>

Tag: vintage photos

1940s Vintage Images of Canadian Women In Military Uniforms During WW2

In November I like to dedicate some of the month to blog posts on Women & Canada’s participation during WW2. I have done many posts on this topic and it’s always exciting when I find content I have not shared before. Like today’s post….”1940s images of Canadian Women in Military Uniforms During WW2“.

This post was one that I have wanted to do for some time, after my guest blog post in 2014 from writer (and friend), Elinor Florence entitled WW2 Air Force Uniforms for Canadian Women”. Many of the images you will see below are discussed in this fantastic read. Please take some time after your done here, to take a look.

Now without further adieau, here is my newest read.

1940s vintage photo of Canadian Woman taking a break to chat during WW2. They are part of the CWAC. In 1941, the Canadian Women's Army Corps was created, paving the way for a long tradition of Canadian women in the military

1940s Vintage Images of Canadian Women In Military Uniforms During WW2

Unidentified Woman in uniform with bag on chest in front of ‘Canada’s New Army’ posters.

1940s Vintage Photo: Canada Women's Air Force - Unidentified Woman in Uniform With Bag on Chest in Front of Canada's New Army Posters

Source: Library & Archives Canada

Vintage photo of the new Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service “Wren” uniform -1943.

1940s vintage photo of New Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service "Wren" uniform -1943.

Source: Library & Archives Canada

Signal officers of the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (W.R.C.N.S.), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, October 1943.

1940s Vintage Photo: Signal officers of the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (W.R.C.N.S.), Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, October 1943.

Source: Library & Archives Canada

Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (W.R.C.N.S.) signallers during training at H.M.C.S. CORNWALLIS, Deep Brook, Nova Scotia, Canada, July 1943.

1940s Vintage photo: Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (W.R.C.N.S.) signallers during training at H.M.C.S. CORNWALLIS, Deep Brook, Nova Scotia, Canada, July 1943.

Source: Library & Archives Canada

Canadian Red Cross Corps Uniforms.

Models show the uniforms worn by all four sections of the Second World War CRCC.

1940s vintage photo: Canadian Red Cross Corps Uniforms. Models show the uniforms worn by all four sections of the Second World War CRCC.

Source: redcross.ca

Three CRCC Welfare Officers visit a convalescing soldier overseas (ca. 1943-45) while distributing “ditty bags” on a hospital ward.

1940s Vintage Photo: Three CRCC (Canadian Red Cross Corps) Welfare Officers visit a convalescing soldier overseas (ca. 1943-45) while distributing “ditty bags” on a hospital ward.

Source: redcross.ca

Mary Laura Wong (Mah) enlisted with the CWAC (Canadian Women’s Army Corps) in Vancouver, British Columbia where she was employed as a teletype keyboard operator.

Further Reading: The story of Chinese Canadian military service is one of determination, courage and honour. & Chinese Canadian Women in the War

1940s Vintage Photo of Chinese Canadian, Mary Laura Wong (Mah) enlisted with the CWAC (Canadian Women's Army Corps) in Vancouver, British Columbia where she was employed as a teletype keyboard operator.

Source: Veterans.gc.ca

Learning is always important!

Canadian Woman’s Army Corp (CWAC)- Unidentified Women in uniform sitting with books on their laps.

Interesting Fact: CWAC had 50,000 women in its ranks during the Second World War in support roles ranging from cooking to decoding (Source).

Further Reading: The Canadian Women’s Army Corps, 1941-1946 via Canadian War Museum

1940s vintage photo of the Canadian Woman's Army  during WW2- Unidentified Women in Uniform Sitting With Book on Laps

Source: Library & Archives Canada

Eva May Roy (on the right of the photo), Roy left her job as a presser in a laundry to become a machine operator and fuse assembler at the General Engineering Co. munitions plant in Scarborough. Roy enlisted in 1944 and joined the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC), a new division created just three years earlier. She’s one of many Black women who served in the Canadian Forces during the Second World War — people whose stories are largely missing from the public record (Source).

Roy was a trailblazer, serving overseas at a time when it was rare to see a Canadian military woman working in Europe.

Her story goes much deeper then this, so I encourage you to read all about Eva at the link below.

Further Reading: ‘She didn’t hesitate’: The untold story behind a Black Canadian woman’s wartime portrait

1940s Vintage photo of 2 Black Women  in the Canadian Women's Army Corps during WW2

Source: CBC.ca

A young Canadian woman in military uniform is shown in this photo, counting pins surrounded by boxes of them from different colleges and universities in Canada.

1940s vintage photo of a Canadian Woman in Military Uniform counting pins surrounded by boxes of pins from colleges and universities in Canada.

Source: Library & Archives Canada

Nurses with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in Normandy, July, 1944.

1940s vintage photo: Nurses with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in Normandy, July, 1944. (Image source: Government of Canada)

(Image source: Government of Canada)

Woman’s Air Force, 1940’s. Unidentified Woman in uniform using wireless equipment.

Woman's Air Force, 1940's. Unidentified Woman in uniform using wireless equipment.

Source: Library & Archives Canada


In the Canadian Auxiliary Air Force, women worked in the parachute packing and checking department.

1940s Vintage Photo: In the Canadian Auxiliary Air Force, women worked in the parachute packing and checking department.

Source: Community Stories

1940s’ recruitment poster – “Men & Women. The RCAF Needs You Now!

1940s' recruitment poster for Canadian RCAF duing WW2 asking for men and women to enlist

Source: Library & Archives Canada

By looking at 1940s vintage images of Canadian women in military uniforms during WW2, we can reflect on the history of women in the military, the impact of women’s contributions to the war effort, and the ongoing efforts to recognize the efforts of women in the military and beyond. These images remind us of the advancements women have made in the military and encourage us to continue to recognize and celebrate the contributions of women in all contexts.

Thank you for dropping by!

Further Reading: World War 2 Women’s Contributions & Homefront Posts

Liz

P.S. I’m off to Las Vegas for my mother’s 70th, so I won’t be having a new post until I get back. Follow along on Instagram.

Letterman Sweaters & The Varsity Jacket

This past weekend I was at a CFL game (Canadian Football league) for the Toronto Argonauts and it just happened to have been their 150th anniversary (1873 they were formed). Amazing timing!

150 years is a long time to have been around and the vintage photos & videos they showed during the game, was a thrill for this vintage loving gal! Especially the letterman sweaters and varsity jackets that made appearances in the early days.

1906 photo of the Toronto Argonauts in their letterman sweaters.

(1906 Toronto Argonauts – Canadian Encylopedia)

After the game was over, I was so inspired by what I saw that I thought it would be fun to take a look at vintage photos of people IN these “badge of honour” jackets & letterman sweaters and share them all with you.

So let’s take a look at what I found!

1940s vintage photo of a young woman in 1946 tieing a scarf around a young man wearing a varsity jacket. 1940s Fashion inspiration.

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.

Note: If the item you clicked on is no longer available, just do a search for like items. There are loads of vintage items being added to Etsy and eBay daily!


1960s Vintage Letterman Jacket Patch LETTER K

Source: eBay

Brief History of the Letterman Sweater & Varsity Jacket

The word varsity is a shortening of the word “university.”

Varsity jackets, in general, are traced back to letter sweaters (“Letterman Sweaters”) worn by athletes from the Harvard University Baseball Team back in 1865.

Having the letter “H” stitched into the center of your sweater was a mark of honor. Back then, it was incredibly prestigious, and you were seen to be in the elite few!

Some of the best schools will only reward students with patches if they are outstanding in other academic classes, and the badges display a well-rounded player.

The letterman sweater trend eventually trickled into high schools with the earliest known example appearing on an Arizona student in the 1911 Phoenix Union High School yearbook sporting high school letterman jackets.

Varsity jackets didn’t come about until the 1930s; the sleeves were leather, while the trunk of the jacket was wool-bodied. This resulted from athletes complaining about being cold in their letter sweaters (Source).

1930s Photo from 1936 of a young man wearing a Millsaps Majors Letterman Jacket (Varsity jacket) - Jackson Mississippi posing with his stylish girlfriend / wife in a plaid 1930s dress and long coat.

1936 photo: Millsaps Majors Varsity Jacket – Jackson Mississippi (source: eBay)

Vintage Photos of Men & Women in Letterman Sweaters & Varsity Jackets

Note: A few of the photos below I have shared in previous posts, but they were so good I needed to add them to this post.

A young man in his letterman sweater is popular with our stylish 1920s ladies at the University of Chicago (what stunning 1920s fashions..the hats are fantastic!).

Further Reading: Vintage Photos of Student Life 1920s-1950s

1920's vintage college image of 2 women and man vintage style university of chicago
Source: University of Chicago Archives

1939 yearbook photo of ‘The Varsity Club’ at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

“The members of this club have given us many thrills on the several athletic club”.

Further Reading: Vintage School Clubs Part 1 & Part 2.

1930s vintage yearbook photo of the 'The Varsity Club' at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. A. & T. is an all Black University.

Source: digitalnc.org

Two handsome college men posing together with their matching “T” letterman sweaters under lovely long winter coats. Late 1930s/ early 1940s photo.

Two handsome college men posing together with their matching letterman sweaters on. Late 1930s/ early 1940s photo. Super vintage men fashion inspiration.

Source: eBay

1940s photo. Western Connecticut State University students share a chat beside a bicycle. The young man is proudly sporting his letterman sweater.

1940s photo. Western Connecticut State University students share a chat beside a bicycle. The young man is proudly sporting his letterman sweater.

Source: Western CT State University Archives

1940s Photo: Date night! Curly wears his letterman sweater with an “M” patch and bowtie to impress Ann in front of a 1940s four door sedan.

Further Reading: Vintage photos of date night in the 1940s & 1950s

1940s Photo: Curly wears his letterman sweater with an M patch and bowtie to Impress Ann in front of a 1940s four door sedan

Twin brothers sporting their Fort Frances high school sweaters. 1940s vintage photo.

1940s vintage photo of twin young men wearing letterman sweaters from fort frances high school

Source: Etsy – maclancy

Early 1950s photo of 4 young women with absolutely stunning hairstyles and fantastic college fashions (including that letterman jacket) posing for a photo on the front lawn of what I’m going to assume is a sorority house.

Early 1950s photo of 4 young college women in early 1950s fashions, posing together on the front lawn of their sorority house. One woman is wearing a letterman jacket. They have fantastic early 1950s hairstyles.

Source: Etsy-DearMacyVintage

1950s photo of a man in a Baseball letterman jacket at a bar posing for a picture with a happy woman.

1950s vintage photo of a man in a varsity jacket letterman jacket with his arm around a 1950s woman

Source: Etsy-iloveyourmorephotos

1950s photo of a young Black woman, proudly wearing her Cheerleader varsity jacket for a school photo.

1950s vintage photo of a young Black woman in a cheerleader letterman jacket varsity jacket

Source: Etsy-JakeRoebucks

1950s Vintage Photo of Cheerleaders at Wayne State University.

Further Reading: Vintage Cheerleading Photos

1950s Vintage Photo of Cheerleaders at Wayne State University wearing letterman sweater.

Varsity jackets everywhere in this 1950s highschool sports team photo.

1950s vintage photo of a highschool sports team in their varsity jackets

Too cool for school! “A” patch on this jacket. 1950s photo.

1950s photo of a young man in a letterman jacket / Varsity Jacket.

Source: eBay

1950s vintage photo of two teenagers sitting on the back of a car. The young man is wearing a “F” Letterman Jacket. Photo is from 1954.

1950s vintage photo of two Teenagers sitting on the back of a car in 1950s fashions. The young man is wearing a Letterman Jacket. Photo is from 1954.

Fall Fashion 2023 Trend: The Varsity Jacket is a hit for this season. If you have one, break it out.

Don’t own one? No worries, I have started a vintage collection of “for sale” letterman / varsity jackets and sweaters on Etsy (updated monthly).


Question Time: Did you own a letterman sweater or varsity jacket? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comments section below. I love hearing from my readers!

1950s students sitting on the steps of their college / university in their Letterman sweaters and letterman jackets.
Source: Flickr-Josh Nativio

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz