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Originally Posted by Mauro
We were lucky, one of the best teachers as a person in our high school was a history teacher, you could chat with him at lunch about anything.
I ended up finding an original book of orders from England to the Canadian troops for WWI and the consequences of disobeying and giving it to him as a retirement gift.
I am Gen X. I was taught about the war, and reasoning both WW1 and 2 started.
But there's a difference being taught out of a text book, and experiencing the war, or aftermaths.
I don't think I will ever truly understand those pains and emotions ... I imagine it had it's
good things (society straightened up a bit on moral standards?), but its minuses too (the injuries, deaths,
mental issues ... and also all the older ladies on my street growing up, that be seriously skeptical of everything!).
Wasn't that a great gift. Good on you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fox
My Dad was overseas from Dec. 1939- Spring of 1945, (Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment) . Also came home a shadow of himself, never to fully recover. Thank you Dad for your sacrifice.
PS
I remember as a child asking Dad why the Dutch farmer never made us pay for the apples we bought. He explained and I never forgot that. Dad's regiment was one of those that freed Holland from the Germans.
Sharon, my Mom was born in Holland and lived on a farm outside of Amsterdam during WWII. When she came over to visit me in Germany, we went to visit the old family farm. She told me the folks who fleed the city would often come thru looking for food. Some asked my G'Pa, but others would sneak in and help themselves to eggs in the barn. BUT what she said, they never took more than they needed and always made sure there was some left behind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharon
Canadian still sends a platoon of soldiers to Holland annual for their Nijmegen march. I never had a chance to participate, but had friends who did and they say they were treated as heroes to this day.
Finally.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkB
It wasn’t until much later in life I started reading stuff written by the British or Europeans. And I think, gained a better understanding.
Anyone think what’s taught in American schools, is the same as what’s taught in Canadian?Are Canadian text the same as British?
In another generation if not already there, that generation will have no family to pass stuff down. And for all we know, wwwii memorials might be out of favour and torn down.
War is terrible for both sides - it is sad that a handful of people can take over a country and lead it into a war where the citizens have little to say what goes on - my parents immigrated from Germany in the late 20s - an aunt came over in the late 30s just when Hitler was taking over - many Germans did not support Hitler but couldn't do anything about it otherwise they would end up dead - I had an uncle who was killed on the Russian front - he was in his 20s - a cousin who ended up marrying an American soldier after the war told this story - she was born and raised in Bavaria - Hitler would drive through their village on his way to his mountain retreat - the children would all be brought out of school and stand along the road when he passed by - one day she was picked as the student to give him a bouquet of flowers when he stopped - there were two things she remembers when she met him - his shinny boots and his piercing eyes - she said that she was scared because he looked like he could see right through her - just think - one guy with a gun could have changed the course of history
I had 4 uncles who served
One was bomber crew shot down. Broke both ankles ended up pow in stalag # can’t remember number now
He started laying floor after the war cause he could work on his knees
Another took shrapnel lost a eye
Another bomber crew shot down Japanese pow. Ended up loosing his sight malnutrition said they feed you warm water with maybe 4 pumpkin seeds in soup
Said they knew how to hurt a man. I remember him saying in his eighties took all his power not to snap the neck Asian speaking person
Another was trainer
Two aunt were nurses I sometimes think they seen more horrors than the guys other than pow’s
Glad to hear itQuote:
Originally Posted by Fox
My great uncle was in Holland too, never met him and my moms memories are not very good. He had a chunk of his skull blown away by a shell, the red cross left him as dead but the locals took him to a hospital in Holland. They put in a metal plate to close up his head and he died back in Canada much later. He self medicated and it was obvious to my mom that he had severe PTSD.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharon
There were all those German POWs that were held in camps in the western provinces and stayed in Canada when the war ended and they were freed.Quote:
Originally Posted by JoePa
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