My Grandfather Francis, served in the RCAF from 1939 to 1945. It was a very strange choice for somebody who was so afraid of flying. He didn’t go overseas, but ended up working as an aircraft mechanic in London Ontario for the duration of the war. Most of the aircraft he worked on were trainers for the Commonwealth air training program here in Canada.

The above tunic would actually be my first official piece in my Militaria collection. My grandfather gave it to me in the late 1960's along with his duffle bag. I used to cart that duffle bag to school with me each day... of course & still have both almost 40 years later!

Francis & his wife, my grandmother Ruby were and still are very close to my heart as they were the ones that I lived with while growing up. Every penny pinching trait that I have acquired can be directly attributed to him :).. Thank god I didn’t end up with his driving skills.. Undoubtedly he was the worst driver in Fredericton.

Francis passed away in the early 1990's, his wife Ruby in 1999. I miss them both very much.

My daughter (Ruby), born June 25^th 2004 is of course named after her grandmother.