Description
Mr. Ford describes being gassed, its long-term effects, and his eventual recovery.
George R. Ford
George Ford was born on March 19, 1897 in Barrie, Ontario. In 1899, his family moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and, when his mother’s health started to fail, on to Victoria, British Columbia. Here, Mr. Ford studied mathematics and surveying, which resulted in employment with the provincial government in the mapping department. Against his parents wishes, he enlisted in 1916, joining the 103rd Infantry Battalion. Mr. Ford went overseas aboard the SS Mauritania, landing in Southampton, England, where he was deployed with the 54th Battalion. He later transferred to the Light Trench Mortar Battery. Mr. Ford saw action on many fronts, but only discussed Vimy in any detail. However, his clear perspective on the futility of war, death, mutual respect, honour, and patriotic duty, honed over a 102 year lifespan, are well worth the viewer’s attention. After the war, Mr. Ford returned to his job as a surveyor. He joined his local Veterans Association, and some time later, the Royal Canadian Legion, Victoria, B.C.
Transcript
This is the shell gas, you know, and it took my eyes, my breathing, sickened my stomach. So I just had to be pulled out of the trenches, that’s all, and taken down to Camerse (sp) General hospital there. They looked after me. But I wasn’t bad enough that they didn’t send me over to England. I was always wanting to get a blighty, I called a blighty. The doc says, “God, there’s so many casualties coming through, Ford,” he said, “I think probably a little treatment here will fix you up alright.” But as I pointed out to you, I still had it in my system long after I come home. You know, wherever I perspired that yellow ... but I went to a specialist here, a blood specialist. And I got treated with a B12, I think. It was about three or four times a week, and it sort of brought me back. Then, I took part a lot in sports. So with my perspiring, I pretty well got it out of my system.