William James, Betty Stewart

Children:

Eldest Daughter - Rhonda Lynn (Born 1946) married to John Richard Manore
Son - Kelvin William Stewart Magee (Born 1950) married to Andrea Pulford
Youngest Daughter - Shona Hazel Magee (Born 1956)

Grand Children:

Melissa & Morgan, who are Kelvin & Andrea's daughters.

Story

It was 1944 and WWII was nearing it's end. The times were both dangerous and exciting, fearful and adventurous and there were intense feelings at both ends of the spectrum.

It was in this atmosphere that, like many couples, young Canadian Navy Lieutenant "Bill" Magee attended a dance and met a vivacious Scottish girl, who had been a nurse and subsequently joined the Women's Royal Naval Service working in the Signals Distributing Office. A couple of weeks later he was in the Officer's Mess in H.M.C.S. Niobe complaining to a friend that he had nothing interesting to do. His friend suggested he call the "WREN" that he had raved about after returning from the dance. Bill looked up her name in his date book and called her office, asking for Betty Macdonald. The operator asked him, "Which Betty Macdonald? The blonde or the brunette?" He was nonplussed because he could not remember the colour of her hair but did recall seeing freckles on her nose and assumed they would probably not have been on the brunette, so asked for the blonde. We will never know whether or not she was the correct lassie but, since they are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary on January 23, 2005, she must have been the right one for him!

They have three children (Rhonda, Kelvin & Shona) and two grand-children (Melissa & Morgan).

Lt. Cdr. William James Magee

Veteran

Date of Departure: November 1943

Age: 26 Years

Name of Ship: S.S. Mauritania

After joining the Royal Canadian Navy in June 1940, I sailed from Halifax in November of 1943 aboard the S.S. Mauritania troop ship (at that time) and, upon arrival in Liverpool, went by train to H.M.C.S. Niobe in Greenock, Scotland.

H.M.C.S. Niobe was a Manning Depot for the Canadian Navy Overseas, which covered from Britain through the Mediterranean and to the Far East. I was responsible for the office that recorded and transferred funds covering transportation, pay advances and currency exchange conversions. This was for all naval personnel, including payroll to those Canadians serving in the Royal Navy throughout these countries, as well as in H.M.C.S. Niobe. It was approximately a two million dollars monthy account, in two currencies - the pound being worth about $4.50 Canadian at that time.

March 1946 I was sent to the Canadian Naval Mission Overseas in London, England to guide and assist in returning naval personnel from around the world.

I arrived back in Canada on June 12, 1946 via New York, aboard H.M.S. Trumpeter, an aircraft carrier. Subsequently I went to the Naval Headquarters in Ottawa to report on conditions in the Canadian Naval Mission Overseas relative to personnel.

I returned to my home in Eureka, Nova Scotia, in time for my first daughter's birth in July and subsequently went back to work with the Royal Bank of Canada where I had been employed prior to the war.

Betty Stewart Magee (nee Macdonald)

War Bride

Date of Arrival: March 27, 1946

Age: 25 Years

Name of Ship: S.S. Mauritania

On March 20th, 1946, I left Glasgow, Scotland and arrived in Liverpool, England, where I stayed overnight at a hostel with other wives. The following morning we boarded the S.S. Mauritania and set sail either that evening or early on March 22nd.

I was 25 years old and six months pregnant at the time. On leaving home my feelings were rather mixed - anticipation, excitement and adventure.

Fortunately, I was not sick and no one knew I was pregnant. Shortly after boarding the ship, I was one of a few women without children who were asked if they would help out in the office checking the passenger list.

After we set sail the seas became very rough and most of the passengers were sea sick, especially the expectant mothers. I was in a cabin with four others who were ill most of the voyage. Since I was not affected by either my pregnancy or the tossing of the ship, I left the cabin in the morning and didn't return until bed time and avoided most of the passengers.

There was a separate lounge for mothers with children but I stayed in the first class lounge. It was located at the bow, where most passengers avoided it due to the extra bounce and sway. The rough weather didn't bother me, other than it was safer to be sitting down than strolling on deck. I do recall finding a spot on deck behind one of the funnels, out of the wind where I sat and read. I have no recollection of going for meals aboard ship, as my main objective was to avoid all the sick and ailing and keep myself and babe well. It was not a pleasant voyage!

I made friends with a couple of the girls who were traveling without children. Most of the wives had not seen their husbands in years and I found it embarrassing to say I last saw my husband just weeks ago.

There were several ambulances waiting at the dock in Halifax. I was met by Commander Bert Jackman, a friend of my family and an English Naval Officer who was seconded to the Canadian Navy. He came aboard the ship and had my name called over the loud speaker to come on deck. On disembarking at the dock in Halifax, I thought I had arrived in a "shanty town" and wondered what I had let myself in for. The harbour, then and now, is quite different!

Once ashore, my sister-in-law, Iva Roper, and a friend were there to meet me and drive me to the Village of Eureka, in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. There I stayed with my new mother and father-in-law and family until my husband returned home in June and our baby, Rhonda, was born on July 31st, 1946.