AWOL

Heroes Remember

AWOL

Transcript

I had some kind of a far eastern flu sickness. We were sent to Madras by train from Karachi. And, in our case, we had - instead of just going from Karachi to Bombay, we had to go way up north. I think it was Lucknow. We went through Lucknow, and around the mountain on the train. It took five days for us to get to Madras and we were in passengers, but we were in third class passenger seats which were hardwood boards/slats. They were about one inch square, one inch by two inch, and that's where we slept too, on those boards. To use a bathroom you went into a stall, it was in this car that we were on. You went into a stall, and there were things for your feet to stand on and there was a hole about that round so that you could see the track below. Whether you had to urinate or have a bowel movement, you had to try to hit that hole. And for five days, it's quite an experience.

Description

Mr. Goettler recalls going to visit his father in the hospital, and the trouble that the unauthorized trip caused.

George Angus Goettler

George Angus Goettler was born in Palmerston, Ontario on October 23rd in 1923. Mr. Goettler’s father had a grocery store where he, his two brothers and his sister worked. He had a second sister who died at a young age. Mr. Goettler served as a wireless operator, radar operator and tail gunner with the 160 Squadron. After completing their tour, Mr. Goettler’s crew was put on a rest tour where they tested aircrafts. After the war, Mr. Goettler returned to the grocery business, running his own store in Palmerston, Ontario.

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