Wait For Me Daddy

 

“Wait for Me, Daddy” is a photo taken by Claude P. Dettloff on October 1, 1940, of the British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles) marching down Eighth Street at the Columbia Street intersection, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.

On September 10, 1939 Canada (a British Dominion) declared war on Nazi Germany.

On October 1, 1940, The British Columbia Regiment marched to New Westminster to board a waiting ship, the SS Princess Joan, to their secret destination.

5 year-old Warren "Whitey" Bernard, ran out of his Mother's grasp to his Father.

The secret destination turned out to be Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, only three hours away.

 Later, after years of training, in August 1942, the Regiment converted from Infantry to Armour and was sent to France - they landed at the established D-Day beachhead and participated in Operation Totalize one of the first attempts to close the Falaise Gap in the Netherlands.

The Regiment had 122 Officers and Men killed and 213 wounded.

Whitey was taken across Canada on War Bond Drives for Canadians to support his Daddy.

The Iconic Photo was hung in every single School in British Colombia, Canada during the War.

After 5 years of War, Whitey’s Dad, Bernard came home in October 1945.

Bernard died in 1981 at the age of 74.

The City of New Westminster commissioned a bronze statue honoring the photo to be placed at the bottom of 8th Street, in Hyack Square on October 4, 2014.

Also in 2014, the Royal Canadian Mint announced the issue of a series of three coins featuring a scene adapted from the image.

Canada Post also issued a stamp featuring the iconic image