It has taken on a more personal meaning to me though....
While debating the point that it wasn't just Britain that stood alone,
posters have mention some of the commonwealth nations that stood with her
but none have mentioned the Dominion of Newfoundland as being an early participant.
She declared war on Germany Sept 4/39.
Here's a small bit from Wikipedia about her invovlement.
Fearing that a German invasion of Newfoundland could be used as a prelude to an attack on Canada, in 1940 Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King and Newfoundland Governor Sir Humphrey T. Walwyn entered into negotiations regarding the strengthening of defense positions along the Newfoundland coast. Notwithstanding their separate political identity, the defense of Newfoundland and the Newfoundland Home Guard armed forces were integrated with the Canada military and both governments agreed to the formation of a joint coastal defense battery. As part of the Anglo-American Lend Lease agreement, the United States was granted military air and naval bases on Newfoundland territory at Argentia, Stephenville and St John's.My dad, who served, passed away in 2001.Newfoundlanders were encouraged to enlist in the forces of the United Kingdom and Canada. The Royal Navy enlisted some 3500 from the Newfoundland Naval Reserve of those whom Churchill called, "the best small boat sailors in the world." The Royal Artillery raised two regiments, the 57th (later 166th) Newfoundland Field Regiment which saw action in North Africa and Italy and 59th Newfoundland Heavy Artillery which began service as coastal artillery unit in England and later participated in the campaigns in Normandy and northwestern Europe. Another 700 Newfoundlanders served in the Royal Air Force, most notably with the 125th Newfoundland Squadron.
In all some 15,000 Newfoundlanders saw active service and thousands more were engaged in the hazardous work of the Merchant Navy. Some 900 Newfoundlanders (including at least 257 merchant mariners) lost their lives in the conflict and over 100 Newfoundland civilians were killed in the sinking of the SS Caribou by a German U-boat.
Newfoundland was the only location in North America to be subject to direct attack by German forces in World War II when German U-boats attacked four allied ore carriers and the loading pier at Bell Island. The carriers S.S. Saganaga and the S.S. Lord Strathcona were sunk by U 513 on September 5, 1942, while the S.S. Rosecastle and P.L.M. 27 were sunk by U 518 on November 2, 1942 with the loss of 69 lives.
and found my Dad....
| 216781 | Tilley, Samuel W. | Round Harbour, Notre Dame Bay |
I can't tell you how happy this had made me...I miss him alot.
The first number in the listing is his service#
and should help me further my investigation.
He was extremely skilful with horses, and could get them to do anything he wanted. The family myth is that he was a horse whisperer.Therefore he was assigned to be an ambulance driver with a team of horses and an ambulance carriage. He survived because the horses trusted him and obeyed his directions during the noise and clamor of battle, and they did not panic.
Maybe you might find some documents on your dad at:
http://www.collectionscanada.ca/index-e.html
I do not know if they encompass the Newfoundland data base before 1949. Perhaps there is a British data base that would have Samuel's info.
Curiously , I have been to Round Harbor on Notre Dame bay, having lived several years in the Gander Area in the late 1970s. I really liked the people, mostly fisher folk, kind and generous to everyone.