During the winter of 1941, "D" Company and "A" Company, which had shared
duties in Botwood, exchanged places with "B" Company and "C" Company in
Gander.
Life in Gander was dull with not much to do while off duty. I got a job answering
the telephone in the control tower at the airport. That helped pass the time, and
was rather interesting, because it was at that time that the Ferry Command was in
full swing, with planes landing and taking-off for England at all hours of the night
and day.
The job kept me off the bone chilling Guard Duty on the runways, a job which
Lloyd Doull, then my Platoon Sergeant, still reminds me.
duties in Botwood, exchanged places with "B" Company and "C" Company in
Gander.
Life in Gander was dull with not much to do while off duty. I got a job answering
the telephone in the control tower at the airport. That helped pass the time, and
was rather interesting, because it was at that time that the Ferry Command was in
full swing, with planes landing and taking-off for England at all hours of the night
and day.
The job kept me off the bone chilling Guard Duty on the runways, a job which
Lloyd Doull, then my Platoon Sergeant, still reminds me.
While on duty at the control tower I witnessed the takeoff of the plane which bore
Sir Frederick Banting, discoverer of insulin, to his death in the wilds of
Newfoundland on February 27, 1941.
Sir Frederick Banting, discoverer of insulin, to his death in the wilds of
Newfoundland on February 27, 1941.
| Sir Frederick Banting |
Newfoundland, Winter of 1941
Crash Site of Sir Frederick Banting's Last Flight
In the spring of 1941, after spending the winter in Botwood and Gander, we were
loaded onto the Newfie Bullet and moved to Lester's Field Barracks in St. John's.
Quite a change, with the whole Regiment together again after being split up ever
since leaving Sussex in November of 1940. The excitement of being in a big town
after Botwood and then a few months at Gander Airport, was something we
found no trouble taking advantage of, because there was no town at Gander, only
the airport, the army barracks, the railroad, a few service personnel, and some
RCAF people.
loaded onto the Newfie Bullet and moved to Lester's Field Barracks in St. John's.
Quite a change, with the whole Regiment together again after being split up ever
since leaving Sussex in November of 1940. The excitement of being in a big town
after Botwood and then a few months at Gander Airport, was something we
found no trouble taking advantage of, because there was no town at Gander, only
the airport, the army barracks, the railroad, a few service personnel, and some
RCAF people.
Many stories can be told of our stay in St. John's, so I'll begin with the one that
occurred shortly after we arrived. This concerns a fabulous character by the name
of Edgar. Edgar was from a tiny hamlet known then as little Montreal. What
travelling he had done before joining the Army I do not know. He was a little
older than most of us. He had the art of story telling and a sense of humour to set
them off, sometimes crude, sometimes witty, but always attention-getting.
occurred shortly after we arrived. This concerns a fabulous character by the name
of Edgar. Edgar was from a tiny hamlet known then as little Montreal. What
travelling he had done before joining the Army I do not know. He was a little
older than most of us. He had the art of story telling and a sense of humour to set
them off, sometimes crude, sometimes witty, but always attention-getting.
Edgar was in "B" Company. He was in Botwood just before we moved to the
city. He showed up on Parade one day needing a haircut. Lieutenant Woodside*
who was Orderly Officer that day, told him to make the necessary adjustments.
Sure enough, Edgar went out on Parade the next day with a new haircut.
Woodside bawled him out and told him to get a real haircut. The following day
Edgar showed up with his scalp shaved clean.
city. He showed up on Parade one day needing a haircut. Lieutenant Woodside*
who was Orderly Officer that day, told him to make the necessary adjustments.
Sure enough, Edgar went out on Parade the next day with a new haircut.
Woodside bawled him out and told him to get a real haircut. The following day
Edgar showed up with his scalp shaved clean.
We Move to St. John's
Soon after we arrived the good ladies of St. John's sought to welcome us by
inviting us to afternoon tea at the "Caribou Hut", the St. John's YMCA. Imagine
the scene. Dainty, sophisticated ladies, from the goodness of their hearts,
attempting to entertain us, serving tea and cakes to a group of soldiers who were
fresh from the boondocks, semi-literate, and certainly devoid of social graces.
inviting us to afternoon tea at the "Caribou Hut", the St. John's YMCA. Imagine
the scene. Dainty, sophisticated ladies, from the goodness of their hearts,
attempting to entertain us, serving tea and cakes to a group of soldiers who were
fresh from the boondocks, semi-literate, and certainly devoid of social graces.
The tinkling of the piano rendering such classics as "In An English Country
Garden", soon bored the audience, whose musical tastes favoured the songs of
Hank Snow, and Wilf Carter. Someone shouted, "Labrecque! We Want
Labreque!" Now Labreque was good, nay, he was expert at reciting the poems of
Henry Drummond, "Leetle Bateese, The Stovepipe Hole, and especially,
Jean-Batiste Trudeau, and had amused us on many an occasion.
After much catcalling and shouts of "C'mon, Edgar," he finally got up on the stage.
He began by rubbing his cleanly-clipped head and apologizing for his lack of hair.
Then he said, "I'm not in the mood to recite Jean-Batiste Trudeau today, but I'll
tell you a story." What follows is the story he told ....
Garden", soon bored the audience, whose musical tastes favoured the songs of
Hank Snow, and Wilf Carter. Someone shouted, "Labrecque! We Want
Labreque!" Now Labreque was good, nay, he was expert at reciting the poems of
Henry Drummond, "Leetle Bateese, The Stovepipe Hole, and especially,
Jean-Batiste Trudeau, and had amused us on many an occasion.
After much catcalling and shouts of "C'mon, Edgar," he finally got up on the stage.
He began by rubbing his cleanly-clipped head and apologizing for his lack of hair.
Then he said, "I'm not in the mood to recite Jean-Batiste Trudeau today, but I'll
tell you a story." What follows is the story he told ....
In the prison camp,I shared a room with Edgar and some others for a while. He
kept us amused with recitations of Drummond's poetry, and tales of his early days
in Beau Glen. His humour and up-beat attitude during our days as POW's helped
me to forget my miseries and to survive until 1945. Edgar also made it back home
but he died many years ago.
kept us amused with recitations of Drummond's poetry, and tales of his early days
in Beau Glen. His humour and up-beat attitude during our days as POW's helped
me to forget my miseries and to survive until 1945. Edgar also made it back home
but he died many years ago.
Picture not to be copied without permission
St. John's, and Edgar
* Woodside, Arnold, Lt. kia.Dec. 19/41