Books & Audiobooks
During World War II, a quiet factory in Waterloo became a vital hub of wartime production, powered by the skill and determination of local women. At Sunshine Waterloo, women built bombs, trucks, and a legacy that helped shape our region’s history.
Women of Sunshine Waterloo: Inspection Board of United Kingdom and Canada No. 68 Rifle Grenades
When the Women of Waterloo Rolled Up Their Sleeves and Built Bombs, Trucks, and a Bit of History
If you’ve ever walked past Luther Village on the Park in Waterloo and wondered what stories their walls could tell, the Sunshine Waterloo Company is a good place to start. This company didn’t just make farm equipment, it played a large role during World War II. And at the heart of that story were the women who kept things running.
Photo: Inspection Board of United Kingdom and Canada No. 68 Rifle Grenades; L to R: Helen McDermott, Maude Vogel, Ella Holmes and Mary Gough
From Baby Carriages…
Originally launched in 1930, Sunshine Waterloo was meant to build self-propelled combines (which was very important for farming at the time). But when the Great Depression hit, the company had to quickly pivot. So, they started making things like baby strollers, roller skates, and car parts.
Photo: Employees inspecting Mark V Anti-Tank mines; L to R: M. Gray, M. Scheistel, M. Holmes, A. Klein, N. Wagner, J. Schell, M. Lorentz, M. Pope and J. Bieth.
Women of Sunshine Waterloo inspecting mines
Women of Sunshine Waterloo assembling tail for No. 68 Rifle Grenade
…to Bomb Casings
Fast forward to WWII, and Sunshine Waterloo transformed again, this time into one of the region’s most important wartime manufacturers. They made everything from bombs, land mines, army truck doors, gun mounts, airplane parts to complete nose assemblies for the Mosquito fighter-bomber. The company operated around the clock and was Waterloo’s largest employer during those war years.
Photo: Employees assembling the tail for No. 68 Rifle Grenade; L to R: Laverne Wedow, Margaret Hergott and Luella Kramer.
Women Take the Lead
With so many men off fighting overseas, factories across Canada needed workers, so women stepped in. At Sunshine Waterloo, women filled all kinds of roles: assembling rifle grenades, drilling army truck parts, and putting together pieces for Mosquito aircraft.
Photos from the time show women like Laverne Wedow, Margaret Hergott, Luella Kramer, and Grace Dunham hard at work on the production line. They weren’t just “helping out”—these women were essential to keeping the plant (and the war effort) going.
Photo: United Kingdom and Canadian Inspectors checking 2″ M.L. Smoke Bomb bodies; L to R: M. Schnarr, M. Rank, R. Harden, F. Baechler and M. French.
Women of Sunshine Waterloo
Women of Sunshine Waterloo drilling smoke holes on adapters of smoke bombs
Breaking Stereotypes with a Wrench in Hand
Back then, women doing industrial work wasn’t the norm. These jobs were tough, noisy, and often dangerous. But the women of Sunshine Waterloo proved that they could handle the pressure, and do it well. They worked long hours, often under intense conditions, and helped produce thousands of parts that supported Allied forces overseas.
Photo: Employees drilling smoke holes on adapters of 2″ M.L. Smoke Bombs; L to R: G. Luntz; K. Bruder; C. Mitchell, E. Kienapple and standing behind, A. Press.
Life After the War
When the war ended, the Sunshine Waterloo shifted back to civilian manufacturing, with things like bicycles, lockers, and office furniture. The company eventually became part of SunarHauserman and shut its doors in 1990.
But the legacy of those war years, and the women who powered them lives on.