Summerside's War Effort During WWII

Throughout the war there were numerous national campaigns to send aid to countries around the world.

The first national fund for overseas relief was the Queen's Canadian Fund, which was established in April 1941, to help air-raid victims in London. Those who donated in the early months of the fund's existence received a portrait of the Queen. By March 1945, Islanders had given $8,838. Over a four-year period, articles appeared in the Summerside Journal on a regular basis to promote the fund.

The Canadian Aid to Russia Fund was launched in January 1943. The Prince Edward Island Legion branches wanted to collect $5000. An article explaining the importance of the campaign appeared in the Journal. The province was able to collect $17,000.

The next foreign country to come to public attention was Greece. Large ads appeared in newspapers in June 1943 in support of Greek War Relief. The Summerside Rotary Club organized the local drive and reported at its July meeting that $4,200 had been collected in Prince County.

The Chinese War Relief quickly followed in August 1943. In Summerside there were a few established businessmen who had come from China. They ran ads in the Journal to promote the fund. W. M. Bruce at the Bank of Nova Scotia collected the local contributions. At the conclusion of the campaign, the Island chairman noted that Islanders had "maintained intact their magnificent record of service to suffering humanity."

In 1942, the local IODE began to collect used clothing for Polish refugees. Packed barrels of clean and mended items were shipped overseas in early 1943 and again in 1945 as part of a national IODE project. In October of 1942, the Polish Minister to Canada had visited Summerside to give a lecture on the war devastation in his country.

A "Milk for Britain" drive was held in Summerside in November 1943 under the auspices of the Kinsmen Club of Charlottetown. It was sponsored by the local branch of the Red Cross and the Summerside Rotary Club. A further contribution to the national Kinsmen Fund for British children was made in October 1944 when a "Shell Out" campaign was held on the night of Halloween. Acting upon the suggestion of their school principal local children asked householders for money to support the cause.