Uncle Craig
Craig, a farm boy from Brome, Quebec signed up full of purpose and anticipation, and left this world at 19. The heartbreak of his mother, three brothers and four sisters never ended, ever. His name "Craig" has been given to several people in the following generations and memories are kept alive throughout the extended family. I am the keeper of the letters he sent home to his mother, my granny, and a few other letters that he sent.
Uncle Craig newspaper death notice


war envelope sent from Craig to my dad
yellow rose
Jan. 24, 1943

Dear Mother,
How is every thing at home? Every-thing is going pretty good here. I was flying this morning but the weather was terrible. You couldn't see the ground. We fly entirely by D.R. (dead reckoning) navigation. It is a great thing. We fly for two to three hours over the ocean without getting lost. I like it very much.
All my love,

Craig


letter from Uncle Craig to my dad

Dear Grant,
Have just received a bunch of letters from you. Some were written to Halifax and some over here. I was very glad to get them. You were wondering which side of the puddle I was on, so I will tell you that I am on the opposite side from you.

How is every-thing going at the farm. I gather from your letters that you like your work o.k. in spite of the rather long hours. It must be rather fun to get the best of cows with a milking machine rather than with your paws.

Every-thing is going good over here. I have done some flying and like it fine. The weather is a subject that is not discussed but it has been both good & wet. I am getting of rain. Mom tells me that you had rather a bad spring at home. It is rather a shame that they did not have a good sugar year, [maple syrup] as every-body could have used it this year.

If as you say there are some loose ducks about the place up there I should waste no time in getting the old shot-gun after them. It is too bad we couldn't get all the old gang together and eat a few of them in the D.D.I. We don't see many ducks over here unless they are mounted.

....Your loving brother Craig.


(Grant was my dad, one of Craig's brothers.)

official letter notifying Craig's parents of his death

The Books of Remembrance are six gorgeously illuminated and illustrated books kept in the Peace Tower of Parliament Hill. They are reproduced on-line,
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/books/listing.

They will break your heart.

Craig's page from the Books of 
Remembrance


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