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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
Announcements
- 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.
- The Wartime Memories Project has been running for 25 years. If you would like to support us, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting and admin or this site will vanish from the web.
- 19th Nov 2024 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than
264989 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible.
- Looking for help with Family History Research?
Please read our Family History FAQs
- The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.
If you enjoy this site
please consider making a donation.
Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted
photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them.
The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted.
World War 1 One ww1 wwII second 1939 1945 battalion
Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Want to know more about Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, Canadian Army? There are:57 items tagged Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, Canadian Army available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Pte. Archillie Joseph Cecil "Archie" Paul My grandfather's grave says, Pte Archibald Paul, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. Sorry I don't know anything else I came to this site looking for information.
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John Dewis Queens Own Cameron Highlanders My Grandfather, Jack Dewis served with the Camerons during WWII. He was on the Dieppe Raid and one of the few that made it to the boats.
I have a telegram he wrote to my grandmother after the raid
and some of his service records and I have his medals including his Dieppe Medal.
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Major. James Pennington Carlyle Macpherson MC, CD. 1st Battalion Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa  James Macpherson served with the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa from the early days of the 2nd World War. After initial training at Camp Borden near Ottawa, the Camerons were sent to Iceland as part of the defence perimeter protecting the North Atlantic before arriving in England. They undertook further training at HMS Brontosaurus at Castle Toward north of Glasgow in preparation for the D-Day landing.
The Camerons landed under fire but Jim and his machine gun unit survived and went on to sweep through The Netherlands, eventually assigned to clear our the last resistance across the border in Germany before returning home to Canada.
Jim was awarded the Military Cross for his valour.
After the war he returned to Canada where he had a distinguished career with the Bank of Montreal and continued his affiliation with Canada's military. He remained a member of the Cameron's while in Ottawa. He was appointed Lt. Col. of the Royal Montreal Regiment and was President of the Vimy Branch of the Canadian Legion in London, Ontario. He was also made a Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem (KStJ) for his service.
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L/Cpl. Alfred John Vinne Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, RCIC (d.19th Aug 1942) Hello
My name is Linda Franklin I live in Christchurch, New Zealand.
My Grand Father was Cpl. Alfred John Vinnie, killed 19th August 1942 at the Battle of Dieppe.
My Father Richard Vinnie [deceased] with his sister, Paddy Vinnie came to NZ after the Second World War with his mother, Daisy Franklin nee Vinnie and Henry Franklin.
They were adopted and had the last name Franklin.
For years my Dad who is now deceased and Auntie Paddy and Nana Daisy never spoke of my grandfather, Alfred John Vinnie, Dad and Auntie Paddy were aware of some relatives who contacted Dad from England who are now deceased. Dad and Auntie Paddy never spoke too much about it as grandad Franklin adored them and they didn't want to hurt mum or Dad.
Dad passed away and we spoke of it before he died.
Auntie Paddy and myself talk about it a lot.
Anyway to cut it short Auntie Paddy had an article in a Candida paper as he can come and play rugby league for Canada. His name is Brad Austin.
When we all read the article we realised this was the first photo Auntie Paddy had ever seen of her father. Auntie Paddy is now 81 years old. We are all shocked. What I would like to know is can anyone send information or photos or tell us more about grandfather please.
I know they lived at 337 College Ave.
Dad and Auntie Paddy name before he left Canda was
Richard Arthur Vinnie [Franklin]
Children Patrick Franklin
Linda Franklin
Vicki Franklin
Carl Franklin
Paddy Vinnie
Robert Austin
Belinda Austin
Step Austin
Lance Austin
Please if anyone has any photos or can tell us more please could they contact us.
Kindest regards Linda Franklin, 44 Glob Bay Drive, Templeton, Christchurch 8042
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Pte. William Leopold Newman MM. D Coy. Queens Own Cameron Highlanders William Newman received the Military Medal for his actions at Dieppe on 19th of August 1942.
He was captured three weeks after the Dieppe raid and was in at least three prison camps, including Oflag 7B, before being moved to Stalag 2D. He was held in this camp from sometime in 1944 until February of 1945.
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Lt.Col. James Pennington Carlyle Macpherson MC. Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa James Macpherson MC was Lt Colonel of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa.
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F/O. Raymond Joseph Gauvreau DFC. 626 Squadron   D.F.C. London Gazette 13th of February 1945.
The Recommendation, dated 5th of November 1944, states: 'Flying Officer Gauvreau, a Canadian, as pilot and captain of aircraft has carried out 30 operational sorties against the enemy. These sorties have included such important targets as Kiel, Stuttgart (three attacks), Stettin and Russelheim. Throughout this, his first tour of operations, Flying Officer Gauvreau has shown himself to be a competent and skillful pilot and his keen offensive spirit coupled with his fearlessness has set a magnificent example to his crew. His captaincy and determination have been of a high order enabling him at all times to drive home his attacks to the fullest advantage. I recommend that Flying Officer Gauvreau’s fine record and devotion to duty be rewarded by the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.'
Raymond Gauvreau was born on 30th September 1921 in Ottawa, Ontario, and was educated at LaSalle Academy, The Glebe, Ottawa.
He served with the Cameron Highlanders from 1940 to 1942 and was employed at Ottawa Car and Aircraft Limited, before enlisting with the Royal Canadian Air Force at No. 5 Manning Depot in Lachine, Quebec, on 30th of April 1942.
Receiving his wings as a Sergeant Pilot on 25th of June 1943, he proceeded to England in July of that year, and after serving with No. 30 Operational Training Unit at R.A.F. Seighford, Staffordshire, he was commissioned Pilot Officer in April 1944. Posted to No. 626 Squadron at R.A.F. Wickenby, Lincolnshire on 16th of June 1944.
He later reflected on the creation of his flight crew, along with another pilot he had met getting ready for his first mission which would prove to be a fatal one:
"I served with the 626 Squadron in England, from an airport called Wickenby. I started right into the Lancasters. They sent me to a station in central England where they had a variety of every crew member imaginable, from gunners to navigators, but not pilots. I was sent to that station with a date at a certain point to pick out six men to join me as my crew members. I was completely in the dark about what it involved, but when I got to it, I got to this big building and opened the door and it looked like I was entering a huge double gymnasium, loaded with people who were all aircrew members of different stations in an aircraft, from a tail gunner to a navigator. I immediately closed the door and stood back, and said, I’ve got to go in there and pick out six men, and I don’t know a soul? There was nobody to talk to. I was all by myself. I finally said a prayer, and I said, “Lord, help me to do this.” I walked in and before I could even close the door, there was a great big guy stood in front of me and says, "my name is George MacIntosh from [Fort] MacLeod, Alberta, I’m a navigator and I’d like to join your crew, will you take me on?" I says, "you bet, George, shake hands." And as we were shaking hands, five more men came walking right over, and I signed all of them on; and that became my crew. Oh, one other Canadian was John Halliday from Welland, Ontario and the rest were British chaps from a variety of places in England. After I had completed six trips, my first six trips, a young pilot came to my billet; and he was allocated the extra bed that I had in that particular billet. And since he was just starting off his trips – that night he was going to have his first trip while I was having my eighth: it was my eighth trip; it was his first trip – I got acquainted with him and helped him to unpack his luggage, and so forth. He took a photograph and put it on the table between our beds; and it was a picture of his wife and his one-year-old daughter back home in Winnipeg. And, however, we went to the flights later on and got ready for my usual bombing trip; and when I got back, about 2:30 in the morning, he hadn’t yet arrived. So I stretched out on the bed and waited for him, so we could talk over what happened. A short time later, a knock came on the door and it was my station commander who said, “Ray, I’m sorry to tell you this, but your friend has not returned, will you please repack his luggage so we can send it back to his wife in Canada.” It left me with real sad memories thinking about my wife whom I married just two weeks before I left for overseas."
Gauvreau and his crew flew numerous sorties over ten locations in France, bombing various targets between 20thof June and 19th of July 1944, including Reims, Liegscourt, Vaires, Saint Pol, Viezon-Ville, Domleger, Orleans, Foret-de-Croc, Caen (twice) and Tours. The month of July would conclude with missions to Courtrai, Belgium on 20 July and over a span of five days, from 23 to 28 July, three sorties to Germany: Kiel and Stuttgart (twice). In the period between 8 August and 19 October 1944, further sorties were flown to France (Aire, Falaise Sector, Le Havre, Calais and Cap Oriz Nes), Holland (Volkel, Gent, Eindhoven and Weskapelle), Belgium (Frederick Hendric), and Germany (Russelsheim, Stettin, Saarbrucken, Duisburg (twice) and Stuttgart).
At the end of his tour he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. By his own recollection, Gauvreau dropped a bomb over Caen, which was marked with the personal message 'To Adolf, from the Ottawa Car and Aircraft Limited of Ottawa'. He died in Ottawa in August 2015, at the age of 93.
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