Charitable Organizations

The Canadian Patriotic Fund was established to provide for the families of men in uniform who had been left destitute by the enlistment of the breadwinner. Thomas Murray, a native of Newfoundland, had enlisted in the 212th Battalion in August 1915, and later served with the 61st Battalion.

This monthly newsletter detailed the extensive war work of the Salvation Army, from providing welcome centres for Canadians in uniform around the world to raising money for the Canadian War Services Fund.

These Christmas cards were sold to raise money for the Wings for Britain Benevolent Fund, which supported the widows and families of airmen who had been killed in action.

These women, all of whom are identified on the back of the photograph, served snacks to soldiers at a tea shop run by the Canadian Red Cross Society in Hamilton, Ontario.

Postcards produced by the YMCA, such as this one showing members of the RCAF going into a YMCA hut at an airfield in England, were distributed free of charge to Canadians overseas.

The Canadian Legion funded and staffed welcome rooms at major railway stations across Canada, where servicemen and women could relax while waiting for a train.

Every member of society was expected to donate to patriotic causes - this envelope was distributed in schools so children could donate in support of Canadian seaman.

Women from the Border Cities Welfare League of Windsor, Ontario, provided cigarettes and writing to materials to American soldiers who passed through the city on their way to Europe.

In 1940, the Canadian Red Cross Society sold flowers at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, to raise money for its war work.

With this guide, Canadians on leave in London could find accommodation, clubs, and hospitality centres run by a variety of organizations, including the YMCA, the Knights of Columbus, and the Salvation Army.