This year my family has been reminiscing about our relatives and their connection to Remembrance Day. My mom’s side of the family is from England, and at the time of WWII (World War 2) anyone who was able was expected to assist in any way the war efforts required. Whether it was working in England, packing supplies to be sent out, manufacturing equipment and ammunition, or transporting items to the front lines, there were many opportunities for people to find employment. All four of my great-grandparents supported the wartime efforts, however we have more stories from the Luck side, and more photos from the Curzon side. It is funny how memories and photos are passed down through families differently. The Curzon side of my family stayed in England working from the home front. The Luck side of my family was more involved in the day-to-day operations overseas. My Great-grandmother, or as she was known to my family, Nan or Dot, worked in the ammunition manufacturing facilities in England. My Great-grandfather, Grandad Fred, was a tank transporter, driving vehicles and supplies to the front lines. He saw Germany, Belgium, and France during his time with the military.
Like many others during this time, life was difficult and at times scary. However, the stories and tales go to show us just how important people were to one another. One quote that I feel really speaks to this “I doubt we will ever be forgiven. All I hope is – they'll remember we were human beings” - Timothy Findley, The Wars. What became obvious through the stories is how much the wars impacted all involved and caused trauma that stayed with them their whole lives. Learning about what happened during the wars was hard, not just because of what happened, but also those who experienced it firsthand struggled to talk about what they saw.
For Dot, she didn’t have to experience the front-line trauma that Grandad Fred saw. But she faced her own hardships, like the constant bombings and threats they brought with them. Nan lived with another young mother, which was common during WWII. They helped one another with childcare, the home, and protection. One thing Nan recalled was the sound of sirens; when you heard this sound, you ran to your shelter and remained there until it was safe to come out. Hers
was at the bottom of their garden, and while it was a shelter it would have done little to protect them from gas attacks or a direct strike. When Nan wasn’t at home, she would be at work; during WWII the ammunition factories she worked in would have workers there 6 days a week for 12 hours at a time. These ladies worked hard day in and out to help support the troops, doing all they could to provide aid, and earn enough money to keep their families housed and fed.
Grandad Fred was in a position where he experienced what happened on the front lines up close and personally. His role was to supply the front-line with tanks and heavy equipment moving it to different front lines. Unfortunately, one of the conditions for this role was if the troupe he was supplying equipment to was in an active fight he was to get in the trenches and help. This likely caused Grandad a lot of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and trauma from all that he saw. However, he did have a few positive moments that he explained helped with all the negatives they were facing.
One of these moments was during a transportation trip when he and a buddy became separated from their troupe in Belgium. When they realized they were unable to find their regiment, the two decided to wait in a local town and have a drinking party with the locals for three days. These moments helped to remind and show that even during war and difficult times showing kindness towards others can go a long way. The other moment he shared with our family that helped him to see humanity during this difficult time was with a stray dog. Grandad was out on a transport mission, and came across a stray dog, he explained that the dog decided to follow him for weeks. After a while he realized that the dog was following him everywhere and wanted to stay with him. Grandad tried to bring the dog back home but was unable to. So, he found a local farmer, who was near their base camp. The farmer agreed to take the dog in and provide a loving home.
My Great-grandfather did not speak about his time during the war often, it was a very troubling and hard experience for him like many others. However, one time when visiting Canada he watched a memorial service on TV, this sparked his memories, and he began to share. Remembrance Day is a very important day, to pay respects, but also to listen to the stories of those who went through war to learn and understand. After learning more about my own family's history and experiences in the war efforts, I have a different appreciation and understanding of those who fought for our freedom.
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