HALIFAX, GATEWAY TO CANADA
Written by Ronald MizonPublished on January 2018
Pier 21
We had arrived at last. Well, not quite. It looked beautiful with undulating rocks and little coves backed by spruce, pine and juniper trees. It was a paradise after two weeks on the turbulent and cold North Atlantic with all its dangers now left behind. We appeared to turn up a channel. There was a dock area with other ships tied up. Further along was what I now know well as the Bedford Basin. We moved slowly up to a berth. Soon we were tied up. Looking up we saw the sign, “Pier 21 – Gateway to Canada. We HAD arrived and the people on the dockside gave us a great welcome. Members of the Canadian Red Cross were there to greet us on behalf of the city and as I learned later, officials of the Canadian Overseas Reception Board who were our official guardians in Canada responsible to the Canadian Government for our care and well being linked with the Department of Health. Twenty-six had left England and twenty-six safely delivered (thank goodness). My sister and I, as far as I can recall, were numbers 21 and 22. We were safe at last! A great deal different to the next ship carrying evacuees from the old world to the new. <em>I digress slightly to explain what happened to the SS City of Benares destined for Canada during September 1940. Among her passenger list were 90 children from England. Just over 600 or so miles out in the Atlantic the ship was torpedoed by German U-Boat 48. She sank and out of the 90 children only 13 were saved. Being a passenger liner, many civilians lost their lives also. My father, writing to us later that year in Mount Uniacke, told us that it made the news in England and they had no knowledge of our arrival. My parents assumed that Bessie and I had perished. We were fortunate.
On landing at Pier 21 we were assembled with our belongings which received cursory glances from the customs officials and we were checked that each one of us had our labels on and that we matched them. From there, in awe, we were marched away to board a bus. We were driven through Halifax (one boy said, “hey, he’s driving on the wrong side of the road). Here in England we drive on the left, of course – just to be different. Ultimately, we arrived at our destination, quite a large building surrounded by a high mesh fence. On the front of the building, high up, was a big sign reading thus: “School for the Blind”. This was to be our home for about two weeks whilst we were cleared health wise, then were taken to dormitories. Boys in one. Girls in another. Where were the blind children? On holiday we were informed. What a difference that first night! No noise from ships’ engines, no life preservers. Just peace. Morning found us up and exploring. The place was full of dormitories and classrooms and we found a fireman’s pole to be used in case of fire. Then we got caught and told to confine ourselves to our dormitories until led out for instructions and meals. We were guests and told to behave in a polite and quiet manner. After being welcomed by officials, we were given paper and pencils to enable us to write to our parents to tell them that we had arrived safe and sound. After this, we were taken outside into the open space for a bit of rough and tumble and a look around through the wire fence at what we could see of Halifax. After two or three days, when we were outside, people were coming up to the fence and engaging us in conversation. I think the word must have gone around to some parts of the city as more and more people came to look at the English evacuees. They were very friendly and generous. Some gave us chocolate bars, some gum and some gave us nickels, pennies and dimes. My, how friendly they were! Most of us had never been treated like this before! We did some lessons at the school but it was mainly telling us about Canada and its citizens and how Canadians behave towards others. After about four or five days some children were called to a room away from the dormitories. Usually brothers together or brother and sister, or two sisters. Whoever were called took their kit bags or case and we did not see them again. We were being allocated to our new guardians.
Wonder who Bessie and I would get? It wasn’t long before we found out.