Saving Face
Heroes Remember
Saving Face
Transcript
Description
Mr. Peterson recalls the reaction of some young local boys when their playmate was accidentally killed by air dropped supplies.
George N Peterson
Mr. Peterson was born in Winnipeg February 8, 1921. His family moved to Saint Watell, where he now considers home, when he was five years old. His father was a Veteran of the First World War, having served as a sergeant in Artillery. Having participated in Sea Cadets and the Cameron Cadets previously, with written permission from his father, Mr. Peterson joined the Winnipeg Grenadier Militia as a drummer in the bugle band in January 1938, at the age of 16. Mr. Peterson signed on for active service with the Winnipeg Grenadiers on September 6, 1939, - his twin brother also joined the Grenadiers September 7th, and their father joined the Winnipeg Light Infantry September 12th. Soon after signing on, Mr. Peterson was promoted to Lance Corporal and was made a Mark 4 Vickers machine gun instructor. After Basic Training, his unit was shipped to Jamaica as POW camp reinforcements, but returned to Canada soon after On October 27, 1941, his unit boarded the Awatea in Vancouver, bound for Hong Kong. Captured after capitulating to the Japanese, Mr. Peterson was interned in North Point and Shamshuipo POW camps. While at Shamshuipo he was put to work as slave labour at Kai Tac Airport. Eventually he was sent to Japan to work in a coal mine 120 miles north of Tokyo. After three years and eight months of internment, Japan surrendered to the Americans. Mr. Peterson was reunited with his family soon after.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 01:14
- Person Interviewed:
- George N Peterson
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Asia
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- Winnipeg Grenadiers
- Rank:
- Lance-Corporal
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Near Mutiny on the Awatea
Mr Peterson describes the tight quarters onboard the, Awatea and the near mutiny that occurred before leaving the port of Vancouver.
Poor Preparation, Poor Procedure
Mr Peterson recalls how the Canadians were trained following their arrival in Hong Kong.
Reunited
Mr. Peterson recalls the night he was reunited with his twin brother during the Battle of Hong Kong.
"I'd rather shoot myself"
Mr Peterson recalls what he said he’d do if he was to be captured, and what happened when the time came.
Escape
Mr. Peterson tells about the now famous incident of four Winnipeg Grenadiers escaping from North Point POW Camp, and how he was supposed to be amoung them.
Diseases
Mr Peterson recalls the toll disease took on the POWs in Shamshuipo POW Camp: diphtheria, beri-beri, dysentery, malaria, and hot feet.
Slave Labour Selection
Mr Peterson recalls the selection process of the slave Labour drafts.
Christmas Propaganda
Mr Peterson recalls the Christmas of 1944, and how their day of relief was nothing more than a propaganda exercise.
Unfathomable Destruction
Mr. Peterson remembers not being able to fathom the destruction done by the atomic bombs dropped on Japan while he was interned.
Japan Capitulates
Mr. Peterson remembers discovering that Japan had surrendered to the Americans.
Looking Back
Mr. Peterson looks back at how his service and internment affected him later in life.
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