His timing could not have been worse.  Just a few years before the great stock market crash of 1929, my grandfather, Wendling Anglin, started up his own brokerage branch office in Kingston, Ontario.

The market crash was followed by the Great Depression, the worst economic crisis of modern times.  The stock market and Wall Street were plagued with uncertainty throughout the 1930’s.

Wendling gave up the Kingston office to take over the Toronto office.  But business was too poor to carry on and that office had to be closed as well.  So he transferred to the Montreal, Quebec, office in 1933 and became manager of Johnston and Ward.  This brokerage firm later changed its name to G.E. Leslie and Company, and ultimately became Nesbitt Thompson.

In July 1940, while Wendling was struggling to make a living as a stock broker, Canada joined the allied forces of World War II.  He writes in a letter to my father, Tom, his youngest son:  “Business is fierce, nothing at all … and I cannot get to first base with the government.  I will go after private industry.  I certainly want to do something in war effort.”[1] The answer:  Victory Bonds.

Approximately half of the Canadian war cost was covered by War Savings Certificates and war bonds known as “Victory Bonds”. These bonds, which were loans to the government to allow for increased war spending, were sold to individuals and corporations throughout Canada. War Savings Certificates began selling in May 1940 and were sold door-to-door by volunteers as well as at banks, post offices, trust companies and other authorised dealers.[2]

In December 1942, he wrote to his oldest sister, Mamie: “Market has been better, and business picking up somewhat. This I am thankful for as it was an awful let down coming back after Victory Loan. Worked hard on Loan and raised 1/4 million from my dozen companies, but as I was loaned to the government by our firm, just received my salary as usual.”[3]  Six months later, in another letter to his son, Tom: “Have been very busy on Loan, received order for $880,000 from my 14 companies – $80,000 over objective – so feel satisfied I did a good job.”[4]

The eldest of his two sons, Bill, joined the RCAF in May 1942, so raising this government money might have enabled him to feel a little less helpless in supporting him and bringing him home safely.

Sadly, Bill was declared “missing in action” in May 1943, age 27 years.  Wendling’s hopeless frustration is obvious in his August 1944 letter to my father:  “Wish this damn war would end so that we might get some news of Bill should he be with the underground—.”[5]

The much needed closure from an official notice of his death never came.  However, Wendling and his wife, Josephine, never gave up hope on their “missing” son.

Meanwhile, their younger son Tom and his wife, Ann (my parents), offered them a joyful diversion with their growing family of three grandchildren.

Wendling died of lung cancer in 1955 at age 63 – still waiting for his oldest son to come home.

[1] Letter written to his son, Tom Anglin, July 16, 1940 – author’s collection

[2] Wikipedia – Victory

[3] Letter written to his sister, Mamie, December 1942 – www.billanglin.com – as viewed October 24, 2015

[4] Letter written to his son, Tom Anglin, May 17, 1943 – author’s collection

[5] Letter written to his son, Tom Anglin, dated August 7, 1944 – author’s collection