May 8, 1945: "It's all over... Germany has surrendered ... the war's over" and peace gradually prevailed

George Tremblay

World events were moving quickly in April and early May 1945 as there were growing signs that the end of World War II would come soon, according to George Tremblay in his book 'Break at Nine'.

He writes that on May 8, 1945, the day the war in Europe ended, started like any other for students at Chapleau High School. The end of the school year was approaching and exam preparation was underway as well as the annual inspection of 1181 Chapleau High School which had been founded in 1924. Mr. Tremblay noted it was the day that the boys would be fitted for their uniforms. 

They were into the  process when John McClellan, the school principal, burst into the fitting room and announced, "It's all over.. Germany has surrendered.. the war's over".

Surprisingly Mr. Tremblay noted there was no great reaction from the boys. "We listened and after a few minutes of quiet chatter we continued with the job at hand which was  to try to get the possible fit from the selection of newly arrived modern cadet uniforms. Up to that day we had been wearing archaic World War I uniforms with tight tunics and high military collars with badges, big leather belts, flappy breeches finished off with puttees around our legs."

John McClellan

He added that finally on the last day of the war they were getting new cadet uniforms.

Gradually as the momentous news sunk in the uniform selection process was sped up .  He wrote that all the boys ran to the windows of the old Chapleau High School on Pine Street when they heard a "commotion" coming from the grounds and "stared in astonishment at the sight of the school girls doing an impromptu snake dance below. "

CHS

Someone yelled "Let's go', and "That was it. We made dash for the doors to join the girls as they weaved around the school in their snake dance." All classes were cancelled for the day,

In the community, the end of the war also marked. My aunt Marion (Morris) Kennedy, shortly before she died wrote me a letter sharing her story about  the end of the war. Aunt Marion wrote that after the news was received townsfolk started to go to St. John's Anglican Church, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church and Trinity United Church although no services had been planned. It was simply the reaction to the end of the war from people who had been affected by it since 1939.

Mr. Tremblay  was working part-time as a projectionist at the Regent Theatre owned by Cecil Smith and prepared an addition to the evening movie. It had been prepared in anticipation of the end of the war.

Regent Theatre

He wrote that after he went home following the last show he reflected on the day's events. The war was not completely over as Japan had not yet surrendered .. "we felt peace would soon prevail everywhere and we could start to look forward towards the future with some hope and confidence. A great burden of uncertainty was being removed. 

He also noted that in the following weeks, there started to appear shocking news about concentration camps and prisoner of war camps. Over the next few weeks Mr. Tremblay finished his school year and prepared to attend cadet camp at Niagara on the Lake,

He commented on the Atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan in August which resulted in its surrender. He and others did not comprehend the tremendous power of the new technology .

In due course Mr. Tremblay filed his application for his final apprenticeship exam so that he could qualify as a projectionist and start earning a salary. 

I h ave provided a summary of the chapter "War's End" from his book Break at Nine which is a wonderful look at the movie industry. Lest we forget the effect of World War II in Chapleau. His brother Neil, a projectionist at the Regent Theatre came home safely after serving in our armed forces but another projectionist was not so fortunate. Chapleau boy Jack Rose was killed in action in Italy shortly before the end of the war His aircraft was brought down by ground fire.   It was the ordeal of total war for most in the community.My email is mj.morris@live.ca

House lights dim, children cheer and King George V Jubilee movie starring Laurel and Hardy begins at Regent Theatre in 1935

 In 1935 in the midst of the Great Depression, the King George V Jubilee movie at the Regent Theatre in Chapleau was a success, according to George Tremblay in his wonderful book about the movies, 'Break at Nine'.

Mr. Tremblay, who was born and raised in Chapleau, and later became a movie projectionist, starts his book by sharing the story with the lasting impression of a visit to the theatre with schoolchildren to mark the 25th anniversary of George V as king.

"The great day had finally arrived. It was June 1935 and my home town was celebrating King George V's silver jubilee. Most Canadians took rightful pride in the fact that they were part of the great British empire... King George had been their king during the dark days of the great war seventeen years earlier (World War I) and he and his consort, Queen Mary, had inspired the deep affection of their people," Mr. Tremblay wrote.

In those days to celebrate such an event it was customary to give school children a holiday and a ticket for a free show at the local movie house. 

His mother sent George, nine at the time, off to the separate school he attended on Pine street where Cedar Grove Lodge is now, where all the children were being assembled to walk to the theatre, located in the building where the Royal Bank is now.

"Full of excitement and anticipation, I joined my mates in our classroom."

Finally, his teacher arose from her desk and proceeded to hand out the "bright red tickets' which indicated they would be attending the first show, while his older brother Noel, in a higher grade would be given a blue ticket for a later showing.

Off they went with George keeping " a firm grip on my precious red ticket as I trotted off with my classmates"  forming an "impressive line of little people" on their way to the movie.

Although it was a relatively short walk he noted some distractions along the way to occupy their interest.

At the corner of Birch and Lansdowne street across from the present Bargain Shop was Mrs. Moseley's convalescent home for injured workers with its colourful display of crossed Union Jacks or Canadian Ensign flags and wide red, white and blue bunting festooned from pillar to pillar on her verandah.

Other side of  Main Street 1930s

I recall the colourful displays on her verandah when I was a youngster in Chapleau in the 1940s.

Mr. Tremblay noted that such displays of loyalty to the Crown were not uncommon in those days.  As they passed Collins and Matters department store, now Collins Home Furniture, they saw an entire front showcase with large framed photos of King George and  Queen Mary. He added: "Charles Collins, one of the owners of the store, was a World War I returned veteran and his partner, Fred Matters, was an English immigrant and there was no hesitation on their part in displaying their loyalty."

Arriving at the theatre, there was a large crowd present, and an open area between the front of the crowd and theatre door. He was too small to see but then heard the sound of marching feet , and by looking down at ground level, he saw the "putteed legs and polished boots stomp by in perfect unison." 

At first, he thought it was soldiers but then realized it was members of 1181 Chapleau High School Cadet Corps that he would eventually join several years later.

He had to surrender his bright red ticket, and despite all the commotion surrounding a large group of students being seated, they were finally ready for the start of the movie.

He gives a hint of his future career as a projectionist when he notes by observing the upper part of the back wall he could see a small, dark figure moving behind the little portholes in the wall.

The figure seemed to be adjusting something when, suddenly, 'the house lights dimmed. The children let out a tremendous cheer of glee!. The show was finally starting."

Young George was "completely entranced by the new living world being revealed" to him as he saw the "dazzling burst of light shoot out from one of the smaller round portholes" but the highlight of his afternoon was yet to come.

The screen was taken over by the two hilarious comedians of the day -- Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.  The movie was 'Towed in a Hole", (1932) which Mr. Tremblay says was their best classic short movie.

"Their every gesture invited laughter. They were a pair of very talented comedians and performers who entranced my generation for many years".  (And mine, too!)

Mr. Tremblay also reminded his readers that Laurel and Hardy also brought a bit of laughter to the older folks of those days at a time when they needed it most, for it was the time of the Great Depression.

"The King George V Jubilee movie had been a success! It had created an impression that would last me a lifetime," Mr. Tremblay wrote. He became a movie projectionist.

'Break at Nine' by George Tremblay is a great read. Mr. Tremblay kindly sent me a copy some years ago, and I keep returning to it for more moments from his life and the movie industry.  My email is mj.morris@live.ca