Guelph's Forgotten WWII Contribution

This past spring I was on organizational duty at the Guelph Historical Society storeroom, a room full of half-century old issues of Historic Guelph, the minutes and minutiae of the Historical Society, and an assortment of land records, photographs, articles and ephemera. A folded vellum sheet especially caught my attention. It was headlined in calligraphy, “To the People of Guelph and Wellington, Ontario, Canada from the People of Swanscombe in the County of Kent, England.” with the town crest of a sailing vessel in the centre.

Figure 1 Detail -Swanscombe Council Document  
- Guelph Historical Society Archives

The balance of the script was a heart-felt “thank you”, from the Town Council and people of Swanscombe for a mobile canteen donated by Guelph during the Second World War. I had no idea what a mobile canteen was or what it’s role might have been during the war, but further reading helped paint a moving picture.

 “We are a District of 7500. Bombs have wrought sad havoc on homes, and lives. Feeding distressed persons and workmen has become a problem. Your gift has enabled us to face crises with calm and efficiency. Our resources are not large and feeding has been a difficult task. Our perplexity is lessened by your aid… It is not merely a Canteen. It is not only a money token. Our eyes see richer meaning.”

At this point, I was a little perplexed by its date; January 1945. This was well after the Battle of Britain, when the Royal Air Force asserted dominance of the skies above England. In fact it was only months before the end of the war in Eurpope. The Tunbridge Wells Courier of September 1944 came to my aid.

“It was on the morning of July 13, (1944) that an aeroplane flying very fast and in flames, was reported to be heading for London over the Maidstone area. This machine, which crashed in Swanscombe, was established as the first pilotless aircraft.”

 Figure 2 https://guelph.pastperfectonline.com/photo/66949C94-1123-4BC6-906E-616037023290

But Aldershot is over 100 km away from Swanscombe. Surely this couldn’t be the same canteen. The July 12, 1941, Guelph Daily Mercury helps fill in the picture.  Guelph and Wellington County citizens had begun funding mobile canteens with more donations planned.

During the war, hundreds of these canteens, also called mobile kitchens, operated throughout England during the war. After bombings in any town or city, there was a Herculean effort to mitigate damage, quell fires, feed and clothe those who had just lost their homes, and to save lives. Fire Brigades, civil defense forces, dock and railway workers and ordinary citizens would turn out to battle flames, stabilize buildings and infrastructure, rescue the injured and recover the dead. Both these teams, and the victims of war, needed immediate support and that was provided in part by mobile canteens.

In 1941, £1 sterling was worth almost $4.50 Cdn dollars, and canteens cost £250 each to produce, or the equivalent of $1,115. Adjusted for inflation they would cost over $21,000 in  2025. And they were worth every penny. They were capable of issuing 40-60 meals an hour. A canteen in London served over 8,000 hot drinks and 4,500 snacks in a week. Guelph and Wellington County, among other towns and cities in Canada and the states, had found its niche for contributing to the war effort in England.

One of the most touching aspects of the Mercury story was the involvement of Guelph’s children. It’s worth relaying here for the friends of family of these children. The story reads in part:

“Walter Barker, Boult Avenue, had a birthday this week, and instead of a party, told his parents which would have been spent for such an event to help children overseas. Walter held a two hour “social” during which he sold candy and fruit drinks and realised $2.20 by his efforts. He was assisted by Margaret Whiteside, also of Boult Avenue.

Irene Dunn, aged seven years, made woollen flowers which she sold for $1.60. Evelyn Livingston, Florence Shaw, and May Shaw went into the refreshment business and at their booth they collected sixty-five cents. A concert and the sale of some scrap iron netted Mary Bragagnola, Nancy Ratcliffe and Betty O’Halloran the sum of a dollar.

Bobby Godin and Peter Munro sold pop and made $2.60 for the fund. Jennie Grierson, Patty Hewer, Donny Bell, and Lawrence Donnell collected baskets, papers, magazines and rags and sold them for $1.41.  and Audrey Dudley contributed fifty cents jointly.

A group of girls in the Bridge Street district sold papers and candy and raised $3.66, with similar activities by Thomas Hanney, Jim Patterson, Iris Hanney, Pearl Patterson who have a little club netting $1.35 to aid the bomb victims.

Beverly and Alison Stanton, Arnold Vasey, Catherine Ritchie and Bob and Billy Randall collected discarded toys which they resold for $1.64.”

Figure 3 Guelph Daily Mercury July 12, 1941

Figure 4 Guelph Daily Mercury July 12, 1941

 

It was frequently noted during the presentation of a canteen, that Guelph had a population of 24,000 and these donations, now numbering in the dozens, meant our contribution was well beyond expectations. With every donation, the gratitude expressed in England proved that the gesture was as meaningful as the gift. By the close of 1941, over 60 canteens had been donated from across Canada and 22 of those came from Guelph alone.

In 1942 the Mayor of Acton said he had always admired the way Canada had been with them from the very beginning. “I was going to say behind us, but I do feel that with us is the more correct,” he said. “Canada has been right in the front with us from the very beginning, just as she was during the last war.”

In 1943 Captain Duncan, the member of parliament for North Kensington, said he felt that this “was a symbol of unity which should stand as an example for post-war years”.

Each canteen received in England was greeted with gratitude and ceremony. On most occasions mayors, council members and parliamentarians were in attendance, as well as Canada’s High Commissioner. On at least one occasion, the local politicians took the occasion to thank Canada for more than just the kitchen; in 1944 the Mayor of Dover said,

“Will you, Colonel Jones, convey to the citizens of Guelph and Wellington County, Dover’s most sincere thanks, and appreciation, of their great generosity, and tell them how happy the people of Dover were to have members of the Canadian Army stationed here, and how glad they were to be able to extend hospitality to them. Since then, the Canadians have by their gallant exploits in capturing Boulogne, Calais, and Cap Gris Nez, freed Dover and the adjoining coastal towns from the menace of shelling by the enemy’s cross-Channel guns, and in addition to the affection and esteem which the Canadians gained while they were here, they have earned the heartfelt thanks of every man, woman and child in this town. When we in Dover knew it was the Canadians who were attacking the enemy on the other side of the narrow Channel we were patient, even in the hours of our severest bombardment, for we were confident that the guns would be silenced as soon as humanly possible. We fully realise, however, that had it not been for the urgency with which the Canadians regarded the capture of their objectives, their casualties would have been lighter, and we deeply grieve, with Canada, for the sons she lost in those actions, and at the same time we are proud that it was the Canadians who liberated us. We in Dover owe to Canada a debt of gratitude for the gallantry of her soldiers, and also for the generosity of her people at home for this and previous gifts, a debt which, however hard we may try, it will be impossible for us to adequately repay.”

Liverpool, London, Birmingham, Coventry, Hull, Taunton, Swanscombe, Dover and scores of other cities, towns and villages received mobile canteens. By the end of the war at least sixty mobile kitchens were donated by Guelph and Wellington County citizens.

In 1942, the Folkestone Herald said very succinctly how valuable these contributions were.

“You will recall that the trailer was the gift of the people of Guelph and surrounding towns in Canada. They will be pleased to know, I am sure, that the canteen has already been in action. It was used after the blitz on Canterbury and from it hundreds of firemen, tired and thirsty, were provided with tea and food.

In the small hours of the morning, when the fires were burning in the city, the Canteen was a veritable Godsend.”

Guelph and Wellington County’s donations to the war effort, and specifically to the relief of bombing and shelling victims, illustrate perfectly the adage that “they also serve who only stand and wait.”

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Figure 5 Nov. 6, 1942, Acton Gazette and West London Post

Figure 6 Aug 13, 1941, Hull Daily Mail

Figure 7 Swanscombe Council Document - Guelph Historical Society