SWE Highlight - Remembering World War II with Captain Jack Kemp

Captain Jack Kemp was born on 1913 in Halkhurst in Kent, England. He emigrated to Canada soon after turning 16, and joined the Army in July 1940.

In the interview, Kemp recounts his enlistment, training, posting in England, preparations for the assault on Dieppe, receiving regimental colours from King George VI, V1 "buzz bombs," landing in Normandy, being shot by a sniper in Falaise, France, repatriation to Canada, and life in post-war Lloydminster.

Captain Kemp recalls what it was like be to shot by a sniper:

I ran across the road to look to se which would be the . . . you know, whether we could actually go up this road at all or whether you'd have to clamber over all the stuff. And then suddenly, and then something made me shake my head like that and I could only see about this width and I thought well somebody's hit me and then I guess I fell over and then the nex thing I knew I opened my eyes and Sergeant Major was trying to get this book out of the big pocket on my battle dress. And anyway, they . . . what happened was, over in teh castle, you know, the castle had round towers, with long slits in it, about that wide . . . He was in this castle. (page 20)

Capt. Jack Kemp recounts experiences in WWII was submitted to the Saskatchewan War Experience by the Lloydminster Regional Archives.

SWE Highlight - The Saskatchewan Gazette 1914

This issue of The Saskatchewan Gazette contains important communications regarding the outbreak of World War I. It includes the Declaration of War between the British Empire and Germany. At the time, Canada was still heavily influenced by Britain's decisions; therefore, the citizens of Canada and Saskatchewan found themselves at war as well.

The issue is Volume X, No. 15, and was issued on August 15, 1914, only 11 days after Britain formally declared war on Germany.

The Saskatchewan Gazette, 1914, was submitted to the Saskatchewan War Experience by the Saskatchewan Queen's Printer, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General.

SWE Highlight - War Diary of the 67th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery in WWII

The War Diary of the 67th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery follows the path of the recruits of the Battery from recruitment in Rosetown, Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1941, through training in Patawawa, Ontario, Canada, and numerous other locations, with the diary ending while the recruits are undergoing training in Portslade, Sussex, England, through 1943.

An excerpt reads:

"July 1st, 1941, Rosetown, Saskatchewan: Recruiting for the Battery continued with the 30CWT. army truck and loud-speaker equipment, making tours of the area on an itinery designed to include as many of the community sports' days as possible."

However, while the recruitment efforts may have been initially successful, some recruits decided to leave the military. Consider this excerpt from November 11, 1941, while the recruits were on board a train heading to the east coast, from where they would travel to England:

"One man was lost from the train, it is beleived at CAMBLETON, he was struck off strenght at HALIFAX. Another man from the 57th Battery tried to escape at SACKVILLE, but was unsuccessful."

The War Diary of the 67th Anti-Aircraft Battery was submitted to the Saskatchewan War Experience by the Rosetown Centennial Library Archive.

SWE Highlight - Campion College Library Yearbook, WWII

The war-related excerpts from this yearbook provide a glimpse into the lives of young men during World War II. It includes a list of Campion College casualties from World War II, a list of Campion College students enlisted in the Armed Forces, photos of some of the students involved in the war efforts, the annual report of Campion College Air Cadets with a roster and photos of the Cadets and various activities. A photo of the Campion College C.O.T.C. is also included.

Campion College is a university college federated with the University of Regina, and is located on the University of Regina's main campus.

The Campion College Yearbook, 1945, was submitted to the Saskatchewan War Experience by the Campion College Library.

SWE Highlight - Memorial Tree certificate for William Douglas Aird

City of Saskatoon certificate No. 130 "to certify that a memorial tree was planted by Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Aird (parents) in honour of Lieut. William Douglas Aird, 10th Can. Machine Gun Batt. who enlisted at Saskatoon, Sask. Sept. 22, 1915. Killed Oct. 26, 1917, age 20 years, at Passchendaele." Signed by Mayor Howard McConnell and City Clerk Mourdant Tomlinson.
The caption reads: "Let Those Who Come After See to It That this Name Be Not Forgotten."

This memorial tree certificate was issued ca. 1922. The tree was most likely located along Saskatoon's Memorial Avenue in Woodlawn Cemetary, a path lined by trees leading to a memorial for dead of World War I.

The Memorial Tree certificate for William Douglas Aird is part of the Document Collection at the Saskatoon Public Library, Local History Room. See more artifacts online at the Saskatchewan War Experience.