The Manning Depot in Toronto - Part 2
Heroes Remember
Transcript
And we cleaned out the stables, the stalls in the horse barns,
and we did this for, oh I forget, two or three weeks, until they
were all cleaned out, scrubbed, and white-washed, and we set up
double bunks in the horse barns, and I recall at this time the
food was terrible cause it was catered by some fella who didn't
care. I remember we got a lot of prunes for breakfast. We had an
occasion one time, us Saskatoon chaps decided to go to a dance
Saturday night in Toronto. So we climbed on a street car and I
sat beside the windows, there was an empty chair beside me,
and that fellow came and sat beside me, we had a little
conversation. I said, "I just newly arrived here in the air
force, I'm just a recruit" And he says, "Oh, and where did you
come from?" I said, "Saskatchewan." He says,
"I thought so." Then of course, we had further embarrassment,
at the dance the girls wouldn't dance with us cause we smelt of
the horse barns. Anyway, as soon as we finished the horse barns,
we were all issued uniforms, and then we
went up to St. Thomas to do our training.
Description
Mr. Romanow talks about his experiences at the CNE Manning Depot.
Joseph Romanow
Mr. Romanow was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in 1921, to parents who immigrated to Canada in 1911. Mr. Romanow grew up in a Ukranian community and he learned to speak English from his playmates. He joined the Air Force from a youth group, was a mechanic for two years and then trained in Canada and England. He was able to fly in India and Europe, flying many different types of planes. After his university education he returned to the Air Force and worked with the Avro Arrow team.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 01:41
- Person Interviewed:
- Joseph Romanow
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Canada
- Branch:
- Air Force
- Units/Ship:
- 62, 435, 437 Squadron
- Occupation:
- Bomber Pilot
Related Videos
- Date modified: