Description
Hugh Victor Letendre
Mr. Letendre was born on March 4, 1925 in the small hamlet of Lac Ste-Anne, Alberta. As a Métis, he grew up speaking Cree, French and English. He came from a large family with one brother and eight sisters. His father was a trapper and did a lot of commercial fishing. Mr. Letendre learned how to hunt and fish from his father. <br><br> When he was 11 years old he became the janitor for the one-room school that he also attended as a student. He would sweep the floors, make the fire in the morning, and haul water and coal. For all that, he was paid $4.00 a month which he gave back to his family because they had very little money at the time.<br><br> He enlisted at the age of 18 and served during the Second World War as a rifleman with the Calgary Highlanders. His overseas deployment included time serving in the Normandy Campaign after D-Day. After the war he became a leader of Canada's Aboriginal Veterans Association.
Transcript
Interviewer: What do you remember thinking about it. Do you recall any emotions running through you when this first happened? No there was no emotions because it seemed like when hell breaks loose around you, it seems like you settle down. It's before you go in that seems to put the pressure on you but once it happens it seems that it's ok, you know what I mean. That you are there and you just do what you have to do right. And you see your buddies get it, you know and wounded and everything else. You do what you have to do.
Interviewer: During that first engagement with the enemy Mr. Letendre did your platoon or company take any casualties?
Not on that day, no, not on that day. But I remember later on in the day we advanced further and we got into just about night battle I guess. And there was about 125 strength I guess, somewhere around there, in our company. And the next day we regrouped and there was six of us. I was one of them. Then got the company back together and regrouped again.
Interviewer: What company was that of the Calgary Highlanders?
"B" Company
Interviewer: The rest were either missing, dead or wounded.
Either one, don't really know what happened. It was night, couldn't see what was happening. Fire all over.
Interviewer: Do you often think about that night?
Sometimes.
Interviewer: Why do you think it was Mr. Letendre that you and those other five men survived that fire fight?
Love of God I guess, I don't see any other reason. I guess I said many prayers when I was there too I guess, when things happen.