CWAC AT LOUGHEED HOUSE
1942-1946
Between 1942 and 1946, Lougheed House took on an entirely new role as Lougheed Barracks, becoming home to several hundred members of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC) serving with Military District No. 13. The House was transformed to meet wartime needs, and the rooms were repurposed into military offices, washrooms, recreational spaces, a canteen, and bunks. As CWAC enrolment increased, the need to accommodate those stationed on-site required additional space, prompting the construction in the rear gardens of wooden hutments, where the majority of recruits lived.
CWAC members (L-R) Merle Oliver; Lelia MacNeil; and Fern Gosselin (Taylor) sitting on the stone balustrade of Lougheed House, ca. 1944-1946.
Glenbow Archives NA-5473-10
While the house itself operated as an administrative and residential base, many recruits commuted daily to fulfill their duties at the main military headquarters in downtown Calgary. There, they filled essential roles as switchboard operators, clerks, drivers, and administrative staff. Among them were remarkable women from across the province, such as Anne Gerk Sweet, who left rural northern Alberta in search of new opportunities and worked as a switchboard operator; Yvonne Grant Jennings, who served as Administrative Sergeant and helped manage Lougheed Barracks; and Dorothy Provost, who advanced to Staff Sergeant in the Quartermaster Stores.
A group picture during the 1945 Canadian Women’s Army Corps Christmas party inside Lougheed House.
Glenbow Archives NA-5473-1