Memory Project

Pat Hearns (Primary Source)

Published Online January 26, 2024

Last Edited January 26, 2024

This testimony is part of the Memory Project Archive

Interview with Pat Hearns.

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.

Pat Hearn's RAF Police Notebook, 1952. It accounted for her minutes during patrol duty, which consisted of security, accident reports for airwomen, WAAF embarcation, absentees and deserters of the Air Force., as well and investigating crime incidents.
Pat Hearns/The Memory Project
Pat Hearns (second from left) with her husband Samuel in National Aboriginal Veterans Association Uniform at the N'Amerind Centre in Alberta, 2003
Pat Hearns/The Memory Project
Pat Hearns guarding the trophies at an English Track Meet in 1952.
Pat Hearns/The Memory Project
Pat Hearns at her Reserve Mississaugas of Alderville First Nation in Regina Alberta dressed in full regalia, 2004.
Pat Hearns/The Memory Project
Pat Hearns (left) with RAF pals Maureen Dillon and Ruby Holan in RAF Honiley England in August 1953.
Pat Hearns/The Memory Project
Pat Hearns trying out the Motor Cycles of the English Police, in Edmontion, North London in 1948.
Pat Hearns trying out the Motor Cycles of the English Police, in Edmontion, North London in 1948.
Pat Hearns trying out the Motor Cycles of the English Police, in Edmontion, North London in 1948.
Pat Hearns/The Memory Project
PreviousNext

My name is Pat Hearns, and I live in London, Ontario. I belong to the Alderville - Mississaugas of Alderville Indian reserve. My status and my band membership came from my husband Sam, whom I married in England in 1953.

I served in the Women's Royal Air Force Provost Police. Most of our work consisted of patrolling the London streets, making sure that our people were dressed properly, and were not rowdy and drunk and whatever, and charging them if they were.

We were also posted to other stations to do investigations on theft and other things. We also did disembarking and embarking of troops - things of that nature. And then in my last year, I was posted into the Special Investigations Branch, mainly as a typist but hopefully in the later time to become a member, but I was out before that ever came about. But I enjoyed it. It was a great time for us. We learned a lot.

I met Sam when we went to a club in England. It was for service-people only. And you could go in there and you could have a drink or you could have a meal, and you could visit and you could play cards. It was just something like a legion.