ShiloBrats Guestbook

Submitted by
Name: pat dolan
From: martensville SK
E-mail: pmdolan@sasktel.net

Comments:
Delighted to see some traffic on the guestbook. As has been mentioned, it would make Otter happy. Have to get Mom to visit some time soon.

Bump: Would you happen to remember my wife Alexia (Forke)? She would be the same age as yourself. They lived in the H huts when her Dad (George) was in Korea and moved IIRC in 1952 to a new PMQ on Citadel and then off base when he left the service for a while in 1953. They were back once more for a while (I think on Frontenac) and then finally 27 Ubique (last house on the SW side just before Ubique joined up with Kingston Ave. and just across the street from Hopkins IIRC) from around 1960 until my Father-in-law's retirement in early '70s.

Floyd: where the heck are you? HOW the heck are you? It has been far, far too long. We get to AB a fair bit now, since our baby has set up residence in Edmonton (and will be welcoming our newest grandchild - Addison - in a week or two = Gramdma and Grandpa will be there!!) Don't think I have seen you since Churchill, and that would be almost 35 years ago. Just came back from a visit to Inco and a good friend in Thompson (predictably, working on his airplane).

Edie: thank you and all of your helpers for the fantastic job of keeping up the website. I was particularly touched by your Mother's story of WWII service. So hard for most people today who have not experienced the post-war period when memories were still fresh yet there we were with friends and families who's parents had been shooting at each other just before we were borne. My Father was not allowed to enlist early as he was in a critical job, but finally got signed up late in the war. He came down with pneumonia in basic, so spent the last year as a POW guard. During his two rotation in Germany in the '60s, his former captives were his most gracious hosts and friends.

I can not say with enough clarity how immensely proud and grateful I am to those who have served in the armed forces of this country in the past and present. They have acted with such bravery, honour and dignity to make this world a much safer, better place.

Added: August 29, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Bill Gillespie
From: AB/BC
E-mail: bgillespie@shaw.ca

Comments:
Hey, Floyd-your note triggered remembrance of something that I haven't thought about in ages.

When my Dad retired from the Army in late '64, he stayed on in Shilo for about a year as Manager of the Golf & Curling Club.We had to re-locate from the PMQs-so the old H-hut next to the old Fire Hall was renovated to accommodate us.

Previously, the building had served as the Pay Office. Initially, after we had moved there-guys were walking into my bedroom looking for their pay cheques!

The building next to this on the north side was indeed the old Post Office. Across the street, was the residence of the Fire Chief at that time, I think. There were two kids younger than I that lived there-the Service Corps bus would take us to/from PEHS. I often had to be at school early for sports practice, and on cold mornings "Mary T" (Miss Sheehan) would take pity and give me a lift to school.

Thanks for the memory, Floyd!

Added: August 29, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Floyd Turner
From: Alberta

Comments:
Nice to see you chime in Bill. I hope life is treating you well. It's been a long time. Not sure if Bump would remember the YPA Hall. During the period when Bump lived in Shilo, that building was called the Coffee Shop. When they built the new MLS Mall across from Strange Hall, they opened a new Coffee Shop there and the old building was converted and became the YPA Hall. Today there is newer YPA Hall, that you mentioned, built on the PMQ side of Royal Avenue, but never attended any functions there. Bump, as I recall, the old post office was the building just north of the Old Fire Hall. I could be mistaken, but I think Mr. Archibald was the postmaster and had a house directly across the street. I remember those old stores in Shilo. The dry goods store that you described and a little further down was the grocery store. I didn't drink much chocolate milk and had to Goggle Topsy. Man, that was 60 years ago!

Added: August 29, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Bump Murphy
From: Vancouver Island

Comments:
Howdy Bill
The name Bump had absolutely nothing pointing towards my being a klutz. Chuckle. ..My older brother Ernie by 14 mo. when learning to talk would fumble the words a bit and come out with bump. He probably did it on purpose. He was always bossing me around as we grew older. My Mother always explained it that way. He died at Sea in the winter of 1986 on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. ...He lived a short but very colourful life on the edge. Most times on the dark side of the law. Another story. ..........For Floyd's quizzer? Well. He got me. ..I can remember only that on Patricia in the proximity of the Sports Palace there was a Maple Leaf Services sort of bldg..In Air Force, we called them Canex after unification was implemented. You know. One part was magazines. Some clothes. Writing materials. All the materials to keep a lonely soldier occupied. Shoe polish for sure. Some jewelry to send back home to his Gal. ..The other part of the bldg. had a very nice diner sort of thingy. Ice cream and pop etc.. They made the best French fries ever. I drank many bottles of 'kik' cola there. As boys we collected all the bottle tops. Of course the sealer inside was cork. We would put the cap on the outside of our shirts and secure it by using the cork on inside of skirt in a sandwich. We drank 'topsy' chocolate milk. There is one for you Floyd. What did the name and it's picture logo refer to? You only need to say you know. In those days you could get away with it. It would offend many today. Not polite to say it on line. If you are stumped, google it. Too funny. Anyway. In that bldg. in the entrance there was a small post office but probably for quick and convenient service to single soldiers and the mail bag would be picked up and delivered to the main Base PO for handling. That is all I can remember about Post Offices or their Post Master. I will wild guess he was your Dad. Hmmmmn. I spent thousands of hours running around Shilo but it does not come to mind. It will not take much to jog my memory on it.

Added: August 29, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Bill Brown

Comments:
Hey Bump, now I know why I did not know you, I did not arrive in Shilo until 1964. I lived at 104 Kingston Ave, right across from Floyd Turner. When I came there Floyd was the DJ at the dances, I soon started helping him out. Which later led me to become president of YPA. They built a new YPA Hall on the Q side in 1965, I believe. The older brats liked the old YPA Hall better, it had far more character to it, even though it was hot as hell in the summer. Do you know how you got the name Bump?

Added: August 28, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Floyd Turner
From: Alberta

Comments:
Bump, you DO have a good memory. We arrived in Shilo before our PMQ was built and also lived in an H-Hut just south of the Sports Palace. They were called the E-Lines, I believe. I was only 3 at the time, but I recall walking with my Mom down to that old store. Here's a quizzzz for you: where was the post office located back in those days and who was the postmaster?

Added: August 28, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Bump Murphy

Comments:
I remember very clearly leaving from back door and travelling towards and thru the homes(driveway) and on to the triangle there that directs us on Stonehenge and French. We walked strait across that triangle and made our way over the field a bit and the Ball park was to our right and the school which I know as Princess Elizabeth, was right there. We used that school playground many many times. ...My brother Ernie once dared me to hang from my knees on the steel monkey bar. Then proceeded to lift my legs up and over to knock me up over and down where I came to rest sharply on the concrete below. Several stitches in my head at the MIR. Never knew the school as a High School. As young boys we watched the new school being built across from it. Then we attended there as we progressed in grade. I was in it(O'Kelly) when we left Shilo. Funny! I do not remember that name. ....I do remember that we would walk up from ground floor to the top by way of a wide staircase which was all glass I thought. Something like that. ......seems to me there was a gully to one side that separated the school yard from houses on other side of it. Memories huh. ......My sister should still have all our old report cards hanging around somewhere in a chest. My Mother passed away a few years ago. ......I remember all the really magical Xmas concerts and parties in the gym at PES. ....One thing does not come to mind are the names of any of my teachers. ....The school report cards were like greeting cards and folded out. They had the Army Camp Shilo crest on them. Sabres and all . Buffalo I think.

Added: August 27, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Thora (Mulligan) Dorn
From: Edmonton, Alberta
E-mail: thora.dorn@shaw.ca

Comments:
I realize I never told you that my mother, Thelma Mulligan, passed away October 8, 2013.

Added: August 27, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Thora (Mulligan) Dorn
From: Edmonton, Alberta
E-mail: thora.dorn@shaw.ca

Comments:
I haven't been on this site to comment since Otter passed over. So many new comments to read, and so much information to peruse! Well done, Otter would be proud how well you have managed to keep this site going.

For those who don't know me, I lived at 97 Royal Ave. from 1959 to 1970 with my brother, David (Otter), sister Diane, and later sister Caroline and brother Phillip.

I remember going to O'Kelly School, as one year at PEHS. My sister Diane and I stopped at Shilo this last summer and could not believe how much the place had changed. Our house is still there, but almost everything else we knew was gone - even the gate was at the other end than I remembered.

I married another military BRAT from Winnipeg, Gary Dorn in 1973. We have one daughter, Sandra, and one grandson, Izaac.

Added: August 27, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Bump Mirphy

Comments:
For Bill Brown: Thanx Bill. I am pleased with all the welcome wishes from others on this site. .....My full name is William E. Murphy. Mother and Father being Audrey/Bill Murphy. Brothers and sisters as Shilo Brats were: Ernie and myself and then sister Gale and then Larry, Roseanne, Guy, and Clay. Three more siblings born In NS. after our family left Shilo. We were in Shilo for approx. 10 years or more. Around 1950 to '60 or '61. We were in an H hut with other families as a first PMQ. Then for a year in a new small PMQ on South side. Then moved to a larger PMQ. as they were built. We spent remainder of time at #7 Ubique. ....As kids we really never thought much about time frames. Chuckle. Our year references were made visible to us by the next birthday or Halloween or Xmas. Well you know what I mean. My mother had a keen memory for all of it before her death. All us boys and our playmates were too busy playing outside winter and summer. Discovering and exploiting Camp Shilo as well as all the surrounding territory. I have heard a mention of people calling me Billie Murphy but I do not remember that one. Only Bump Murphy. To this day I am only known to my family as Bump. Many names dropped on this site or in the picture files were friends of ours. ....Hope this twigs a memory for you. ..l am hearing all the nice thoughts towards Doug.

Added: August 25, 2015