Yarmouth, Nova Scotia - Remembrance 2025

Yarmouth, Nova Scotia - Remembrance 2025 1939 -1945

Wartime Heritage ASSOCIATION

Yarmouth, September 1939 — A German Freighter Slips Away as War Looms On the evening of September 2, 1939, the quiet harbour of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, became the stage for a tense and little-known episode on the cusp of global war. A German freighter, docked for several days to load a cargo of lumber, prepared for a sudden departure before all the lumber was loaded. Its captain, a German national, received urgent instructions to leave immediately. As townspeople speculated about the escalating crisis in Europe, few realized that the vessel’s hasty exit was perhaps a calculated move to escape the tightening grip of British naval forces. By dawn on September 3, as Britain declared war on Germany following the invasion of Poland, the freighter was already at sea. The ship’s departure marked Yarmouth’s first brush with the war, a fleeting but symbolic moment foreshadowing profound changes to come. RCAF Station Yarmouth: From Farmland to Airfield Before the war, Yarmouth had no airport, just open fields stretching from Starr’s Road to Argyle Street. But by late 1939, land was purchased and cleared for what would become RCAF Station Yarmouth. Construction continued through 1942, culminating in a fully operational airbase with hangars, runways, and two distinct camps: East and West. The station transformed Yarmouth into a strategic hub for training and coastal defense. Camp 60: Training Canada’s Infantry Established in 1940 on Parade Street, Camp 60 trained over 20,000 infantry recruits under the National Resources Mobilization Act. Young men from across Canada arrived for basic training, enduring a strict regimen of drills, lectures, and inspections. The camp became a fixture of wartime Yarmouth, with soldiers forging strong ties with the local community. West Camp and Anti-Submarine Patrols West Camp became operational in July 1940 with the arrival of No. 119 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron. Flying Hudsons and later Cansos and Venturas, squadrons launched daily patrols over the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Bay of Fundy, escorting convoys and hunting U-boats. The camp hosted multiple squadrons and specialized units, anchoring Yarmouth’s role in Atlantic defense. East Camp: Arrival of No. 34 OTU In April 1942, East Camp welcomed No. 34 Operational Training Unit, 700 RAF personnel arriving from the United Kingdom to complete their training. They eventually relocated to Pennfield Ridge in New Brunswick. East Camp later hosted No. 1 Naval Air Gunners School, specializing in armament training for British airmen. TAGs and the Fleet Air Arm Telegraphist Air Gunners (TAGs) of the Royal Navy trained at East Camp between 1943 and 1945. These young men combined wireless communication with aerial gunnery, operating Morse code equipment while manning rear guns in aircraft like the Swordfish. Of the TAGs trained during the war, 570 completed their instruction in Yarmouth, many forming lasting memories of the town’s hospitality. Tusket’s Hidden Radar Station Just outside Yarmouth, No. 3 Radio Detachment Station at Tusket operated in secrecy from 1942 onward. Staffed by radar specialists and support personnel, the station scanned the skies and seas for enemy activity, feeding intelligence to Eastern Air Command. Its quiet presence was a vital part of Canada’s wartime surveillance network. Merchant Ships and Coastal Convoys Yarmouth’s harbour received visits from merchant ships. Though not a major transatlantic port, Yarmouth served as a safe waypoint for coastal convoys, linking the town to the broader logistics of war. Crews were entertained at the Red Triangle Room. Cemeteries in Yarmouth hold the graves of Merchant seamen who died of illness, or wounds Crashes and the Cost of Training Both East and West Camp experienced aircraft crashes during the war, often during training or patrol missions. Mechanical failures, and poor weather, contributed to tragic losses, reminders of the risks faced even far from combat zones. Community Involvement and Wartime Life Yarmouth’s residents were deeply involved in the war effort. Construction crews built the bases, families hosted young men far from their homes, and local women staffed the YMCA’s Red Triangle Room. Churches, civic groups, and families supported servicemen with meals, socials, and friendship, forging bonds that endured long after the war. Wartime Marriages in Yarmouth Love blossomed amid uncertainty, as many servicemen married local women during their time in Yarmouth. These marriages anchored young couples to the community and creating lasting ties between Yarmouth and the men who served. Civilian Defense and Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Local civilians prepared for potential attacks with blackout drills, air raid sirens, and the role of wardens. Even though Yarmouth wasn’t bombed, the displayed readiness and community coordination. The Role of Women in Wartime Yarmouth Women served as nurses, clerks, and volunteers. Many served in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC), others volunteered to staff local support centres like the Red Triangle Room, Red Cross activities, and church dances. Postwar Transition and the Return Home As the war ended, Yarmouth welcomed its veterans back with pride. Reintegration was not always easy, but the community rallied to support those who had served. Memorials were erected, legions founded, and remembrance initiatives and projects undertaken, ensuring the sacrifices were never forgotten. The Young Men Who Changed the Town From 1939 onward, Yarmouth was transformed by the arrival of thousands of young men, airmen, soldiers, and telegraphist air gunners, who came to train, serve, and prepare for war. Their presence reshaped the town’s rhythm as uniforms became a common sight on Main Street, barracks rose where fields once lay, and the sound of aircraft engines filled the skies. These men brought energy, discipline, and stories from across Canada and the Commonwealth. Some stayed briefly, others for months, and many left for overseas service. The impact of their departure lingered, in friendships formed, hearts touched, and a community forever changed by their presence. Local Losses and Lasting Memory Yarmouth did not escape the cost of war. Dozens of local men, sons, brothers, husbands, served and never returned. They died in Europe, in the Atlantic, and in training accidents closer to home. Their names are etched in memorials, church plaques, and family histories. Each loss was felt deeply, rippling through neighbourhoods and generations. The town mourned together, held services, and placed poppies with reverence. Today, their memory endures, not just in stone, but in the stories we tell, and the duty we carry to remember. Their sacrifice is the foundation of Yarmouth’s wartime legacy. Preserving Memory: Why It Matters The stories of wartime Yarmouth, a freighter escaping, airmen training in Morse code, anti-sub patrols, the sounds of planes overhead, and young couples marrying are more than fragments of history. They are echoes of sacrifice, resilience, and community. They tell us something about who we were, what we stood for, and how ordinary people responded to extraordinary times. Remembering this history isn’t just about honouring the fallen, it’s also about understanding the depth of local involvement, the courage of those who trained, and served. These memories anchor us. They remind us that freedom was never free, and that the legacy of service lives on in every name recorded, every story retold, and every image preserved. In part, the Wartime Heritage Association website serves as a living archive of Yarmouth’s wartime experience, from training camps and radar stations to personal stories, local casualties, and community involvement. Through detailed articles, remembrance pages, and curated photo galleries, the site documents the arrival of RCAF, RAF, and Fleet Air Arm personnel, the operations of East and West Camp, and the unique role of Telegraphist Air Gunners. It also preserves the memory of Camp 60, anti-submarine patrols, and Tusket’s radar station, offering insight into both military operations and the town’s transformation. Beyond military history, the website honours the human side of war, wartime marriages, civilian contributions, local industry, and the sacrifices of those who never returned. Its extensive casualty records, drawn from national and international sources, ensure that Yarmouth’s fallen are remembered by name and story. The site’s commitment to education and remembrance, makes it not just a repository of facts, but a tribute to the soul of a community shaped by service and loss.

Between 1939 and 1945, the Town of Yarmouth was alive with the sights and sounds of a community at war. The airfields hummed with training aircraft, the railway stations bustled with movement, and the waterfront echoed with the comings and goings of ships. Families lived with both pride and worry, as sons and daughters left home to serve across the seas. Much of that world has since faded. The hangars and H-huts are gone, the air bases dismantled, the old steamer terminal replaced, and even the old lighthouse, once a steadfast beacon of welcome, has been modernized. The physical traces of those years are few.

Ernest Henry Alden Jr.

Irvin Vincent Amiro

Robert Burnyeat Bambrick

David Bell

James Lloyd Bell

Wilson Bellman

Malcolmer Beveridge

Phillip Joseph Blanchard

Karl Kenneth Blackadar

Andre Boudreau

Charles Gerald Boudreau

Robert Francis Boudreau

John Jeremiah Boudreau

Orren Willard Carey

Percy Joseph Boudreau

Malcolm Hartley Brittain

Joseph Gerald Burke

Malcolm Allen Canty

Paul Herman Brittain

Clinton Joseph Chadsey

William Lyman Chadsey

Dennis Edward Comeau

Bruce Wilbur Churchill

Emile Joseph Roy Comeau

Aubrey George Connors

Donald Whitman Cook

Robert Leroy Cosman

Louis George Cottreau

William Nathan Cosman

Percy Clayton Cromwell

Frank Killam Crosby

Alcide Joseph D'Entremont

Francis Robert d’Entremont

Frank Stephens D’Entremont

Joseph Arthur Muise

Joseph Fulgence d’Entremont

Joseph Walter Deveau

Harry William Doucette

John Edward Doucette

James Theodore Doucette

Louis Doucette

Leonard Arthur Dow

Warren Alvin Duffy

Charles Douglas Dunn

Russell David Durling

Roy Morton Fells

George Leonard Fitzgerald

Arthur Douglas Gavel

Clifford Roy Gavel

Charles Seyward Goodwin

Freeman Hector Grant

Everett Reginald Gray

Frederick Eugene Gullison

David Brian Hacking

Donald Grant Hamilton

Nethen Raymond Harrington

John Lewis Harris

Jack Elmer Hatfield

John Ernest Hattie

Arthur Raymond Hayes

Kenneth Higby

Thomas Bradford Hilton

William Desmond Holden

Frederick Michael Holobow

Fred Leo Hubbard

Arthur John Horton

Paul Henry Hubbard

Richard Reginald Irvine

Angus John Jacquard

Wentworth Clyde Jenkins

Harold Archibald Kenney

James Colin Kerr

Charles Wentworth Killam

John Albert LaFave

Francis McLaughlin Larkin

Albert Thomas LeBlanc

Donald Hugh Lent

Edmond Levesque

George Henry Lewis

William Frank MacKenna

James Gillis MacLellan

Ernest Joseph Melanson

Thomas Millard

Earl Glawson Miller

Douglas Keith Moores

William David Morton

Henry James Muise

Mary Maimie Muise

Harry Murphy

Daniel Edward Treymain Newell

Joseph Gerard Newman

Osborne Charles Nickerson

Otis Keith Nickerson

Osborne Victor Nickerson

Charles Stuart O'Brien

Charles Beeching O’Hanley

Winslow Earl Oikle

Douglas Roger Parker

Harold Fenwick Parker

Bourneuf Freeman Pothier

Charles Louis Pothier

George Neil Rattee

Harold David Raymond

Charles Allister Ritcey

Charles Willard Rogers

Harold Melville Rogers

Percy James Robicheau

Malcolm Rudolph Rose

John Alexander Ross

Isaac Wilkins Ruggles

Walter Angus Sabean

Lawrence Sherman

Lloyd Newton Skinner

Ivan Steen Sollows

Anthony George Surette

Arthur John Surette

Byron Leslie Sweeney

Charles William Taylor

Jerry Louis Thibeault

Arnold Ernest Thornton

Howard Frederick Thurston

Clarence Leonard Tinker Jr.

Clarence Leonard Tinker Sr.

Leslie Oliver Vickery

Albert Stanford White

John Crittendon L. Watson

Arnold Clayton White

George Arthur Wood

Yarmouth, Nova Scotia - WWII Casualties

Wartime Heritage Displays

Yarmouth High School November 1914

Yarmouth Airport 2010 -1013

Yarmouth Mall November 2014

Yarmouth Mall (March 2008 - June 2008)

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