[Hugh]

I've had this CAPEX 87 souvenir card for some time. I never gave it all that much thought. Although, I noted with interest that it said Canada had considered issuing a 'Little Norway' stamp in 1942. It was never to be. Norway did issue a stamp using the original design after the war (Sc. 274).

For those who don't know, Little Norway was the name of a training established set up in Canada by the Norwegian Government-in-Exile to train pilots and mechanics during WW2.

   

Earlier this year, I acquired Karl Sanne's book on Norwegian Exile Mail and it had a chapter on Little Norway. I started looking for covers.

At a recent club meeting Mark had a big smile. He had found some.

The first, is a cover from Little Norway on October 11, 1941. The cancel is from the first training centre in Toronto at the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition (which had been closed and given to the military for the duration of the war). It's a single-ring circular steel cancel 24mm in diameter. It reads, TORONTO-LITTLE NORWAY / ONT. [Sanne, Type L1] The earliest known use was on October 11, 1941 - the date of the following cover.  This cancel was used until March 31, 1943 when the training was moved to a more rural facility in Muskoka, north of the city. The outgoing mail, which was processed by the Canadian mail system, was estimated at about 60-70 letters per day most of which was sent to the US. A large number of gift parcels came to the base from Norwegian Americans as did a large number of requests for cancellations for philatelic purposes (Sanne, p. 64)

Part of the reason for the move north was that there were several accidents over the city. On one occasion. a Northrop N-3PB collided with the ferry Sam McBride used to move people between the Toronto Islands and downtown Toronto. A local newspaper wrote, "It is only a matter of time before one of the Norwegian aircraft crashes into the city itself."

The cover has a return address of the Royal Norwegian Naval Air Force in Toronto and was sent to Mrs. Howard [Helen] McCart.

   

A second cover had the cancel used in Muskoka - another single-ring steel Cancel, this time 23mm, with LITTLE NORWAY / ONT. [Sanne, Type L3] This cancel was used from April 2, 1943 to April 2, 1945. The following cover, also sent to Mrs. McCart was dated on April 2, 1943.

   

So who was Mrs. [Helen] McCart?

Well, a collector. And, a member of Toronto's social elite - Dr. Howard William David McCart, her second husband was an academic surgeon at the University of Toronto -- an otolaryngologist [Ear and throat specialist]. He was active in the Canadian Medical Association and the founder of Canada's ENT society.

But, more to the point, she was also the person who, on December 18, 1941, wrote to Postmaster-General W.P. (Bill) Mulock "May I suggest a special stamp to honour the Norwegian airmen now training at 'Little Norway' in Toronto?" It started with her. Her suggestion was seriously considered and an essay was done (see the CAPEX 87 card) by the Canadian Bank Note Company. In the end, however, the War Effort Stamp Committee decided to focus only on Canadian subjects and the initiative was dropped.

Not to be forgotten though. When the war was over, Norway issued a Little Norway stamp based on the essay.

And, Helen's friends sent her FDCs of the stamp from Norway. Here are three that I was able to acquire.

   
   
   
   
   
   

Love this last note, "Well, Helen, here it is. Love" as if to say "finally, with thanks for all your efforts."

The same year the CAPEX souvenir was produced, the Toronto Star published an article about Little Norway and noting that the King of Norway, Olav V was visiting Toronto on November 19th to dedicate Little Norway park near the site of the original flying school. It was noted that 500 trainees returned to Canada after the war and 150 went to the US.

Cheers, Hugh