London Reunions at the Beaver Club

The Beaver Club, a social center for Canadian servicemen on leave, provided the Canadian atmosphere and fellowship that was missing for the men overseas. Influenced by the Beaver Hut, a similar club in World War I, the Beaver Club stood for six years and a day, from 1940-1946. A location for securing sweets, chocolates, and tobacco, one of the best features of the Club was the connection to home over the CBC radio.

On Sunday, January 23rd, 1944, a CBC film crew captured almost one hundred Powell River boys and girls as they attended the second Powell River Overseas Reunion at the Beaver Club, in London, England.
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Jointly hosted by the Powell River Company, and the Canadian Army Public Relations Department, the reunion was for mill employees serving overseas. Powell River was the first district in Canada to officially organize reunions for their sons and daughters overseas. The half-hour film was presented compliments of the Powell River Company and President Harold Foley who paid for the expenses involved. Narrated by well known radio commentator Don Wilson of Vancouver, and edited and arranged by J.A. Lundie, the film was shown at three public showings on Sunday March 5th, 1944 at the Patricia Theater and served as a chance for the families of those in the service to see and hear their loved ones.

 A one of a kind film, The Powell River Company was proud to have been associated in keeping the link between home and the men on the front, and hoped that the motion pictures of the Reunion forged the link even closer”.
​                                                      - March 1944,  Powell River Digester

July 26, 1942 Reunion

• Vol.18/1942/No.8-Aug. p.8 – “Heading the Powell River service parade was the London reunion of local overseas men, at the Canadian Beaver Club, on July 26th. Through the initiative of LAC “Tish” Schon, this affair brought 72 Powell River boys of all ranks and services together in London, for what all describe as an outstanding day in their lives. The boys marched through London as a disciplined body, visiting Westminster Abbey and other historical spots, and returned to the Beaver Club for a special banquet, at which the Agent General for BC, and other notables, were present. This is the first known instance of an organized get-together of men from any one district in Canada during this war. Powell River has pioneered the home town reunion in the Canadian overseas forces. The reunion was featured in the papers and on the radio.”
• Vol.18/1942/No.8-Aug. p.15 – “Scores of letters are now coming in from the boys overseas, telling of the wonderful time they had at this historic gathering in London on July 26. They tell the story of Corp. Joe Graham and a couple of pals walking into a London pub that night. Joe shouted out at the top of voice, “Powell River ‘’Shun”-and half the population of the pub shouted “Here!”
• Vol.18/1942/No.9-Sep. p.4/5/6 – “The pictures on this page are historic. They were taken at the Canadian Beaver Hut in London, and show seventy-one Powell River boys, collected on one spot and at one hour. This reunion of Powell River boys in the overseas forces is unique in the history of war. To our knowledge, it is the first organized reunion of any group from a special area. The boys were representative of all branches of the service, and came from widely scattered military areas. The idea of a Powell River overseas reunion was originated by Corp. “Tish” Schon, RCAF, former local business man. Corp. Schon contacted Canadian officials in London, interviewed the staff at the Beaver Club, and arranged for special entertainment. The Powell River Company was privileged to assit Corp. Schon in this historic gathering. The Company sent airmail letters to commanding officers of overseas units, asking for co-operation in arranging leave for Powell River boys in the unit. In each case this co-operation was unreservedly given, and the Company wishes to take the opportunity of thanking the officers commanding the First Seaforths, the First Battalion, Canadian Scottish, the New Westminster Regiment, for their personal assistance in arranging necessary leave for Powell River boys in their battalions. Their sympathetic co-operation along with that of many squadron leaders and unit commanders, was largely responsible for the wonderful success of the London reunion. Acting in co-operation with Corp. Schon, the company contacted every individual Powell Riverite overseas, and the response was amazing. Every local lad who could possibly leave his unit was there, and many others, tied up in operational duties or too far away to make the trip, sent in letters and telegrams of regret. Of the Powell River men stationed in England, all but a few were present. In addition, Jack Grundle came down from Scotland, and Bruce Patterson travelled from Ireland. Sergt.-Pilot Martin Naylor arrived late in the afternoon, apologizing because he had spent the night in hospital after being shot down over the Channel the day before. Scores of letters from the boys telling of the reunion have poured in. One and all consider it a red letter day in their lives. “We resumed,” said Corp. Joe Graham, “the old arguments we started three years ago!” “It was a grand day,” Pilot Officer Jock Kyles writes. “It looked like Powell River had taken over London for the day – and they just about did that.” “Thanks for getting us to know about the reunion,” says Gunner Howard Rowe. “It was the first time since my arrival in England in 1939 that I have met any of the old gang. It was the best thing that has happened to me over here.” And so they talked, as scores of local boys pumped each others hands, swapped gossip of the home town, and visited most of the famous spots of London, including the “pubs”. At the Beaver Club banquet, Corp. Schon received the well deserved thanks of the boys for his efforts. Later in the week, Corp. Schon was given a special seven-minute broadcast over the CBC, which was heard by almost everyone in Powell River. Present at the Beaver Club Banquet were Mr. McAdam, Agent-General for British Columbia, and A.C. Cummings of the Canadian Press, who wrote a special despatch on the reunion. The Powell River get-together, as suggested, is unique in the history of this war. Powell River is the first community in Canada to arrange an organized reunion of its sons overseas. The thanks of the residents of Powell River are due to Corp. “Tish” Schon for suggesting and organizing the overseas entertainment - an undertaking in which the Powell River Company was proud to have a share.”
• Vol.18/1942/No.9-Sep. p.23 – When the Powell River boys of the Canadian Scottish left for Debert Camp, in Eastern Canada, they carried with them a Powell River emblem, made by the ladies of Powell River. This emblem was used in group pictures in the east, and when the regiment sailed for overseas the flag was taken along. And when the boys gathered at the Beaver Hut, the Scottish lads had the forethought to take the much cherished emblem along. So in the reunion pictures, the ladies of Powell River are seeing the old emblem they sent away with the boys. This is now in the custody of Corp. Schon, and is being returned to Powell River for safe keeping.”
• Jul/46, p.4 – (photo caption) “Under the inspiration of Flying Officer Trish Scion, and with the co-operation of the Powell River Company, the Canadian Legion, and residents at home, Powell River personnel staged two successful Overseas reunions at the Beaver Club, in London. Above, (photos) the two groups at the first reunion, held on July 26, 1942.” (also see below - Vol.19/1943/No.3-Mar. p.8)
• Vol.18/1942/No.9-Sep. p.24 – “The overseas organization of the Beaver Club reunion, which has been detailed in these pages, was handled by Corp. L.A. “Tish” Schon, RCAF. “Tish” was the originator of the idea, and has received the thanks of all the boys for the splendid manner in which he carried out all arrangements. He was a busy man. He interviewed Beaver Club officials, saw the BC representatives in London, arranged for special entertainment, and for about two months all his spare time was spent on this one project. “Tish” must be as we are gratified with the outcome of his efforts-and we take this opportunity, on behalf of all the residents of Powel River and district, of publicly expressing to Corp. Schon out appreciation and thanks.”
• Vol.19/1943/No.3-Mar. p.8 – “In the late sunner of 1941, the First Battalion, Canadian Scottish Regiment, started the first leg of its overseas voyage by journeying across Canada to Debert, Nova Scotia. Before the battalion left, members of the Lukin Johnston Chapter IODE presented the Powell River members of that famous outfit with a special Powell River emblem. The emblem stayed with the boys at Debert. When the battalion went overseas, the flag was carried along, and when seventy-five Powell River boys came together for a historic reunuion in London in July, 1942, the IODE emblem was in the forefront of the picture. Following the London reunion, the emblem was sent back to Powell River and turned over for safe-keeping to the Lukin Johnston Chapter.”

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May 22, 1943 Reunion

• Vol.19/1943/No.4-Apr. p.13 – “On Saturday, May 22nd, Powell River will hold the second of its now famous reunions. The place will be the Beaver Club-and the time any time on Saturday. All overseas boys have been contacted by the Company, and the Company and the Canadian Legion will share the expenses of providing meals and refreshments for the boys at the reunion. Pilot Officer Tish Schon will handle overseas arrangements, and plans have ben prepared to hold a special dance in Powell River on the same day.”
  
• Apr/43, p.6 – “We have just sent out Airmail letters to all the troops overseas about the Powell River reunion in London, on May 22nd. If this note arrives before the reunion, we hope the boys overseas will do their stuff in the approved Powell River manner. For the benefit of any of our local boys who may still be in Canada, but may be going overseas shortly, keep this date, Saturday, May 22nd. You will be welcome at the Beaver Club, London, on that day.”
• Jul/43, p.1 – “Practically every letter received during the month expresses disappointment over the fact that the boys were unable to attend the Powell River Re-union in London on May 22nd, due to late receipt of invitations.
  
• We regret this as much as you, but if it is any consolation, the re-union was not held owing to the failure of the troops to arrive. We may say that the invitations, which were sent airmail promptly upon receipt of Pilot Officer Shon’s note, were over five weeks in transit. In any case it is possible that another re-union will be held early this Fall and arrangements will be made sufficiently in advance so that everyone will be informed in time and will be able to make necessary arrangements to attend.”

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January 23, 1944 Reunion

• 23/Jan/44, p.1 – The Beaver Club Reunion holds the spotlight at the moment. We have had frantic phone calls from half the mothers, sisters, wives and sweethearts wanting to know if their particular boy friend was in attendance. All we could say was, “I dunno.”
• The whole town is agog waiting for the sound picture to arrive. We have been besieged with requests for reserve seats. The sound pictures are the property of the Powell River Company and will be available for future Ex-Service Mens’ “stags” or public occasions. We can drag them out anytime. They were made possible by some long distance wires, cables and telephone talks between our President Harold Foley and moving picture owners. News that a number of our girls were present at the Reunion lent an additional touch of interest and color to the proceedings. By the time our next issue comes out, we will have seen the movies, and promise a special description of local reaction. (The odd wife is wondering just what condition Hubby would be in for the official “do” on Sunday, after the unofficial parties on Saturday night.) Any sidelights on the show will be welcome, and the boys out in Italy, the Middle and Far East, will be glad to have this information. So give us the low down in your next letter!”
• Feb/44, p.1 – “News of the Reunion is just percolating over the wires and through the Underground. The films have arrived in Canada, but there is some editing, etc. to be done before we show them in Powell River. By the way, if any of you fellows have any private snaps of groups or reunion scenes, we could use them in our business. And that goes for any non-censorable ones you have of camp scenes etc. anywhere. We did hear that sixteen of the troops took Doris Humphrey to a show. We told that to a few of the local lassies, and Doris is now about as popular as a hive of bees at a picnic.”
• Feb/44, p.4 – “The first pictures of the Beaver Club Reunion have just come in. Splattered all over the front page of the Sun and in the Province. Pretty snazzy too! We liked that 16 men and a girl one, with Doris Humphry [sic] surrounded by local wolves. And that one in front of Trafalgar Square (not so clear, but we will make a better job in the Digester) was smart, by gad! Mrs. Mollie Parkin and Mrs. Margaret Messmer were strutting around the office like pouter pigeons after looking at that photo of their husbands grinning like a couple of cream licking cats. Also rather taken with the one of Corp. Zella Stade gazing soulfully into Albert Mitchell’s large brown eyes (what ho! Lieut. Rorke!) Liked the group with Bat MacIntyre, Walt Vandervoort, Lionel Rorke, Martin Naylor, Roy Lund, Gene Messmer, all in dignified relaxation. And Cpl. Jack Leclair and Sgt. Gord. Smith, natty lads, what, what! We thought we detected Camille Perry in the mob on the steps, but will have to wait for the actual pictures. These newspaper cuts are not so hot. And we didn’t see Corp. Earl Dore or Squad. Leader Jock Kyles in any of the pictures. They may turn up later. Quite a number of new faces – and you chaps got a break when we wrote the girls to rag along to watch and correct your erring footsteps. (What about it, Doris, did you keep them in order?)
• This is only a snatch preview. The sound pictures will be along in a few days so we will probably devote all of our March issue to telling you the home folks’ reaction, who was there, and what Bill’s wife said to Jack’s sister, as the boys passed down Piccadilly.”
• Vol.20/1944/No.3-Mar. p.1 – “On Sunday, January 23, 1944, over one hundred Powell River boys and girls held the second Powell River Overseas Reunion at the Beaver Club, London. By the time this issue is out, our local readers will have viewed the Powell River Company’s sound film, “Reunion in London”, which covers scenes at the gathering. From scores of letters received, this reunion was a real old home town day for these boys and girls of ours. They converged on London from all corners of the United Kingdom, and from all branches of the Service. Powell River was the first district in Canada to officially organize reunions of their sons and daughters overseas; and few will question the effect on morale of such gatherings. It is doubtful if there could be found anywhere in the Canadian Army Overseas, a group of men and women as well knit and as home-town conscious as these youngsters from Powell River. The Powell River Company is proud to have been associated in the maintenance of this link between the home front and our men overseas, and hope that the motion pictures of theReunion will have forged the link even closer.”
• Vol.20/1944/No.3-Mar. p.16 – “This month most of us were privileged to see the Powell River Company’s film, “Reunion in London”. It was a very intimate film. It was a family film. Many Powell River fathers and mothers, wives and sisters, saw well-loved members of their family speaking and talking to us. They were a fine clean-cut body of men and women. Officials of the Beaver Club describe the Powell River Reunion as the most orderly and well conducted affair of their experience. We expect that kind of a report, because we know the fine crowd of youngsters who have left here to fight our fight on the war fronts of the world. It was a heartening spectacle, the picture of that “Old Gang of Ours”. What a swell bunch of kids they are, and how they appreciate the little kindnesses and thoughts of the folks in the old home town.”
• Mar/44, p.5 – “Guess you have heard all about the Reunion pictures in letters from home. We showed them on Sunday, March 5th. And over 1100 people came out. Quite a number of relatives came up from Vancouver and way points for the day. Johnny Lawson’s mother and father were there; and Frank O’Neill’s mother; and Norman Hill’s old mentor Mr. Lang left his Courtenay drug business for four days just to see Norm. And Pete Holborne’s mother and sister were beaming with honest pride as Pete did his stuff in approved style.
• It was certainly a treat to see so many of the old crowd face to face and to hear the old Powell River line still going strong. And by the way, despite rationing, we can’t honestly say any of you fellows looked underfed. On the contrary, men! Batt MacIntyre, in his usual vein, drew gasps of admiration from the spectators (female) and beams of pride from his mother and other relatives. Mrs. Jean Foote told everyone within hearing “that’s my cousin, you know”. And you should have listened to the girls under twenty five and over twenty discussing that moustache of Martin Naylor’s. There were many sighs of envy as Doris Humphrey and Zella Stade, appeared and reappeared surrounded by hopeful swains. And Johnnie Lawson was doing all right for himself – in fact, everybody seemed to be in here pitching.
• We showed the pictures to four separate audiences, and at every performance we caught Mollie Parkin, Maragret Messmer and quite a number of others, coming back for more.
• These sound pictures are the permanent property of the Powell River Company and will be available for special showings now and after the war. It is a unique record, and we believe Powell River is the only spot in Canada that has a personal film record of its men and women overseas. Arrangements were made by Mr. H.S. Foley with Canadian Public Relations (Army) to film the Reunion, which constitutes a record we are all proud of. You’ll enjoy seeing them.”
• Apr/44, p.5 – “We showed the Reunion pictures in the Stanley Theatre, Vancouver recently. Special showing by invitation to all ex-Powell Riverites in Vancouver. About six hundred people turned out and it was a second home town reunion. Almost everybody was there, and they had to call in the cops to clear the street. A lot of improptu parties took place later and the old Powell River spirit was much in evidence.”
• - Vol.20/1944/No.4-Apr. p.8 – “On Saturday, January 23rd, 1944, the Second Annual Reunion of Powell River Service Men and Women was held at the Beaver Club in London. For the home folks this Reunion held more than ordinary signifigance, since the Powell River Conpany, through the initiative of President Harold S. Foley, had arranged for a special sound movie to be taken of the proceedings. On Sunday, March 5th, through the courtesy of Myron C. McLeod, Patricia Theatre, and his staff, the Reunion pictures were shown for the first time in Powell River. Over 1100 residents turned out and three consecutive showings were made to crowded houses. The film is the permanent property of, and all rights were purchased by, the Powell River Company. We believe this film record is unique among the industrial firms of this, and perhaps, any continent. The Company, by special arrangement with the Canadian Army Public Relations Department had the film record made of over 100 of their former employees, collected at one time and at one spot, in the Empire’s capital. Parents and wives saw the film several times, and hundreds of local residents were grateful for this opportunity to see and hear their old friends on the screen. “We are happy that we were able to obtain these films and to bring our people these intimate picture of their boys and girls,” stated Mr. Foley. “The expressions of appreciation which I have personally received from Powell River mothers and wives have more than repaid us for our efforts,”
• Jul/46, p.5 – (photo caption) “The second Powell River reunion, January 23, 1944, of which the Powell River Company made a 20-minute sound film which has been shown to over 2,000 residents to date. These reunions earned a high reputation for Powell River in the Canadian Armed Forces.”
• Jul/46, p16 – “Doris (Humphrey) has the honor of being the sole feminine representative of Powell River at the Overseas Reunion in January, 1944.”