Reason for Enlisting and Messages for Today's Generation

Heroes Remember

Reason for Enlisting and Messages for Today's Generation

Transcript

We didn't know much about it at the time. I didn't know anything about Hitler when I joined up. The only thing I knew, that we were told, was that this person has tried to take over the world and do certain things, a lot of it was propaganda maybe at the time. Britain, we were all staunch British here in Newfoundland, always, always were. Our ancestors were all descendants of people in the UK and Ireland. And knowing that our forefathers, in the First World War, what they had done when they were asked, we had no hesitation at all in saying, "We've got to do this." We want to do it. And I would say that if the same thing happened again, if you want to retain your way of life that we have... A lot of people are saying to us now, and it's only this past ten years, I've had people call me, relatives of mine from British Columbia (inaudible). On November the 11th, call me and say, "Uncle Tom, I just wanted to call and say thank you for what you did in the Second World War to save us from having to do something today. Now we appreciate it." And I thought that was really something, after all these years, you know, now people are starting to say that to us. But then no one said it before for a while. But we didn't do it for that reason, we did it, as far as I'm concerned, we did it to retain our way of life ourselves. We weren't, as far as I know, and I can't recall feeling that way, that I'm going to do this for my grandchildren. But, we wanted to retain the way of life we had. You know, we didn't want to be dominated by a dictator, sort of thing. And I would say that if the same thing occurs today, if you want to retain what you now have, and it was hard fought for, do it. Serve your country. I think it should be done.

Description

Mr. Godden describes his reason for enlisting and what he was fighting for.

Tom Godden

Mr. Godden was born in Lynn, Massachusetts in March 1921. At a very young age he moved to Newfoundland. When war broke out Mr. Godden was working with the postal service, and when they would not let him leave for the service he resigned. In 1941, he enlisted in St. John's and became a member of the 166th Newfoundland Field Regiment (a light artillery regiment). He held the position of a dispatch rider for most of the war, serving in Africa and Europe. Mr. Godden witnessed the famous Allied bombing assault on Monte Cassino. After the war, Mr. Godden returned to Newfoundland and went on to have a successful career with Pan-American World Airways.

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