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Wednesday, November 29, 2006 · Page 11 Local war brides to be honoured BY ANDY COMBER In recognition of 2006 as the Year of the War Bride, local war brides will be honoured at the Woodslee Friendship Club's Christmas Dinner, to be held at St. John's Hall in Woodslee Dec. 8. "These courageous women were Canada's gain," said Joanne McMurren, vice-president of the Woodslee Friendship Club. McMurren felt it was important to recognize the local war brides. Among those sharing in the tribute are two war brides from England, Eileen Stowe of Woodslee and Ruby Robertson of Essex. Both women landed at Halifax's famed Pier 21 in 1946 to begin a new life in Canada. "I was just 21 years old hen this dashing young an with a maple leaf on his houlder, and who'd asked e to dance a tango, convinced me I'd be happy living in his home country, anada," said Ruby obertson, nee Wearmouth, emembering her first meetng with Bill "Robbie" obertson at a village dance n July 1943. At the time of their meetng, Ruby, the oldest of three irls, worked on the family arm in Northallerton, orkshire, and Robbie, from indsor, Ont., was an rmourer with the ground rew assigned to the 408 oyal Canadian Air Force quadron. "We got talking and a riendship developed," said uby, who lived not too far rom the aerodrome in eeming, where Robbie was tationed. "He'd ride his bike or miles to see me," she said. "I had to do some decidng," said Ruby, rememberng when Robbie proposed arriage in the spring of 945 - at a time when the ar was coming to an end in urope. "We would have to et married before he was ent home." The couple married on uly 28, 1945, and were forunate enough to have time Fond memories ­ Pictured holding their wedding pictures are Ruby Robertson, left, and Eileen Stowe, right. Both women will be honoured with other war brides at the Woodslee Friendship Club's Christmas Dinner, Dec. 8. 's ederTREE FARM R in the Field $ for a honeymoon in Scotland before Robbie was shipped home. However, it would be over half a year before Ruby could join her husband in Canada. Ruby landed at Halifax after sailing aboard the SS Aquitania, and was reunited with Bill in May of 1946. "I will never forget the magnificent neon lights on Ouellette Avenue - after coming from a blackout country," she said. Robbie worked as a stationary engineer with the Ford Motor Company, and the couple raised two children, a son and a daughter, living in Windsor from 1946 to1997 before moving to Essex. Sadly, Bill "Robbie" Robertson died on Oct. 2, 1998. Since that time, Ruby has worn a locket designed by Robbie - a button from his military jacket adorned with his picture as a young Canadian serviceman. "This button locket still represents a union of love and happiness spanning 55 years," said Ruby, "It will remain with the earthly body of its owner when the spirit of the farm girl once again joins the button locket designer." A resident of north London, Eileen Stowe, nee Graham, was 19 years old, working as a die caster in an ammunitions factory, when she met Bill Stowe, a native of Woodslee, Ont., and a lance corporal driving a transport for the Royal Canadian Air Force 39 Reconnaissance Wing. "I met him on a train. He was going some place and I was going some place," said Eileen, remembering her chance meeting with Bill in August 1943. Bill was on the last day of a seven-day leave, returning to his base in Ashford, Kent. With little time to become acquainted, the pair agreed to stay in touch by mail. However, fate intervened when Bill's unit was posted at Red Hill, just outside of London, within visiting distance. After they married on February 12, 1944, Eileen and Bill lived in a rented room, near his latest posting at Odiham in southern England. Eileen had grown up during the Blitz and would continue to face the dangers of "buzz bombs" and V-rockets when Bill's unit was shipped to France, just days after the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. The war would take him through France, Belgium and Holland. "I was pregnant then," said Eileen, recalling the worries of being separated from her new husband. "There was something about the war - it was terrible - but it brought people closer together," said Eileen, who gave birth to their first child, a son, on Feb. 1, 1945, just a day after Bill had come back from Holland on leave. Unlike many war brides, Eileen left for Canada in advance of her Canadian husband, boarding the SS Volendam with baby William Jr., in May 1945. After disembarking at Pier 21 in Halifax, Eileen trav- eled by train to Woodslee, but was pleasantly surprised when Bill's parents met the train at St. Thomas to accompany her and the baby for the rest of the trip. Eileen and Bill settled in Woodslee, raising their son and daughter. Bill worked with Canada Customs, retiring in 1979. Sadly, Bill Stowe passed away in October 1999. Today, Eileen still lives in the same Woodslee home they shared since 1949. The Woodslee Friendship Club is still seeking local war brides, wishing to honour these ladies for their courage in coming to Canada to start a new life. Please submit the names of any of these courageous ladies (living or deceased) to Joanne McMurren at 519975-2409. 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