Three Times Wounded

Heroes Remember

Three Times Wounded

Transcript

I always exaggerate a little bit. I always say I was wounded three times. Really, it's only twice, but it was about half a mile south of Ortona. First time, first time was a German mach..., air plane come down, down the street. They tell me they had eight machine guns on the wings, and they fired through the propellers, even. Imagine something being timed that accurate ‘cause they could shoot through them, but they would rip up the street just like hail. But, that's what got me the first time. I still got shrapnel on my right hip from that. Well, hell, it didn't, never really bothered, it was flesh stuff. They didn't do it anymore, just a guy in a tent, he poked a needle around in there like a knitting needle, tying to get some shrapnel stuff out. Were about five holes, and my legs had a... it struck me like a bullet, like your skin if you punch a hole in there, it makes a little round hole, but the meat kind of pokes out of it. A bunch of damn (inaudible), couldn't get nothing. He said, oh, well, you're all red hot, or something, there's stir, there's no infection from that. It'll be alright. He puts some, some stuff on it, something that helped. It, it wasn't, it wasn't iodine, but it stung, and he put some tape on, that's all it was. It wasn't a week or two later, another son of, son of a gun, he got me, but this time, it hit me on the left foot here, and it... I had army boots on. It split my shoe down here and tore the sole off my shoe. Well, that hurt. I thought it broke, I thought it'd gone through my foot. Now, I count that as being wounded, but, ‘cause it hurt worse than the gal'dam shrapnel. I got hit so damn hard, I guess it really hurt. I limped for a long time. Last time I got hurt was north of Rome. After we took Rome. I got hit above the eye here. I have no idea what, what that was, or exactly where I was, or just what happened. I don't know if... I come to in a tent, and I was a mile behind the lines where, wherever I was. I don't know if it was a rifle, it must have been it split, but I'm... Funny, you don't see much with these bushy eyebrows, split from here. When I come to, I had a turban on my head, (inaudible). I had to wear that for about, about a week. He took it off. This eye was full, right shut. You couldn't see nothing there. It never bothered anymore, but I had no idea what it was. I don't know if it was artillery shrapnel or a rifle or how long I was out. The fella in the tent was a lance corporal. He told me that an RCMP had brought me in, you know, they had jeeps with a rack on the top. He didn't know where from or, in fact, I say I have no idea, either. It was a few days gone there. Told me his name was, I remember after... I been trying to get his name ever since. Would be nice to find that guy. He would know where it was or what had happened or he'd remember (inaudible) picking up. He must have known I was still alive.

Description

Mr. Laird describes the three instances during which he was wounded, specifically the last instance in which he was saved by a man he can’t find to thank.

Edwin George Laird

Mr. Laird was born in Verwood, Saskatchewan and attended school there until grade 4. In 1934, when Mr. Laird was 11 years old his father passed away. Mr Laird and the rest of the family moved to a homestead in the bush north of Verwood. Not having a radio until 1940, news of war was very limited. As they started to hear radio coverage, Mr. Laird began to think he should get involved. In February 1942, Mr. Laird travelled to Saskatoon to enlist, and after joining the tank corps was sent to Guelph, Ontario, for training. Soon after he was sent to England where after completing his basic training, he was made a signaller. After advance training he was assigned to the 2nd Field Regiment On June 10, 1943, Mr. Laird disembarked from Scotland, destined to invade Sicily a month later. From there Mr. Laird fought across Italy with the Vandoos and Saskatoon Light Infantry. Eventually, Mr. Laird and other Canadians in Europe were sent to join with Canadian Forces in France. From there they moved into Belgium, and Germany, remaining there until the war ended. Mr. Laird returned to Canada in early 1946, and received his discharge soon after.

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