Remembering.....somehow that just is not enough ! We owe so much more to those who have fought, and continue to fight for us. This country needs to do much, much more to support the men and women of our armed forces !!
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Remembering.....somehow that just is not enough ! We owe so much more to those who have fought, and continue to fight for us. This country needs to do much, much more to support the men and women of our armed forces !!
My wife's grandfather served overseas in WW2 and is still alive. He is 97 and one of the nicest human beings I have ever had the privilege of knowing.
My grandfather fought in the Dutch resistance and was captured by the Germans and than subsequently escaped and was forced into hiding for the remainder of the war.
My other grandfather was a POW for much of the war.
My father was too young to be really involved but used to courier messages for the resistance. 10 or 12 year old kids were not searched too often as long as their papers were in order.
My great uncle was declared a "Righteous Gentile" by the state of Israel after the war for the number of Jews that he saved and hid during the occupation.
My grandmother (wife of the POW grandfather) was forced to board German soldiers during the occupation. My mother who was 5 or 6 at the time used to make a point of telling every soldier in the house that the Fuhrer was going to send them to the Russian front where they would either freeze to death or get killed by the Russians. She did this every night before she went to bed.
That is a wonderful heritage.
Just saw this post. William A.E. McDougall RCN, Able Seaman Oct. 1940 to Nov 5 1945. Served on a couple of boats, but primarily on HMCS Ottawa (HMS Griffin H31 renamed Ottawa on transfer to the RCN). Just sent his Voluntary Service medal and his 1939-45 Star to school with his great-grandson on Friday to show the class. Also the man who got me into the outdoors. I miss ya Gramps!
Yea back in 1992-1993 before I headed off to the reg force while I was still in high school. 'Moro Company' (B Company) which makes the Peterborough armories home was where I signed up and was "assigned" to (assigned is in brackets as wherever you sign up is where you are assigned to).Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharon
Operation HUSKY (and the Italian Campaign) was just as important to the war as NE Europe or the Pacific theatre but was third on the priority list for everything from press coverage to logistical support. Though they successfully did the job they were tasked for.
We should always remember and thank our vets. The one gift that we can never give them is the time they lost, the friends gone in tragic moments, and the pain and terrors that they had to live through and still remember.
If only WE could remember, but let them forget the horrible event's and loses of war.
Absolutely ; and after waiting 3 years in England. My Dad was still mad that the Americans were allowed to enter Rome first , even thought he Canadians had gotten there first- support for the war was waning in the USA so they needed the PR .Quote:
Originally Posted by Dythbringer
So many of the Regiment were killed or wounded by the time they got to the Hitler line ( 1944), that the remainders were sent to other regiments in Holland to drive the Germans out and keep them out.
I still remember at about age 7 going for fruit at a local Dutch
farmer’s place in London and him refusing to let my Dad pay a penny. They never forgot what the Canadians did for them.
Lol. Funny you should mention that. I met Angus Duffy during my basic & infantry training with the regiment (at that time militia units were responsible for basic training until The Forces changed it to how they have basic being done in one place and then you had to go to specialty school somewhere else, I think in the late 90's they did that). It was a tradition that he speak with every training group to convey how special The Hasty P's were and to impress on us what kind of legacy we were inheriting. He had a question and answer period after he spoke and one of the recruits asked him if he had any regrets during the war. He said not being allowed to enter Rome first. He said it nearly broke the men and it was his duty (I believe he was RSM at the time) not to fail the men.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharon
Wonderful man that Angus Duffy. I'm sure you'll live up to the heritage that is yours.
My grandfather David Morris fought with Canadian regiments in WW1 and at the Battle of Dieppe, he was Welsh but made so many friends among his Canadian comrades soon as the war was over he immigrated to Canada and shortly thereafter his wife followed.