WWII Canadian Women's Project

AW1 Eileen Margaret Pollitt, RCAF WD. Vancouver Sun, August 11, 1944. She was 20 when she wed. In 1948, she filed for divorce.

Through her father's obituary in 1966 Eileen was Mrs. J. C. Miller, living in Campbell River, BC.

Section Officer Katherine Elspeth McLenaghen (1920-2008), RCAF WD. Vancouver Sun, March 4, 1944

Also mentioned: Corporal Marion Ellwood and A*O Nora Penton, RCAF WD.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/262044279/katherine-elspeth-wright

From her obituary: Vancouver Sun:
WRIGHT Katherine (Elspeth) Born in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba on January 18, 1920 died May 16, 2008 at 88 years. Predeceased by father James McLenaghen Attorney General of Manitoba and husband Bill in 2001. Graduated from the University of Manitoba in home economics and was part of the Pi Beta Phi fraternity. Served in R.C.A.F. in WWII in Rivers Manitoba.

Flight Officer Muriel Anne Pennoyer (1914-2007), RCAF WD. First wedding aboard an air craft carrier. Vancouver Sun, March 4, 1944.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/208032960/muriel-anne-brown

December lunch - 1230 14 Dec 23 @ Vito’s pizzeria and Restaurant, 36 Prince Edward St, Brighton On

The Quinte region airwomen will be gathering for a pre-Xmas lunch on 14Dec!! If you are in the area and wish to attend then dress up in your favourite Xmas garb and come join us for some food, fun, laughter and stories! RSVP to Geri either through here or via email at [email protected]. Cutoff for responses to attend will be 12 Dec at noon

For the Quinte airwomen: I will be sending an email requesting your responses by the end of next week

Flight Officer Dora Newson (1903-1978), RCAF WD, graduated from the University of Alberta, Edmonton in 1931.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/261875029/dora-newson?createdMemorial=Yes

Frances Harvey (1912-2008), RCAF WD. Chilliwack Progress, June 7, 1944.
Joining in 1942, she was overseas until late 1945. She married Allan Guinet (1911-2002) in April 1946.

She was very involved in volunteering for the betterment of her community. In the late 1970s, she was the president of Community Services.

Elenor (Pat) Lucille Grewcutt, RCAF WD. Chilliwack Progress, July 1944

She served in Tofino, BC.

She married Harvey Lomness (1916-1994) in 1944. At the time of his death, they were living in Burnaby. He was a retired accountant. During the war, he was with the RCAF.

Pat was born in 1921 and passed away in 2006.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/257384111/elenor-lomness

LAW Kay Croft and LAW V. Barker, RCAF WD.
Edmonton Journal, December 27, 1944.

In April 1946, Kathleen Lillian Croft married James Laurence Nicholson (Engineer RCN) (1920-1980) in Victoria, BC. They continued to reside there after the war.

Croft was easier to find information about as she was from Edmonton. Unknown where Barker was originally from.

Alice White, Red Cross. Vancouver Sun, March 4, 1944

If anyone has additional WWII Canadian Women's stories, please let me know as Nursing Sister Wilkie completes the study of the women who died in service for Canada.

I will keep looking through old newspapers for articles pertaining to the women who served.

Agnes Wightman Wilkie, Nursing Sister. (1904-1942)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Agnes%20Wightman-Wilkie.html

Nursing Sister Marion Mercedes Westgate. (1917-1943)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Marion%20Mercedes-Westgate.html

Nursing Sister Frances Winnifred Spafford. (1913-1941)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Frances%20Winnifred-Spafford.html

Earlier this week, I headed up to Banff to see Elsie Phyllis James's banner that I sponsored through the Banff Legion. Later, I stopped in at the Banff Cemetery to pay my respects to LAW James and her parents.

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/air_force/Elise%20Phyllis-James.html

Each year, students across the country submit artwork, poetry and essays to the Legion National Foundation’s Annual Poster and Literary Contest. This year, the Canadian War Museum is proud to exhibit the winning entries — eight posters and two literary pieces.

This poster is by Isabelle Barnes, from Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. She was the winner in the category Senior - Black and White Poster. Find the exhibition in the CWM's lobby, near the gift shop.

The Legion National Foundation - La Fondation nationale de la Légion

Frances Eunice Polgreen, Nursing Sister. (1911-1943)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Frances%20Eunice-Pogreen.html

"Annajean Holmes was one of thousands of women who joined Canadian women's divisions of the air force, navy and army in the Second World War." She attended Lisgar Collegiate, Ottawa, Ontario. She joined the RCAF WD and was an aircraftwoman.

The photo of her with the tulips is from the Star Phoenix, May 1950, although I found the same photo in issues of other papers in 1946.

Information from David O'Malley's post. (Thank you.)

Thank you to Stephanie Allen for the photos commemorating Florence May Fowler, CWAC.

I have found Florence's story to be one filled with many unanswered questions.

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/army/Florence%20May-Fowler.html

Florence is buried in the Clarkson (Springcreek) Cemetery. Stephanie said someone had put a poppy on the grave marker!

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2686455

Nora Hendry Peters, Nursing Sister. (1910-1944)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Nora%20Hendry-Peters.html

Mary Susannah McLaren, Nursing Sister. (1917-1944)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Mary%20Susannah-McLaren.html

Jessie Margaret MacLeod, Nursing Sister. (1902-1941)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Jessie%20Margaret-MacLeod.html

Vera Catherine MacDonald, Nursing Sister. (1919-1945)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Vera%20Catherine-MacDonald.html

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Frances%20Eileen-Gannon.html

Frances Eileen Gannon, Nursing Sister. (1903-1946)

Gladys Helen Fitzgerald, Nursing Sister. (1910-1945)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Gladys%20Helen-Fitzgerald.html

Nellie Josephine Enright, Nursing Sister in both WWI and WWII. (1884-1947)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Nellie%20Josephine-Enright.html

Marie Cecile Dussio, Nursing Sister. (1912-1946) She is buried in Rome, Italy.

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Marie%20Cecile-Dussio.html

Frances Ellen Cooper, Nursing Sister. (1910-1945)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Frances%20Ellen-Cooper.html

Female factory workers in the Second World War . The Carter sisters

Margaret Agnes Briggs, Nursing Sister. (1910-1945). She had such an infectious smile! I think she would have been an excellent nurse.

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Margaret%20Agnes-Briggs.html

Marion Elizabeth Bell, Nursing Sister. (1911-1940)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Marion%20Elizabeth-Bell.html

Ruth Louise Ashley, Nursing Sister. (1915-1943)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/nurse/Ruth%20Louise-Ashley.html

Isabel Luella Young, RCAF WD. (1923-1943)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/air_force/Isabel%20Luella-Young.html

Elizabeth Genevieve Woodman, RCAF WD.
(1920-1942)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/air_force/Elizabeth%20Genevieve-Woodman.html

Shirley Isabel Wells, RCAF WD (1923-1945)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/air_force/Shirley%20Isabel-Wells.html

Irene Watson, RCAF WD. (1916-1943)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/air_force/Irene-Watson.html

Olive Goddard Walsh, RCAF WD. (1898-1943)

http://www.wwiicdnwomensproject.org/air_force/Olive%20Goddard-Walsh.html