Memory Project Archive
Frank Tomkins (Primary Source)
In 2012, The Memory Project interviewed Frank Tomkins, a veteran of the Second World War. The following recording (and transcript) is an excerpt from this interview. Tomkins was born in Grouard, Alberta, on 27 February 1927. Born into Poundmaker Cree Band (see also Poundmaker), he joined the Canadian Army in 1945 at the age of 18. Tomkins served as a private on the homefront during the Second World War. Five of his siblings also served in the war, including three as code talkers: brothers Charles and Peter Tomkins and half-brother John Smith. Charles was the subject of a short documentary, Cree Code Talker (2016). In his testimony, Frank Tomkins he tells the story of his brothers’ service as code talkers with the American military, and the role of their Cree (Nehiyawak) language in transmitting critical information during the war. Like Navajo code talkers employed in the Pacific theatre, Cree code talkers developed a system based on the Cree language. The code was an invaluable contribution to Allied military intelligence. See below for Mr. Tomkins' entire testimony. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
