Parallels WW2 - Corona Virus. Not Really
I was only 8 yrs. old when Canada Joined Great Britain
in 1939 in the WW2 fight. USA joined in 2 yrs. later. Quebec
was reticent in joining up but eventually did. The infamous
Van Doos (Quebec Regiment) were hated by the Germans
as they rarely took any prisoners.
What do I recall. Well my Mum was a nurse and worked
shift work, so I had to do the shopping. She would leave me
a note and money for this. We both had ration cards and meat tokens,
which were small blue disks with a hole in the centre.Just about
everything was rationed. We were lucky my Great Uncle operated
a butcher shop and I'm sure we received a little extra.
There was no TV but we had radio and I was allowed to stay up
for the 10 PM BBC news broadcast. They reported how the Allies
were doing on the different fronts and sometimes how the
Canadians were doing, killed in action and wounded. The Londoner's
were the hardest hit. I knew all the aircraft by memory the German
Heinkel's, Stukas, Dorniers were the ones doing the most damage.
I recall the children were sent to the country and were billeted
because of the blitz, .wondered if that would happen to me.
The BBC would tell us how many planes were shot down.
Rarely I would be able to see a movie and there was lots of propaganda,
always a Newsreel showing briefly what was going on footage mostly
from the BBC.
Schools orchestrated metal drives. About 6 kids with a wagon would
go door to door and ask for any aluminum or metal they did not use.
We would take our wagonload back to school and it was picked up.
We rarely had fresh fruit if any it was apples. No candy or
soda pop so I drank tea from a very early age. With milk
and a bit of sugar I used to drink 4 or 5 cups a day. My Mum
was brought up on the same diet so it was ok for me.
Entertainment there was none, it was a big thrill to go down
to the railroads and watch the trains hauling tanks, bren gun
carriers and airplanes. They travelled very slow so you had a
good view of the war effort. Soldiers accompanied these trains
and occasionally the trains would stop for coal and water refills.
The Salvation Army would pass out sandwiches and tea for
the soldiers. We were able to get fairly close to them but not
allowed to talk to them. They would wave at us.
I hope this answers some of your questions.
in 1939 in the WW2 fight. USA joined in 2 yrs. later. Quebec
was reticent in joining up but eventually did. The infamous
Van Doos (Quebec Regiment) were hated by the Germans
as they rarely took any prisoners.
What do I recall. Well my Mum was a nurse and worked
shift work, so I had to do the shopping. She would leave me
a note and money for this. We both had ration cards and meat tokens,
which were small blue disks with a hole in the centre.Just about
everything was rationed. We were lucky my Great Uncle operated
a butcher shop and I'm sure we received a little extra.
There was no TV but we had radio and I was allowed to stay up
for the 10 PM BBC news broadcast. They reported how the Allies
were doing on the different fronts and sometimes how the
Canadians were doing, killed in action and wounded. The Londoner's
were the hardest hit. I knew all the aircraft by memory the German
Heinkel's, Stukas, Dorniers were the ones doing the most damage.
I recall the children were sent to the country and were billeted
because of the blitz, .wondered if that would happen to me.
The BBC would tell us how many planes were shot down.
Rarely I would be able to see a movie and there was lots of propaganda,
always a Newsreel showing briefly what was going on footage mostly
from the BBC.
Schools orchestrated metal drives. About 6 kids with a wagon would
go door to door and ask for any aluminum or metal they did not use.
We would take our wagonload back to school and it was picked up.
We rarely had fresh fruit if any it was apples. No candy or
soda pop so I drank tea from a very early age. With milk
and a bit of sugar I used to drink 4 or 5 cups a day. My Mum
was brought up on the same diet so it was ok for me.
Entertainment there was none, it was a big thrill to go down
to the railroads and watch the trains hauling tanks, bren gun
carriers and airplanes. They travelled very slow so you had a
good view of the war effort. Soldiers accompanied these trains
and occasionally the trains would stop for coal and water refills.
The Salvation Army would pass out sandwiches and tea for
the soldiers. We were able to get fairly close to them but not
allowed to talk to them. They would wave at us.
I hope this answers some of your questions.
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