What is a war bride? Artist pays tribute to women during wartime

Beverley Tosh is a Calgary artist with a passion for painting war brides.

In 2001, she created an 80th birthday portrait of her mother Dorothy, who had become a war bride during World War II.

“It was to honour her what I understood unique passage through life and her own history, especially the war-time history,” says Tosh.

That’s when War Brides: One-Way Passage was born, an exhibition focusing on women during wartime.

According to Veterans Affairs Canada, a war bride is a woman who marries a military man from another country during times of war.

The portrait of Dorothy spans nearly eight feet tall and is completed with oil on canvas.

A portrait of Beverley Tosh’s mother Dorothy at the Canadian War Museum. (Photo Courtesy: Canadian War Museum)

Dorothy lived in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan during World War II and her future husband was a young airman training in Brandon, Manitoba.

“He earned his wings. He was with the Royal New Zealand Air Force and was sent to Saskatoon to train other airmen,” added Tosh.

According to Tosh, Canada hosted an air training plan that took airmen from allied countries including the United States.

“They met at an air force dance at the end of 1943 New Year’s Eve, and by June they were married making my mother a war bride from Canada to New Zealand.”

An estimated 48,000 women met and married Canadian military men during World War II.

Most of the women were from Britain. However, a few thousand were also from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, and Germany.

Tosh presented her work at the Chestermere Fine Art Guild on Monday (Nov. 4).

“I felt honour bound to share them. I get goosebumps when I heard a war bride story.”

Tosh also received a glass globe from the Canadian War Brides & Family Association for her work done with war brides.

“I had no idea that was coming,” she remarked.

Tosh has never put together the full War Brides exhibition, which consists of around 200 portraits on wood.

Several war brides standing together. (Photo Courtesy: Beverley Tosh)

The portraits are meant to stand together with around 100 at an exhibition.

Each portrait is based on the story of a real war bride according to Tosh who says she’s met many of the women she’s painted.

“I’ve always had the story shared with me how they met, where they came to.”

War bride paintings completed by Beverley Tosh. (Photo Courtesy: Beverley Tosh)

The paintings have been seen across Canada including the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, the Rooms Museum in St. John’s, the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, and even overseas in spots like London at Canada House, and the Netherlands at the National Liberation Museum.

The portrait of Tosh’s mother Dorothy is at an exhibition at the Canadian War Museum until November of 2025.