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Margaret Brownlee served in the Motor Transport Department in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. See her full testimony below.
Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
![Margaret Brownlee]({"id":"0e1c95f7-5e59-4a0e-aa74-41e95a17e082","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"252_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":367875,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-02T18:27:59.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-02T18:27:59.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #252","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"From 1942-1943, this 'Little Norway' centre served as the training ground for the Royal Norwegian Air Force. King Harald and Queen Sonja travelled to Gravenhurst, Ontario to dedicate a Norwegian-Canadian Museum at the Muskoka Airport in 2002.","creator":"Memory Project Image #252 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/252_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/252_original.jpg","credit":"Margaret Brownlee","pivot":{"mediable_id":"4182cc0b-f507-4ca0-b8cb-39f521ad8ec1","media_id":"0e1c95f7-5e59-4a0e-aa74-41e95a17e082","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":1},"translations":[{"id":"4ba62f3a-fea1-4713-86b2-3a08404c72a6","media_id":"0e1c95f7-5e59-4a0e-aa74-41e95a17e082","title":"Memory Project Image #252","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"From 1942-1943, this 'Little Norway' centre served as the training ground for the Royal Norwegian Air Force. King Harald and Queen Sonja travelled to Gravenhurst, Ontario to dedicate a Norwegian-Canadian Museum at the Muskoka Airport in 2002.","creator":"Memory Project Image #252 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","locale":"en","credit":"Margaret Brownlee"},{"id":"90b138a9-8762-4cc6-ab95-881b839ed620","media_id":"0e1c95f7-5e59-4a0e-aa74-41e95a17e082","title":"Memory Project Image #252","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"En 1942-1943, ce centre de la \u00ab Petite Norv\u00e8ge \u00bb a servi \u00e0 l\u2019entra\u00eenement des forces a\u00e9riennes norv\u00e9giennes. En 2002, le roi Harald et la reine Sonja se sont rendus \u00e0 Gravenhurst, en Ontario, pour inaugurer le Mus\u00e9e Norv\u00e8ge-Canada de l\u2019a\u00e9roport Muskoka.","creator":"Memory Project Image #252 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","locale":"fr","credit":"Margaret Brownlee"}]} "Memory Project Image #252")
![Margaret Brownlee]({"id":"3aa47cac-138a-4818-844f-1b8fccb958a7","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"253_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":120229,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-02T18:28:01.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-02T18:28:01.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #253","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"Margaret Brownlee (right), Sandy Gareau and Polly Bennett 'frolic' in the woods on their leisure time from the motor transport section of the RCAF in England in 1945. Courtesy of Margaret Brownlee.","creator":"Memory Project Image #253 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/253_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/253_original.jpg","credit":"Margaret Brownlee","pivot":{"mediable_id":"4182cc0b-f507-4ca0-b8cb-39f521ad8ec1","media_id":"3aa47cac-138a-4818-844f-1b8fccb958a7","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":2},"translations":[{"id":"86d71ab8-614c-4248-96ad-8a6a1e32f2fc","media_id":"3aa47cac-138a-4818-844f-1b8fccb958a7","title":"Memory Project Image #253","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"Margaret Brownlee (right), Sandy Gareau and Polly Bennett 'frolic' in the woods on their leisure time from the motor transport section of the RCAF in England in 1945. Courtesy of Margaret Brownlee.","creator":"Memory Project Image #253 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","locale":"en","credit":"Margaret Brownlee"},{"id":"9860c5c9-fc6b-4da5-b8b0-46c5c7dbf30b","media_id":"3aa47cac-138a-4818-844f-1b8fccb958a7","title":"Memory Project Image #253","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"Margaret Brownlee (\u00e0 droite), Sandy Gareau et Polly Bennett \u00ab batifolant \u00bb en for\u00eat pendant une pause de la section de transport motoris\u00e9 de l\u2019ARC, en Grande-Bretagne, 1945. Offert par Margaret Brownlee.","creator":"Memory Project Image #253 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","locale":"fr","credit":"Margaret Brownlee"}]} "Memory Project Image #253")
![Margaret Brownlee]({"id":"ad600774-83b4-4b9b-9ccb-efbd7cafde15","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"251_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":518610,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-02T18:27:57.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-02T18:27:57.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #251","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"The motor transport section of the RCAF near Margaret Brownlee's station in England in 1945. The fleet consisted of heavy transport for troops and equiptment as well as vehicles for official business. Courtesy of Margaret Brownlee.","creator":"Memory Project Image #251 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/251_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/251_original.jpg","credit":"Margaret Brownlee","pivot":{"mediable_id":"4182cc0b-f507-4ca0-b8cb-39f521ad8ec1","media_id":"ad600774-83b4-4b9b-9ccb-efbd7cafde15","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":3},"translations":[{"id":"006b8050-dc2e-4d20-85d6-8d03956d6811","media_id":"ad600774-83b4-4b9b-9ccb-efbd7cafde15","title":"Memory Project Image #251","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"The motor transport section of the RCAF near Margaret Brownlee's station in England in 1945. The fleet consisted of heavy transport for troops and equiptment as well as vehicles for official business. Courtesy of Margaret Brownlee.","creator":"Memory Project Image #251 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","locale":"en","credit":"Margaret Brownlee"},{"id":"fe6d45c3-aab7-44df-903f-6d999f8fa696","media_id":"ad600774-83b4-4b9b-9ccb-efbd7cafde15","title":"Memory Project Image #251","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"La section de transport motoris\u00e9 de l\u2019ARC pr\u00e8s de la station britannique de Margaret Brownlee en 1945. Le parc comprenait de lourds transporteurs pour les troupes et les \u00e9quipements ainsi que des v\u00e9hicules protocolaires. Offert par Margaret Brownlee.","creator":"Memory Project Image #251 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","locale":"fr","credit":"Margaret Brownlee"}]} "Memory Project Image #251")
![Margaret Brownlee]({"id":"bea230d3-87d3-4fc3-b349-c32dc5c352c5","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"250_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":79822,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-02T18:27:54.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-02T18:27:54.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #250","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"Margaret Brownlee lifting Millie Davis while performing RCAf Women's Divison fitness exercises in England in 1943.","creator":"Memory Project Image #250 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/250_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/250_original.jpg","credit":"Margaret Brownlee","pivot":{"mediable_id":"4182cc0b-f507-4ca0-b8cb-39f521ad8ec1","media_id":"bea230d3-87d3-4fc3-b349-c32dc5c352c5","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":4},"translations":[{"id":"9f6a0fe8-111f-41d6-b919-5b3c5c573496","media_id":"bea230d3-87d3-4fc3-b349-c32dc5c352c5","title":"Memory Project Image #250","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"Margaret Brownlee lifting Millie Davis while performing RCAf Women's Divison fitness exercises in England in 1943.","creator":"Memory Project Image #250 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","locale":"en","credit":"Margaret Brownlee"},{"id":"52037855-9ce3-4ded-ba02-f244bdafc4e2","media_id":"bea230d3-87d3-4fc3-b349-c32dc5c352c5","title":"Memory Project Image #250","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"Margaret Brownlee soulevant Millie Davis pendant une s\u00e9ance d\u2019exercices de la division f\u00e9minine de l\u2019Aviation royale du Canada, qui se d\u00e9roulait en Grande-Bretagne en 1943.","creator":"Memory Project Image #250 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","locale":"fr","credit":"Margaret Brownlee"}]} "Memory Project Image #250")
![Margaret Brownlee]({"id":"c61606d5-c43c-4dda-958d-436bd9a532a3","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"254_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":131457,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-02T18:28:03.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-02T18:28:03.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #254","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"Margaret Brownlee and RCAF WD colleague Blanche stand beside a Lancastor Bomber grounded for maintenance and flown by a crew known as 'P' for 'Peter' in England 1944.","creator":"Memory Project Image #254 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/254_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/254_original.jpg","credit":"Margaret Brownlee","pivot":{"mediable_id":"4182cc0b-f507-4ca0-b8cb-39f521ad8ec1","media_id":"c61606d5-c43c-4dda-958d-436bd9a532a3","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":5},"translations":[{"id":"d4a6684f-50e6-4e19-a25d-d47c74e56b09","media_id":"c61606d5-c43c-4dda-958d-436bd9a532a3","title":"Memory Project Image #254","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"Margaret Brownlee and RCAF WD colleague Blanche stand beside a Lancastor Bomber grounded for maintenance and flown by a crew known as 'P' for 'Peter' in England 1944.","creator":"Memory Project Image #254 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","locale":"en","credit":"Margaret Brownlee"},{"id":"d18bc9d4-f8a4-4984-9540-94d58da63706","media_id":"c61606d5-c43c-4dda-958d-436bd9a532a3","title":"Memory Project Image #254","alt":"Margaret Brownlee","caption":"Margaret Brownlee et sa cons\u0153ur Blanche de l\u2019ARC WD aux c\u00f4t\u00e9s d\u2019un bombardier Lancastor en entretien au sol, que pilotait l\u2019\u00e9quipe \u00ab P \u00bb pour \u00ab Peter \u00bb, en Grande-Bretagne en 1944.","creator":"Memory Project Image #254 - Veteran #1163","source":"Margaret Brownlee","locale":"fr","credit":"Margaret Brownlee"}]} "Memory Project Image #254")
Transcript
I'm Margaret Brownlee. I was Margaret Rankin at the time. I enlisted into the Air Force, in the Motor Transport Department. Well, we all left on the train. I was put in charge of all these girls, which I didn't tell my poor mother, because she was all upset because I was leaving home. We went to Toronto for six weeks basic training, and after that, I was posted to Rockcliffe, which is just outside of Ottawa. And I was in motor transport there for five years. I was driving chiefly, but I also did a lot of the dispatching - sending out cars for different jobs, and picking up different people, and all that. I drove a twenty-eight passenger bus. I drove a three-tonne cab-over truck, as well as all the smaller panels, and station wagons and staff cars, which were only ever used for big... you know, people in authority. We drove the band around to different concerts they were holding. And at one point, Mackenzie King, Roosevelt, and Churchill had a secret meeting out - I believe it was supposed to be on a boat - and I was picked to drive Mackenzie King to the aircraft out of Uplands. And I had to choose also a man who you could trust and wouldn't talk to drive the truck and take all his baggage. We had good times, and we had times that were a little scary. But other than that, we had a very good job, I think.
