Wednesday, June 5, 2013

WWII Auxiliary Services

On September 10, 1939, Canada declared war on Germany. Early in October, 1939, the Canadian government accepted the offers of four "National Voluntary Organizations" to provide services for troops in Canada and overseas. The Canadian Legion War Services, the Knights of Columbus, the Salvation Army and the Y.M.C.A. entered into a contract with the Minister of National Defence, becoming official auxiliaries operating under the Directorate of Auxiliary Services.

The auxiliary services provided invaluable sports, recreation, social and educational programs which contributed to the welfare of the members of the forces and helped preserve morale. Since correspondence to and from family and friends was important in maintaining morale, the auxiliary services  provided envelopes to forces personnel in Canada and overseas. This post shows various envelopes produced by the volunteer organizations of the auxiliary services.

1. Salvation Army

Salvation Army corner (lower left) cards

Canada 

 Ottawa M.P.O. 301 (Landsdowne Park), March 17, 1943


 Niagara Falls MPO 203, March 15, 1942

 United Kingdom

4 Canadian Infantry Brigade (Royal Hamilton Light Infantry)
FPO C 4 (British  Field Post Office) , Aldershot, April 22. 1941


 Army Distribution Centre No. 5 (British F.P.O. 488)
Canadian Forestry Corps, Scotland, February 21, 1942


2. Knights of Columbus

Knights of Columbus corner cards


 Canada

Camp Borden M.P.O. 202, July 16, 1945


 Mountain View M.P.O. 309 (RCAF  6 Bombing and Gunnery School), May 26, 1945



Newfoundland

C.A.P.O. 3, Botwood, July 26, 1943


United Kingdom

Headquarters 2 Canadian Corps
FPO HC 2 ( British F.P.O. 640, January 8, 1944)


Headquarters First Canadian Army
 FPO AC 1 (British F.P.O. 585), Southern England,  April 24, 1944



3. Canadian Legion


Canadian Legion corner cards


Canada

 Windsor, N.S., M.P.O. 620, May 31, 1944


Jamaica

 "Y" Force, Jamaica, September 30, 1942


 United Kingdom

A Group, Canadian Reinforcement Units
 FPO SC 4 (British F.P.O. 248), Witley, Surrey, September 2, 1941


Canadian Reinforcement Units, C Group
F.P.O. S.C. 6, Borden, September 24, 1942


4. Y.M.C.A.

 YMCA corner cards


Canada


 M.P.O. 301 (Ottawa), November 30, 1939


 Rivers, Man. MPO 1006, November 25, 1944


 Portage la Prairie MPO 1012, July 7, 1945


United Kingdom
 

 B Group Reinforcement Units
FPO SC 5 (British F.P.O. 247), Hampshire, August 30, 1940


Netherlands


CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
Headquarters First Canadian Army
F.P.O. A.A. 1, Tilberg, Netherlands, December 6, 1944


North West  Europe 
 
 1 Canadian Army Base Post Office
FPO SC 758, January 5, 1945
 
Navy

 From H.M.C. Ship, 8/12/41


  From H.M.C. Ship
N.P.O. 1113 Esquimalt, B.C., August 20, 1943


5.  On Active Service Envelope: All Auxiliary Service Organizations Listed

In addition to envelopes produced by each of the volunteer organizations of the Auxiliary Service, an envelope listing all four organizations was produced for troops "On Active Service".


United Kingdom

Canadian Reinforcement Headquarters, Borden
FPO SC 3, May 29, 1945

ON ACTIVE SERVICE envelope corner card


Netherlands


 2 Canadian Infantry Division
FPO TC 2, Groesbeek Area, Netherlands, November 17, 1944


Reference

Bailey,W.J. and Toop, E.R., The Canadian Military Posts Volume 2, Edited by Edward Proud, 1985