Wartime Heritage
ASSOCIATION
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The Pacific War Ends
August 14, 1945
On August 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, a city of over 100,000 people. A third of the city
was destroyed, the rest lay in ruins. Three days later, a second bomb totally destroyed the port of Nagasaki. The Japanese government
sued for peace on the following day and, on August 14, 1945, Japan accepted the Allied terms of unconditional surrender.
With victory in Europe secured, the Allied leaders had prepared for the final struggle in the Pacific. Nearly 80,000 Canadians
volunteered to join the Pacific forces and began concentrating at nine stations across Canada in July 1945. Canadian naval
participation was to provide sixty ships, manned by 13,500 men. However, the war was over before this help was needed.
Preparing for the Pacific Force - Yarmouth NS
After East Camp was closed on March 30,
1945 and West Camp was winding down,
Yarmouth was the home of a training squadron
of operational Lancaster Bomber aircraft. The
first unit of this group flew into Yarmouth in
June of 1945 with Lancaster B Mk X’s which they
had ferried from England. They were to be part
of 661 Heavy Bomber Wing of Tiger Force, for
Pacific operations and were designated #6
(RCAF) Group. Crews immediately took a
month leave. Personnel began returning from
leave at the end of July, but their units were
still being reorganized. Station Yarmouth was
still furnishing the quarters of the force in early
August, and the training that commenced on
August 8 consisted of preliminary lectures amd
there was still no flying practice.
Crews were to train at several Maritime locations on Lancaster X’s which had been on operations in England a short time before.
The Group was to have been operational on Lincolns, a sleek version of the Lancaster, in the Pacific by December, 1945. However the
dropping of the Atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the cessation of hostilities with Japan negated the use of the plan and
Tiger Force Yarmouth was disbanded on September 5, 1945
Yarmouth NS and Victory in Japan - August 14-15 1945
For the Town of Yarmouth in Nova Scotia the “big JV Day” was on Wednesday. August 15th. Peace was declared during the evening of
Tuesday, August 14. Mae Brown wrote in her diary “We had been looking for that announcement ever since Sunday night, everyone
just glued to their radios”. On Tuesday night she had received a call from a women suggesting police protection would be needed for
the Red Triangle Canteen at the YMCA. “I fairly insulted her, so I was happy the boys behaved so beautifully. A lot of them were
drunk but so respectful it was pitiful. I even got my share of victory kisses. The people of Yarmouth celebrated in a small way.” But
at the Red Triangle Canteen Mae Brown conducted more drunk lads up and down the stairs all day long. “Only once did I verge onto
real trouble. He was a returned man who was crawling up the stairs, he resented being seen, so he took hold of me and said, ‘I don’t
like you or anything about you’. I said, I’m so sorry. I feel bad when the boys do not like me, but I like you. He said, ‘Is that so, well
perhaps you’re not so bad. Take my arm and we will parade before everyone.’ I did, so that disaster was averted.” The older
woman taking cash in the canteen that night encountered one of the older men who said to her, “I wish I had married you. I can see
your head on my pillow now, you old battle axe!. That women would tell the story many time later.
The red Triangle Canteen would continue operating until November 16, 1945. The Red Triangle Canteen had its official closing on that
evening. “About two hundred and twenty-five Yarmouth ladies would be present. Some twenty have faithfully served the
servicemen for the five years that the Canteen has been functioning. Hundreds of thousands of men for all parts of the world had
sought the hospitality offered at the Red Triangle Club …” (Mae Brown)
Lancasters from 419 and 428 Squadron at Yarmouth, NS after returning from Europe.
Nova Scotia Casualties in the Far East and Pacific Campaigns
Forty with connection to Nova Scotia would make the ultimate sacrifice fighting in the Far East and the Pacific Campaign. They are
remember on Memorials and in Cemeteries in Hong Kong, Burma (Myanmar), Japan, Australia, Philippines, Singapore, Hawaii, Sri
Lanka, India, and Bangladesh.
Acorn, John Murdock
Allen, Conan Thompson
Atwood, Percy Coleman
Bacon, Roland Clinton
Bent, Howard Norman
Bishop, Charles Frederick
Cormier, Leo Abbey
Crosby, Frank Killam
Culleton, Wellington
Currie, Ewen Cameron
Delong, Weldon Fader
Ellis, Lyle Leonard
Green, Dermott Joseph
Harris, Arthur Hugh
Hubbard, Fred L.
Jacquard, Angus John
King, Silas Victor
Lowe, Peter Innes
LeBlanc, James
MacLaughlin, Thomas
MacLean, Charles Lewis
MacLeod, Lloyd George
McGrath, William Joseph
McGuire, Frank Charles
McIsaac, Joseph
Merriam, Karl McCormick
Moore, Walter Leslie
Newell, Everett Elroy
Ray, Irvin Kirwin
Robison, James Linton
Roblee, Lloyd Logan
Rogers, William Bennet
Ross, James Finlay
Rutherford, Archibald R.
Sarty, Perry
Surette, Henry Andrew
Taylor, Lloyd Elwin
Wallace, Walter Allison
Woodman, Samuel Driffield
Wyrwas, Frederick Arnold
Rifleman
Warrant Officer Class II
Rifleman
Captain
Rifleman
Second Lieutenant
Rifleman
Captain
Rifleman
Warrant Officer Class II
Corporal
Warrant Officer Class II
Signalman
Flight Lieutenant
Staff Sergeant
Rifleman
Technician 5th Grade
Lieutenant
Able Seaman
Rifleman
Rifleman
Pilot Officer
Rifleman
Private
Rifleman
Flying Officer
Rifleman
Pilot Officer
Rifleman
Master Sergeant
Rifleman
Warrant Officer Class II
Lieutenant
Lance Sergeant
Rifleman
Rifleman
Flight Lieutenant
Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Rifleman
Royal Rifles of Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Rifles of Canada
7th Rajput Regiment
Royal Rifles of Canada
United States Army Air Forces
Royal Rifles of Canada
SS Yarmouth, US Merchant Navy
Royal Rifles of Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force
United States Marine Corps
Royal Canadian Army Pay Corps
Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
215 RAF Squadron, RCAF
182nd Infantry Regiment, US Army
Royal Rifles of Canada
776th Amp.Tank Battalion, US Army
Royal Artillery
Australian Merchant Navy
Royal Rifles of Canada
Royal Rifles of Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Rifles of Canada
Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
Royal Rifles of Canada
357 RAF Squadron, RCAF
Royal Rifles of Canada
117 Squadron, RCAF
Royal Rifles of Canada
SS Elijah White; US Mer. Marines
Royal Rifles of Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force
HMS Formidable; RCNVR
Winnipeg Grenadiers
Royal Rifles of Canada
Royal Rifles of Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force
160 RAF Squadron, RCAF
Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Rifles of Canada
Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong, China
Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma
Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong, China
Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma
Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan
Manila American Cemetery, Philippines
Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong, China
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Hawaii
Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan
Kandy War Cemetery, Sri Lanka
Manila American Cemetery, Philippines
Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan
Woombye Cemetery, Queensland, Australia
Singapore Memorial
Manila American Cemetery, Philippines
Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan
Oak Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, Missouri, US
Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma
Sydney Memorial, Australia
Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong, China
Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong, China
Singapore Memorial
Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong, China
Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong, China
Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong, China
Chittagong War Cemetery, Bangladesh
Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong, China
Chittagong War Cemetery, Bangladesh
Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan
Manila American Cemetery, Philippines
Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan
Taukkyan War Cemetery, Burma
Halifax Memorial
Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan
Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan
Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong, China
Singapore Memorial
Singapore Memorial
Kirkee War Cemetery, India
Yokohama War Cemetery, Japan
Pictou
Cumberland
Shelburne
Cumberland
Kings
Annapolis
Cumberland
Yarmouth
Lunenburg
Cape Breton
Lunenburg
Halifax
Halifax
Cape Breton
Yarmouth/
Yarmouth
Cumberland
Halifax
Yarmouth
Colchester
Cape Breton
Cape Breton
Halifax
Halifax
Inverness
Kings
Kings
Shelburne
Guysborough
Pictou
Cumberland
Halifax
Guysborough
Colchester
Halifax/Queens
Guysborough
Cumberland
Antigonish
Digby
Inverness
NAME
RANK SERVICE
CEMETERY?MEMORIAL
NS CONNECTION
Peter Wiens (back row on right) and crew members in Yarmouth, NS after
flying from Middleton-St-George, England