Remembering Roy Mason, Stoker, HMCS Woodstock, World War II

 

My mother called Sunday and said “You won’t believe what I found”.  I love statements like that.  Intrigued, I headed over to her place and was thrilled to see an old scrapbook of my grandmother’s; one I had never seen before.  Even more intriguing, my mother had never seen it before either.  And the icing on the cake was that the scrapbook contained articles and papers about WWII, one in particular was about my grandfather and his involvement in the Navy during the war.   The synchronicity that she would find this 3 days before Remembrance Day was remarkable.

My grandfather passed away when I was 13.  I can vaguely remember him talking about places he had seen during the war when he and I were watching the Royal Wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles.  Other than that, I had little interest as a young girl, in World War II.  His stories were unheard by me at that time.  What I wouldn’t give now, to go back and hang off of every story he wanted to tell.  Similarly, my mother knew little of his undertakings in the war.  We took it for granted that these stories would be at our disposal when we were ready to ask questions but then the opportunity was lost when Grandpa passed.  And now … now Mom found this scrapbook.  It was in poor condition but the article was there in plain sight.  A story for me to “hang off of”.  It follows:

 

 

 

Although it is brief, I now have new research initiatives.  I want to explore where Gibraltar is and it’s connection to the WWII; investigate the sinking of the HMCS Louisburg; find out who were other sailors aboard the HMCS Woodstock from across Canada.  I feel like I’m just starting to get to know my grandfather and it’s been almost 30 years since his death.  Oh to be able to talk with him now.  I could tell him how much I appreciate all that he, and all other veterans and soldiers, have sacrificed.  Remembering you today Grandpa…