Description
As platoon commander, Mr. Swick tells of when he was assisted by a young Dutch child in spotting the enemy.
Lloyd Swick
Mr. Lloyd Swick was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1922. After attending Catholic school Mr. Swick joined the military and served as a platoon commander with the Calgary Highlanders travelling overseas during WWII. Post war he attended the University of Manitoba earning a BSc. degree. Rejoining the military he became part of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Regiment and served in Korea holding rank of officer. Continuing on with his military service, Mr. Swick undertook United Nations Observer duties in India and Pakistan. After his service, he became the driving force behind having a monument erected to honour “Animals in War” which serves to highlight and acknowledge their wartime contribution. He is the founder and coordinator of this permanent monument in Ottawa, Ontario and continues to promote the uniqueness of this history. Mr. Swick resides in Ottawa with his family and continues his involvement with veterans and seniors as well as speaking to youth about his military service.
Transcript
It was early in the morning, we were to attack Groningen; I was in a company called D Company and I was with 16 Platoon, I was a platoon commander with 16 Platoon. We had no sooner crossed the bridge; Holland is a place of bridges over the canals and cowering in the doorway at one of the homes I saw this young chap and I said, “Vasten de soldaten!” “Where are the soldiers? ” and he said, “Komen!” A little kid eight or nine and I went into the alcove with him, he took me up the back stairs of the home and pushed through a trap door and there we were on the roof of the house and we were sniped upon by some snipers in a church steeple close by. We hid behind this big chimney and he indicated, or showed me that there was a park and pointed out where the enemy were in the park. So I went down, went back and joined my platoon, sent out a patrol. We took twenty prisoners. I went down the lines disarming the prisoners and one prisoner, an officer, had a beautiful German dagger. I took it off that man and went over to the boy and I said, “Son, this is yours!”