Saturday is Remembrance Day, so this week I would like to dedicate ‘Vintage Photo Tuesday‘ to the Canadian Women on the WW2 Home Front. This post is also part of a previous one I did last year, that you can view HERE.

Out of a Canadian wartime population of more than 11 million, 261,000 women worked in Canadian war industries, 400,000 in the civilian workforce, 760,000 on farms and countless others in the home and in the volunteer sector.

Women’s enthusiasm for helping out on the home front was anticipated by Alice Sorby of Winnipeg who recalled in 1940, “In September 1939 when the thunder of war first crashed about our ears, the immediate reaction was an almost hysterical desire to do something….” (Source).

1940’s Vintage Photos of WW2 Canadian Women on the Home Front

Here are those brave women in action….

Female loggers (‘lumberjills’) in the Queen Charlotte Islands, BC. April 1943.

Actress Mary Pickford posing with a group of employees during her visit to the General Engineering Company (Canada) munitions factory, June 5, 1943.

FURTHER READING: The Bomb Girls Of Scarborough, Ontario Canada-As Seen Thru Vintage Photographs from the 1940s

1940s Vintage Photo of Actress Mary Pickford posing with a group of employees during her visit to the General Engineering Company (Canada) munitions factory, June 5, 1943. — Source: Archives of Canada

Young woman working in the cabin of bomber being manufactured at the Fairchild plant in Montreal on May 19, 1941.

Three women in coveralls off to work in Edmonton in 1943.

1940s Vintage Photo Canadian Women arriving for work in Edmonton 1943 doing their part for WW2 Homefront effort in Canada. — Source: Legion Magazine

A welder works on a Bren gun at John Inglis Company Ltd., 1942.

FURTHER READING: The Canadian “Rosie the Riveter”-Veronica Foster -The Bren Gun Girl

Women volunteers from Canadian Red Cross assemble packages for prisoners of war in 1942.

Starting in 1942, Vancouver’s Burrard Drydock hired more than 1,000 women. Here we see the union’s shop stewards eating in the shipyard canteen, ca. 1942 (Source).

1940s Vintage Photo of Canadian Women taking a break from their shift from working at the Shipyard for the WW2 Canadian Home Front effort. 1942 Photo. — Source: Open Text BC

1940s photo of workers producing primers.

1940s canadian women on the homefront producing primers in a factory for the WW2 Canadian Home Front Effort. — Source: War Museum

“Start your Victory Garden today!” 1940s vintage propaganda sign from the ‘Health League of Canada’.

1942 photo of knitters working on the BC Telephone Co. War Effort Programme in Victoria. It was a group of ladies coming together to sit, talk, and knit scarves and socks for the men fighting overseas (Source).

1940s Vintage Photo in 1942 of knitters working on the BC Telephone Co. War Effort Programme in Victoria. It was a group of ladies coming together to sit, talk, and knit scarves and socks for the Canadian men fighting overseas — Source: Gulf of Georgia Cannery

“Come on Housewives SOCK HIM again!”. 1940s Canadian Fraser Valley Propaganda Poster for saving scrap from your home for the war effort.

While looking for photos to share, I came across a fantastic 10 min Canadian Documentary entitled ‘The Home Front‘ by Stanley Hawes (seen below).

This short documentary is part of the Canada Carries On series of morale-boosting wartime propaganda films. In Home Front, the various WWII-era social contributions of women are highlighted. From medicine to industrial labour to hospitality, education and domesticity, the service these women provided to their country is lauded. (Video Link)

Friends…If you are interested to read other posts I have created around the Canadian WW2 Home Front, the link is below.

FURTHER READNG: World War 2 Women’s Contributions & Homefront Posts

Liz

This Friday is Remembrance Day, so for this week’s blog posts I am going to focus on Canada during WWII. That means today’s Vintage Photo Tuesday (collection of vintage images blog posts) are 1940s vintage images of Canadian Women on the Home Front, doing their part for their Country.

1941 vintage ww2 photo of a canadian woman working on an airplane part for the war effort vintage photo

Further Reading: I have done MANY posts on the topic “World War 2 Women’s Contributions & Homefront Posts” that you can read by clicking on the link.

War production and savings poster regarding a variety of goods for reuse or repurposing as war supplies, 1940 / 1941.

1940s Vintage Poster: canadian WW2 propaganda poster for War production and savings poster regarding a variety of goods for reuse or repurposing as war supplies

Source: Collections Canada

1943-Time to punch in and begin your service for Canada.

1940s vintage photo of a woman in a floral 1940s dress punching in to a time clock to do her job for the War effort in Canada.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

January 1943-Mrs. Mackay using a Riveting gun at a shipyard in Pictou, Nova Scotia.

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort -January 1943-Mrs. Mackay using a Riveting gun at a shipyard in Pictou, Nova Scotia.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

Defense workers on the line.

1940s vintage photo of women defense workers working at the factory in their factory uniforms.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

Not all women during WWII were working on items for overseas, there was regular upkeep needed of items already made in Canada. Like the train pictured below.

1940s vintage photo of Canadian Women during WW2 working on trains for the Homefront War Effort.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

Female worker Margot Bourassa shellacs the body of a fuse in the breakdown room of the Cherrier plant (Montreal) of the Defense Industries Limited.

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort - Female worker Margot Bourassa shellacs the body of a fuse in the breakdown room of the Cherrier plant (Montreal) of the Defense Industries Limited.

Source: Collections Canada

At the same plant mentioned above a woman sews cordite bags. On a vintage hair note, check out that style. Wow!

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort - a woman sewing cordite bags

Source: Library and Archives Canada

Dominion Bridge Company – Two women working in shell manufacturing plant.

1940s Vintage photo of Dominion Bridge Company - Two Canadian women working in shell manufacturing plant.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

It was important in some factories that the workers minds did not go idle, so music was played to help combat this. The below picture is of 2 women workers selecting the music to be played from their central control room at a Montreal factory.

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort - picture is of 2 women workers selecting the music to be played from their central control room at a Montreal factory.

Source: Collections Canada

Female munitions worker Françoise Corbeil turns out parts while listening to the piped music in her factory.

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort - Female munitions worker Françoise Corbeil turns out parts while listening to the piped music in her factory.

Source: Collections Canada

Break Time! Group of female workers enjoying a break from their work at a munitions plant.

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort - Group of female workers enjoying a break from their work at a munitions plant. — Source: Collections Canada

Source: Collections Canada

Testing lenses, at the Instruments Division of the Canadian Arsenals Ltd. optical plant. On another vintage hair note, nice to see hair that looks like mine when I style it (not perfect!).

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort -Testing lenses, at the Instruments Division of the Canadian Arsenals Ltd. optical plant. Cute 1940s hairstyle.

Source: Collections Canada

The Perry Sisters, employed at the Dominion Arsenals Ltd. plant, armed with rake, watering can and pitchfork, help look after the vegetable garden where they are working (looking mighty cute I might add).

1940s vintage photo: ww2 canadian woman working for the war effort -The Perry Sisters, employed at the Dominion Arsenals Ltd. plant, armed with rake, watering can and pitchfork, help look after the vegetable garden where they are working

Source: Collections Canada

1943-Women of the Aluminum Co. wait in line to get an autograph from famous Canadian fighter pilot ‘George “Buzz” Beurling‘. Helen Fowler is the lucky lady first in line.

1940s Vintage Photo: 1943-Women of the Aluminum Co. wait in line to get an autograph from famous Canadian fighter pilot 'George "Buzz" Beurling'. Helen Fowler is the lucky lady first in line.

Source: Library and Archives Canada

After a hard day in the factory there is nothing better than catching a few rays with friends. French-Canadian women at Dominion Arsenals (Personal Note: I adore this image).

1940s vintage photo of 3 women taking a break after working in the factory. They are catching some sun in 1940s swimsuits and 1940s summer fashions. Cute 1940s hairstyles.

Source: Collections Canada

Hope you enjoyed the images of our hard-working Canadian ladies of the 1940’s. Thank you for your service!

If you would like to see more images of our Canadian women during WW2, check out my Part 2 post HERE.

Liz

Category: WW2

Vintage Photo Tuesday: WW2 Canadian Women on the Home Front (Part 2)

1940’s Vintage Photos of WW2 Canadian Women on the Home Front

Vintage Photos of Canadian Women on the Home Front during WWII