Born in Rushton’s Corners, Kent Co., ON.  

After graduating from High School Anna was interested in finding a good job. As it happened a RCAF recruiting team came to Chatham and she signed but at her medical a bad appendix was discovered and after it was taken out her enlistment date was 13/08/43 in London, ON.  She did her basic training at RCAF Rockcliffe, outside of Ottawa.

Anna was stationed in Vancouver and Victoria BC. She recalled going on parade in Victoria, “It was during a blackout due the Japanese War. “They had on full camouflage gear with gas mask marching down the dark street when dogs started chasing them scaring them all.”

When the war ended She was sent to Ottawa and then to Lachine, PQ. were she was to get her release. However, “there was still a lot of work to be done because of war casualties were still coming in.” She stayed on for another year as a civilian and finally her release. She then went on to work at the International Harvester in Chatham.  Anna was discharged from service in 1946.

Anna married Keith Jones in 1947 at Ottawa, Keith was also in the RCAF. Her future husband Keith, also in the RCAF had fallen and broke his arm. He was sent to a convalescent home in Victoria, BC. While there he went on a picnic to Thetis Lake and after they were married and looking through some old photos were at the same picnic. The two met in Ottawa where they worked together and were married in 1947.

Keith was still in the RCAF and he and Anna lived on RCAF stations in Clinton 1947-49, Camp Bordon 1949-50, Whilehorse, NWT. 1950-54, Winnipeg 1954-55, Germany 1955-58 , St. Hubert PQ. 1958-61, Lac St. Denis PQ. 1961-64, Armstrong, ON. 1965 (only Keith) Anna and the children moved to Ridgetown, with the children. Keith’s last station was at Centralia, ON. 1965-67 then he retired from the RCAF.     

Some of the posting lacked some things that was hardly basics ie: Whitehorse with -40 degree below and out houses rather inn-door plumbing and water barrels that froze. PMQ Permanent Married Quarters was heaven with plumbing and heat.  

They had five children, three boys (Garry, Keith, Brian  and two girls Laurie and Karen. With Keith posted to Germany Anna was in charge of moving her self and two son 6 and 2 and a 9 week old daughter  from Montreal to La Havre France, the boys were seasick for most of the Atlantic crossing. The growing family were living in Luxemburg near the German boarder. They would later live in Trier, Germany.

Back at St. Hubert PQ. anna worked for the Tape relay Centre for the RCAF. They would move to St.Denis during the Cuban Missile Crisis, “Even in Quebec the scare was real.”

Keith would retire in 1961 from the RCAF, and he an Anna would live in Ridgetown.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources	RIN (04-09-2013), in person 1/10/18.
Supplemental Information	Born in Rushton’s Corners, Kent Co., ON.

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