War comes to our shores
Most alive today never knew, and the few that did may not remember much, about World War II – fortunately, the only war that reached Canadian territory since the late 1800s. Before that, there was the War of 1812 (Guerre de 1812) – and some Scots and others from that conflict ended up moving to the Metis area – followed by the Fenian Raids (Raids des fenians) of 1866 to 1871: Fenians were Irish emigrants to the U.S. who crossed the border to take what is now Canada by force. Their goal was to exchange this prize with Britain for Irish independence.
During both World Wars, some local and some summer residents of the Lower Saint Lawrence lost their lives and many lost loved ones overseas. Those who stayed on the home front contributed in many large and small ways to the war effort.
World War II, however, also brought the war in Europe much too close for comfort in what became known as The Battle of the St. Lawrence. This wasn’t just one skirmish, but rather a series of events. From the Canadian Encyclopedia, “The Battle of the St. Lawrence was an extension of the larger Battle of the Atlantic— the German campaign during the Second World War to disrupt shipping from North America to the United Kingdom. Between 1942 and 1944, German submarines (U-boats) repeatedly penetrated the waters of the St. Lawrence River and Gulf, sinking 23 ships and costing hundreds of lives. It was the first time since the War of 1812 that naval battles were waged in Canada’s inland waters.” Wikipedia added: “There were several near shore actions involving the drop of German spies, or the attempted pick up of escaping prisoners of war. Despite the 23 ships lost, this battle marked a strategic victory for Canadian forces as ultimately they managed to disrupt U-boat activity, protect Canadian and Allied convoys, and intercept all attempted shore operations.
During this time, people in the Lower Saint Lawrence and elsewhere experienced rationing, blackouts, local “home guard” patrols, commonwealth airmen training, spies, and explosions. There were times when the community mourned. And there yet were some happy times for younger ones not yet fully aware of what war meant. Click on the links below to learn more.
Those who died far from home
- Airmen lost in training accidents – British, New Zealanders, and Australian
- Overseas graves of Canadian soldiers looked after by others – 13 of the
Sainte-Flavie observation towers
Listen to and read recollections of people in the Lower Saint Lawrence during World War 2:
- Everyone contributed – Supporting the war effort, hosting, spies – Lorna Bethell
- All contributed – an ambulance to Red Cross and a statue back – Sally Tingley
- Of convoys, blackouts, and spies – Lorna Bethell
- Waiting for word and an explosion – Sherrill Tuggey
- Waiting for word – Hart Price
- Surviving the Great Escape – Lorna Bethell
- A child’s view of World War 2 – Ian Bovey
- Dancing as-part of the War effort – Sherrill Shaver
- Rumours of enemies amongst us – Sherrill Tuggey
- Enemies amongst us confirmed – Ian Bovey
- Living conditions for an officer’s wife – From Ruth Cobbett, whose husband in the RCNVR was stationed in Gaspé
The Black Watch Community
- And the messenger boy wept… A recollection of local of what happened after Verrières Ridge, by John Douglas Cowans
- The Black Watch connection to Metis – Ian Bovey, a short recorded recollection
- A child’s view of World War 2 – Ian Bovey
German map showing Metis Lighthouse, 1942
Women and the War
SS Carolus before sinking
16-year-old boy perished in SS Carolus sinking
A score of summer residents were in the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Black Watch recruitment poster
Black Watch Tartan Kilts
La guerre arrive chez nous
La plupart des gens vivant aujourd’hui n’ont jamais vraiment connu la Seconde Guerre mondiale, heureusement la seule à avoir atteint le territoire canadien depuis la fin des années 1800, et les quelques personnes qui l’ont vécue ne se souviennent peut-être pas de grand-chose. Avant elle, il y avait eu la Guerre de 1812, après laquelle certains Écossais et d’autres personnes touchées par ce conflit s’installèrent dans la région de Métis, suivie par les Raids des fenians de 1866 à 1871. Les fenians étaient des émigrants irlandais aux États-Unis qui traversèrent la frontière pour tenter de prendre de force ce qui est aujourd’hui le Canada dans le but d’offrir ce territoire à la Grande-Bretagne en échange de l’indépendance irlandaise.
Au cours des deux guerres mondiales, des résidents locaux et des estivants du Bas-Saint-Laurent ont perdu la vie et beaucoup ont perdu des êtres chers à l’étranger. Ceux qui sont restés sur le front intérieur ont contribué de nombreuses façons, grandes et petites, à l’effort de guerre.
Cependant, la Seconde Guerre mondiale a également amené la guerre qui sévissait en Europe beaucoup trop près de nous pour notre paix d’esprit avec ce allait être baptisé la Bataille du Saint-Laurent. Ce ne fut pas seulement un incident unique, mais bien une série d’événements. Selon l’Encyclopédie canadienne, « La bataille du Saint-Laurent s’inscrit dans le cadre de la plus importante bataille de l’Atlantique, soit la campagne allemande durant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale visant à perturber les convois se relayant de l’Amérique du Nord au Royaume-Uni. De 1942 à 1944, les sous-marins allemands (U-boots) font de multiples incursions dans les eaux du fleuve et du golfe du Saint-Laurent, faisant sombrer 23 navires et entraînant la perte de centaines de vies. Il s’agit des premières batailles navales dans les eaux intérieures du Canada depuis la Guerre de 1812. » Wikipédia ajoute que plusieurs opérations ont été menées près des côtes, impliquant le débarquement d’espions allemands ou la tentative de récupération de prisonniers de guerre en fuite. Malgré les 23 navires perdus, cette bataille a marqué une victoire stratégique pour les forces canadiennes qui ont finalement réussi à perturber l’activité des U-boots, à protéger les convois canadiens et alliés et à intercepter toutes les tentatives d’opérations à terre.
Pendant ce temps, les habitants du Bas-Saint-Laurent et d’ailleurs connurent le rationnement, l’obscuration, les patrouilles locales, l’entraînement des militaires du Commonwealth, les espions et les explosions. La communauté a vu passer des périodes de deuil, mais aussi des moments heureux pour les plus jeunes qui n’étaient pas encore pleinement conscients de ce que la guerre signifiait. Cliquez sur les liens ci-dessous pour en savoir plus.
Les femmes (et les enfants) en temps de guerre
Those who died far from home
- Airmen lost in training accidents – British, New Zealanders, and Australian
- Overseas graves of Canadian soldiers looked after by others – 13 of the
Sainte-Flavie observation towers
Écoutez et lisez les témoignages de personnes vivant dans le Bas-Saint-Laurent pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale:
- Everyone contributed – Supporting the war effort, hosting, spies – Lorna Bethell
- All contributed – an ambulance to Red Cross and a statue back – Sally Tingley
- Of convoys, blackouts, and spies – Lorna Bethell (recording to follow)
- Waiting for word and an explosion – Sherrill Tuggey
- Waiting for Word – Hart Price
- Surviving the Great Escape – Lorna Bethell (recording to follow)
- A child’s view of World War 2 – Ian Bovey (recording to follow)
- Dancing as-part of the War effort – Sherrill Shaver
- Rumours of enemies amongst us – Sherrill Tuggey
- Living conditions for an officer’s wife – From Ruth Cobbett, whose husband in the RCNVR was stationed in Gaspé
La communauté du régiment Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada [à suivre]
- And the messenger boy wept… A recollection of local of what happened after Verrièrses Ridge, by John Douglas Cowans
German map showing Metis Lighthouse, 1942
Women and the War
SS Carolus before sinking
16-year-old boy perished in SS Carolus sinking
A score of summer residents were in the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Black Watch recruitment poster
Black Watch Tartan Kilts