Records of Military Service
Compiled by Lee Coulter
World War I
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At the beginning of the Great War (1914-1918), there were approximately 600 employees, mostly construction workers, working for the Powell River Company. In 1914, many of them left to volunteer as soldiers to serve their country. Overall, 12 soldiers from Powell River lost their lives on the Western Front:
After WWI, the Powell River Company made it a policy to hire returning veterans including: John MacGregor, Joe Falconer, Robert Taylor and many others. |
List of Powell River Servicemen in WWI from "The Gold Stripe: A Tribute to the British Columbia Men who have been Killed, Crippled and Wounded in the Great War: A Book of War, Peace and Remembrance" Vol. II, 1919. Pg. 16. *Not a definitive list
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World War II
The following information has been gleaned from two sources: (a) the issues of the Monthly News Letter sent by the Powell River Company to its men and women who left to serve during WWII either in Canada or overseas in Europe, Africa and Asia, and (b) from Volumes 15-22 (1939-1946) of The Digester, published by the Powell River Company. The photos are from the archival collections of the PRHMA. Additional information on the individuals who served, listed on these pages, will likely be found in the Powell River News & Town Crier. These records can be accessed onsite at the Powell River Historical Museum & Archives by making an appointment with archival staff.
For the News Letter, each item has been identified with the month, year and page number of the issue in which it appeared. [Unfortunately there are six missing issues: Mar/Jun/Sep/Oct/Nov/Dec from 1943, and, if produced, any issue after Jun/45 until the final issue of Jul/46.]
For the Digester, the entries are indicated by Volume/Year/Number-Month and page. The Digester is invaluable for pre-1943 data.
The News Letters served two purposes, as the Editor in the first issue explained.
“The officials of the Company thought you might be interested in hearing news of your friends and chums in the Service: and accordingly Our News Letter will be partly composed of extracts from letters received from Powell River boys in all branches of the Armed Services and partly of quick flashes from the Home Front.” (Feb/43, p.1)
News from and about Servicewomen was added as well, from May/43 on, as it became increasingly clear that Powell River’s women were not content to stay home.
The biggest problem in compiling a database like this is the probability that some typing errors may creep into the pages as the data is transferred. However, original spelling errors have been left uncorrected, followed by a “[sic]” marking.
For the News Letter, each item has been identified with the month, year and page number of the issue in which it appeared. [Unfortunately there are six missing issues: Mar/Jun/Sep/Oct/Nov/Dec from 1943, and, if produced, any issue after Jun/45 until the final issue of Jul/46.]
For the Digester, the entries are indicated by Volume/Year/Number-Month and page. The Digester is invaluable for pre-1943 data.
The News Letters served two purposes, as the Editor in the first issue explained.
“The officials of the Company thought you might be interested in hearing news of your friends and chums in the Service: and accordingly Our News Letter will be partly composed of extracts from letters received from Powell River boys in all branches of the Armed Services and partly of quick flashes from the Home Front.” (Feb/43, p.1)
News from and about Servicewomen was added as well, from May/43 on, as it became increasingly clear that Powell River’s women were not content to stay home.
The biggest problem in compiling a database like this is the probability that some typing errors may creep into the pages as the data is transferred. However, original spelling errors have been left uncorrected, followed by a “[sic]” marking.
Large Group Leaves Powell River - June 26, 1940
“June 26 was an outstanding day in Powell River. On that day our greatest mass migration of enlisted men left us to go to war. It was a day that will live long in our memory. Who of us will ever forget that memorable, sad evening, when the “cream of the crop” marched down to the old Princess Mary?
The whole town was there. Former service men turned out en masse to join the march to the dock. The Pipe Band, playing the “Road to the Isles”, led the parade. A teeming mass of humanity-mothers, sisters, parents, sweethearts-thronged the docks. Discipline melted as good-byes were said and the boys started on the long trek that finished nearly six years later with the collapse of Germany and Japan. It was a cheering tumultuous mob, new to and as yet untouched by war. Famous infantry formations-The Canadian Scottish, Irish Fusiliers, The “Dukes”, the Westminster, were all represented in that grand group of boys who went off to war on that never-to-be-forgotten day. Thereafter, repetition and loss of loved ones blunted the first flush of fever that infected all of us on June 26, 1940. Yet it was a spectacle, which in a minor key was re-enacted for the next six years. Every time the Princess Mary whistled it brought a feeling of sadness, for it meant more of our young men heading for the holocaust of war. Hundreds of Powell River youngsters, in the full flame of their manhood, ascended the gangplank of the Mary in those long years, many of them, alas, for the last time. One June 26, 1940, war came to Powell River." (Jul/46, p.8/9 ).
The whole town was there. Former service men turned out en masse to join the march to the dock. The Pipe Band, playing the “Road to the Isles”, led the parade. A teeming mass of humanity-mothers, sisters, parents, sweethearts-thronged the docks. Discipline melted as good-byes were said and the boys started on the long trek that finished nearly six years later with the collapse of Germany and Japan. It was a cheering tumultuous mob, new to and as yet untouched by war. Famous infantry formations-The Canadian Scottish, Irish Fusiliers, The “Dukes”, the Westminster, were all represented in that grand group of boys who went off to war on that never-to-be-forgotten day. Thereafter, repetition and loss of loved ones blunted the first flush of fever that infected all of us on June 26, 1940. Yet it was a spectacle, which in a minor key was re-enacted for the next six years. Every time the Princess Mary whistled it brought a feeling of sadness, for it meant more of our young men heading for the holocaust of war. Hundreds of Powell River youngsters, in the full flame of their manhood, ascended the gangplank of the Mary in those long years, many of them, alas, for the last time. One June 26, 1940, war came to Powell River." (Jul/46, p.8/9 ).
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You can also visit: pruhoww2.weebly.com/ a website created in memory of the 62 local servicemen who died serving their country during WWII. |
