Description
Mr. Page discusses the hunger among French civilians and watching children licking out empty meat tins. He also describes being billeted with a French family and their little girl crying for a goodbye kiss.
Fenton Page
Fenton Page was born on October 23, 1895 in Rockport, Nova Scotia. His father was a sea captain, and he also went to sea, serving on a government ship as a mess boy for two years. In the fall of 1917, Mr. Page enlisted in the Royal Canadian Regiment. He taught basic training in Halifax until going overseas in January, 1918. In June of 1918, Mr. Page went to France where he served as a cook in a field kitchen. His most vivid recollection is feeding the hungry in France. After the war, Mr. Page continued to chef in much more agreeable surroundings, namely private yachts.
Transcript
Well I can't remember too much but I know there was a lot of canned food, we didn't have any no chicken or like that, no eggs or nothing, no eggs over there. The only time I seen an egg is when I come back to England. People were hungry I know that. And we used to, the can of meat would come in cans, you know, we’d throw the cans away and the kids who take their fingers and lick around the cans get the meat off of it, they were really hungry. I remember, we marched along and dropped so much off to each house and the French there expected to kiss them all before you left, you know, that's the truth. And well we were billeted in this house, the four of us, in this house, the officer knew which house we was in. I forgot a little girl there, forgot to kiss her. We signed up ready to go, she come hold up her hands and crying. The officer, “Page,” he says, “kiss the little girl so we can get started.” I’ll always remember that.