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![]({"id":"2f5de701-4a08-4b3f-95dd-4b9d8bc07ccc","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"12029_600","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":2775,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-03T03:23:45.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-03T03:23:45.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #12029","alt":"","caption":"","creator":"Memory Project Image #12029 - Veteran #3107","source":"","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/12029_600.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/12029_600.jpg","credit":"","pivot":{"mediable_id":"5ae60f27-3f8a-4068-b360-ab4b22c1124e","media_id":"2f5de701-4a08-4b3f-95dd-4b9d8bc07ccc","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":1},"translations":[{"id":"aa36ae54-38ef-4798-825d-7c0504a05923","media_id":"2f5de701-4a08-4b3f-95dd-4b9d8bc07ccc","title":"Memory Project Image #12029","alt":"","caption":"","creator":"Memory Project Image #12029 - Veteran #3107","source":"","locale":"en","credit":""},{"id":"a29f3fb4-7f9b-4240-9ee2-5d3c3c17dd8e","media_id":"2f5de701-4a08-4b3f-95dd-4b9d8bc07ccc","title":"Memory Project Image #12029","alt":"","caption":"","creator":"Memory Project Image #12029 - Veteran #3107","source":"","locale":"fr","credit":""}]} "Memory Project Image #12029")
I went to New York City. I spent the war working out of New York. A typical day, very little happened. You had regular duties that you had to do and sometimes something special would come up. I was overseas a couple of times and that’s about it. My claim to fame was communications. I did some teaching, I did some studying. I took some trips, some of which I can’t talk about.
Flying [over] the Atlantic in the 1940s, in a bomber - they weren’t designed for that - it was an experience. They were noisy, they were rough. Everything ached by the time you got there. We were just sitting on benches, you see.
I have a signed document from Sir William Stephenson [a Canadian who coordinated British counterespionage as Chief of Intelligence during the Second World War]. It’s sort of a citation that I’m very proud of.
“Dear Sergeant Stewart, on this day of the final victory in Europe, it is both a duty and a pleasure to express my appreciation and thanks of our organization for your valued and continuous service to our effort. The overwhelming success of the Allied arms has been made possible by the hard work and sacrifice of millions of people in the armed forces, the factories, the workshops and the government war agencies. Among others, British security coordination has played a significant and important role in the British war effort, ensuring of course, the success it has been able to achieve is a product of the efforts of all its members. Your own contribution for this period of service, which this organization has been a valuable one, and particularly so because of the confidential and often very difficult nature of the work. I assure you that your loyalty, your discretion and the spirit of combined industry and willingness you have shown at all times are very much appreciated. You’ve done a very commendable job and I wish to take this opportunity of thanking you and wishing you the best of luck in every success in the future”.
It’s signed William Stephenson, but at that point in time, he wasn’t Sir William.