When you look back at Canada’s role in the Second World War, you often hear about the battles fought overseas. But a powerful story of wartime compassion emerges right here from New Brunswick. During the war, a teenager named Ann Mendelson Greenblatt managed a servicemen’s centre in Moncton. She provided crucial support to Allied Forces air crew trainees and their anxious families around the world, according to a recent report by CBC News.

A Home Away from Home

The Canadian Jewish Congress established the Moncton centre at 323 St. George St. to offer a welcoming space for military personnel of all faiths. Ann took on the role of manager at just 18 years old. She organized wholesome entertainment, including singalongs, talent shows, and dances. She also recruited local women to prepare sandwiches and cakes despite strict wartime rations.

For young men away from home for the first time, the centre offered a vital escape. David Hughes, director of the New Brunswick Military History Museum, notes that trainees arriving from blacked out England marveled at Moncton’s streetlights and peaceful atmosphere.

New Brunswick’s Crucial Aviation Role

Canada served as the primary hub for British Commonwealth air training. New Brunswick hosted five of the country’s 107 air crew training schools. Facilities operated in Chatham, Pennfield Ridge, and Moncton. Moncton specifically housed the No. 8 Service Flying Training School for Avro Ansons and North American Harvard aircraft.

Hughes states that 131,553 personnel graduated from these programs across Canada. The training carried severe risks. Between 1,600 and 1,700 trainees died in Canada before ever seeing combat.

Letters of Hope and Comfort

Beyond organizing dances and serving tea, Ann provided a lifeline to families overseas. She kept the centre stocked with writing materials and collected names and addresses from the visiting airmen. She then wrote letters to their families, letting them know their sons and husbands were safe and in good spirits.

Her daughter, Sara Greenblatt, preserves a scrapbook filled with replies from grateful families in England, Scotland, South Africa, and beyond. These letters reveal the deep impact of Ann’s simple acts of kindness. One Scottish widower with three sons at war begged her to keep writing. Another family wrote to share the tragic news that their son died in a flying accident shortly after his visit to the centre.

The New Brunswick Military History Museum plans to incorporate the story of the Moncton servicemen’s centre into their exhibits. This ensures Ann’s legacy of compassion lives on for new generations to discover.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Moncton servicemen’s centre?

The Canadian Jewish Congress established the centre during the Second World War to provide a comfortable, welcoming space for Allied Forces military personnel training in the Moncton area.

Who managed the centre?

Ann Mendelson Greenblatt managed the centre. She took on the responsibility at 18 years old and organized activities, food, and correspondence for the visiting airmen.

Why were so many airmen training in New Brunswick?

Canada was the main hub for British Commonwealth air training due to its open spaces and safety from enemy air raids. New Brunswick hosted five training schools, including facilities in Moncton, Chatham, and Pennfield Ridge.

What is the significance of Ann’s scrapbook?

The scrapbook contains letters from families around the world thanking Ann for writing to them about their loved ones. It serves as a historical record of the comfort she provided to anxious families during the war.