“Something I had to do”

Of course while in the convent they tried to brainwash you into becoming a nun and I'd made an appointment with, because I got tired, I didn't know what the outside world was all about, as you could guess. And I made an appointment with a mother of superior, of a different order from the one that raised me and thinking that I might want to become a nun. And before I left the place I was staying in, I happened to pick up the paper and there was a gigantic ad for joining the CWAC. So I went to the convent to keep, really wanting to keep my appointment, but I walked around the block and went over to the Prince of Whales Armouries in Edmonton and joined the Canadian Women's Army Corps.

Interviewer: What makes a young girl decide to do that?

Adventure, and probably thinking maybe if mother superior knew that this is what I did she'd be furious.

Interviewer: So can you take me through the first time you left the nuns...

Well they opened the front door and the greyhound bus was there and we got on and off we went.

Interviewer: Was there anyone there to say goodbye?

Well the nuns were behind the door they close the door quickly, naturally after the bus drove up. You feel abandoned, that's what you feel, abandoned.

Interviewer: Can you describe that feeling?

Well that nobody cares.

Interviewer: But yet you wanted to go and serve your country, you cared.

Yes this was after I read that, yes I did, I cared, I cared a great deal. Everybody in there teen, later in there... that everybody from 15 to 18 cared enough to join. Besides, we knew we'd get fed, clothed, and a place to sleep.

Interviewer: It looked pretty bright.

Well brighter then what I was used to certainly. Freedom, freedom, that's what it was, freedom.

Interviewer: Freedom to go to war.

Pardon?

Interviewer: You say freedom. Freedom to go to war.

Yes, but I didn't look at it that way then. Remember, I was 18, at 18 you have a different outlook on life then you do later on then now, or even your age. I just felt it was something I had to do, something I had to do for my country, more, well I didn't even think of my country I just, I just had to do it.

Interviewer: Did you understand at this point what you were getting yourself into?

No, absolutely not.