Dear Pennie, My mother claims that my father could not be in the regular army because of his poor vision, severe astigmatism. If he were in the Home Guard, a term I have seen on the Canadian Military website, it may be possible that he was able to fool them over the eye business. In the photos of him in military MP garb, he is not wearing glasses. I got the sense his family was less than proud of the fact he did not go overseas. That particular website,( sorry I don't have the url handy) mentions various militia groups, however they each seem to be connected to a specific province, and there are numerous listings. Thanks you for the information. My brother should have Dad's death certificate, because he handled arranging for his military burial. I will certainly be in Ottawa in April to meet my father's nephew, my first cousin, whom I met doing this online search. I will go to the archives and pull what I can. Stay in peace, Sharon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pennie Redmile" <predmile@total.net> To: "Sharon" <sampupz@earthlink.net> Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2000 6:24 AM Subject: Re: [QC-ETANGLO] Home militia-1940's era??? > Hello Sharon, > > I'd be very interested in the direct reply/s to this.. if not posted to the > list. > > My GrF was in the Home Guard (in Ont though) & why I'm interested - is this. > My Father (his son)- a WW2 veteran - always said that GrF was "NOT in the > military!!" His "proof" of this - he claimed - was the fact that GrF is > NOT buried in a military grave. There is a certain kind of grave stone that > many ex-serviceman have..& these graves are of uniform size & shape & they > ususually have the name & rank & date of death & age. GrF does not have one. > > GrF was very old during WW2 - & he claimed he'd fought (for England) in > WW1 - which info is also stated in his WW 2 military record from Ottawa. > However Father insists that GrF never left Canada in WW 1. (Father was born > in Dec 1916 & he has a sister born in 1915) > > GrF's "job" in WW2 according to his military records from Ottawa (which you > can obtain for your Father) was that of guarding interned POW's who had been > sent to various camps in Ont. These included - as I understand it -- just > about anybody. There were of course the "enemy aliens" as they were called - > such as the Japanese from Vancouver region whose homes were seized by the > Canadian Gov't & all their property & they were forcibly sent inland... to > camps all over Canada..including Quebec - at least one I know of in the E > Twps in Farnham. (These people stayed there after the war & I went to school > with their children) . Other "enemies" included Germans living in England - > who were sent to Canada & placed in camps. I believe these were the people > my GrF helped "guard". - And there were some POWs sent to Canada. > > My Father had photos of his Father in a military uniform..& I might have > one - somewhere. > > It was always interesting to see the prejudices of Father - who felt very > strongly - that any man who was not sent overseas in WW2 was a "coward" - > but in reading his Father's military record..one sees the strong (fierce) > loyalty of a man who was really too old to be in the army.. & who barely > passed the "physical" - who lied about his age (said he was younger than he > was) - & who loved the discipline & way of life of whatever we call his > "service". > > If a serviceman has been dead for 20 yrs.. you can write to Ottawa - > (there's a form they ask you to fill out) & they''ll send you his military > file. Be sure to ask for his "whole & complete file" & that way they'll send > you everything..which will tell you if he was ever sick..if he was awol - & > whatever is in his file. From GrF's file I learned he had had varicose > veins.. > > I'm librarian at Quebec Family History Society - & it just happens that > today there will be a seminar at the library about "Military roots" - & > I'll be there while the seminar is on..so will ask the teacher what he > thinks the "Home Militia" is - & if it was the same as the "Home Guard" . I > do believe there were "camps" in Sherbrooke as well.. -- > > I'll try to remember to ask him for the correct address to write to Ottawa > for the Military Records of your Father as well. But I've heard him say we > HAVE to fill out these forms. Think you have to send a small fee. Also - > they blacked out (censored) all the family data. My Father's siblings are > mentioned in GrF's file & these were all blacked out. I think it has > something to do with the privacy laws.. if the person didn't give permission > they can't include the info. I did this about 15 yrs ago..so it may be > different now. ??? > > Bye now..Pennie > > From: Sharon <sampupz@earthlink.net> > To: QC-ETANGLO-L@rootsweb.com <QC-ETANGLO-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: Saturday, November 25, 2000 12:01 AM > Subject: [QC-ETANGLO] Home militia-1940's era??? > > > >Dear Listers, > >Thanks for the many responses and tips about my trip to the townships > planned for April. With all the help, I am sure I will have a great trip. > > > >Can anyone help me determine what is meant by the term "Home Militia." My > Mom seems to think it was some form of national guard during wartime. My > father was in it. I have his photo, with an unidentified friend, wearing the > obviously military uniform, with MP armbands. I would like to find his > military records. > > > >I know that he received a military funeral in 1978 in Vancouver, but > nothing more. > >Best regards, Sharon > > > > > > > > > > > > >