Sergeant Karen Hermiston

The only Canadian female WWII army photographer to serve overseas.

Karen “Hermie” Hermiston joined the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC) in 1941. In her early military career, Sgt. Hermiston worked various trades from receptionist to draftswoman but her true passion was for photography. In her spare time, Hermiston captured pictures of CWACs on her Rollei camera to send to women’s magazines. Mayfair published a layout of her photographs, followed by an even bigger coup when the Montreal Standard published a full spread of photographs from the CWAC training facility in Kitchener, ON. This proved to be her big break and final push into the male-dominated field of combat photography.

Sgt. Hermiston’s first assignment was a tour of the CWAC training facilities across Canada. At first, these jobs were limited to female subjects, but by 1944, she had crossed the Atlantic and was given all manner of assignments. Sgt. Hermiston distinguished herself as the only female combat photographer from The Canadian Film and Photo Unit during the Second World War, a unit that comprised 76 still and cine-photographers.

Against the odds, Sgt. Hermiston’s talents and perseverance challenged gender bias to break through barriers and the unofficial “no girls” photographer policy.

More information:

• Canadian Film and Photo Unit: Meet Sgt. Karen Hermeston.