Chuck, Frances and Francie O'Leary

My husband and I met on a blind date, not set up on our behalf but for my sister's friend who was not allowed to see her date alone. I don't think either of us was very taken but 5 years later we married and had 52 years of married bliss before he was taken from me.

Pier 21 was especially good for me as I had a hard time getting there. My husband Chuck returned in June, 1945 and it was February, 1946 before I got my sailing orders. I arrived at Victoria Station on February 23rd only to be told there had been an error made and the initials N.O.P. had been called two days early. We weren't allowed to go home so we were housed in a kind of warehouse. The only thing we had to eat was macaroni and cheese and Jell-O. The other women and children arrived and there was 1072 of us taking off for Southampton. Thank goodness my husband was from Dartmouth so Halifax was my final destination.

Canada is my home now but I still go back to England every year. I have a sister there and we return visits.