Canadians’ donations to war efforts still amaze

Dear editor: With the approach of Remembrance Day, I’d like to remind people about how the public’s generosity helped IODE support past war efforts. First World War: $5.5 million IODE members proposed a fund to pay for a hospital ship and chapters raised $282,857 with the Government of Canada contributing $10,000.

The project was considered impractical by the British government and the fund was placed in the hands of HRH The Duchess of Connaught, wife of His Excellency, the Governor General of Canada.

The War Office received $100,000 from the fund to purchase ambulances for England and France. The remainder of the fund was used to erect a wing in the naval hospital at Haslar for the use of the nurses who called the wing Canada Block.

Chapters in Canada raised money for ambulances, wheelchairs, stretchers and guns. They established kitchens and clubs for returning servicemen.

In England, contributions were sent to establish Maple Leaf Clubs for Canadians on leave as well as a club for Canadian nurses in Lancaster Gate, London. 1924 In 1924, to honour the 90 Canadian soldiers who gave their lives, a monument was unveiled in Bloemfontein, South Africa. To honour Canadians who gave their lives or suffered disabilities in the two world wars, two War Memorial Funds for education were established.

Over $4 million has been awarded from the funds. Today, five scholarships of $15,000 are awarded annually as IODE War Memorial Doctoral Scholarships. Second World War: $5.4 million The crew of the HMCS Magnificent, an aircraft carrier, was supplied with comforts, books and amenities by the national and primary Chapters of IODE.

In 1940, IODE presented to the Canadian government $100,000 raised in one month for the purchase of a Bolingbroke Bomber. The bomber, known as Ida, was flown by a Hamilton Squadron as the crew patrolled the west coast for seven years on submarine patrol. It crashed and burned in Lethbridge, Alta., with no loss of life.

IODE has contributed significant funds to the restoration of a “Boly”, which can be seen in the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, Mount Hope, Ont.

Chapters raised $50,000 for the purchase of a fighter plane, which was sent to Australia.

IODE supported the sale of War Stamps and Certificates with the Government of Canada in an IODE folder which encouraged national saving. Sales over a five-year period amounted to $183,576.

Another $100,000 was raised across Canada by exhibiting a needlepoint carpet made by Queen Mary and was used to provide much needed dollars for Britain following the Second World War.

In today’s dollars, those contributions are valued at a total of approximately $156 million. Bette Snowdon, IODE provincial citizenship officer Penticton