I Served Once But Never Again

[Sharon]

Not to mention that Canadian Units ground the 12th SS into a bleed mess, in some of the worst fighting of the war. If the 12th SS had got past the Canadians, they would have trapped and destroyed the American and British troops that where still trying to solidify their lines.

Exactly. I didn't want to brag too much.

[skypilot]

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My Dad heading out in Dec. 1939 from Picton armouries -overseas until 1945 . He'd do it again for that cause.



Coming home from that war, they were treated royally. To the day he died he couldn't pay a Dutchman for a product of any kind. Germans starved the Netherlands for many years before they were rescued by the Allied forces.

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.c...on-of-holland/

True, starved many, many to death.
They are big fans of the US 101st Airborne also. I have friends there that still tends to the grave of family fallen in Holten Cemetary. I send him a gift certificate as it's illegal to ship him his favorite Kentucky Whiskey.

Actually had the Canadian Government recognize him and send him a letter of appreciation for his thoughtfulness of Canadian War Dead in Holten.

[GW11]

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My Dad heading out in Dec. 1939 from Picton armouries -overseas until 1945 . He'd do it again for that cause.



Coming home from that war, they were treated royally. To the day he died he couldn't pay a Dutchman for a product of any kind. Germans starved the Netherlands for many years before they were rescued by the Allied forces.

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.c...on-of-holland/

Great picture Sharon! Most of us will never forget!

My Grandfather went in at Juno Beach and his time overseas ended when he stepped on a mine in the Scheldt Estuary. He survived that (as well as being shot twice) and lived until he was in his mid eighties. I have no doubt that even though he endured enough horrors to last multiple lifetimes, he would have done it all over again for the same cause.

[Sharon]

The Scheldt Estuary was quite possibly the worst battle zone in WW2. Absolutely essential though to have a port that would allow them to bring supplies to Europe. He was fortunate to survive. Honor to him.

Anyone interested in WW ++ history should pay for channel AHC - great documentaries weekly.

edited - American Heroes Channel but lots of Canadian documentaries too.

[sawbill]

When I first subscribed it was called the Military channel--now its the American Heroes Channel. It takes a bit to separate the wheat from the chaff now but there are still some very good documentaries and interviews with other services. One of the few channels I do think is worthwhile.

[Woodsman]

My reply comes from someone who's father served in the Merchant Marines in WW2, Canadian Army in Korea & myself with 13 years in the Canadian Army.
First off the start of this thread shoots down the US military because some members were punished for war crimes for shooting prisoners in the back after deliberately letting them escape.
After WW2 we didn't let the Germans off with the excuse we were just following orders. Many were sentenced far more severely including death.
Same standard should be applied to all.
Even today a few from then are still being arrested & tried for war crimes dating back to WW2.
If the order is unjust it is your duty to refuse it period.
No sympathy here.
Part of their training should have and I don't doubt did include the Rules of War (Geneva Convention).
For the last many years and especially since the cancellation of the US draft recruits on the average have far better education than those from earlier times. Play stupid doesn't work.
Playing I was just following orders doesn't cut it.

[bardern]

what I find hard to fathom is on one hand a Civil servant say in Revenue Canada seems to get better pay, benefits and pension than our service men and women. What is a member of the armed forces other than a civil servant?

[JoePa]

Yes there are wars where we are expected to fight and die if necessary - WWII was one of those - but there have been other wars where we ended up fighting for someone else - look at Korea - many died and it ended in a stale mate - look at Nam - same thing - many died and we are now trading with that country - look at Iraq - many died - for what - I say let people fight for there own freedom - we should furnish weapons to them but let them do the fighting - too often we get into wars and fight with our hands tied behind our backs because the politicians don't know what they want to do - in a lot of these wars you don't know who your enemy is - they are friendly to your face and if you turn back they try to kill you

When you are in combat you don't live or think the same as if you are safe at home - all you see is people getting killed and after awhile you grow accustomed to it and next thing guys do is kill someone to make sure they are safe or for revenge because some of your buddies were just killed -

I remember after WWII a lot of vets came back and as a young man I would listen to the stories they would tell - there were occasions when they said that they saw prisoners being shot - I remember in particular a story a submariner told - they got into a harbor area off the coast of Japan - at night they had to surface but unfortunately a Jap fishing boat that they weren't aware of was close to them when they surfaced - if they did nothing the fishermen would tell of the subs position so they shot all the fishermen on the boat - so things like that happen in war - that's why war is hell and everything should be done to prevent it if at all possible - but unfortunately people never learn because they don't study history and each generation doesn't know what happened in the past - only to repeat the mistakes

When I was a kid WWII was going on and I remember so many guys in the neighborhood were in the service - people had little flags hanging in their windows with stars on them indicating how many sons they had in service - a gold star indicated that a son was killed in action - I remember one neighbor who had 4 sons in the service - two of them were killed - another one came back but was in and our of a mental hospital after that - the one brother told how his brother was on burial detail and picking up dead bodies - some were so decomposed that they broke apart them they tried to load them on trucks - the poor guy was never the same from that experience -

[JoePa]

Oh - one other thing I may as well mention - I had a uncle who was killed in WWII - he had the same name as me - he died on the Russian front while in the German army - he didn't want to go to war but like so many - when your country goes to war you don't have much of a choice - you go or else - luckily my parents came to this country before the war broke out over there

[dutchhunter]

I still think thy should take better care of the guys and gals after thy come home from service.