Dominion Day, 1945 in London, England
Ahead of the Canada 150 celebrations coming up on July 1, I wanted to tell readers about the special celebrations that took place around Dominion Day (now Canada Day) in London, England in 1945, after the end of the Second World War in Europe, when there were several days of parades and concerts to celebrate Canada’s involvement in the war.
The mood in the city was much more festive and relaxed than it had been during the dark days of the war. I learned more about that time while reading the letters that my parents wrote to each other during the war, while my father, Harry Culley, served overseas as a musician in the Royal Canadian Air Force band.
The RCAF No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre Band came to London from their station in Bournemouth to take part in the festivities. The band led a parade of army, navy, and air force personnel on Monday, July 2, 1945, starting from the Wellington Barracks and passing by the Duke of York Steps, where the Honourable Vincent Massey, Canadian High Commissioner to Great Britain for Canada, took the salute. They finished at Westminster Abbey, where there were Protestant services, and Westminster Cathedral, where there were Catholic services. Newsreels of the parade were shown around the world.
The highlight of their visit was a large massed-band concert near the RCAF Overseas Headquarters at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the largest public square in London, on July 3, 1945, conducted by Martin Boundy, the head music director of the RCAF, with approximately 3,000 in the audience. Photographs of this concert appeared in the Canada News
Weekly and later in war books. Located at 20 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the RCAF headquarters provided support to the approximately 85,000 Canadians who were part of fortyeight squadrons during the Second World War. Here is an excerpt from one of the letters. Bournemouth July 5, 1945 My Sweetheart Helen, Well, I suppose you will want to know all about what we did in London eh? They managed to keep us very busy on Mon., Tues. and Wed. Our band took the parade from Wellington Barracks Trafalgar Square & Cenotaph on Whitehall to Westminster Abbey.They took movies of the parade so you might see some of the band in the newsreels. We played at the opening of the Lord Tweedsmuir Officer’s Club in Regent’s Park yesterday and while I was playing billiards in the games room a photographer from Canada News came in and took a picture of me making a shot! Needless to say I missed it and the ball was right over the pocket too. We had a swell supper just before we left with ice cream and fruit. I think it used to be his [Tweedsmuir’s] home in London, the S.A. [Salvation Army] are supervising it.
Monday afternoon after the parade they held a massed band rehearsal by the three bands, about 140 men I guess, so by the time 6 o’clock came around I was pretty tired. I went around the corner for a beer with Bill. Tues. morning we had another rehearsal and then played in Lincoln’s Inn Fields for a noon hour concert under the trees. Gosh it was warm in London and so close especially in the tubes.
They’ve taken the netting off the windows of the buses & tubes so you can see what station you’re pulling into now without peering through a hole.
Well, sweet, two months since the peace was declared and still no word about when we’re going home! I suppose they won’t give us much warning when they finally make up their minds to send us but I’d like to have some idea that’s all.
All my love angel. I’m always thinking of you.
Harry xxxxxx Love in the Air: Second World War Letters, about the over 600 letters my parents wrote to each other, is available in the Peterborough Public Library, at Chapters in the biography section, at www.friesenpress.com, and Amazon, more information at www.joanneculley.com. Joanne.culley@sympatico.ca