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WWII Sailors on Leave in London: In July of 1943, four years into World War II, our dad, George K. Broatch, and two Royal Canadian Navy buddies were on leave in London, England, taking in the sights. George was just six months past his 18th birthday. Black-and-white snapshots show the three uniformed young men visiting…
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Moose Jaw Girl Off to College: It was 1942 when our mom, Catherine Elizabeth Johnston, packed her suitcases and headed for the University of Toronto to begin a two-year diploma program in occupational therapy. She was just shy of 18 years old, and had spent her whole life in Moose Jaw, whose population was 20,000…
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WWII Sailor in the Battle of the Atlantic: Our dad, George K. Broatch, rarely talked about his World War II service as a signalman in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). When he did, he’d often begin with: “I knew as soon as I enlisted that I’d made a terrible mistake.” What usually followed was: “And…
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Three Brides—One Satin and Lace Dress: In May of 1945, World War II ended in Europe, when the Germans surrendered unconditionally to the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. After six long years, the death, destruction, and rationing of basic necessities were coming to an end. Young couples across North America and Europe were excitedly…
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A Young WWII Sailor in the Thick of it: On June 6, 1944, George Kenneth Broatch, a signalman in the Royal Canadian Navy, and about 200 shipmates were aboard the Canadian destroyer HMCS Skeena, in the English Channel. The ship’s mission was to support the Western Allies’ D-Day invasion of France…
