Feature Letter of December 17th, 2025
Duncan, David Gordon
[Letter sent by King George VI, to Private David Gordon Duncan of Toronto, Ontario, welcoming the arrival of the first Canadian troops to the United Kingdom in the opening months of WWII. Duncan survived the war, having served overseas in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps from 1939-1945.]
The General Officer Commanding,
1st Canadian Division.
On behalf of the people of this country, I extend the warmest welcome to the first contingent of the Canadian Forces to reach these shores.
The British Army will be proud to have as comrades-in-arms the successors of those who came from Canada in the Great War and fought with a heroism that has never been forgotten.
[signature of King George VI:] George R.I.
17th December, 1939.
Cpl. D.G Duncan,
1st Corps Ammunition Park,
Canadian Active Service Force.
Why Support Canadian Letters & Images Project
As we move away in time from past conflicts and as our veteran population declines, it becomes increasingly difficult for Canadians to understand the sacrifices that men and women made, both on the battlefield and on the home front, during wartime. The Canadian Letters and Images Project has been sharing their stories, and Canada’s story, for the past quarter century.
These are the experiences of Canadians as seen through their eyes and their words. This is history in the raw, without a lens of interpretation added through time. I invite you to spend some time reading their letters, seeing their faces in the photographs, or listening to an audio letter, to appreciate why their experiences must be preserved for now and for future generations.
Donations, large and small, ensures that The Canadian Letters and Images Project can keep this important content freely available for this generation and for future generations. Please help us to preserve their stories.
Donate
