War Brides: The Queen Mary Transports Ww Two Brides

War Brides as well as Soldiers Transported via 

Cunard Queen Mary during WWII

Cunard is Celebrating 175 years of service

Crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary is a wonderful option to 10 hours inwards a airplane as well as on roughly crossings, tin send away live good priced fifty-fifty for a solo passenger.

On a crossing final autumn I steeled myself to sit down at a tabular array amongst nine strangers alone to notice this crossing offered several really interesting dinner companions.  

H. T. was tranquillity at commencement but afterward had amazing stories to tell almost the QE

And you lot NEVER know how interesting a stranger may live unless you speak amongst them.  H. T. appeared tranquillity as well as i eventide mentioned to the grouping that his woman bring upwards had crossed the Atlantic amongst Cunard on a war brides ship!   I had non heard of this earlier as well as was fascinated.   

I establish out afterward inwards a conversation amongst H. T. that he alone sails on Cunard as well as I establish he is a Cunard armature historian.  

There is a evidence on deck ii Forward, that describes how Cunard's ships assisted during WWII as well as the floor of transporting state of war brides as well as their children to the USA as well as Canada.

   After roughly additional  research I discovered a bully bargain has been written almost the transportation of state of war Brides inwards 1946 to the USA as well as Canada as well as the purpose Cunard Ships played inwards the WWII.

I interviewed H. T. on the ship as well as afterward he shared to a greater extent than stories via email.  Stories he remembers almost his mothers' commencement crossing on the QM as well as also others he took amongst her.   I realized that floor almost Joan was far to a greater extent than interesting.

This is a lovey floor that was shared amongst me:

"My mom's squall was Kathleen Joan Horton, nee Hatherley.  She was ever called Joan past times the family.  I 

remember every bit a kid,  friends from (her) go called her Kathy,   I idea it thence strange.   Dad was Carl R 

Horton.    He was a waist gunner on a B17 as well as  flew 50 missions."   Stationed inwards the UK, "he saw her at a 

canteen for the GI's, arranged an introduction as well as they were engaged three weeks later.   They were married in 

Halesworth (UK) on January 29th, 1944."   It must receive got been love at commencement site since their wedlock lasted 50 years

"When dating, my woman bring upwards teased my manly mortal bring upwards to accept her to an eating identify she liked really much, called Bobbie's.  From as well as thence on, dad ever called her "Bob."  Cards, gifts were ever addressed:  "To Bob,  From Carl."  Years later, my cousin Lesley would ever telephone telephone her "Aunt Bob."

Joan on her marriage day

First Night inwards a bomb shelter:  "Friends as well as neighbors pitched inwards to reckon that my parents had a existent marriage cake.  There was strict rationing, for example, each mortal was allowed only i egg a month.  It was a pocket-size cake but it was really tasty.  
I did non recall where they were going for a honeymoon, but they spent their marriage nighttime inwards a bomb shelter every bit High German bombers were passing over on their way to bomb London.


The Best Man:   "Dad wanted his cousin, Harold Ballard, to live best homo at the marriage but Harold, who was stationed inwards Northern Ireland, could non acquire leave.  Harold did see later.  It took him almost 24 hours to acquire to Ispwich (near Halesworth)  because of all the educate connections and also because the trains were thence full,  
He had to stand upwards all the way.  Right after he got to bed, roughly other raid heading for  London appeared as well as he spent that nighttime also inwards a bomb shelter. 

Harold did acquire to create  the toast at my parents 50th marriage anniversary party.  I retrieve the large express joy he got when he delivered  the line:  "You know, 50 years is a long, long fourth dimension to live married to the same woman!"

H.T. told me her friends pooled their ration menu to brand a cake for her especial day

Exact records of passengers on each ship may live traceable if employment solid unit of measurement members receive got documentation on the appointment of divergence as well as or arrival.   H. T. shared data from his file:  'Trip to America 1946'.

The exact divergence appointment for Joan's trip to her novel habitation may non live documented but H. T. has a re-create of 'her orders to become to the 'reception center' on Jan 28th, 1946.   She was to depart her hometown, Halesworth at 9:54 am as well as brand it inwards London at 1:35pm- sailing appointment (was) was non included at that time".    "Joan remembered the twenty-four hr menstruum the ship was to sail, the band on shore was playing "There Will Always Be An England", thence lots of tears as well as distressing feelings as well as mixed emotions"  For roughly unknown argue the ship did non sheet until the adjacent day.

There is also a telegram sent to Mr. Horton inwards Rochester, NY informing him of the orders as well as a re-create of the telegram Joan sent her sis is dated Feb 7th, 1946 from the Queen Mary.

In that missive of the alphabet Joan talks glowingly almost "the wonderful nutrient to include roast duckling, plum pudding, H2O ice cream, coffee, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, chocolate, an egg every morn as well as (Joan) think the Queen Mary must live a magical squall to receive got all the proficient materials on board".  "The ship is traveling slower because in that place are lots of children on board.  Joan is somewhat seasick but non existent bad".

After years of rationing during the war, the diversity as well as quantity of nutrient on the ship must receive got been overwhelming.    From other documents 'archived' past times Joan, H. T. knows what the on board daily computer programme for the dates of  February 7, 8 as well as ninth (1946).

H.T. believes this sailing of the Queen Mary was the first to carry state of war brides.  The ship would receive got arrived on Feb 10,1946.  (passengers stayed overnight on the ship)  Cunard arranged for passengers to live met as well as assisted on their onward journey.  Sadly I read inwards other stories that roughly 'brides' were never met at the dock as well as were required to provide to England.  Transportation was supplied past times Cunard.

Joan departed NYC on Feb 11, 1946 for Rochester, NY where almost xxx members of her novel extended employment solid unit of measurement awaited her arrival.    How unusual it must receive got been to brand it inwards a 'foreign' province as well as laid about a novel life.   Even the linguistic communication was unlike although withal a version of English.

Even at the belatedly arrival fourth dimension inwards Rochester, Joan as well as Carl drove the xc minutes to Penn Yan to reckon the novel farm that would live their novel home.    From city/village life in Halesworth to farming.   Another challenge for Joan.   H. T. tells me that "as a kid Joan was afraid of everything:  trains, cars, strangers.  So for her to hook upwards amongst an American as well as acquire out habitation was actually thence out of grapheme for her."
Now she was living on a farm," learning to tend berries, grapes, cows, chickens as well as grains."

I am trying to recall what I receive got read almost rural life inwards the USA during the 40's.   The employment solid unit of measurement farm was a way of life as well as livelihood exterior the cities.

Joan did non know how to ready when she arrived to start her novel life!    So the pie floor that H. T. shared amongst me is poignant.   On the farm, she was cooking  for my father, as well as many times my grandfather
and uncle who owned the adjoining farm. My manly mortal bring upwards was a tease,  One fourth dimension she baked a pie as well as he (Dad) complained the crust was "too flaky" which sent her off to the sleeping accommodation in tears.  This floor was oft repeated through the years, my woman bring upwards usage to express joy at how innocent as well as naive she really was inwards the early on days inwards this country"

Another floor is almost Aunt Norma::

.I would also similar to advert my dad's sister, my Aunt Norma.  The whole employment solid unit of measurement did welcome my woman bring upwards into the employment solid unit of measurement (not all state of war brides were so lucky)  but Aunt Norma took a especial involvement as well as actually looked out for my mother. 

Mom was presently pregnant with me after she arrived hither as well as really sick,  Aunt Norma would accept her to the doctor, whose component subdivision was upwards a flight of stairs.  One visit, at the sight of a blood draw per unit of measurement area cuff coming her way, mom passed out.  Doctor says to Aunt Norma "Well, every bit long every bit she is going to live similar that, I mightiness every bit good create everything I receive got to create spell she is out." 

"Going dorsum downwards the stairs to street, Aunt Norma asks mom if she is all right, the response was yes, but 

out she went in i lawsuit again at the bottom of the stairs.  Despite the constant morn sickness  as well as problems keeping 
food down, I was born a happy,healthy baby, pinkish as well as rosy at birth."  


When farming no longer prosperous, Joan worked inwards a mill for 10 years,   She learned to drive.  She ran as well as completely manged a summertime restaurant, Terry's Drive In, on Keuka Lake for 17 years!

In August 1952 as well as in i lawsuit again inwards the summertime of 1962.   Joan as well as H.T. traveled in i lawsuit again on the Queen Mary for a provide see to Joan's family.  The 1952 sailing was alone i way.  Joan went dorsum to go at the Halesworth post component subdivision to earn the fare home, dad sent coin too.  

"Mom (Joan) was feted as well as made a large fuss of past times her friends as well as was actually given the regal treatment, thence much so, that she told her employment solid unit of measurement she would rest inwards England.    Nana said 'absolutly not'.  Mom was told past times her woman bring upwards that if she stayed, she would presently live i of the grouping in i lawsuit again as well as the especial handling would become away, but to a greater extent than importantly:  HT was an American as well as deserved to live brought upwards inwards the Sates"

On their 50th anniversary.............and it all started at a GI canteen

"So nosotros returned (to the USA).  Dad had a Christmas tree as well as gifts when nosotros arrived dorsum inwards February"  "My mom became a naturalized citizen inwards 1953."

"Although my mother's English linguistic communication accent faded thru the years, a stranger would ever notice it as well as inquire where she was from.   However, on the telephone, the accent came dorsum inwards total force- in  a really formal, brisk,  proper ton.e.  That telephone accent ever took me past times surprise."   

All the photos of state of war brides were taken from the evidence on QM II
as well as are the holding of Cunard

Just every bit the ship I was on arrived inwards NYC harbor, inwards 1946 a paper article inwards the Times Union Albany NY announced "Queen Mary brings state of war brides into New York Harbor" amongst 1,719 state of war brides as well as 615 children on board.   click hither for article

There are spider web sites, membership groups for wives as well as dependents every bit good every bit a let on of books describing the voyages as well as the hardships many of the wives faced arriving inwards a novel country, coming together a employment solid unit of measurement she did non know as well as non having the agency to provide to her ain employment solid unit of measurement for a visit.

According to Lynda Bradford, a player inwards the Cunard Forum dated August 15, 2014 in that place is a WWII War Brides Association.  "This grouping approximate that every bit many every bit 1 1000000 women from 50 countries married Americans betwixt 1942 as well as 1952.

"Transportation of the may state of war brides was non the alone state of war service the Cunard ships participated in.
On the spider web site for World War II Troop Ships, details the commencement fourth dimension the Queen Mary transported 8,398  American troops from Boston to Sydney, Australia.  On May 5-11, 1043 Winston Churchill traveled to NYC to encounter amongst President Roosevelt.  Also aboard were 5,00 High German prisoners of war.

Between Feb three as well as May 19, 1946 12,886 European brides as well as children were transported inwards vi voyages.  May 23 to Sept 18, 1946 roughly other 7 voyages brought brides as well as children to Canada, along amongst 10 stowaways."