Soldier Spotlight highlights veterans from the Archives’ online Soldiers’ Memorial. Each week, our volunteers select a remarkable individual to showcase in this new blog series. The Soldiers’ Memorial commemorates more than 1,100 WWI veterans and 2,300 WWII veterans from our region. Three dedicated volunteers have contributed over 1,200 hours to this project by researching and writing biographies. Our goal is to have all South Peace soldiers acknowledged for their service. If you know of someone who lived in the South Peace and should be listed on the Memorial, or would like to get involved by researching a local veteran, please contact the Archives.
Force: R. C. A. F. (W. D.)
Nellie Craig was born in Scotland in 1920 to parents James and Sibella (Muir) Craig. With her parents and 3 siblings she immigrated to Canada and settled in the Peace River Country in 1930. The parents rented farms in the Wembley area for 13 years, and the children attended Hermit Lake School and the Klondyke Trail School. Both Nellie and her brother, Charlie, served in World War II. Nellie enlisted in June 1942 with the Women’s Air Force, and she was posted in Davidson, Saskatchewan and Penhold, Alberta in the Post Office Division. Previously, Helen had worked at the Wembley post office for 3 years. Upon her discharge in May 1945, Helen worked as the secretary for the Assistant Minister of Education in Edmonton. In November 1948 she married James Coulson, and the couple had two children: Tom and Maureen. Nellie died at age 85 in May 2006 in Edmonton.
Photograph: The Craig family, from Along the Wapiti, p. 213
Source:
Along the Wapiti p. 213 (story & photograph); p. 412 (Name in WWII Veterans list)
Lake Saskatoon Reflections p. 122-124
AGS website – Obituary Index