The outbreak of World War II seemed to bring a quick end to the Great Depression of the 1930's. At that time, boys 18 years of age were allowed to volunteer to serve their country in the armed forces. The dangers associated with war were far at the back of their minds at that age. They viewed the whole matter as an opportunity for adventure, miles of travel, free lodging and food. For these reasons some joined the Canadian Army, Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force voluntarily. If more soldiers were needed they were conscripted at age 21.
At the time of calling, recruits received a travel ticket and were told to report to a depot in Brandon, Portage or #10 Fort Osborne in Winnipeg. For many country boys riding a train, bus, street car, boat or plane was a first. At the depot a bed was provided so they could lie around awaiting a checkup to determine whether they would be accepted. They visited a chaplain, had their IQ tested, were examined by a doctor and dentist and had their hair cut down to half an inch. Some were nearly in tears as their nice wavy hair fell to the floor.
Once accepted they paraded to the Quarter Master Store. They stood at the door and the quarter master looked them over, then called out a size: small, medium or large. They picked up their clothes and gear which consisted of two uniforms, socks, boots, gas mask, water bottle, woolen blanket, pillow, a pack sack and a rifle, and returned to their hut. It was quite a challenge to get their gear organized but they put their heads together and managed.
Lying around was now over. "They're in the army now!" The boys were kept so busy they had no time to think of home. Up at 7 a. m., they washed, dressed and went for breakfast, which was not always appetizing. They had to make their bed, clean the floor, polish their boots, wash, mend and press their clothes, clean and oil rifles and be at the parade square by 9 a. m. where they lined up in three ranks for roll call. Late...you better have a good reason...not an excuse. A duty officer checked soldiers as they stood at attention. Caps had to be worn correctly, faces clean and shaven, hair cut short, uniforms cleaned and pressed, packs tidy and on correctly, boots polished and properly laced ( in case of injury the laces could easily be cut for boot removal ). It was then drill time until 4:30 p. m. with an hour break at noon. Marching in step to the commands of a drill sergeant or corporal was not easy but after a few weeks they mastered it and went on to more advanced training. Here they learned to use a rifle and choose the branch of service they wanted to join - infantry, field, coast or anti-craft artillery.
In artillery there was a right and a left company. The company made up a battery which was numbered and assigned to a division. They learned gun drill, which was hard work. Shells and guns were heavy and were usually pushed into action by hand. Anti-aircraft guns weighed nine tons.
Soldiers were " a private " in training and received $1.25 a day in World War II. Above the private with one stripe, was the lance corporal; two stripes, full corporal; three stripes,sergeant; crown, sergeant major. The higher the rank, the more authority and added responsibility, the higher was the pay.
If not on duty as a guard, a fire piquet or kitchen fatigue, a trainer could receive a pass which lasted from after supper to midnight, or a weekend pass. Discipline was strict: no answering back and the word, "No" did not exist. Returning late from a pass or for a drill meant kitchen duty or no pass for several days. Greater offences meant detention ( jail ) for 15 days or more, hair shaved, and drill on the run with full pack and little rest. Most did not get punished a second time.
Soldiers had to be brave. They were trained to destroy the enemy and kill when necessary. If a soldier hesitated or refused to fight at the front lines or to follow orders, he could be executed on the spot with no questions asked.
One can only give a glimpse of the reality of what soldiers lived through on the battlefronts. The attack upon Dieppe took place on August 19, 1942. The troops involved numbered 6,000 men, 5,000 of whom were Canadians. The raid, supported by the Allied Air and Royal Navy, was unsuccessful resulting in the heaviest casualty toll suffered by a Canadian batallion in a single day throughout the entire war.
One result of the Allied Invasion of Sicily was the overthrow of the Italian fascist dictator and Axis ally, Benito Mussolini, in September 1943. Then the Germans took control. The fighting in Italy and Sicily was to be bitter and claimed 5,900 Canadian casualties.
The long awaited invasion of Northern Europe began with the Allied landings in Normandy which occurred on D-Day, June 6, 1944. On it depended the outcome of the war. In preparation for the invasion, supplies were amassed in Southern England. Engineers planned an underwater pipeline to France and prefabricated harbors were assembled. Supported by the Navy and Air Force 14,000 Canadians landed. Savage fighting continued in Normandy and it took until April 1945 from Normandy to the Liberation of the Netherlands. The Canadian soldiers who contributed so largely to that liberation were cheered and greeted with joy. On May 5, 1945 the war ended in Europe and the formal German surrender was signed at Rheims, France, on May 7, 1945. A final struggle was to take place in the Pacific against Japan. After the terrifying disaster atomic bombs caused in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese government accepted unconditional surrender on August 14, 1945.
The soldiers were returned to their country in the order of first arrived, first to return. After being discharged from the war, soldiers received campaign medals, money and a priority slip to buy civilian clothes. Money, a portion of which did not have to be repaid, was advanced
by the Department of Veteran Affairs to those who applied for the purchase of land or machinery.. Medical and dental care were free for one year and the wounded received a pension.
Painful memories shared by some veterans include hiding in canals in water up to their necks for hours on end, digging fox
holes for protection, going one or two days without eating if rations ran out, and spending nights on reconnaissance with little or no sleep in search of possible ambushes. One can hardly explain these experiences.
Some liked army service, others didn't
mind it, while others hated it. Not all returned, but for the fortunate who did, the war was an event never to be forgotten.
The life of a newly recruited airman during his training period was very little different from the life of an army recruit. The discipline, medical examinations, immunization shots, long lines of waiting at pay parade, clothing stores, etc., were shared by all men and women of the three services.
While in action airmen were trained for bravery. Those who became frightened on flights were immediately transferred to other duties so as not to infect the rest of the troops. Some airmen would bail out of their planes rather than face the humiliation their officers would put upon them.
Canadian achievements in the air in the Second World War were remarkable. The Royal Canadian Air Force
( RCAF )
was the smallest of Canada's three services. From 1939 to 1945 the RCAF expanded to the fourth largest air force of the Allied powers. RCAF units took part in every major air operation overseas from the Battle of Britain to the bombing of Germany. In addition they played an important role in air training and in protecting shipping and transportation. In all more then 234,500 men and 17,000 women served in the RCAF both in home defense and farther afield.
One of Canada's most distinctive contributions to the war effort was the British Commonwealth
Air Training Plan ( BCATP ). Under an agreement, signed in December 1939, Canada provided training facilities for airmen from all parts of the Commonwealth. Far from actual fighting, with excellent flying conditions, Canada was ideally suited for such a program.
Training began in the spring of 1940. By the end of 1943 more than 3,000 students were graduating each month. By the end of the war the BCATP had produced 131,500 aircrew including pilots, wireless operators, air gunners and navigators. This was a remarkable achievement considering that 17 men and /or women were required for every single plane in the air.
It would be a mistake to overestimate Canada's contribution to the defeat of the Axis powers, but for a country with a small population of 11 million people it was remarkable and won the respect of other nations. With the third largest navy, the fourth largest air force and an army of six divisions, Canada had become a significant defender of freedom in the world.
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