Proud Daughter of a Canadian Veteran

[macrusk]

Hello All,

I have wandered over from the WWII Forum and see that some familiar characters are also in residence here.

As the title states, I am the proud daughter of a Canadian Veteran. My Dad was a gunner, dispatch rider, driver with the 16th Battery 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, 2nd Canadian Division. My avatar is a photo of my Dad. He married my mother, a Londoner from Edgeware, during the War. She only said she worked for the "War Department" and would only say she took lifetime secrecy oaths.

I have been fascinated by the history of World War II since I was a child. I have read factual and fictional books and movies about most theatres and operations, regardless of nationality. In recent years, I have spent most of my time reading books on the experiences of the Canadian Forces - particularly the European Theatre.

I am an Administrative Assistant for the Federal Government and when not writing my parents story or researching WWII, I am working on my University of Sask Certificate in Art and Design, gardening, or doing genealogy research.

I look forward to meeting all of you and hope I will be able to contribute here.

[Tom Canning]

Macrusk -
you have contributed a great deal already - your Father being a member of 2 Inf.Div will know all about Dieppe - and the follow up of 3rd Div after D Day so welcome to the site and I am sure that this will be one of many welcomes.
My own experience was with 1st Inf Div in Italy as was that of Gerry Chester - a regular poster to the site as we belonged to the 21st and 25th British Tank Bdes charged with the support of the 1st Div all through most of Italy so we have a few tales to tell - as we also bumped in to 5th Armoured Div now and again !
It's good that you work for the Feds as you will have lots of time to catch up with your reading - knitting even - Just Kidding ! Friend of mine worked for Land Titles and claimed they had been banned from looking out of their office window before Lunch - when they challenged Ottawa - months later came the edict the " you would have nothing to do after lunch" ! Again wellcome - the jokes get better !

[Slipdigit]

Welcome Michelle, to my other home on the web. I was wondering how much longer before you sauntered over here. You'll see some familiar faces lurking about and some, well, not so familiar.

Good pic of your father there, you need to also show the forum your beautiful mother.

Gentlemen (and Diane, too!), Michelle comes here with the highest regards from me.

[macrusk]

Thank you Mr. Canning. My friend's father was a Sergeant with the Canadian LAA in Italy - at the moment I'm not recalling if it was 1 LAA or 2 LAA. We often discuss the differences in the locations in which they fought, as well as the differences we have because of age in our perceptions - her father was almost 40 when he joined whereas my Dad 17, and I was born nearly 20 years after that. She still has her blood pressure rise when she thinks of lack of recognition given to those who fought in Italy, Sicily, & N.Africa. Fortunately, my Dad (sadly both parents gone now) always ensured I was well aware of the contribution of the 1st Cdn Division, as well as the British & Americans who fought.

Thank you, Mr. Canning and to Mr. Chester for your service. It is an honour to meet you.

Hi Jeff! Thanks for the recommendation to the Forum members here. I've tried to insert a photo of Mum at 21 in my signature. I'll see with this post if it took!

[Slipdigit]

Originally Posted by macrusk

Thank you Mr. Canning.

Thank you, Mr. Canning and to Mr. Chester for your service. It is an honour to meet you.

See Tom, I'm not the only one!

[WotNoChad?]

Welcome. Must admit I missed you at the other place but then I've usually got my head buried in a book.

One of my grandfathers fought in N.Africa, Sicily and Italy and it is still saddening to me when I heard young 'uns babbling on about D-Day as if it were the sole event leading to the liberation of Europe.

My other grandfather served in N.Africa, India and Burma and was similarly "forgotten" often by those who knew what went on around the Med.

Fortunately both returned, the first with a great loss of hearing having been an artillery man and the second having injured a leg during a Jap air raid.

[51highland]

Welcome and enjoy !!!!

[Owen]

Hello Michelle
Welcome to the site.
On our trip to Italy we called in on a few Canadian locations, have you seen our photos yet?
Cassino, Sterlin Castle, Ortona & Casa Berardi where Paul Triquet won his VC.

[marcus69x]

HI Michelle. Welcome to WW2talk.

[Bodston]

Hello Michelle and welcome to our side of the pond.

Cheers,
Bod

PS: My Dad was a AA gunner too. Postwar though, he did his National Service in Suez.