June 13, 1945
On Friday June 13th, 1945 I asked Rene to marry me and was quite flabbergasted when she said yes. I remember going back to the Dormy House and talking to Mrs. Wood about my proposal over a cup of hot chocolate. She knew how worried I was about what my mother would think and she kindly wrote a long letter to her and my dad the following day assuring them of the wise decision I had made in proposing to Rene whom she had met on a number of occasions.
Rene and I were married on Saturday July 28th, in St. John's Anglican Church in Liverpool. I had been granted two weeks leave and after a couple of days in London to organize a few things, I went to Liverpool on Monday the 23rd to meet Rene's family for the first time. Although obviously quite disappointed about their daughter marrying a "foreigner”, her mother and father were very kind to me, and helped Rene and I with the wedding arrangements.
Everything went off smoothly. It was a white wedding and Rene looked beautiful in a dress borrowed from one of her girl friends. Her two sisters, Marge and Pam, were bridesmaids, while Art Butler came down from the Squadron to hold me up. Rene recalls that on the way down the aisle her father whispered to her "There are lots of nice English boys".
Rene and I were married on Saturday July 28th, in St. John's Anglican Church in Liverpool. I had been granted two weeks leave and after a couple of days in London to organize a few things, I went to Liverpool on Monday the 23rd to meet Rene's family for the first time. Although obviously quite disappointed about their daughter marrying a "foreigner”, her mother and father were very kind to me, and helped Rene and I with the wedding arrangements.
Everything went off smoothly. It was a white wedding and Rene looked beautiful in a dress borrowed from one of her girl friends. Her two sisters, Marge and Pam, were bridesmaids, while Art Butler came down from the Squadron to hold me up. Rene recalls that on the way down the aisle her father whispered to her "There are lots of nice English boys".
After the wedding and quiet reception, Rene and I had only four days together before I was recalled from leave. After returning to North Coates I was told to report to the R.C.A.F. Repatriation depot at Torquay in Cornwall. As it was impossible to find a place for Rene to stay in Torquay I only saw her once before heading for home, and that was when her father drove down with her the first weekend.
The following week I along with several thousand Canadian servicemen set sail for home from Southampton on the S.S. Franconia. In the middle of the Atlantic one morning, we heard the news of the Hiroshima raid on Japan. The next day we were advised of the war's end in the far East with the Japanese surrender.
A few days later we docked at Halifax, and after an uneventful train ride I was reunited with my mom, dad and sister Muriel at the Exhibition Coliseum in Toronto.
A week or so later I received my discharge from the R.C.A.F.
The following week I along with several thousand Canadian servicemen set sail for home from Southampton on the S.S. Franconia. In the middle of the Atlantic one morning, we heard the news of the Hiroshima raid on Japan. The next day we were advised of the war's end in the far East with the Japanese surrender.
A few days later we docked at Halifax, and after an uneventful train ride I was reunited with my mom, dad and sister Muriel at the Exhibition Coliseum in Toronto.
A week or so later I received my discharge from the R.C.A.F.
RMS Franconia
The Mills Brothers
Editor's Note: And this is where the Mills Brothers re-enter the scene. There was no Blueberry Hill, but instead, another song for George and Rene.