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The Start of the War, Recruitment, and the Regiment
Credits:Oshawa Community Archives
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General Motors of Canada War Advertisement20th Century 1939- 1945
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Credits:General Motors of Canada, 'War Bond Advertisements', Oshawa
Oshawa Community Archives
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"It was early morning when I went downstairs to see my father in his pajamas and maroon housecoat. All he said was, 'well its started'." -Bill Wells
"Terrible wars, and us Canadians did the best we could with what we had. I hope to God it never happens again" -Resident at Sunnycrest Retirement Home
"The most horrible part of it all is the waiting, and not knowing if they are coming home" -Resident at Sunnycrest Retirement Home
"All the men we knew and neighbours wanted to enlist. They all wanted to protect our country and support Britain in the war." - Jeannette Mark Nugent
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National Registration Certificate20th Century, August 19, 1940
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Oshawa Community Archives
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Men on march20th Century 1940-1946
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Credits:General Motors of Canada Archives, Oshawa
Oshawa Community Archives
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Recruitment (R2)20th Centuy, July 10, 2006
Credits:Oshawa Community Archives
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General Motors of Canada Service Flag20th Century 1940-1950
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Oshawa Community Archives, Post card collection
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Final inspection of the Ontario Regiment before leaving for overseas20th Century, 1939- 1945
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Oshawa Times- Gazette, Welcome Home Edition, Canada
Oshawa Community Archives
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Ontario Tank Regimental Badge20th Century 1939- 1946
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Oshawa Times- Gazette, Nov 1945, Welcome Home Edition, Canada
Oshawa Community Archives
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Military fathers with their daughters and sons20th Century 1939-1945
Canadian Pacific Rail, West of Simcoe St. S and South of Avenue St.
Credits:Thomas Bouckley Collection, Robert McLaughlin Gallery
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"I remember the long lineups of men enlisting. Many of them were quite young." - Phyllis Sprostak
"I remember the billeting of soldiers at the [Williams] Piano Company" - Marion Manning
"When the war came I volunteered but couldn't leave until I served the four years of my apprenticeship." - Alex Hill
"Dad was too old to join the army. He did join the Ontario Regiment the local Militia. I joined as well. I applied to join the army in 1943. I wasn't old enough, I was in for 6 months. I was discharged because I was underage and then the war ended." -Charlie Russell
"The war came along in the summer and she said [wife Irene] 'You really want to go don't you? Don't let us stop you.' I spent a couple of days up in Toronto. Here's this little squirt who got signed. That night I was in Ottawa serving. I had two brothers who signed up - one went overseas the other one was sent to the east coast." - Earl Hann
"I went into the army for $1.20 a day. In the late thirties you went to the camp in Kingston. If you joined you were a member of the militia in 38. In 39 they said I had a perforated eardrum. In 1942 I joined the artillery. They just said "he's warm." In 1940 they mobilized the regiment. They lived in the old [Williams] Piano building. Some of them were in the piano building some were in peoples houses. [A] Friend of mine came from Toronto and stayed with a family and after the war became life long friends." - Elmer Lewis
"None of my four brother's enlisted here in Oshawa. Two of my brothers went to Picton to enlist with the Hasty P's. I drove down to Kingston to join the Navy. They said I was too old. I didn't like being told I couldn't go. My mother loved it and so did my brothers. My mother already had four sons she was worried about - she was happy that I was here." - Lee Rolson
"I remember the billeting of soldiers at the [Williams] Piano Company. My husband was called up. They had conscription when he was 21, he was called up [and] he had to go. He was called a Zombie. He was sent for basic training; he tried to get into the Air Force, he had electrical training. He was category A1 but he came out of the war 4F. They joined the active service after training - he didn't like the idea of being called a "zombie". He went into Toronto and Newmarket and Camp Borden." -Marion Manning
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The Ontario Regiment waiting at the station20th Centuy June 1941
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Thomas Bouckley Collection, Robert McLaughlin Gallery
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"In 1941 my dad joined the Navy RCNVR (Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve). Dad was in the First World War, dad was a machinist then, he had experience with marine engines. He was stationed in Halifax from 1941-45. He was an "engine room artisifer" [and] he wanted to go overseas. He was too important as a marine engineer; they wouldn't let him go he was too valuable. He wanted to go. They stuck him in Halifax. When dad signed up he went to exhibition grounds in Toronto, he enlisted up there. My dad's two brother-in-laws waited for awhile. One of them enlisted and got to pick what he would do. The other brother-in-law was conscripted and he didn't get a choice. He was on "mop up" duty during the war. Part of his job was to make everything work properly and it was dangerous. A lot of places left land mines. My uncle was in the reserve Ontario Tank. He never went overseas. He did the training all about the tanks." - Murray Mackay
"Coldron Building in Oshawa on Ritson Road West was where the men played ping pong and hang out. Frances remembers the ladies [it was rumoured] would take ladders and climb up to see the men." -Yvonne Cory
"I tried to get into the services both in Oshawa and in Toronto. I tried to get into the Air Force; because I had my accounting degree they said I was more valuable at home. My sister belonged to the Wrens. She got as far as the east coast and did some training. We had a lad from Britain who came for Sunday dinners to my parent's house on Mary Street. He took my sister out a few times. Hayden McDonald was the chair of the local committee that organized visits for the British soldiers in Oshawa." -Syd Hopkins
"There was always a lot of activity around the Armour[ies], always soldiers on duty. It was a busy place." - Jeannette Mark Nugent
"I remember my brother enlisting at the Armouries and ultimately being sent to Chilliwack, B.C. for his training. When he arrived overseas my parents received a telegram that said it had originated in 'Sansorigine'. We frantically searched maps and atlases to find out where 'Sansorigine' was. It wasn't until sometime later that [we found out] 'Sansorigine' was mere French for 'without origin'." - Bill Wells
"Greatest guy in Oshawa, Colonel Bob Smith, he started the Maple Leaf Insurance Company, Farmer's Insurance. He was Colonel of the regiment in the 30s and when war came along they made him Colonel again." -Elmer Lewis
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D-Day (R4)20th Century, July 10, 2006
Credits:Oshawa Community Archives
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