Train Ride Picking up Recruits

Heroes Remember

Train Ride Picking up Recruits

Transcript

Beginning of February, 1941, when my friend and I, Marvin Cavanagh, we decided we’d join the army. Mother and Dad took us to town in a covered sleigh one day, and it was about forty below, I think. That was to Nipawin, and we got on the train there, and we took the train that went to Prince Albert and down to Saskatoon. About every station that was there, one of these freights with a couple of cars on it for passengers, and a couple of guys would get on and next station, maybe a couple more. The time we got to Saskatoon, there was about 43 of us. And we all went down to the recruiting station together. And that day they were recruiting for the artillery and this new reconnaissance regiment And they told us the reconnaissance regiment was a suicide outfit, and every one of us joined that. I guess because we knew we wouldn’t have to walk as much. It was an armoured, you know, mechanized. After all, you must remember, we grew up in the thirties. Nobody, there was no way to go anywhere farther than a team of horses could go, hardly, you know We’d never been anywhere and never had no money. This here was something. At least you got a $1.30 a day and your meals. Anyway, it was adventure and, I might add, I didn’t drink or smoke. And the last words my mother said to me, “Will you promise me you won’t start smoking and drinking?” I said, “I’ll promise you I won’t,” and I didn’t. I, in fact, I had four glasses of beer in five years in the army.

Description

Mr. Young speaks about his journey from Prince Albert to Saskatoon, picking up recruits along the way and how they all ended up joining the same reconnaissance regiment better known as the suicide regiment.

Joseph Young

Mr. Young was born in 1919, on a small farm in Moosomin, Saskatchewan. He was raised in a family with three brothers and two sisters. In 1941, Mr. Young decided to join the army and travelled to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to enlist. There he joined the 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment, 2nd Division, a regiment better known as the suicide regiment. During combat in Normandy, Mr. Young was seriously wounded by a large piece of shrapnel, which perforated his upper back. Despite his injury, he was still able to serve until the end of war. After the war, Mr. Young married and began farming, a passion instilled in him by his father. Mr. Young has written a book of poetry, “My Thoughts in Rhyme” sharing his special times in life both as a soldier and a farmer.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 1:58
Person Interviewed:: Joseph Young
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Canada
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment

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Train Ride Picking up Recruits

Heroes Remember