A memorial created from what is probably the best known WWII Canadian photo, Don’t Leave Me, Daddy, was unveiled in New Westminster, British Columbia on Saturday, October 4. The memorial is a series of three bronze statues made by Canadian Edwin Dam de Nogales and his wife, Veronica.
A war memorial created from the iconic Canadian WWII image, “Wait For Me, Daddy,” was unveiled in New Westminster, BC. October 4, 2014. Photo: Screen capture from live feed on city’s website/QMI Agency.
In 1940, as hundreds of solders marched down Eighth Street in New Westminster, a five-year-old boy broke free from his mother’s hand and ran after his father, who would eventually head off to battle in Europe. Vancouver Daily Province staff photographer Claude D. Dettloff captured the tender moment, and it made the front page of the newspaper the next day. Soon the photo appeared in newspapers across North America and on the cover of Life magazine, and it hung in every classroom in BC. For two years, the now-famous photo was used to sell government Victory Bonds to help pay for the war effort.
The young boy was Warren “Whitey” Bernard who is now 79. He remembers the moment he saw his father march past. He said, “I guess I got it in my head that, you know, he was gonna vanish at this point.” Mr. Bernard’s father returned from the war, but his parents separated soon after. That photo was the last taken of the three of them together.
Canada Post also unveiled a special commemorative stamp featuring the photo at the event, and the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled a two-dollar coin featuring the image.
See the iconic photo on the City of Vancouver Archives website.
Read the story behind the photo in the Canadian Press report.
Thanks for writing about this memorial, Gail. Although I live in B.C., I must have missed any mention of it in the media. I’ll make a point to go see it later this week when I visit my son who’s at college in New West.