Doherty, Bruce
Bruce Doherty fonds. – 1917-1926; predominant 1917-1918. –
2 cm of graphic material (54 items).
Group 1 Bruce Doherty photographs
#1 Photographic postcard of Bruce Doherty in uniform with a young
woman on either side [Olive and Marjorie Twigger?]. The postcard is
addressed to Miss O.M. Doherty, Orangeville. The card is dated July
24 1917 and contains only his mailing address, “2nd A.M. (Air Mechanic)
Doherty ... Camp Mohawk, Deseronto, Ontario.
#2 Photographic postcard of Doherty in uniform in the garden
of the same house as photograph #1. The postcard has no address or message.
#3 Photograph (identified on reverse) of Ella Patterson, Bruce
(in uniform) and Bertha Doherty (sister). The postcard is addressed
to Miss M. Phoenix ... Toronto and contains the date Sept. 2 [19]17,
and “from HBD”.
#4 Photographic postcard of Doherty in uniform with a young woman
on either side, [Ella Patterson and Bertha Doherty?]. The postcard has
no address or message.
#5 Photographic postcard of Doherty in uniform with his rifle.
The postcard is addressed to Mr. J. Doherty [Joshua, Bruce’s father]
... Orangeville. The card was written from Camp Mohawk, Nov. 6 1917
with the message that he may be leaving for Texas tomorrow.
#6 Photographic postcard of Doherty in uniform with a young woman
on either side. They are identified on the reverse as Olive and Marjorie
Twigger. The postcard has no address or message.
#7 Photographic postcard of Doherty in uniform with grass and
trees in the background. The postcard has no address or message.
#8 Photograph of Doherty in the open cockpit of a plane. There
are no identifying markings visible but the plane has a stencilled thistle
below the cockpit.
Group 2 Photographs taken at Combat Training Centre Armour
Heights, Toronto
#9 Photograph of an aircraft landing with buildings [hangars?]
on either side. The inscription on the reverse is as follows: “St.
Graves at Armour Heights, Toronto.”
#10 Photograph of aerial view of land through wing of aircraft.
The inscription on the reverse is: “Armour Heights Camp”.
#11 Photograph of an aerial view of an airbase. The inscription
on the reverse is: “Armour Heights Camp”.
#12 Photograph of an aerial view of an airbase. The inscription
on the reverse is: “Armour Heights Toronto”.
#13 Photograph of an aerial view of a house, with garden and shed
at rear. No identification but appears to be same series as the Armour
Heights photographs.
Group 3 Photographs taken at RFC Training Centre, Benbrook,
Texas
#14 Photographic postcard showing an aircraft silhouetted against
the sky and the RFC (Royal Flying Corps) badge in the lower right corner.
To the right of the image is the message: “Greetings from Texas
Christmas 1917.” The postcard has no address or message.
#15 Photograph shows airmen sitting on rows of beds lined up on
both sides of a long, narrow hall. The inscription on the reverse reads:
“Barracks, Benbrook, Texas”.
#16 Photograph of rows of aircraft hangars. The inscription on
the reverse reads” “Hangers, [sic] Benbrook, Texas”.
#17 Photograph of “our Xmas mess room decorations.”
#18 Photograph of “Benbrook Village, I took this from the
air about 500 feet up.”
#19 Photograph of “above the clouds in Texas, U.S.A.
Group 4 Airmen and aircraft
29 photographs and photographic postcards of airmen and aircraft; only
one is dated, 13 September 1917. Planes are depicted in flight, on the
ground (sometimes with airmen) and crashed. Three of them depict the
crash of two aircraft at Napanee, Ontario. There is one of “Captain
Castle taken 2 days before he was killed.” There are two photographic
postcards of aircraft, both addressed to Mrs. J. Doherty in Orangeville
– one is from Otta and mentions Bruce Doherty. Neither postcard
mentions the war.
Group 5 Other
Four photographs: barracks, ambulance, water-tower – none have
captions. Also a photographic postcard from Doherty to his mother, pmk
Toronto 20 April 1926; the photograph has printed caption: “Flying
into the sunset near Allison, Ont.” Also a Christmas and New Year’s
card from Royal Flying Corps, Canada, 1917 with illustrations of aircraft.
