Wait for Me, Daddy

A man took a famous photo.

It shows a boy running to his dad. The dad was a soldier. He was part of a group of men. They were marching down a street.

A boy named Whitey ran to his father. This happened in a place called New Westminster. The photo became very well known. Later, a statue was made to honor it. People in the city still remember the picture today.

In 1939, a big war began. Canada joined the fight. In 1940, soldiers in the British Columbia Regiment prepared to leave. They marched down a street in New Westminster, Canada.

A man named Claude Dettloff was there to take a photo. As the soldiers marched, a small boy ran toward them. The boy was five years old. His name was Warren Bernard. He ran from his mother to reach his father, Jack Bernard. This photo became very famous. It was shown in many magazines.

The soldiers went to a secret place first. Later, they went to France and the Netherlands. Many people felt sad during this time. One woman in the photo, Agnes Confortin, was worried about her brothers. One brother was killed in the war. Another brother returned home with a hard time in his mind.

Many years later, the city made a bronze statue. It honors the famous photo. The statue stands in Hyack Square. Canada also made special coins and stamps with the image. People still remember this moment in history.

A famous photograph tells a story about a family during a hard time. The picture is called "Wait for Me, Daddy." It shows a moment from a large war in the 1940s. The photo captures a small boy reaching for a soldier. This image became very well known around the world. It was printed in famous magazines like Life and Time. People even used the image to help raise money for the war.

The photo shows a march in a city called New Westminster. This city is in British Columbia, Canada. On October 1, 1940, soldiers were walking down Eighth Street. They were part of the British Columbia Regiment. They were marching toward a ship called the SS Princess Joan. The soldiers were going to a secret place to prepare for duty. The photographer, Claude P. Dettloff, was watching the column march down the hill.

This special moment happened by surprise. As Claude Dettloff set up his camera, a young boy ran out. The boy was five years old named Warren "Whitey" Bernard. He broke away from his mother to reach his father. His father was a soldier named Private Jack Bernard. This quick action created the famous image we see today. The regiment eventually went to France and the Netherlands.

History shows that the war was difficult for many families. In the photo, a woman named Agnes Confortin looks very serious. She was worried about her two brothers, Wilfred and Larry Power. Larry returned home in 1944 with a hard time in his mind. Wilfred was killed in action in March 1945 near Arnhem. These facts show the real feelings of people during that era. Many soldiers had to leave their homes to serve.

Today, people still remember this moment in a special way. The city of New Westminster made a bronze statue. It stands in Hyack Square at the bottom of Eighth Street. Artists Veronica and Edwin Dam de Nogales made the statue. The Royal Canadian Mint also made three special coins. These coins include a $2 coin and silver coins. You can even find a stamp with the image from Canada Post.

"Wait for Me, Daddy" is a famous black-and-white photograph. It captures a single, emotional moment during a period of global conflict. The image shows a young boy reaching out toward a marching soldier. This photo became a powerful symbol of the human side of war. It was widely shared in magazines like Life and Time. It was also used in war-bond drives to help support the military.

The photograph was taken on October 1, 1940. The setting was Eighth Street in New Westminster, British Columbia. A group of soldiers from the British Columbia Regiment was marching down a hill. They were heading toward the intersection of Columbia Street. Their goal was to board a ship named the SS Princess Joan. This ship would take them to a secret destination. The regiment was moving to prepare for their upcoming duties.

The photographer was Claude P. Dettloff. He worked for The Province newspaper. He positioned himself to capture the entire column of soldiers. While he was preparing his camera, something unexpected happened. A five-year-old boy named Warren "Whitey" Bernard ran into the road. He broke away from his mother's grasp. He was reaching for his father, Private Jack Bernard. This sudden movement created the iconic image.

To understand why the soldiers were marching, we must look at the history of that time. On August 26, 1939, Hitler was threatening Poland. He was demanding the city of Danzig. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. On September 10, 1939, Canada declared war against the German Reich. The British Columbia Regiment was called out by the regimental adjutant. Initially, they stayed on the west coast for drills and guard duty. Later, they were ordered to march to the ship to begin their deployment.

The war affected many people in the background of the photo. For example, a woman named Agnes Confortin is visible in the crowd. She was watching the soldiers with a very somber expression. She was concerned for her two brothers, Wilfred and Larry Power. Both brothers had joined the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. Larry returned to Canada in 1944 with severe post-traumatic stress disorder. Wilfred was killed in action in March 1945 near Arnhem. This was during preparations for the Liberation of Arnhem in April 1945.

After the march, the regiment's journey continued. Their secret destination was Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. This location was only three hours away. Over time, the regiment changed from infantry to armour. They were eventually sent to fight in France and the Netherlands. They returned home once the war had ended. When Jack Bernard finally returned home, Claude Dettloff was there to photograph the family reunion.

Today, the image is honored with several tributes. The city of New Westminster commissioned a bronze statue of the scene. It is located in Hyack Square at the bottom of Eighth Street. Artists Veronica and Edwin Dam de Nogales created this sculpture. The city unveiled the statue on October 4, 2014. At that same event, the Royal Canadian Mint announced special coins. They released a $2 alloy coin and two silver coins. One was a $3 coin and the other was a $10 coin. Canada Post also released a stamp featuring the image.

This photograph connects the personal lives of individuals to the massive scale of world history. It shows how global political decisions impact small families. The image serves as a reminder of the people behind the military movements. It remains a significant part of Canadian history and photography. The legacy of the photo lives on through art, currency, and public monuments.