Description
Mr. Haegert describes his reaction on the day in which he learned that the Second World War had ended.
Joseph Haegert
Joseph Haegert was born in Bethel Mission, India. He was part of a military family of noble descent. His father was Prussian and moved the family to England, where he trained as a doctor in London. His father died when Haegert was three years old so Haegert had to be entirely self-sufficient throughout his life. He was taken out of school at the age of thirteen and put to work. At the age of sixteen, Haegert took a class in wireless telegraphy and was employed as a wireless operator and purser on the <em>Gray</em>, a supply ship. In 1918, he taught himself Latin. He wanted to go to Queens University so he learned German as well. He went to UBC, but was penniless and got traumatic fever, which lasted six months. After that he decided to go back to sea where he rejoined his original ship as a wireless operator. His brother, Sam, was killed in World War One in the Battle of the Somme. He wanted to be a field medic and stretcher bearer in World War One, but was too young. He celebrated the end of the war in Victoria, BC. He came to Canada on the <em>Corinthian</em> and married a Jewish lady. He worked as a civilian for the Western Air Command and with the Empress Line during the 1920s and 1930s as a wireless operator.
Transcript
Interviewer: Do you remember the day the day that you learned that the war had ended? Do you remember your reaction when you heard that it was finally over?
It was a relief, a great relief, a great relief to me, so glad we'd won and that sort of thing. Of course, we did win you know, whatever you say , we won. Yes, it was a great relief to me. And I got very occupied of bringing up my children to, it was very, it took all my time. I had a very dull life, we had very little money.
Interviewer: You were in your early forties when the war ended?
That's right, yes.
Interviewer: Do you remember, do you remember the repatriation of the troops or the troops coming home? Do you remember what impact that had in the community?
What I found, there was great complaints, a lot of very decent women used to go down to the boat every day and greet these people, they were the only people that did. Nobody cared anything about them. And somebody said it wasn't for these women, they got no welcoming. As a matter of fact, I got a very strange welcome too. I hadn't seen my wife for 2 years and 8 months when I came back. The first thing she said to me, "Where'd you get that hat? " First thing she said to me, "Where'd you get that...." And when I went home, Joey was now about 3 or 3 or 4 years old and he was coming down the stairs and I said " Hi Joey dear I'm your dad." And he turned to mother, and say's "Dad's silly." So the receptions were very odd, you know. But definitely my wife was critical on me right away.