Jean Craig – Scotland
It was a sad day when I left my home in Dundee Scotland to start a new life in Canada. It was also a happy day as I was to start a new life in Canada with a young soldier, Jack Craig, who told me he lived in a small town called Merritton. He said it was a small town and it was. He said he would send for me as he was going home with his Regiment. When he arrived back in Canada, he kept his promise.
My Mother and Brother travelled with me from Dundee to Edinburgh as I had to change trains overnight to London. Of course I never slept all night. A young woman came on the train at 5 o’clock a.m. and saw me into a taxi at 7 a.m to get to Victoria Station to reach Southampton and the great Queen Elizabeth Liner. We took 4 days to cross to New York City. My travelling companion was a lady form Ireland and when disembarking, she told me to stay with her. Her family took me in to their home overnight and saw me on the train to Canada the following night. They gave me a nightly tour of all the coloured lights that I had never seen during the war years and then to the Cinema. I dont remember the movie as I was mesmerized by the ceiling, moving clouds, stars and figures in the niches in the wall.
On arriving at Merritton Station at 7 a.m. Jack and his Mother were waiting for me. I thought I had stepped out of the wrong exit, as I found myself on the tracks, not a platform. As Jack had told me, Merritton was a small place. We drove to his home on Maple Street then along Main Street, and yes that was it.
I was made very welcome by his parents, brothers, and sisters, cousins and neighbours. I really felt like one of the luckiest War Brides. I thought every one on that street was a relative as it was so close knit. I had a difficult time finding out who was a new cousin or neighbour because they were the Craig-Cowan family.
When Jack’s Mother was making arrangements for the wedding, she asked what religion I was. When I wrote back to say Episcopalion, they didn’t know what that was (Anglican in Canada) so we were married in St Andrews Church in Merritton. Mrs. McGill made my wedding dress. The Ladies Auxillary of the Merritton Legion gave me a wonderful shower, everything to start a home with. Mary Cowan, new cousin, also held a shower for me in her Mother’s home where I met so many new people. Jack & I have one son, two daughters, six grand children and three great grand-children. We were married 62 years before he passed away.
Some War Brides went to the big cities like Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto. I was fortunate coming to a small town where it is quiet and friendly. Other girls who came to Merritton as War Brides were Cathy Finch, May Commerford, Eve McNaughton, Margaret Adams, Mary Beattie, Dorothy Renwick, Vicky Fluellon, Mrs. James Maxwell, Mrs. James Downs. (I can’t remember the first names of the last two ladies mentioned)
Jean Craig – Thorold Ontario