DID YOU KNOW... that during WWII IN ONE WEEK $100,000 was raised to purchase a Bolingbroke bomber and was presented to the Canadian Government. DID YOU KNOW... that in 1939, IODE was the first Canadian organization to send civilian relief to Britain and continued with the adoption of two children's hospitals there. DID YOU KNOW... that a unique wartime (WWII) gift was the shipment of 87 bridal gowns which were worn by hundreds of British service women. IODE was founded in 1900 as the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire. Over the years, the organization has met the changing needs of all Canadians coast to coast, with a particular focus on children. Members across the country raise approximately $3,000,000 every year and reinvest it in Canada's children, families and communities. Membership is open to Canadian women of all ages, backgrounds and interests.
Canada WW2. Hi Spidge, Yes, I am learning that Canada did a hell of a lot during WW2. That is why a friend and myself are writing a book about those servicemen/regiments stationed in West Sussex England. Any help that you are able to give would be most greatfully received.
