Description
According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, Greyeyes Reid was “the first Indigenous woman to join the nation’s armed forces as a member of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps. Shipped out to a Canadian base in Aldershot, England, Greyeyes was made to cook and do laundry, a task she disliked. When she requested a transfer, her sergeant lied on her papers in an attempt to keep her there, writing: “Does not speak English.” However, Greyeyes was eventually transferred to London, England, where she cooked at the war headquarters. Her superiors, who wanted to provide the appearance of a pro-diversity workplace, brought Greyeyes to public events. It was then that she met Princess (later Queen) Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother and King George VI. Photos of her with public figures appeared in London newspapers. Greyeyes stayed in London until 1946. In September that year, the Canadian government disbanded the Canadian Women’s Army Corps, considering women’s service in peacetime unnecessary. Discharged, Greyeyes returned to Muskeg Lake, later calling her wartime years the best of her life.”
Bibliographic sources
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mary-greyeyes