The Empire - The Only Opposition To Hitler

Heroes Remember

The Empire - The Only Opposition To Hitler

Up until Hitler invaded Russia the only country or countries that stood up against the Germans were the countries of the British Empire and this is not really appreciated. France had gone, Belgium gone. Interviewer: Poland Poland, Norway Interviewer: Czechoslovakia, Denmark The whole lot. Interviewer: Yes And if it had not been for the British people we’d have lost the war. Interviewer: And when you say British people, Colonel Merritt, you are referring to Canadians as well. Yes, and the Australians, New Zealanders, principally and then of course a lot of the smaller colonies.

Colonel Merritt gives significant credit to the efforts of the armed forces of the British Empire in the early years of the Second World War.

Charles Cecil Ingersol Merritt

Colonel Merritt’s father was killed in Ypres during the First World War. 7 or 8 of his uncles from both sides of the family also served during the First World War - three of whom were killed in action. He received his early education in Vancouver and Victoria and then went on to Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. He articled with a Vancouver lawyer for three years before being called to the bar there in 1929. During this time, he joined the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada militia unit - the unit with whom he enlisted with when the Second World War was declared. Eventually, in late 1941, he was appointed Commanding Officer of the South Saskatchewan Regiment, and served with the Regiment until the war was over. During his service he earned the Victoria Cross for his gallant efforts on Aug. 19, 1942 in the Dieppe Raid. Mr. Merritt was taken prisoner during the Dieppe Raid. Following the war Mr. Merritt returned to his law practice in Vancouver and served in the Canadian Federal Parliament from 1945 - 1949. He continued to live in Vancouver until his death on July 12, 2000.