Audrey R.F. Beasley-Waddy

Leaving a loving family in Surrey, England, to join my Canadian serviceman husband in February 1946 was in one instance great joy and at the same time sadness as I realized it may be years before I would be able to return.

Travelling in convoy from Liverpool there were fifteen hundred young brides like myself on their way to a new home and life in Canada. I was extremely seasick and did not enjoy the ocean crossing which lasted for eleven days as we had encountered a great deal of fog and rough weather. The Letitia was not a large ship, however, we were made as comfortable as possible as we travelled to our new land.

My first recollection of Halifax was when I was suddenly aroused from my chair on deck by wild screams, 'Land! Land! We can see land!' Coming slowly into the Halifax harbour was sheer joy and walking on dry land was wonderful. After lining up on the pier to send telegrams home that we had arrived safely, my first sight was an enormous fruit stand and [with] the thought that I [had] missed all that lovely food on board ship, I could not resist buying a huge bag of delicious fruit, something we had not seen for many years.

We were given a grand welcome by the Mayor of Halifax, a very heart warming experience with much music, and then we boarded the longest train that I had ever seen to take us on our final journey to the West Coast.

I have not seen the Halifax harbour since I boarded that train fifty three years ago and I am delighted to say that my husband I will be travelling for the official opening of this wonderful millennium project.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication in bringing this grand Pier 21 Pavilion project to conclusion. It will be a lasting tribute to those of us who crossed the oceans to make a new home in Canada.