Martin “Bud” Walsh fonds, 1942-1948

This collection consists of correspondence between Martin “Bud” Walsh and his mother during the time that Martin served in the Navy from 1942 to 1948.  Martin’s letters were mostly written from Montreal, although he also wrote letters from New York, Egypt, England, France, Halifax, St. John (New Brunswick), Norfolk (Virginia), Port-aux-basques (Newfoundland), and Aden (Yemen).  Walsh writes about his movements, the cities he is in, his health and news of family and friends.

Martin “Bud” Walsh served in the Canadian Merchant Navy during the Second World War as a fireman stoking boilers. He continued to serve in the Navy after the war until December 1948. In 1949, he joined the Crowland Police Department as a constable. He subsequently worked as a constable with the Welland Police Department and was promoted several times, eventually to deputy chief in 1969. In 1971, he became superintendent of the St. Catharines detachment of the regional force. He has been the recipient of several prestigious awards honouring his contributions to his country, including the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977) and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).

RG 428   Martin "Bud" Walsh fonds

Letter from Martin Walsh to his mother, 1944

In this letter to his mother, Martin notes that he was a pallbearer in a funeral for a man from Verdun who was killed at Prescott, 1944.