The Bren Gun Girl ....

[Badger]

Veronica Foster (popularly known as “Ronnie, the Bren Gun Girl“) was the Canadian equivalent of the American cultural icon Rosie the Riveter, representing nearly one million Canadian women who worked in the manufacturing plants that produced munitions and materiel during World War II. Foster worked for John Inglis Co. Ltd producing Bren light machine guns on a production line on Strachan Avenue in Toronto, Ontario.

She became popular after a series of propaganda posters were produced; most images featured her working for the war effort, but others depicted more casual settings like Foster dancing the jitterbug or attending a dinner party.

(Click PICS to Enlarge)

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The Bren Gun Girl (click here)

Regards,
Badger

Information

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[dastier]

Thanks Badger. Never heard of her. I wonder if she's still alive and if she has an opinion about Canadian Gun Control and the Long Gun Registry fiasco?

Might give Wendy C. a stroke - women making guns!

[John R.]

Top notch idea you have there Dastier.Get a few pics of the little Blonde with the MkII STEN at Long Branch too and yet another of a Female War Worker waving a PRISTINE No4MkI at Long Branch as well.

Wendy will have CONIPTIONS !!

Cheers,

John R.

[Brit plumber]

And thats my Bren gun.

[mrclark]

The Veronica Foster story was quite interesting to me and I did some research a while ago trying to track her down (tools of my trade)

I ended up getting in touch with her Niece and then who in turn got my in contact with her daughter Laura Markey.

We chatted for a while and she emailed me some pics of her mother.

Unfortunetly Veronica Foster (Guerrette) died in 2000. Once she left Inglis after the war, she worked as a model





then finally ended up as the lead singer in a big band by the name of the Mart Kenny Band.





She ended up marrying the trombone player George Guerrette. Both stayed in the music industry for some time before retiring.

They ended up having 7 kids if I remember right.

Heres a pic of her in 1960



They had a family website setup somewhere but my hardrive pooched out on me and I lost alot of the info. I still have her email address though and if you have any further questions let me know and I can contact her for you.

[Gibbs505]

Interesting history! And a pretty girl.

[Peter Laidler]

VERY interesing article MrC. I did something similar about 5 years ago. The Mini Cooper S had a macho racing and rallying image throughout its life and as a result, only 1 female ever featured in any of the advertising brochures and that was in 1965/67 or so. I set about finding her. The old BMC as was and their advertising agents had gone down the pan by then. To cut a long and interesting story short, I put an article in one of the UK National papers. After a long time, with a few good leads AND her name now known (that came from Sandra Howard - another famous model of the era) I had everything except HER if you'll excuse the phrase.......

She eventually came forward and we feted her at Britains largest Mini Cooper festival.

Well don MrC

[mrclark]

Heres some more war time pics of her, most can be found in the canada archive site that BD posted.









I posted alot of them here INGLIS FACTORY Photo Gallery by mrclark at pbase.com at my site as well pics of the remants of Inglis after I visited it a few times during is destruction. Dont get me started on how our government feels about the preservation of our history.

Anyhow the only thing I know of that is left is the records room which was part of the prison and because of its age had to be kept. AR williams is part of the condo sales office and has been gutted and fitted with strobes and other tackiness. I wonder if they knew there was a gallows there back when it was part of a prison.

The rest is just condo's and parking.

[tankhunter]

Very interesting & informative in a Paralell way along side our interest in the Bren.
She is indeed, a VERY Pretty girl. No wonder they had 7 Children!!................ KIds,.....well, me...I just enjoy 'Practicing'!.......LOL!

[Groupie]

Yep that girl was difinetely a credit to Canada both in looks and in her job making those fine guns! I have a Canadian 8 as well as an English 303. The 8s are rare in the states. Some years back I stupidly passed on acquiring a L4A2 I've not heard of another registered one in the US. It was a mere 4Gs about18-20 yrs back. Speaking of Canadian gun law excesses then they have the nerve to advitise in the US for us to come up and hunt there? NO WAY ! Things will change when the political refugees take control.