A newspaper clipping outlining Hilda Toner's heroic efforts during the Almonte Train Wreck. (The Ottawa Journal)
Each year, Renfrew’s Kurt Johnson has worked on Remembrance Day projects at local churches, including his own – Trinity-St. Andrew’s (TSA) United Church.
This year, Johnson, who recently received a commendation for his commitment to telling the stories of Canada’s war dead, decided to focus on what was happening on the homefront during the Second World War.
“Few were left untouched by the war. It involved everyone,” said Johnson in his presentation at TSA Nov. 10.
He asked fellow parishioners to share their stories, which he chronicled in his presentation. The tales ran the gamut, from food rationing to troop trains, to handsome men in uniform on Renfrew streets.
Here are a few of the highlights:
- The Almonte Train Wreck (an overloaded passenger train collided with a large troop train) on Dec. 27 was devastating – 38 killed, 150 injured. Renfrew’s Hilda Toner, a nursing sister, was on board and she raced to the back of the train to treat injured passengers. King George VI sent her a commendation certificate. She came back from WW2 to complete a lengthy nursing career and lived to be 92 years old. (Hilda, as well as her brothers Rene and William, are on the TSA honour roll.)
- Knitting wool squares at school to make into blankets or quilts to send overseas.
- Grocery shopping using food stamps and rationing gasoline.
- Waving at soldiers on the troop trains that were passing through town.
- Sponsoring European immigrants coming to Canada.
- Schoolgirls holding teas to raise money for the Canadian Red Cross.
“Remember, wherever you are tomorrow at 11 o’clock, take two minutes to remember all veterans who went off to war in distant lands. And the people on the home front also served Canada, doing their bit in the national war effort,” said Johnson.
(Written by Sherry Haaima)
