Читать книгу Voices of the Left Behind - Melynda Jarratt - Страница 7

Preface

As president of the Transatlantic Children’s Enterprise (TRACE) and, at the beginning, the receiver of all enquiries, I was very glad to learn of Project Roots in Holland.

Our expertise was confined to advising on the search for American GIs; therefore, being able to pass on requests for help in finding Canadian fathers who had been in Europe in World War II to Olga Rains was a great help.

My involvement with this work began with the publication of my first book, Sentimental Journey: The story of the GI Brides, in 1984. One chapter, “Lost and Found,” related to the efforts of people, not always deliberately left behind, to find their GI fathers. Letters from people in similar situations began to pour in.

At first, I could use only my own knowledge of the United States, the fact that I had been a military wife, and the efforts of friends in the U.S. to help them. Then came a breakthrough, courtesy of the Ralph Nader Association in the U.S. One of the GI babies took the U.S. government to court to allow them access to military records and won. As long as they had such basic information as a full name, and the dates their fathers were in the U.K., these people were entitled to his last known address.

The late Pamela Winfield.

This was only the beginning, but now, with the advent of facilities on the Internet, we have had a large number of successes. Rarely are they rejected.

On the wall of my office are photographs of GI fathers with their British children. Much to my delight, their numbers continue to grow.

I can only hope, for the sake of the Canadian children, they will get the same official assistance.

Pamela Winfield, MBE

President of TRACE

[Note: Pamela Winfield passed away in October 2004. The authors are grateful that she was able to contribute this preface.]