Skip to content
Dr. Helen K. Mussallem

Dr. Helen K. Mussallem

Biography Project

  • Early Years
    • Family
  • Education
  • World War ll
  • CNA years
  • Retirement
Click on picture to play video.
Posted on November 17, 2013December 18, 2016 by Bruce

Remembrance Day interviews

On Remembrance Day 2009, Dr. Mussallem chatted with her niece Lynette about her experiences in World War II. To view three short videos of their chat, click on links to view video.
SigningUp
HalifaxLiverpool
MarsdenGreen

CategoriesInterviews and videos, World War ll

Post navigation

Previous PostPrevious PAHO/WHO Project in Commonwealth Caribbean
Next PostNext Younger generations of the family

Reference

  • Contact us
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Helen Mussallem:
  • Major Publications
  • Major Speeches and Lectures

Portraits

H. K. Mussallem at Vancouver General Hospital school of Nursing
H. K. Mussallem at Vancouver General Hospital school of Nursing
H. K. Mussallem at Vancouver General Hospital school of Nursing
Lieutenant H. K. Mussallem at Marsden Green, England during WWII
Lieutenant H. K. Mussallem at Marsden Green, England during WWII
Lieutenant H. K. Mussallem at Marsden Green, England during WWII
Dr. H. K. Mussallem Director of the Canadian Nurses Association.
Dr. H. K. Mussallem Director of the Canadian Nurses Association.
Dr. H. K. Mussallem Director of the Canadian Nurses Association.
Dr. H. K. Mussallem receiving an Honourary Doctorate from the University of Ottawa.
Dr. H. K. Mussallem receiving an Honourary Doctorate from the University of Ottawa.
Dr. H. K. Mussallem receiving an Honourary Doctorate from the University of Ottawa.
Prev
Next

Early Years

Solomon Mussallem
Solomon Mussallem business man and Reeve/Mayor of Maple Ridge for 18 years.
Annie Mussallem in the garden.
Annie Mussallem in the garden.
Annie and Solomon Mussallem at the front of their house in Maple Ridge.
Annie and Solomon Mussallem at the front of their house in Maple Ridge.
Helen dressed as a Turk in front of the family home
Helen as a crusader for a play
Haney Nick
Haney Nick in Haney
Solomon smoking the pipe of peace in front of the municipal hall.
Solomon smoking the pipe of peace in front of the municipal hall.
Helen (the Wizard cat) and Jinx
Helen dressed a Wizard cat for a school play.
Mussallem store in Prince Rupert BC
Mussallem store in Prince Rupert BC
Solomon operated a housewares and hardware store in Prince Rupert
Prev
Next

World War II

Percy Riches and K at Hampden
"Three of my girls . . . G MacDonald, J Carter, D
"England 1944 . . . Going over to dinner last week - me, Rhoda Hasting, Isobel Salversen" (hkm)
Operating Room
Morning coffee P.R.M.H. Major Briell O.C., Captain Samenchanik, Helen, Captain McKeage, Nfs Clarke
Mess dinner at Marsden Green
1943 Maurice Harper, Helen and Earl Harper
At the monument of Johann Knill (Dave, Marion, Ronnie Cochrane, Bob. Every 5 years a celebration around the monument. Bob is painting where body was to be buried, but too wet- Every 5 years widows, virgins & maidens dance about epitaph having been helped from the village. Festival is this year in July.
Rhoda and Helen in front of Lusitania memorial in Belfast
Sally and Helen in front of Buckingham Palace
Helen in front of Westminster Abbey
Helen in front of statues in front of St. Paul's Cathedral. Few people aroound as a buzz bomb is flying over- alert is on.
Marion and Helen at Pinzance
Caisie at Stratford
Washington DC
Our guide on the front of the chapel at Trinity college in Dublin
I (Helen) took this in the cloister of the Gloucester Cathedral Dates back to 1089
Helen and Earl Harper
Rhoda and Helen on the front of the O'Connel Monument
City Hall Belfast
At the monument of Johann Knill (Dave, Marion, Ronnie Cochrane, Bob. Every 5 years a celebration around the monument. Bob is painting where body was to be buried, but too wet- Every 5 years widows, virgins & maidens dance about epitaph having been helped from the village. Festival is this year in July.
A swan on the river Avon at Stratford
Campanile at Trinity College
Church where Shakespeare was buried (very beautiful)
Haney Nick
Haney Nick in Haney
LA
Maurice Harper and Don Walker
LA
Taplow
The Reverend Henderson and his family 'This is quite and old one when Petey was small taken when mother and dad visited us in Brandon. Mother, Jean, Petey, Doug (Jean's husband) and Dad
Sally Salverson and Helen at Marsden Green 'Home from biking on Sunday. Horrible picture isn't it?' 1943-44
Mont Royal in Montreal after war 'McGill 1946
VE day
Me and the pony in Dublin. they're awfully sweet.
Ireland
Canada
VE day in London
Before Lorne got ambitious and cut the hedge Lorne holding a radish. I had just succeded in getting my skirt down in time, a slight breeze suddenly appeared- taken in heat wave.
A little on the shadowy side; but gives general idea of front porch house. Snapdragons are out in the rockery
Prince Rupert??
St. Ives April 1945
Looking at the harbour in St. Ives 11 April 1945
Arbour walk in front of our hotel in Torquay April 1945
Helen standing in front of the house where Shakespeare was born
LA
Tamworth Castle
Taken when I first came off shift duty Cersie, Helen, Sally, Bob
Swimming at Tamsworth Castle with some sisters and soldiers, They cleared the pool for us because we had no swimsuits
Tiajuana Mexico
LA
Marnie's brother George and his wife Kelly a very poor picture of Kelly; but gives an idea of backyard, yours truly ladeling out the potato salad
Liffey River near Guinesses
Sally Salverson (now Gell) and her new husband
Farewell 1944
Farewell 1944
Feeding birds in Trafalgar Square 18 Nov 1944
Feeding birds in Trafalgar Square 18 Nov 1944
Helen on leave in at beach at Cardbis Bay
at Lands End while on leave April 8 1945 Marion, Major Dave Henderson, Captain R. Fawltes
Marion on leave in at beach at Cardbis Bay
at Lands End while on leave April 8 1945 Marion, Major Dave Henderson, Captain R. Fawltes
Our Hotel in Torquay
Farewell party 1944
ambulance at Marsden Green
Marsden Green
"This is the OR [Operating Room] in the centre of the oval. The other huts are all wards for patients" (hkm)
"Carsie taken by surprise (yeh!)" (hkm)
Col Kenner
Col Kenner
"The three nuts such faces all casualties on the same hill in Normandy" (hkm)
1944 Helen in the snow outside the OR at Marsden Green
"Taken in my office [in Marsden Green] Yours truly & my w i/c Sister Gibson"(hkm) Helen is sitting and her second in command Sister Gibson is looking over her shoulder.
Helen at a party where she got a little drunk on her first galss of champagne. 1944
Helen in her family home in Haney 1946
Taplow
1946
Drilling at Sussex April 1944
Irish House residence where Helen stayed during her time (her room was the second floor second window to the left of the chiminey) at Marsden Green only 2" of water in the bath The unit staff men would barge into the bathroom to check on the water depth. Used to eat the radishes next to the path and got called before the matron and asked if they kne who was stealing the radishes of the gardener next door.
The Oval at Marsden Green The OR is in the center behind the flags all the other buildings are wards for the patients.
In the oval at Marsden Green
Helen and her OR assistants at Taplow 1944
Colonel Kenner and Helen with a family who used to invite them for dinner and entertainment
Dr Spooner in the OR in Marsden Green
Victoria Military Hospital Ms. Devereaux
Helen and Sally Salverson "The pause that refreshes at a tavern. *Lily's shirt *Lily's shoes"
1944
Dressed for parade in battle order- at Sussex. The most weight you can't see is carried on the back. Helen, Pontifex, Heffeman
1944
Red Cross, Oxford 1944
Willie Wilson on the right Occupational therapist
Willie Wilson
Occupational therapist and Matron of the Victoria Military Hospital before the war.
Helen's OR boys who she had to go bail out on nights when they were on leave and got drunk
1943
Dinner in the mess Helen's veil caught fire during dinner
19th Canadian General Hospital Helen is 6th from the right.
#19 Canadian Hospital before the war on the way to Halifax.
Annie
Banff on the way to Prince Rupert after the war.
Maurice Harper and Lili
Lieutenant H. K. Mussallem at Marsden Green, England during WWII
Lieutenant H. K. Mussallem at Marsden Green, England during WWII
Lieutenant H. K. Mussallem at Marsden Green, England during WWII
Helen and Margaret (Willie) Wilson R.C.A.N.C.on leave in Los Angeles Feb 1946. Lunch at the market with Nora McCaughey St. Clair
Prev
Next

CNA Years

The first "Marion Woodward Lecture", UBC 1969. Beth McCann and Helen with benefactor Marion Woodward, seated.
Nita Barrow (far right)
Dame Nita Barrow
President of CNA, Louise Miner, at international meeting
Helen K. Mussallem and chauffeur
Dr. H. K. Mussallem Director of the Canadian Nurses Association.
Dr. H. K. Mussallem Director of the Canadian Nurses Association.
Dr. H. K. Mussallem Director of the Canadian Nurses Association.
Dr. Helen K. Mussallem with Fidel Castro
Dr. Helen K. Mussallem with Fidel Castro
Dr. Helen K. Mussallem with Fidel Castro
Working in Barbados, with Nita Barrow (far left) and Rae Chittick (Canada - centre)
Relaxing in Barbados
With the Minister of Health, Barbados
Prev
Next

International Work

Dame Nita Barrow
President of CNA, Louise Miner, at international meeting
Helen K. Mussallem and chauffeur
With the Minister of Health, Barbados
Relaxing in Barbados
Working in Barbados, with Nita Barrow (far left) and Rae Chittick (Canada - centre)
Dr. Helen K. Mussallem with Fidel Castro
Dr. Helen K. Mussallem with Fidel Castro
Dr. Helen K. Mussallem with Fidel Castro
Prev
Next

Ceremonies

Helen with McGill Chancellor, President, and Deans
Helen with niece Lyn and Bruce
A little help from friends.
With family and friends after the ceremony.
Back row: Grace Mussallem, Kevin Potvin, Janis and Lynette Harper, Peter Mussallem; Front row: George Mussallem, HKM, Lily Harper
The first "Marion Woodward Lecture", UBC 1969. Beth McCann and Helen with benefactor Marion Woodward, seated.
Director, VGH School of Nursing, with instructor Ruth (Cochrane) Mann, photographed in the 1950s
Courtesy of Sally Thorne, Ph.D. UBC School of Nursing
Prev
Next

Copyright;

All material is the property of the Dr. Helen K. Mussallem Biography Project and may be used with permission.

  • Contact us
  • Early Years
    • Family
  • Education
  • World War ll
  • CNA years
  • Retirement
Proudly powered by WordPress