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Category: WW2


Nov
2015

Vintage 1940s Images-Love in the Time of War

categories: vintage images, WW2

It’s November 11th which means it’s time to really thank the Veterans past and present for their sacrifices and their service. The Vintage Inn Thanks You for your service.

remembrance day poppy

For today’s vintage photos post I wanted to share images from the 1940s of ‘Love in a Time of War’ because as we know love did not stop because the war was on.

1940s vintage illustration of a soldier and young woman embracing after the war.
Source: Etsy-RescuedPage

Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. 

Lets Begin Shall We?

Vintage 1940s Images-Love in the Time of War

“Parting is such sweet sorrow” — San Pedro, Calif. — April 2, 1940. These Navy couples make the best of their final moments together before the Middies shove off for their six weeks of war maneuvers in the Pacific with the U.S. Fleet.

1940s Vintage Photo of two women kissing Navy guys inside and outside of car on April 2nd, 1940.
Source: ACME Newspictures Collection in the Dispatch Library.

I LOVE this story for this next picture-Gene and Mickey at the Carillon Tower on Belle Isle in Detroit during WWII.

From David Staskowski:

Even though my parents met in grade school and knew each others families in the Polish neighborhoods of Detroit, their romance wasn’t without a few obstacles.

There were Pop’s years of enlistment (WWII). There was another man who courted my innocent mom while my dad was in the Army. Then there was my mom’s wedding where my dad wasn’t the groom but was one of the groomsmen, her 1st marriage didn’t last for more than a moment. My mom left the man and won back my dad, who never had stopped loving her. Then there was a little problem with the Catholic church and my devout paternal grandmother.

But that’s nothing that love, and waiting 20 years for a Vatican annulment, can’t conquer.

1940s vintage photo of a man and woman posing together for a photo during WW2. They are Gene and Mickey at the Carillon Tower on Belle Isle in Detroit during WWII
Source: Flickr-David Staskowski

Welcome Home Kiss. 1940s vintage photo.

1940s Vintage Photo of a woman in a 1940s dressing kissing a man in uniform during WW2.
Source: Etsy-americathebeautiful

It’s meant to be, when both of you look fantastic in the same hat (and I adore the hair flower in our lovely ladies hair).

1940s vintage photo of a young man and woman holding each other with Navy hats on their heads during WW2. The young woman is wearing a hair flower in her hair.
Source-eBay: antique_fotos

1940s Photo booth image of young love (and can we take a minute to admire her horse brooch).

1940s image of soldier and woman with a horse broach posing in a photo booth.
Source: Etsy-americathebeautiful

Keep him well fed and he will never forget you. In this case, this is exactly what our lovely lady is doing for her soldier in this fun 1940s photo 🙂

1940s vintage photo of a young woman and a young man in unifrom having fun together with a cookie.
Source: Etsy-EphemeraObscura

Time stands still in 1942 at Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey with our US Navy sailor and lovely lady.

1940s vintage photo of a young couple posing together. He is in a US navy sweater and navy hat and the young woman is in a jacket and hair scarf.
Source: eBay-easttexasestatephotos

Welcome Home-1940s Photo of a Soldier & His love exchanging a kiss.

Welcome Home-1940s Photo of a Soldier & His love exchanging a kiss

Source: Flickr

Love on the back of bike. How cool are are young man and woman in their respective uniforms sitting on a motorcycle? Very cool!

1940s vintage image of a wartime couple on a motorcycle. Both are wearing uniforms.
Source:Etsy-eeBeeVintage

Let me carry you home. Such a cute 1940s photo of a young sailor sweeping his lady off her feet.

A cute 1940s photo of a young sailor sweeping his lady off her feet.
Source: Flikr-ƒliçkrwåy

Love turns to marriage. 1943 wedding photo of a young soldier and his pretty bride in a lovely 1940s dress (no traditional gowns for many ladies during this time). Fantastic 1940s fashions on our ladies.

Further Reading: Vintage Images of 1940s Canadian War Brides

1940s Vintage Wedding Photo of a Soldier and his bride posing for their wedding photo in 1943 in 1940s fashions with the bridesmaid and the groomsman. The men are in uniform.

Source: Pinterest

Please check out my friend Elinor Florence Blog ‘Wartime Wednesday’. During her research into Canada’s wartime past, she has uncovered some fascinating facts and anecdotes and shares them on her blog. It’s fantastic and extremely interesting reads.

Further Reading:

Liz


Mar
2015

Vintage Images of 1940s Canadian War Brides

categories: vintage images, Wedding, WW2

The other day I was reading a vintage magazine I had been gifted and there was a very interesting article about “What life was like for young war brides”. It was really fascinating to read the interviews and hear them talking about knowing that while life was so uncertain at that time, they knew that they were in love and would do anything to just marry their soldier and worry about the rest later.

Then later while browsing the internet to read a bit more on this subject I stumbled upon a very interesting site called “Canadian War Brides” and as I was reading the stories, looking thru pictures I thought that this was a great idea for a blog post, that I think you would all enjoy.

Here are some of the wonderful goodies…..

Vintage Images of 1940s Canadian War Brides

War Bride Definition:

The term “war bride” refers to the estimated 48,000 young women who met and married Canadian servicemen during the Second World War. These war brides were mostly from Britain, but a few thousand were also from other areas of Europe: the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy and Germany (Source).

Nearly 48,000 Canadian servicemen who married overseas during World War II. Between 1942 and 1947, the government brought 47 783 war brides and their 21 950 children to Canada. Relatively few came before the wars end (Source).

Meet Annie Barnes Anderson Coyle and George Alfred Brown who were married on February 10, 1945 at South Leith Parish Church, in Scotland. George was from Earlton, Ontario and Annie from Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. Annie was in the Womens Land Army during the Second World War and George was a tank gunner with the Canadian Grenadier Guards.

1940s vintage photo of a young couple who were married in scotland on Feb 10th, 1945. George was Canadian and Annie was a Scottish War Bride.
Source: Canadian War Bride

1940’s Wedding Dresses:

In many photos (like the one above) you will see that the bride is not wearing a wedding dress as clothes rationing and shortages of materials made this very difficult (as well as shortage on time in many bride and grooms cases). Many times you will see her in a best suit or in her service uniform.

I even read about the ultimate rationing….a wedding dress (pictured below) that was worn by 15 brides in Britain. Isn’t it stunning?!

1940s wedding gown - The floor-skimming gown was made from floral-patterned pre-war silk, originally intended for making petticoats. It was first worn by Evelyn Higginson when she married sailor Charles Butterfield on 18 September 1943. Read all about the other 14 women who wore the dress by clicking the image of the dress.
Source: Express

Here is CSM Wm. Lyster and Wren Coral Eswyn Ellinor on August 21st 1943. St. Richard’s Church, Aldwick, Sussex. So young and so in love.

1940s Canadian War Bride -CSM Wm. Lyster and Wren Coral Eswyn Ellinor on August 21st 1943. St. Richard's Church, Aldwick, Sussex. What a stunning 1940s wedding dress, veil, crown and of course the flowers. And our young soldier in his kilt uniform.
Source: ESWYN LYSTER’S STORY & HER BOOK

Right before getting married, William sent a Telegraph to Canada requesting funds from his savings. I think this is really cool piece of history.

1940s Canadian Pacific Telegraph, telegram about fund needed for getting married during WW2.
Source: ESWYN LYSTER’S STORY & HER BOOK

This wedding below looks to be several weddings, but I believe the others ladies are bridesmaids, hence the shorter veils. The middle couple is War Bride Rose Boulay and her husband Horace Boulay of Belledune, New Brunswick.

1940s Canadian War Bride wedding -War Bride Rose Boulay and her husband Horace Boulay of Belledune, New Brunswick. Stunning 1940s wedding dress and 1940s bridesmaid dresses.
Source: Canadian War Brides-FB Page

Nothing thrills me more than seeing vintage images in colour like the wedding of war bride Cathie Elliot to her very handsome Canadian Solider-Glen. They were married on Christmas Eve, 1940, Aberdeen, Scotland. As you can see she is not wearing a traditional white dress.

The paper Horseshoe. In many photos I saw of Canadians and non Canadians the women were carrying a paper horseshoe. What exactly for? For good luck! What a fun idea.

1940s vintage photo of a War Bride and her Solider-Coloured photo. war bride Cathie Elliot to her very handsome Canadian Solider-Glen. They were married on Christmas Eve, 1940, Aberdeen, Scotland. As you can see she is not wearing a traditional white dress.
Source: Canadian War Brides-FB Page

Now for the wedding of all weddings…The Marriage of English War Bride Olive Cochrane to Saskatchewan Native Lloyd Cochrane. The Bouquets in all these photos are just stunning and must weigh a ton.

1940s vintage photo of a 1940s WW2 War Bride Wedding. The image features the 1940s bride and her groom and all the wedding guests and bridesmaids.
Source: Canadian War Brides-FB Page

A war bride and child arrive at Bonaventure Station in Montreal, Quebec, on 4 March 1946. The mother and child had travelled across the ocean on board the SS Aquitania (Source).

1940s Vintage Photo: A war bride and child arrive at Bonaventure Station in Montreal, Quebec, on 4 March 1946. The mother and child had travelled across the ocean on board the SS Aquitania.

Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia

Coming to Canada

After the wedding the brides eventually had to make the trip to Canada.

Here is an image of War Brides with their Children arriving in Halifax-Pier 21. Upon their arrival they were supplied with a cookbook and then sent on their way.

Most then boarded special trains that took them to their final destinations in communities located across the country. Many of the war brides were unprepared for the conditions they found in Canada, but most stayed and adjusted to a new way of life (Source).

1940s photo of War brides and their children arriving in Halifax, Canada from overseas.
Source: Public Archives of NS

I have a feeling that making this trip to an unknown country to a family you don’t know and maybe a husband you barely remember must bring these women together in a way that nobody thought possible.

1940s Canadian War Brides Coming to their new home. 1940s Fashions on display-Coats, hair scarfs and kids.
Source: Canadian Army

Canadian war brides on board the aircraft carrier Reaper as it enters the Sydney Harbour, NS. On a fashion side, I love the hair and the peep toe shoes.

1940s vintage photo of Canadian War Brides on a bunk bed in 1940s fashions waiting to get off the boat in Sydney Harbour, NS.
Source: CBC Radio

War brides and their children en route to Canada. Photo taken in England, 17 April 1944.

1940s vintage photo of War brides and their children en route to Canada. Photo taken in England, 17 April 1944.

Source: Canadian Encyclopedia

For further reading please check out:

Liz 🙂