Late grandfather that worked for Regina Industries

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I have had yet another poignant and moving e mail from someone trying to put together their past. However, this time it relates to a munitions worker but it is very moving:

Hi, My name is Jessica Mueller and I am looking for some information on my Grandfather. I am the youngest grandaughter of Anton Joseph Mueller, who worked at Regina Industries in 1942. On November 25th 1942, while unloading a truck, my grandfather was injured at work and later died as a result of his injuries on December 4th, 1942. At this time my dad was only 2 and a half months old. My dad is from a very large family and his mom soon realized that she wouldn't be able to take care of all the children by herself. Shortly after my grandfather's passing, my dad and all of his brothers and sisters were put in an orphanage just outside of Regina. He did get reunited with his mom and syblings in the end however the family was never really close after all the time they spent seperated. My Grandma died in 1986 and refused to talk about my Grandpa even on her death bed. The little information I have above, I have received from the Regina Leader post of that time period and the more personal from my dad. This December marks the 65th anniversary of my Grandfathers death and I know it would mean the world to my dad if he could have any additional information on his father. I received your name from the government of Canada historian department who stated that Regina Industries, although hired for work during the war, was still undercontrol of General Motors since it was a general motors plant before the war. I know that it would be unusal for a company to keep information on their employees for an excess of 65 years but I just had to try and see what I could come up with. Any information you have is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your help. Jessica Mueller

My reply:

Hello Jessica!

We seem to be having a lot of queries online in Canada on the Maple Leaf Up Forum (Canadian military history) lately because so may people are trying to trace grandfathers, grandmothers, and families because of wartime relationships, adoptions, etc. So I am no stranger to such an interesting request.

My wife has a half-brother who was conceived in Canada, who may be in the States from a relationship between my wife's late father and an American girl around 1942-3 when he was in the RAF undergoing pilot training. We assume that the son was put up for adoption...however your story is really tragic.

Now, I have been thinking for a day about this query. There were two I think not three Crown Corporations set up by GM of Canada with the Fderal Government to produce munitions, one was Border City Industries Limited of Walkerville/Windsor, Ontario, and the other Regina Industries Limited of Regina. The Regina, Sask. GM assembly plant re-opened for the second time in December 1937 but it was never converted to military vehicle production in the war, and although Oshawa, Ontario also produced munitions, it became the sole military vehicle assembly operation and Regina stopped assembly by beginning July 1941. The plant then became solely a munitions plant making 6-pounder gun components, and various other gun mounts, etc. It seems as though your late grandfather had an industrial accident which I wonder might have been sufficiently noteworthy to have been reported in THE REGINA LEADER-POST? The paper has a collection of article clippings but there may well be a microfilmed collection of back issues say in the University? Or perhaps the Provincial Library? I doubt whether any other records exist of personnel exist anywhere as the plant was closed by 1945, and then vacated. I would also consider writing a letter to the paper and perhaps asking if anyone can add any more light?

With very best wishes,

David Hayward
Southampton-UK