Hello -- I am a journalist at The Gazette in Montreal where I am working on a story for the Nov. 7 edition on adult children trying to understand their fathers' war experiences -- often stories which the father did not share with their families when they returned from the Second World War or Korea. I am seeking first hand experiences in the quest for information about Canadian soldiers living or dead. I would love to talk to some of you about what prompted your search and what it is revealing about what happened to your father as a young man. I can be reached at pcurran@thegazette.canwest.com to arrange an interview or email conversation
17 Canadians were awarded the VC during WW2, one twice. You could try and speak to their children and get the spin on not only how the children re-acted to their father being away but also how the publicity that comes with being awarded a VC affected the whole family? Cheers Andy
17 Canadians were awarded the VC during WW2, one twice. Andy these are the Canadians who were awarded the VC in WW2. Who got it twice? Second World War (16) BAZALGETTE Ian W. COSENS Aubrey CURRIE David Vivian FOOTE John Weir GRAY Robert Hampton HOEY Charles Ferguson HORNELL David Ernest MAHONY John Keefer MERRITT Charles C.I. MYNARSKI Andrew C. OSBORN John Robert PETERS Frederick Thornton SMITH Ernest Alvia TILSTON Frederick Albert TOPHAM Frederick George TRIQUET, Paul Are you thinking of the New Zealander Charles Upham? cheers, phil
Like the medal - a rare moment! The number has been firmly in my mind since working on the Triquet piece. cheers, phil
A Canadian with a truly bizarre WW2 experience would be Bruno Friesen. Bruno was born in Canada and grew up in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. When he was 17 his father had the great idea that he would move his family from Canada to Nazi Germany . This was 6 months before the outbreak of WW2, what he didn't read the news papers? Anyway our friend Bruno first finds himself as a labourer on a farm and is ultimately drafted into the Wehrmacht and spens 1944 - 1945 on the Russian front as a Panzer gunner in Mk IV and finally in a Jagdpanzer Mk IV. Bruno wrote about his war experiences in "Panzer Gunner: A Canadian in the German 7th Panzer Division, 1944 - 1945". Bruno now lives in Ottawa and works for the National War Museum.
