Women in War Part 5: Darlene McClennan

The Grace Schmidt Room at the Central Branch of the Kitchener public library is filled with photos, stories and audio of Waterloo Regions past.

The library is in the process of digitizing cassette interviews of some heritage members of the community. That includes 50 interviews with the men and women who served, contributed and witnessed the first and second world war.

570’s Joe Pavia has produced a 5 part series on the stories of the local women who served. In this segment he tells the story of Darlene McClennan of Kitchener.

Darlene McLennan thought serving in the war would be an exciting challenge.
The trained nurse applied for service in the american forces after the attack on Pearl Harbour…..and was eventually chosen to serve with the Royal Canadian Navy as what she called “a nursing sister”. or a sub-lieutenant.

McLennan recalls she witnessed the bravado of the sailors and many who experienced their last breathe.

“One was particularly hard because it was someone I knew as a child. He had led a hard life.”

McClennan says at the time the patients would be moved to what was called a silent ward. That’s where they moved someone who was close to death.

“Just as he died he had the most beautiful smile on his face. I don’t think I’ve ever forgotten that.”

And dealing with the man she once knew wasn’t over. Nurses at the time would need to prepare the body until the body was taken for burial.

“I can remember her holding him and me doing that and the tears were running down my cheeks. And she said what’s with you. and I said…well I use to go for milk at his place when I was a little girl.”