VOL. III
DECEMBER 1943
NO. 6
Published at the Hespeler, Ontario Plant of Dominion Woollens and Worsteds, Limited
ON ACTIVE SERVICE
Sto. 2 Robert Henry
V58193 Hunter 2,
Windsor, Ont.
Bob Henry was born in Hespeler on March 27, 1924, and lived here until the time of his enlistment. He attended Hespeler Public School and Preston High School.
Bob commenced his service with D. W. & W. on July 29, 1940, and his first job was spindling in the Hand Knit Yarn Department. After spending approximately a year at this work he moved to the Cloth Filling Winding Department where he became a winder. He continued winding for about eight months and then was transferred to the Burling and Mending as a floorboy, where he remained for a very short time. On May 20, 1942, he became a clerk in the Dyehouse office and continued there until his enlistment.
While at school Bob took an active interest in all sports, especially rugby and hockey, and was a member of the teams that won the Western Ontario Secondary School Association Championships of 1940-41.
On April 28, 1943, Bob enlisted with the R.C.N.V.R. at Hamilton. He was first posted at H.M.C.S. Star in Hamilton and went from there to Edmonton for a course in electrical engineering at the University of Alberta. He is now stationed in Windsor at H.M.C.S. Hunter II.
Recreation Club Makes Debut
Organises Night Shift Party
Sponsored by the W.W.U. to organise sports and entertainment, the Recreation Club got off to a flying start on November 20th, by organising a dance for the girls on night shift. Convinced that Jack and Jill can’t exist on all work and no play, the Recreation Club undertakes, not to provide ready made entertainment, but to help those who want some fun to get it. So far it looks as though their toughest job will be to find Jacks for the Jills to play with. Boys are a bit scarce this season. At any rate this was the first problem they had to settle when sixty night shift girls decided they wanted a dance. They solved it brilliantly by making it possible for the girls to extend an invitation to sixty aircraftmen and sailors at the Galt Aircraft School.
The Oddfellows’ Hall has seldom seen so much energy worked off in one evening. To the girls belongs the all the credit for a good time and providing man size refreshments that no hungry aircrafter or sailor could turn up his nose at. To say that the boys (mostly shy and timid Westerners) were appreciative is somewhat of an understatement. The rafters rang to every song that ever claimed remote kinship with a prairie, adding no little to the decorum of the good town of Hespeler’s customary, sedate Saturday midnight.
In the words of the social column “a good time was had by all.”
Night Shift Party
ON ACTIVE SERVICE
A67849 Gnr. Robert Inglis
63rd Bty., 19th Cdn. S. P. Regt.,
5th Cdn. Armoured Div., R.C.A.
Canadian Army Overseas.
Robert Inglis was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on September 8th, 1916. He joined the D. W. & W. staff in November 1931, and enlisted from the Mule Spinning Department on March 16, 1942. He has been overseas since July, 1943, and is now serving with the 5th Canadian Armoured Division.
AC2. Clarence Arndt
R275106
13 X Depot, R.C.A.F.
Angus, Ont.
Clarence Arndt was born in Kitchener on November 30, 1917. He joined the D. W. & W. staff in February 1935 and enlisted form the Cloth Wet Finishing Dept. on September 4, 1943, with the Royal Canadian Air Force at Trenton. At the present time he is stationed at Angus, Ontario, on ground duties.
L/Cpl. Jack Alexander
A105789 Support Coy., No. 7 Hut,
Princess of Wales Own Regt.
Debert, N.S.
Jack Alexander was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on November 4th, 1924. He joined the D. W. & W. staff in April, 1941, and enlisted from the Woollen Yarn Mfg. Stores on January 12, 1943, with the Army. He is stationed in Debert, Nova Scotia, with the Princess of Wales Own Regiment.
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Delong Die Suddenly
Mrs. Delong, who had been in poor health for the past two months, suffered a severe heart attack early Sunday morning. Later, about noon, she suffered another attack and passed away suddenly. A few minutes later her husband collapsed and died almost immediately with a heart seizure.
Mr. and Mrs. Delong came to Hespeler from Peterborough about five years ago and were well known and highly respected in the community.
Previous to coming to Hespeler Mr. Delong worked with the Auburn branch of D. W. & W. in Peterborough for some fifteen years. In 1938 when that plant moved to Hespeler, Mr. Delong came to this community to continue his work with D. W. & W. He was night foreman in the Cloth Wet Finishing Dept.
Mrs. Dorothy Meyette Wins $150 Victory Bond
The draw took place in the Lunch Room on Wednesday, Nov. 10th. Fred Hutchings acted as master of ceremonies and the names were drawn by little Miss Joan Woods, daughter of Gnr. Jack Woods and Mrs. Woods.
The other prize winners were as follows: 2nd prize, a $50 Victory Bond, Wm. From of Hespeler; 3rd prize, $25 in War Savings Certificates, Mrs. Edna Wolfe of Hespeler; 4th prize, $25 in War Saving Certificates, Fred Cober of Hespeler.
D. W. & W. ENLISTMENTS
Army……………………. 113
Air force ………….……. 74
Navy………..……………. 13
___________________________
200
PERSONALITIES
Enlistments for this month include Laverne Rieck, Charles Homer, Gordon Davis and Alex McCormick with the Army, and Douglas Barclay with the Navy.
Ernie Lee, Ralph Parsons and Bill O’Krafka have been called for military training.
MARRIED
Joan Garside to Aircraftman Russell Drumm, who is stationed with the R.C.A.F. at Burtch.
BORN
Nov. 9th, a daughter, Elizabeth Flora, to Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Macnab.
Nov. 24th, a son, Lloyd Richard, to Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Elrick.
LETTERS FROM THE BOYS
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the copies of the mill paper which I have received and I hope to keep on receiving them as they sure do give you the dope on what’s going on in the old town.
I have just been here for a period of a few months and have seen some of the Hespeler boys, but I guess through time I will run across the rest of them. They sure have a lovely country here, only for myself I prefer Canada.
I send my regards to everyone in the Woollen Spinning room and hope that it won’t be long until we are all back again and at the old job.
Well, I guess news is running low for now, so I will say cheerio and good luck. Keep smiling, it won’t be long.
A58191 L/Bdr. Edwin Meiers,
63rd Bty., 19th S. P. Regt.,
R.C.A.
Canadian Army Overseas.
On Active Service
This so you won’t be forgotten, boys and girls. It hangs on the lunch room wall.
LETTERS FROM THE BOYS
The Editor:
It has been a long time since I last wrote to thank you for your smokes and papers, but a number of things have been happening to take my mind off writing letters to anyone—especially getting married to the Miss England No. 1 (of the century). That such an occurrence only takes place once, my knees are ever so grateful.
Your cigarettes and papers have been arriving O.K. but not as regularly, due to some mix-up along the line. There have been times when any one of us would gladly have volunteered to work in the kitchen just for one cigarette (had we liked working in the kitchen). There is plenty to do over here at present and we hope it leads to something more interesting. The weather is still as that of Florida Beach, but the nights are good and cold (here comes those red flannels again).
Your paper is still “old faithful” to us even though the faces are not. It’s a treat to see Mayor Courtney swinging his weight for the public—can he still swing a baseball bat? The wading pool in the Park is an up-to-date idea.
Gnr. Alex McLaughlin is our cook as you probably know, and isn’t doing my stomach much good. He only sleeps next door to me but I haven’t the heart to tell him. Would you put it in black and white for me? I don’t doubt that Alec can read. He’s a swell guy.
There are seven of us in this Regiment as you know, and you can bet there’s a lot of arguing that goes on. If there’s still anyone who hasn’t heard of good old Hespeler in this Unit, then we assure you that it won’t be for long. There are some who know it as the gasoline station just outside of Guelph and there are some of the more educated ones who know it as their first ticket for speeding. In a little while we’ll have them talking Dominion Woollens and Worsteds.
To make a long story short, and you very happy, I just dropped in to thank you for the kindness received from you.
Yours sincerely,
A35344 Bdr. George Oliver,
16th Field Batty.,
12th Field Regt., R.C.A.,
Canadian Army Overseas.
The Editor:
I want to thank you for the copies of the D. W. & W. News which I have been receiving regularly since I enlisted in February. It is swell to receive the news from the mill and keep in touch with what is going on around the town and in the mill.
I have been in the Jeffery Hale’s Hospital in Quebec since August. I expect to get a leave as soon as I am discharged from the hospital.
Send my regards to the workers in the Weaving and Winding departments where I used to work. Tell them to keep up the good work.
Well, I must sign off for now and again thank you for the D. W. & W. News.
Your sincerely,
R197281 AC2. Gordon McIntosh,
No. 1 A.G.G.T.S.,
Quebec City, Que.
The Editor:
I have before me now the August issue of the D. W. & W. News which arrived today. Between your paper and the Herald I am kept well informed of the situation on the home front.
I have just returned from two weeks’ leave spent mostly in the favourite R.A.F. stamping grounds: London and Nottingham. I also managed to see my brother and it was quite a reunion.
I have three weeks to go before going on operations so by the time you receive this I hope I have found out just what it’s all about.
Again thanks for your paper and cigarettes. Regards to everyone in the Burling and Mending.
Yours truly,
J23741 P/O Edgar Wilkins,
R.C.A.F. Overseas.
Active Service Addresses
L.A.C. Amos W.R.
R.C.A.F. Overseas.
A9119 Cpl. Fred Bloomfield,
R.C.A.S.C., 2Cdn. Inf. Bde. Coy.,
Canadian Mediterranean Forces,
Canadian Army Overseas
A105841 Pte. Maurice Bruce,
No. 3 C.I.R.U. Gen. List,
Canadian Army Overseas.
A89015 Pte. Karl Cusack,
No. 1 Cnd. Ordnance Reinf. Unit,
Canadian Army Overseas.
No. 3 C.I.R.U.
Canadian Army Overseas.
W-3526 P/W Pauline Dugmore,
H.M.C.S. Stadacona,
c/o F.M.O.
Halifax, N.S.
R193145 Sgt. Unger J.,
No. 1 “Y” Depot,
Halifax, N.S.
Nelson House Girls
Martha Geddes (matron), Lorna Westlake, Marie Morton, Marjorie Hodder, Georgina White, Ruth Hodder, Georgina Mills.
PERSONALITIES
GORDON HALL
We welcome three new girls to our happy family at Gordon Hall this month, Margaret Crawford, Maxine Ball and Eileen Moore.
The girls at Gordon Hall appreciate very much the efforts of the Recreation Committee in making our leisure hours more pleasant. The party and dance on Saturday night, also the bowling on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, were a big success. We are all looking forward to our next party.
Maybelle Adams of the R.C.A.F. Women’s Division, Rockcliffe, called on her friends at Gordon Hall on Sunday. Maybelle is being transferred to Toronto to continue her training.
—Gladys Shier.
HILLSIDE LODGE
Orchids to the person who suggested a Recreation Club for the night workers and roses to those on the committee who helped to make a success of the first dance which was held on Saturday, Nov. 20th. There are eighteen girls at Hillside now and all who attended report a good time.
On the afternoon of Nov. 24th we started to bowl, and even if the score sheets weren’t a work of art, we enjoyed ourselves.
We wonder how a skating party would turn out.
Now that winter is coming on, we will appreciate these get-togethers.
—Isobel Guttin.
NELSON HOUSE
Nelson House celebrated the second anniversary of its opening on December 1st with two of its original personnel. It was celebrated in a real way with birthday cake and all the trimmings.
—Lorna Westlake.
Joan (Garside) Drumm was presented with a cornflower bowl and candle holders by the Worsted Spinning and Twisting Departments when she left to be married. The presentation was made by Hilda Coley and Myrtle Einwechter.
On Friday, Nov. 19th, Francis Creighton left the employ of the Company after 12 years’ service. Prior to his departure the members of the Top Mfg. Section and the Drawing Dept. presented him with a smoking stand and tobacco. He will make his home in Toronto.
Douglas Barclay was presented with a sum of money by his fellow workers in the Steam Plant when he left to join the Navy.
Ron Ball was a member of the graduating class of pilots at No. 2 S.F.T.S., Uplands, on Friday, November 26th. In addition to receiving his wings he received his commission as a pilot officer.
Jack Welsh graduated as a sergeant air gunner at the R.C.A.F. graduation ceremonies held at McDonald, Manitoba, on Friday, November 26th.
UNION NOTES
Safety Committee. At the December meeting of the Safety Committee five new members were welcomed and put through their paces. The five retiring members received a vote of thanks for their co-operation in the past six month. We have to date a greatly improved accident record. This year there are 17 lost time accidents as compared with 25 for the same period last year. Keep up the good work, everybody. How about a little better housecleaning? I had one of the department stewards show me one of the ladies’ dressing rooms. It was terrible. Of course, girls, if that’s the way you do things at home, go ahead, we want you to feel at home, but if others object, we will have to curtail some of your privileges.
Bloor Donors. How about enrolling with the Red Cross for blood donations? We who stay at home can give this plasma to the boys—your kin and mine. All reports from over there speak well of the results. It’s a great feeling to know you may be able to give a chance of life to one of the boys. This is your chance to help them. Ask your steward or Nurse Baker for an enrolment card.
To the boys and girls in the services: Cheerio, see you all next Christmas along the main drag.
President, W.W.U.
Active Service Addresses
N.P.O. 617,
H.M.C.S. Cornwallis.
Deep Brook, N.S.
A67857 Sgt. O’krafka H.R.
No. 3 C.I.R.U., Gen. List,
Canadian Army Overseas.
A56621 Sgt. Rubery A.E.
4 Sub. Depot, 1 C.B.O D.
R.C.O.C. Can. Base P.O.,
Canadian Army Overseas
A105331 Gnr. Robert Schwantz,
No. 3 C.A.R.U., S.A.A. Reinf.,
Canadian Army Overseas.
A56804 Cpl. Stark J. F.
No. 3 C.I.R.U. G.L.,
Canadian Army Overseas.
R200870 Sgt. Loren Small,
No. 1 “Y” Depot,
Halifax, N. S.
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Well here goes for a short scroll to thank you for your paper which I received today. It was really welcome and although I don’t go in much for reading, I read it from start to finish and enjoyed all the gossip of the “Old Mill.”
It’s not too bad over here. I guess you could call England a pretty place with its twisting narrow roads, green hills, flower gardens and many squatted little towns, but I’d much rather have good old Canada with its wide open spaces.
I am on an R.A.F. station at present and with a good bunch of “blokes”. My crew is a mixture of Englishmen, Australians and Canadians, so when Jerry gets a mob like that after him he better head in the other direction. They are a swell bunch of guys, and we all hope to get dropping a few “cookies” on Germany sometime.
Well my news line seems to be pretty well shrunk for this time or as the English say, “You’ve had it”, so will close by wishing D. W. & W. and staff a very Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year.
Thanking you once again for your paper.
R200870 Sgt. Loren Small,
R.C.A.F. Overseas.