Mischief & Mayhem

About the author Barbara Carruthers:

Barbara was an amazing woman, born on September 10, 1913 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She grew up in a household of four female cousins and my father, she left Winnipeg at the age of 26 to be an au pair in France, fled France at the onset of World War II, and went to England.

She joined the Women’s Air Force (WAAF), trained to be a radar operator, served in Top Secret radar stations that populated the English coastline. These stations were initially experimental but grew to be an important part of England’s defense. Radar gave the Air Force advance warning of enemy raids assisting them to repel intruders, making a significant difference in the direction of the war.

Because radar was so effective, these stations were targeted. They were repeatedly bombed and strafed to prevent them from reporting the advancing enemy. Barbara’s book does not dwell on the terror of these attacks, it outlines some of the near misses they endured, some of them humorous, but only in hindsight.

Barbara’s middle name is Francis, referred to as B.F. Carruthers. She dropped her middle initial when she discovered in England, BF stood for “Bloody Fool.”

After the war, she settled in Montreal, initially lived with family. Barbara secured employment with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations agency that sets standards and policies in support of a safe and secure global airline industry. She retired as head librarian, an amazing accomplishment for a single woman. I once heard her boast that she could match drinks with any man. I believe that she could and did, perhaps several.

On retiring, she moved to Elora, Ontario, then to Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Barbara died January 4th, 2008, at the age of 95. Her remains were interred in the Carruthers family plot in Winnipeg. She is home.

She was an environmentalist long before it was fashionable, had a soft spot for all animals, consumed the Publishers Clearing House offers; “you are one entry away from winning”. She travelled the world to exotic locations, creating new adventures wherever she went.

About the publisher Eric Beal:

Barbara was my fathers cousin and my idol. I was born and raised in Montreal. Moved to Saskatoon 1975, retired in 2018. Saskatoon is my home.

When Barbara gave me this manuscript I knew it had tremendous potential but didn’t quite know how to present it. A good friend Tony, introduced the concept of self publishing, Dwayne showed me how.

It took some time to assemble and format it. I am proud to bring Barbara’s story to you and hope you find it interesting and entertaining portrait of a Canadian War Hero who fought for the freedoms we are able to take for granted.

She was a hero in every sense of the word.

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Comments

Lawrence MacAuly, PC, MP, Minister of Veterans Affairs

Your respect and admiration for Ms. Carruthers is clearly evident, as is your dedication in preserving her story to share with generations to come. Your efforts to help keep the torch of remembering burning bright are greatly appreciated.

Charlie Clark, Mayor of Saskatoon

Barbara’s story reminds me of the stories my grandfather told about Christmas at the front. He was referring to Chapter 21 where Barbara feasted on bacon & eggs, roast duck, chicken, an inexhaustible supply of wine almost next door to an enemy gun pit, a place she was not supposed to be.

Angie:
“This story would make a great movie”

Wendy:
“I will be buying books for Christmas presents”