Description
Mr. Routhier describes the significance of a wound stripe.
Harry Routhier
Harry Routhier was born December 6, 1899 in Chelsea, Quebec. He is the third of five children. His father was a steam engineer and his grandfather served in Parliament and wrote the words to "O Canada". He attended school in Phoenix and Mission Junction, British Columbia. He worked on a farm in the Prairies, never finishing school. Lying about his age, Mr. Routhier joined the army at the age of sixteen. After his training in Regina, he joined the 217th Battalion and was later transferred to the 46th Battalion. Mr. Routhier was an active participant in the Battle of Amiens, France in August, 1918. After the war, he worked as a lumberjack, and later resided in Langley, British Columbia.
Transcript
Interviewer: After you were wounded, did you realize at that time, that it was going to be a
Blighty, that it was going to be a wound that was going to take you back to England?
No I didn't, no I didn't, I was surprised, I was surprised. But I think there were so many in my, there were slight wounds. I called it slight, you know, just grazed the bone, that was about it. But the places were all full, so they said get him over the Blighty.
Interviewer: So when you got back to England, and you were convalescing, they awarded you
a wound stripe, did they not?
That's right, ya. I often wonder why they don't have them today on your, just one, two, three on your sleeve.
Interviewer: What was the significance of that wound stripe on your sleeve while you were in
England?
Oh well, the girls all looked for that stripe, you were a hero.