The War Is Over - Counting The Cost

Heroes Remember

The War Is Over - Counting The Cost

Transcript

Very subdued. There was nothing to cheer about, knowing the price we paid. Interviewer: When you think of the price that was paid and the sacrifice that was made, was that cost worth the victory? At that particular time, yes. No question. When you look at history, and you see what was happening then. And a lot of it we didn’t know was happening because it was concealed. It was only after the war we learned what really what was going on. We know that the Polish people had been persecuted at the start of the war, you know. And we know that other people had been persecuted. And we knew that people in France had been persecuted, you know. But we had this story about the Jewish people that the average person didn’t know a damn thing about it. So, in effect, you know, yes it was worth the effort.

Description

Mr. Ross reflects on his reaction to the news that the war in Europe was over...and the cost of that victory.

Joseph William Ross

Mr. Ross was born in Montreal on February 15, 1925. His father served during the First World War and was seriously wounded at the second battle at Ypres. When Canada declared war on Germany in September, 1939, Mr. Ross was only 14 years old, working as an office boy for six dollars a week. Later, he worked as an apprentice fitter in the aircraft division of Vickers, near Montreal. Mr. Ross enlisted in the Army on his 18th birthday in 1943. After training in Quebec and Nova Scotia, he was sent as part of the reinforcement troops to England where he was assigned to ‘C’ Company of the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. His overseas action included landing at Juno Beach on D-Day, and serving throughout both Normandy and Northwest Europe (Belgium and Holland). During an encounter with German forces, Mr. Ross sustained injuries from flying shrapnel.

Meta Data