This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Miguel612 (talk | contribs) at 22:27, 8 November 2021 (Added information About Corporal (Retired) Charles "Checker" Tomkins Canadian Métis code talker. Second World War veteran and translator (ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐏ, Nēhiyawēwin) Tomkins served in the Canadian Army & the United States Air Force as a secret Code talker, in France, Germany and Holland. In this role, he translated secret military messages from English into the Cree language (ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐏ, Nēhiyawēwin) a vital top secret weapon in combat as a means of disguising the content from enemies.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 22:27, 8 November 2021 by Miguel612 (talk | contribs) (Added information About Corporal (Retired) Charles "Checker" Tomkins Canadian Métis code talker. Second World War veteran and translator (ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐏ, Nēhiyawēwin) Tomkins served in the Canadian Army & the United States Air Force as a secret Code talker, in France, Germany and Holland. In this role, he translated secret military messages from English into the Cree language (ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐏ, Nēhiyawēwin) a vital top secret weapon in combat as a means of disguising the content from enemies.)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Charles "Checker" Tomkins (8 January 1918 – 2003) was a Canadian Métis code talker.
Born in Grouard, Alberta, Tomkins was a fluent speaker of the Cree language. Shortly after marrying Lena Anderson, he enlisted in the armed forces and was shipped overseas during the Second World War. He helped develop a Cree-language code to report aircraft sightings. After the war he re-enlisted and served in a number of different regiments for 25 years, eventually being promoted to corporal.
For his wartime service he was awarded the Defence Medal, the 1939–1945 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, and the War Medal 1939–1945. He was also the subject of a short documentary produced by directed by Cowboy Smithx.
Corporal (Retired) Charles "Checker" Tomkins
Canadian Métis code talker.
Second World War veteran and translator (ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐏ, Nēhiyawēwin)
Tomkins served in the Canadian Army & the United States Air Force as a secret Code talker, in France, Germany and Holland.
In this role, he translated secret military messages from English into the Cree language (ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐏ, Nēhiyawēwin) a vital top secret weapon in combat as a means of disguising the content from enemies. Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan were able to break many codes, but they were not familiar with Indigenous languages in Canada. Cree code words: Spitfire plane: iskotew (fire) & mustang aircraft: pakwatastim (wild horse) & mosquito bomber: sakimes (mosquito). To indicate how many aircraft the military had spotted, code talkers would include the appropriate description and number in Cree.
Cree speakers were valuable as they were often fluent in other languages such as French and English, especially if they were Métis like Cpl (Retd) Tomkins.
Some of his deceased comrades, most of whom he helped recruit for the Code Talker program were: his brother Peter Tomkins, his half-brother John Smith, Louie Norwest, Walter McDermott and Archie Plante.
*Charles "Checker" Tomkins is buried in the Veterans Field of Honour section of the Queen’s Park Cemetery in Calgary.
References
- ^ Shirley Anderson (10 November 2020). "How Cree Code Talkers From Alberta Helped Win the Second World War". Reader's Digest. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
- ^ Heather Conn (25 June 2018). "Charles Tomkins". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
- "Documentary honours secret Cree code talkers of Second World War". Edmonton Journal. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2021.