War Brides - Stories

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	Name Moira Sparkes Date 15/08/07 Author Danette Dooley

All those years ago
War brides say they have few regrets about the sacrifices they made for love

DANETTE DOOLEY
Special to The Telegram

Moira Sparkes hails from Dundee, Scotland. She was 19 when she married Robert Sparkes in her hometown.

"We were only married for a few weeks when he went away again and I never saw him for 15 months," she says.

Moira says what attracted her to her husband was his blond hair.

"And I mean really blond," she says with a laugh.

"He was debonair and full of fun. And I was a real romantic and still am."

Moira says she was shocked to see the conditions people were living in when she arrived in Newfoundland, but with time she adjusted to her new life and settled in to raise a family.

"I had nine children but I lost two little boys, so I raised seven."

Moira and Robert were married for over four decades before Robert passed away.

"I love Newfoundland and I wouldn't think about leaving here now," she says.

War brides have made a tremendous contribution, not only to Newfoundland but to the entire country.

"When I first came here I was thinking I must have rocks in my head," Moira says with a laugh.

"But you'd do a lot for love, wouldn't you?"

Information can be found at The Telegram
http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:T6ug5ybmzk8J:www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=54277

Newfoundland War Brides