Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by Marcel Rousseau.
Some were previously published by the Orillia Museum of Art and History and in the book Postcard Memories Orillia.
During the five years Basic Training Camp 26 was in operation, many events were held on the property including military parades, all types of indoor and outdoor sports, dances, movie nights and musical entertainment — but only one wedding.
The camp was opened in the fall of 1942 and completely dismantled by the fall of 1947. It was located on the north side of Brant Street west of the property of John Quinn, also known as Quinn’s Bush and included about 1,600 feet of what is now Park Street.
The 20-acre site housed more than 40 buildings including a large drill hall, a hospital and dental clinic as well as barracks for both men and women.
Douglas Lapp was born and raised in Toronto and after graduating from university in 1942, he joined the army. In the summer of 1944 he was sent to Camp 26 in Orillia.
Shortly after arriving in Orillia he was introduced to Anne Carter at Carter’s Restaurant (no relation) in downtown Orillia. That meeting began a relationship that lasted over 60 years.
Lt. Lapp was one of the officers in charge of training new recruits who stayed an average of six weeks before moving on to other camps. He would sometimes march his recruits down Brant Street to Couchiching Beach Park and, after leaving instructions with the men to swim and work out, he would walk over to visit Anne at the Carter family home located at 110 Tecumseth St.
In the fall of 1944, the only known wedding at the camp took place in the officer’s mess. Standing in front of the stone fireplace are Lt. James Dodds, Lt. Douglas Lapp, Anne Carter and Anne’s sister and bridesmaid Verva Carter.
