OTTAWA — Marjorie Berry didn't want to come to Canada.

But 60 years ago, she was persuaded to leave her native England by her new Canadian husband, Bud.

On Friday, Berry was among a trainload of war brides who arrived in Ottawa in advance of national Remembrance Day ceremonies.

More than 100 veterans and war brides were aboard the "War Brides Train," the brainchild of Via Rail employees who planned a similar voyage for veterans last year.

Met by a chorus of bagpipes, Berry was among the first off the train, along with her daughter, Sue Prior.

Six decades ago, Sue was a six-month-old baby in Berry's arms when the two arrived in Canada, alone.

"Didn't want to come to Canada," Berry recalled Friday.

"But (now) I love it."

As the war ended, Berry feared her husband would be out of work once he returned home. Her father had also offered to provide Bud with a business in Britain.

"But he said at the time `you know I'm Canadian, I want to go back,"' Berry said.

"Then I came (to Canada) before him," she said.

"That was the hardest part."

About 40,000 war brides emigrated to Canada in the 1940s after being courted by young Canadian soldiers during the Second World War.

Like many of the others, Berry had no choice but to travel to Canada when the Department of National Defence had scheduled the trip, and live with in-laws.

"It wasn't easy, but we managed," said Berry.

As they arrived in the capital Friday, the other war brides and veterans were all smiles after their journey together from the East Coast.

John Forbes, of Miramichi, N.B., who fought with the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders and took the memorable train trip for a second year, said he knew dozens of war brides would be on the train but didn't dare venture too close.

"I don't know anything about them," Forbes said with a wink.

"My wife told me to stay away from them widows," he laughed.

Absent from the ceremony marking the train's arrival was Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson. A department official on the train platform said Thompson was attending to business in the House of Commons.

A spokesman for Thompson said the minister later met with the veterans and war brides at a downtown Ottawa hotel.

November has been designated War Brides Month across Canada. As well, 2006 was declared Year of the War Bride.

Earlier in the week, more than 200 war brides made the celebratory train voyage from Ontario to Halifax, where many had taken their first steps onto Canadian soil more than 60 years ago.

Berry wasn't going to take the voyage down memory lane, either, but was glad that she was convinced by her daughter to get on the train, she said.

"My daughter said: `Mother, we are going,"' Berry said.

"And we've had a marvellous time."