And Momma Cried, Second World War
I LOVE this book, Francene. Your writing shines on every page! I have only one other time felt so close to the true frontlines (during a podcast called Hardcore History Blueprint for Armageddon) and never before seen the war as real soldiers saw it. I have read enough war diaries and first-hand accounts to know the history book version of clear purpose and cheerful soldiers did not match up to what most men actually endured.
I've also not read one that centred women so strongly, but you pulled it off. The two girls are also powerful from your perspective. It really is astonishing how you gave us their whole lives and left us wanting to know more. I loved this line [We need that, and the ability to laugh. Right Pat?] It's a powerful book. It is an ambitious book that reflects the decades of writing and interviewing and thinking you did over the years. Your book is not 'any book' but a unique, deep, valuable historical account of a much-studied area, in which you have found brand-new information nearly a century later. To have captured the voice of these near-silent men was no easy task, and they would be so grateful.
You built a smooth, clean ride that will thrill readers. I can really see school kids in particular using this, as every kid in the class could pick a different person, angle, or event to explore on their own. And I've never read a war book that makes so clear why it's part of our present, not past. -- Editor, Jon Tattrie.
War, Through
a Mother’s Eyes
Read about Joe, Danny, Richard, Pat, and their mom and dad, Philomena and Duncan Gillis, as well as Philomena's younger brother Colin Moran. The story moves from the early 1900s through three centuries of change, seen through the eyes of Philomena, who lived as a baby in the 1800s, grew into a woman through the 1900s, and became an elder at the turn of the millennium. Hers is a life of longevity—she died at 103. Through her eyes we experience the risk, worry, and fear of war, and come to understand why momma cried: the cost to families, countries, and economies. Yet we also see the strength of the human spirit when facing life’s worst moments.
The Sacrifice
Sacrifice, War, and Remembrance
"Francene Gillis has meticulously documented the stories of a respectable number of Maritime soldiers who served overseas during the Second World War. Her work is a great credit to our military family and community. Unlike fictional accounts, these stories have a bite to them. Major (Retired) Harold A. Skaarup, Foreward, And Momma Cried."
Harold Skaarup, BFA, MA, CD, served with the Canadian Forces (CF) 40 years, retiring in 2011. Born in Woodstock, NB he retired with an outstanding curriculum vitae. An expert on war, he authored over 50 books on military history, is the author of the website Silverhawk.ca. He served as a Canadian Army Paratrooper and Military Intelligence Officer, which allowed him the good fortune to have a military career that gave him a chance to see the world while on duty with NATO in Germany, with the UN in Cyprus, with SFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina, with NORAD in Colorado, with ISAF in Afghanistan, and of course here at home. Learn more about Harold Skaarup at: Canadian Military History, Aviation & Books | SilverHawk Author Website Military History Materials
Major Harold Skaarup
And So It Begins
Sydney Post-Record, Thursday, January 1, 1942
The Second World War started on September 1, 1939 and continued on to September 2, 1945. On September 10, 1939 Canada declared war on Germany, 7 days after Britain and France. The first Canadian troops left for England in December. On August 19, 1942 Canadian and British troops raided the French port of Dieppe to test German defences. The raid lasted 9 hours. Of the nearly 5000 Canadian soldiers involved, more than 900 were killed and 1874 taken prisoner.
Valuable War Websites
of Interest
Themes: Bravery, Love, Faith, Humility
Sacrifice
Capturing the heartbreak and sacrifice of thousands who died, or came home forever changed, and the debt their families paid.
Waiting For Mail
A tribute to the enduring ache of distance, where love is measured in the fragile thread of letters sent and prayers whispered in the dark.
Remembrance
Ensuring the quiet bravery of the fallen is never forgotten, weaving their stories into the living fabric of our shared history.
'Wait For Me Daddy!' Famous WWII Photo
The first photo taken on October 1, 1940, by photographer Claude P. Dettloff in New Westminster, British Columbia captures five-year-old Warren "Whitey" Bernard breaking away from his mother's grasp to reach out to his marching father, Private Jack Bernard.
In the second photo, Warren sits in his livingroom, some 50 years later holding the famous photograph. He and his father stretch their arms looking for comfort and consolation. The war took a terrible toll on families, but Bernard lived to see his dad return. A photo of the two adult men hugging rests on his lap in the second photograph. For him it was a happy day, not so much for others.
Book Excerpt: Leo Cox
Leo, a soft-spoken, intelligent man often spoke at schools and Legion events surrounding Remembrance Day ceremonies about his family’s experience surviving the Nazi occupation and subsequent liberation of the Netherlands during the Second World War.
He was a fine man who raised an incredible family along with his wife Annie. He was forever grateful to Canadian Veterans and their sacrifices in liberating his homeland.
Instead of telling me his story as a grown man in And Momma Cried he shares it as a seven or eight year old.
Read and/or Listen to Excerpts
