Lessons learned in Training

Heroes Remember

Lessons learned in Training

Transcript

Within two days they had promoted me to a Lance Bombardier and I learned that's the toughest job of all, Major Generals have it soft, cause they never do anything. They've got tons of people to do it. But the lance jack, he's living with his friends and they come to the lance jack and they say, "Get six men and pick up shovels and go down and shovel that load of sand into the.." Who do you choose? You're a lance jack, you're living with these guys, you suddenly put a stripe up, and you got to go your friends and say you, you and you. You've got, no authority, you've got no respect, you've got nothing. That's the tough job, believe you me. I, I acted as a Lieutenant Colonel at brigade, I described that in the book you know. And I lay on this big fire plan and then I sit there twiddling my fingers. That's what they do. I mean it's the simplest thing in the world to be a General. But a lance jack let me tell ya, you force a personality and necessary those things have gotta be ready. At the time I thought what kind of an idiot am I to have fallen for this. But in the end also you, you never, never take for granted the dignity and the sensitivity of people under your command. I mean you, I never put a man in charge. Now I've had people accuse me of neglecting my my responsibility. That I was dumping the responsibility on somebody else and that may be true but, now I tore strips off people verbally you know, privately and, but I never, I never, I always I could put myself into that man's position because I'd been there, I had stood at attention.

Description

Mr. Blackburn talks about valuable lessons he learned in training.

George Blackburn

George Blackburn was born in Wales, Ontario, on February 3, 1917. His father started out as a steam shovel runner in building the railroads in the United States. George also worked in journalism for a little while. In 1940 after the war had broke out he decided it was time to join the services. He was rejected from the navy and the air force because of his poor eye sight. It was then that he joined RCA. He went through training and it was there that he learned valuable lessons. George was part of the 4th Regiment. He experienced the Battle of Normandy. There he was a gunnery officer. Upon his return to Canada, Mr. Blackburn made Ottawa his home. His list of occupations include newspaper reporter, Director of Information of the Federal Labour Department, and Director of Fair Employment Practices. In addition, he has been a radio producer, an award-winning documentary scriptwriter, an award-winning playwright, published author, and a lyricist and composer. Mr. Blackburn also earned his Military Cross helping to save the Twente Canaal bridgehead in Holland.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 02:32
Person Interviewed:: George Blackburn
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Northwest Europe
Battle/Campaign:: Normandy
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: 4th Battery
Occupation:: Gunnery Officer

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Date modified:: 2019-04-03