Verona Couple's Bittersweet Memory
of Wartime England

By Julie Druker

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Bob and Ivy Martin at their home near Verona

It seems one does not have to look too far to meet men and women who experienced first-hand both bitter and sweet events that occurred in their lives during the Second World War.

Bob and Ivy Martin have resided on the outskirts of Verona since 1989. They met and married in England in 1946, and their memories of that time are tinged with both kinds of feelings.

Bob, who is now 89 years old, joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCA) in 1942 and was posted to the small southern town of Torquay, England in 1944 where he worked as an aircraft mechanic with a three-bomber squadron fixing Lancaster bombers.

He recalled, “The war was pretty much over by that time and though the Germans were still making sortie runs over England once in a while, it wasn’t dangerous for me. And I loved working on those airplanes.”

Luckily for Bob the most dangerous situation he personally encountered involving a gun and one that that he “did not relish one bit” was the accidental discharge of a weapon by a friend, which dug a two-inch hole into the concrete close to his foot. Though Bob was not hurt in the incident he never forgave the fellow.

Tragedy, however, struck later for Bob, when he found out upon his return to Canada that his foster brother Robert Bradley, who flew bombers with the RCA, had perished in his last scheduled flight, during the famous raid on the German rocket base at Peenemunde, Germany.

Bob recalled, “ My mom told me what had happened and the strange thing was that she knew something had happened to him before she found out the terrible news.”

Ivy Martin, now 84, was born and lived in the town of Denton, a suburb of Manchester, England and for her the war was an everyday part of life. As a young teenager she experienced a number of horrific events that she to this day prefers not to mention, except to say that, “The bombing was daily and nightly and I had friends who perished. It was not a pleasant time and when I think of it, it brings back a lot of sad memories.”

As a teenager Ivy worked 12 hours a day at the Audenshaw factory near Denton assembling parts for Lancaster bombers. At night she was an Air Raid Warden, leading children to bomb shelters when the sirens would go off. To this day whenever she hears a siren, a flood of memories comes back.

Ivy studied ballroom dancing at the Manchester Academy of Dance and taught ballroom dancing in Canada when she moved here. She also performed as a singer at the Belleview Ballroom in Manchester, with a six-piece band backing her. She sang wartime favorites like Blue Moon, Just My Bill, and Boogie Woogie Boy. "The concert hall was a good place to go to forget the war." She recalled fondly the time when legendary jazz pianist George Shearing accompanied her while he was in town for a concert.

It was at the Belleview Ballroom that Ivy first met Bob in 1946 when he asked her for a dance. That night he accompanied her on a nine-mile walk back to her parents’ house, where her father announced, “That just might be the last you ever see of him.”

Not so. Bob and Ivy were married a few months later.

Bob and Ivy Martin on their wedding day in Denton, England in 1946 with their best man Walter Saunders on the left

After the war Bob was posted back to Canada, eventually landing a job at the Toronto Airport with the A. V. Roe Company (AVRO). He worked as a mechanic and assembled planes, including the famous AVRO Arrow (note the moniker on his cap in the photo).

When the company changed hands in 1962 and became Hawker Siddely, Bob stayed on until he retired in 1989.

After Bob returned to Toronto in 1946, Ivy remained in England for 6 months until she was granted her official papers. She was given 10 English pounds and 24 hours to pack and boarded a ship with 500+ other war brides bound for Toronto.

Ivy recalled, “It was the first time I had been away from my home and my family, (she had 11 siblings) and I was very anxious. When we got to Toronto I remember they lined us up and called out our names to our waiting partners and I remember that some of the women’s husbands didn’t show up. I was scared that Bob wouldn’t be there, but he was.”

Ivy laughed remembering that “some of the brides were sent back after they were caught in the lifeboats messing around with the crew. That was funny.”

Another funny memory was that some of the Irish and Scottish women who shared quarters on board could be heard fighting all night long.

The couple lived around Toronto for years, had two children and are now grandparents. Later they moved to Acton and Ivy taught ballroom dancing until she was 60 years old.

Ivy saw her share of tragedy during the war and both she and Bob understandably share some strong opinions regarding war. Ivy stated, ”War is a waste of good man power and a waste of lives. I don’t believe that war is way to settle things. And believe you me, it is not fun. Still, I think the kids should be taught the history and understand what people went through.” Bob agreed.

Bob and Ivy continue to live near Verona with some of their family members and their “too many” cats, and have been known to dance together on occasion. Of their relationship Ivy states unequivocally, “I love him more now than when I married him.”

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Poems

Thanks to Royal Canadian Legion Br. 425 and to Prince Charles Public School for the submissions of childrens’ poems & drawings.

World War II by Josh Over one million Went to go fight Just so that we Could have our rights Almost 45,000 Died for us all And so many families Got that bad news call So about 941,000 Returned on their own When they got back No one left them alone Lest we forget The soldiers that died And now we all wear Poppies with pride

Drawing by Andrew

World War II by Josh
Over one million
Went to go fight
Just so that we
Could have our rights
Almost 45,000
Died for us all
And so many families
Got that bad news call
So about 941,000
Returned on their own
When they got back
No one left them alone
Lest we forget
The soldiers that died
And now we all wear
Poppies with pride

A Soldiers Job by Haylee
The thought of a soldier fighting in the war
with guns and shooting, all the sounds you can't ignore.
All the hatred, all the lies, no one should have to die.
Fighting for our country, some soldiers make it back.
Some to see their families, others to be wrapped.
A soldier's life is different.
A soldiers life is hard.
God has been looking down on them from the very start.
To help every one, now that would be a task,
but to help just one, than that feeling will last.
God will take good men to stand there at his gate.
One to greet the others who feared for this day.
The others to help God with all the decisions he needs to make.
What a soldier does is really not a game

Remembrance Day by Johanna
As gun shots rise,
So does pain and hurt.
We may be sad when every faithful man goes,
wondering if all will come home.
A tear may shed every now and then,
But as each gun shot falls/
The war is coming to an end.
We remember those who are now/
lying six feet underground/
and How they gave their lives/
for us to be well.
The Misery and sadness/
may never go away/
but the heart and soul/
of those who fought/
will always stay.

Remember by Brycen 2 Million dead bodies That all rest in peace 10 000 Poppies, 1000 old faces, Remember them all, Remember the brave, Remember all the soldiers That died fighting to save Our country.

Drawing by Desiree

In Their Memory -by Tyler
Guns Shooting
Almost Losing
Climbing Fences
Stuck In Trenches
Letters Sending
Acting Happy
Pretending
Families Crying
People barely surviving
Soldiers Dying
Bunks Breaking
Hands Shaking
Earth is quaking
The Proud Soldiers
Lay amongst the poppies blooming

The Soldiers Feelings by  Katie 
The Soldiers Feelings Gun shots will whistle through me ear, for tonight is the night I will fear. I’m going to war. I may never see my family again so iI'm praying to God for a helping hand.
I’m here to save my country, so we can live free again. I wish for peace. Hopefully it will be over soon, so I can go home and rest for sleep by the silent moon.
Smiles and tears of joy, I’m home again with my wife, my little girl and boy. We celebrate that I am home and they are no longer left alone.
I’m here for you now I’m here to stay, God gave me a chance and today is the day. I take it with pride and I take it with fear to remember the thought of not another tear.


Solders End by Jacob
They lie there dead but in
their minds they fight
one last time between the
dead to decide the victor so
this will end and never fight
agin and go to the promised
land and let their souls rest
in peace so this is their fait
they chose this path now
they rest for ever in the arms of
the lord they fought with
all of there soul now they
stay and wait for you to visit them

Lest We Forget by Hilary
Brave soldiers stand row on row
Some in the sky going down to fight below
Some soldiers wait for the pain to pass hy
Family and friends wait for the pain to die
They fight together friend and foe
V^hile in sorrow the candles glow
Those letters of sadness had come again
Another soldier has died in pain
If we had the power to bring the soldiers home from war
There would he no more ribbons hanging on their door
The coffins are lowered into the ground
All that was left was a silent sound
The tears of loved ones crying in pride
Of the loved ones they now lying side hy side
Some came hack and some are in a better place
The tears of sadness run down their face
Brave soldiers lie row on row in the heart of Flanders Field

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Remembrance Day Services

Remembrance services were held throughout our readership in tribute of the soldiers who have served our country in the past and continue to do so in the present...

Above: Services in Arden on November 11, photo by Ina Hunt-Turner. Photo left: Flinton Cenotaph, November 8 Photo below: Sharbot Lake Legion Br. 425 Colour Party, November 11

Remembering in Verona

by Julie Druker

Veterans Bill Campsall, Joe Paterson, Don Brown, Major Ray Idzenga and Master Corporal C. Johnstone pay their respects at the Cenotaph in Verona on Remembrance Day

On November 11, veterans, students and staff at Prince Charles Public School and members of the community gathered at the Verona Cenotaph for the annual Remembrance Day ceremony.

Marc Wenkoff, who teaches at Prince Charles, organized the event that began with a welcome by himself and veterans and included reflections by grade 8 students and the recitation of “In Flanders Fields” by students Ashley Grant, Celina Grey and Tim Tyeal.

Local Veterans Bill Campsall, Don Brown and Joe Paterson laid wreaths along with a group of grade 3 students from PCPS.

Reverend David Spurrell recited the prayer “Abide With Me” and Mr. Wenkoff played The Last Post and Reverie on the trumpet.

It was a moving and meaningful ceremony shared by the Verona community on a beautiful sunny day.