The Heart of a Mother

Interviewer: The family back home probably didn’t know if you were alive, is that right? No, my mother did know. They sent her telegrams and told her what she could do if she sent parcels. And I remember one letter, mother asking them, I seen that letter in my drawer, if she could send a pair of boots. I said I’d rather have food. But that was a way back when. So mother sent parcels quite often. Interviewer: What did she send you? She did send some food but lots of clothing and that, you know, like stockings and probably that was a good thing too cause you weren’t ever warm there for some reason. The billets were cold. So you needed clothing, for sure. Interviewer: And being a mother myself, I just can’t understand or even comprehend what must have been going through your mother’s life knowing that you were a prisoner of war. Ya, well I think she was saddened every year because in ’43, one brother died in Italy, ’44 one died in France and before that I was already prisoner so she had all that happening during wartime so it was a hard life. She was a widow too, my dad was not alive. So she was on her own but we eventually come home and that’s it. That was quite a homecoming. Interviewer: Tell us about that. Oh wow! I remember her, well you know how mothers are, your being one, she cried and cried and said I would never leave again. Well, who knows. But that’s the way it was then. They are very happy that you are home cause the other boys have already been killed. So it was hard for her.

Mr. Edwards speaks about receiving telegrams and care packages from his mother during his time in POW camp.

Stanley Edwards

Mr. Stanley Edwards was born February 17, 1923 in Big Valley, Alberta. He enlisted in the army on February 19, 1941 as part of the Calgary Tanks holding rank of trooper. He first received training on the Churchill tanks at Stettler, Alberta and for another year trained in Camp Borden, Ontario before travelling overseas to Scotland. In the summer of 1942, the crew went to England to undergo advanced training. Mr. Stanley fought in the Dieppe Raid as a member of the tank crew. He was soon captured and taken prisoner where he would remain until 1945, shortly after the war ended. Returning home to Canada, Mr. Edwards began working at the Calgary Brewery, married Anncherri and raised four children with his wife. In retirement, Mr. Edwards volunteered within his community and to this day is a member of the local legion. Now residing in Calgary, Alberta with his two daughters, Mr. Edwards is honoured in having an opportunity to travel back to France for the 75th Anniversary of the Dieppe Raid. This being his first time back since wartime, Mr. Edwards looks forward to seeing the terrain where he fought and visiting the gravesite of his brother who never returned home and pay tribute to those who served alongside him during this battle.