World War II Postcard and Polaroid.
William Stevens, 1944
Paper, ink, polaroid film
10.5 x 14.8 cm, 8.6 x 5.4 cm
Sent by William Stevens, passed down through the family, 1944-2020
Personal collection
William Stevens, from Oshawa Ontario, enlisted to serve Canada during World War II in 1941. Though at the time conscription was becoming the common force compelling the public to serve, he took the initiative to enlist himself with hopes of protecting his country. Going far from home in a world that did not have the technology to keep daily contact with his loved ones was a daunting task that he faced with the usage of the postal system. Though simple, it was a way to ensure that his wife, Lily, knew he was okay. He sent home monthly postcards along with photographs to Lily, to let her know where he was working at the time. He was a photographer before World War 2 began, which he continued to practise as he encountered new places he would have never imagined he would be able to see. He travelled all over Europe and the United States of America during his time with the military, ensuring to send home a postcard and polaroid so she could track his travels along with him.
Each and every photograph and postcard was kept in an old shoe box. Though it began as simply storage for the abundance of postage she received, it naturally became a time capsule of his experiences. Though the messages on the postcards are sweet and joyful, showing her all the interesting places he’d seen, they now hold a dark undertone of the reality of this period. Such objects offer a reminder of the individuals, their families, and lives that were affected by this longterm separation and anxiety filled events. This simple piece of card stock and polaroid film are representative of the hope that families would once again be rejoined. Being able to look back on these family memories of our ancestors who were once affected by this hardship, puts into perspective the problems that they have overcome in the past and remains a symbol of hope for the future. With items this personal, we see the individual effect that World War II held instead of the global and wider scale perspective that we are more commonly familiar with. Though this is an item of the past and truly representative of its time, it acts today as a reminder of forces that shape us into who we are today as individuals, as a nation, and as a global community.
Callie Gibson