Recollections

Mary And Chester Rustad

Chester landed at Chilliwack in December 1942; I think he was among the second draft to arrive there. He isn't sure but thinks there were a few buildings up then but the new draft were given a mattress cover and pointed in the direction of the straw pile where there was a bed available. During the building of the camp, Chester worked on electrical wiring along with an experienced electrician name Joe Miller. Joe had been employed at General Electric in Toronto.

Later when there was need for more buildings, the decision was made to build a sawmill possibly to save the cost of lumber. On the other hand it might keep some of the young men too busy to get into mischief, if that was part of the plan, it didn't work.

Chester was back and forth to CFB Chilliwack more than once over the three and one half years he was in uniform. In about 1944 he and six others were shipped out to Prince George along with a draft from A-6. He was only there a short time, spent some time in Regina, Sask. then back to Chilliwack again. He was discharged from Regina in November of 1945.

One of our neighbors, Jack Anderson, was also stationed at CFB, he was overseas, met and married a girl in Holland. They had four or five children, lost two of them quite young and his wife has passed away several years ago. Jack lives in Saskatoon.

Yes Jack Anderson was R.C.E., he and Chester were at C.F.B. at the same time, I can't say if he has E-mail or not, I called his sister in town to ask for his address and had planned to ask how he was doing. She was in the middle of something and had no time to talk. I find that most people in our age group, do not have E-mail, they find it confusing and ignore the subject when I suggest it is a great way to keep in contact.

I thought of something I should have mentioned in Chester's story, he was stationed in Victoria at or near Calwood for a while, I can't remember the date but we were there at the time of President Roosevelt’s death, probably spring of 1945, shipped out from there to Maple Creek, Sask. The final move before discharge in Regina in November 45.

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