Unsung heroines: the Paris women who answered the call in the Second World War

Canadian women played vital roles during the Second World War, serving as nurses, clerks, mechanics and more. This photo, published in Canadian History magazine, highlights their contributions to the war effort at home and overseas.

Neil Edwards

Paris Independent Contributor

When we think about war, we tend to think about men in combat. But not so many people know about the role of the women who helped to win the Second World War. And some of those women came from Paris. We have heard about the “Rosie the Riveter” stereotype, of women taking the place of men to work in shops and factories to keep the wartime economy going. But in addition, many women, including women from Paris, played a significant role by serving in the Canadian military. 

Some 4,480 Canadian Nursing Sisters (as Canadian military nurses were known) served in the war, with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, with the Royal Canadian Air Force Medical Branch, and with the Royal Canadian Naval Medical Service. Many of these women found themselves within range of enemy guns and some lost their lives. But many other Canadian women also wanted to play an active role in the war as well and lobbied the government to form military organizations for women. And they were successful. Women in WW2 were still prevented from serving in combat, but in 1941-42, the Canadian military was forever changed as it created its own women's forces. There were women’s military organizations formed in each of the three branches of the Canadian military:

• The Canadian Women's Army Corps (CWACs) had 21,600 members.

• The Women's Division, Royal Canadian Air Force (WDs) had 17,400 members.

• The Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service (Wrens) had 7,100 members.

Although the change began by placing women in traditionally female roles of the time, such as administrative assistants, cooks and telephone operators, it later expanded to include 65 different trades, encompassing areas like photography, meteorology, airframe maintenance, vehicle mechanics, parachute packing, and even air gunners. And women from Paris performed these jobs.

Shirley Riddell, who lived on St. Andrew Street, and Minnie Pond from Walnut Street, were Leading Aircraftwomen, working in the Women’s Division of the RCAF. They were responsible for the air worthiness of the airplanes they worked on. Cecilia Girard, from Capron Street, was a Lance-Corporal in the Army Corps. Gladys Stephens, from Ball Street, also served in the Army Corps. She attained the rank of Sergeant-Major and won the British Empire Medal for her service.

However, the Homes of Heroes committee can find nothing about these women after their service in the war. Why not? Because with peacetime, they probably returned to their prior traditional women’s roles, perhaps took up their husbands’ names, and disappeared from the record. And on a list of personnel who served in WW2 provided by the staff of the Paris Museum, there are more than 20 other women from Paris who served in the military in the Second World War who we know nothing about.

Does that sound fair? Homes of Heroes believes that the women from Paris who served in the military, not just during wartime but in peacetime as well, deserve the same recognition and honour as the men who have served and are still serving. That is why the Homes of Heroes committee is reaching out to people in Paris who still know and remember the women as well as the men who served and are serving. Please tell us those stories. You can do that by contacting us at info@homesofheroes.ca. If you have any questions about the project, email Neil Edwards at neiledwards51@gmail.com. The courage and sacrifice of these men and women, in war and in peace, need to be remembered.