W. Garfield Weston - War

War

In January 1939, months before the outbreak of World War II, 300 members of the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion, Canadians who had fought on the losing anti-Fascist side in the Spanish Civil War, faced confinement in a French internment camp. On being contacted by Canadian reporter Matthew Halton, Weston donated $5,000 to help pay for their overseas passage home to Canada. The other half of the money was raised through other sources. Weeks later, the first of the ‘Mac-Paps’ arrived in Halifax.

During World War II, Weston sat as Conservative Member of Parliament for Macclesfield but his efforts in support of the war were largely outside the British House of Commons. With the arrival of the first Canadian soldiers in England, Weston donated five hundred radios after the troops complained of boredom in their camps. In August 1940, following a day of heavy losses during the Battle of Britain, Weston gave £100,000 for the replacement of fighter aircraft The donation received considerable press coverage, promoted by the Ministry of Aircraft Production and Lord Beaverbrook in the hope of raising more money through public donations to the "Spitfire Fund." Weston also gave money and lent his name to a "Tank Fund." During the Blitz, the Nazi aerial bombing campaign, he set up a system of canteens that fed thousands of civilians as they took shelter in the London Underground. He and his family also hosted air service personnel at their estate outside of London, providing a place of retreat.