First Impression

Heroes Remember

First Impression

Transcript

Interviewer: When you first landed over there, what was your first impression? Well, the first thing I noticed was poverty, I've seen poverty on the reserve but not to the degree where it was what I seen it in Korea. Where I seen little children begging, asking for leftovers of food and they used to carry a little tin can around their neck, tied to their neck and they would approach us and they would hold it out to us and we would in turn put chocolates, chocolate bars in the little can or whatever kind of food that we had. Some of us had gum and the chewing gum we would put in there and the kids would be very happy. But, you know, this was the kind of thing that kinda sticks in my mind when I seen these little kids starving and they had the pot bellies too, that indicated to us that they weren't eating the proper food. That they would eat anything at all. And I said to myself, well at least at home it's not that bad. But it is quite sad when you witness it and people are there with the hands out, crying and things like that, especially little children. And that was quite noticeable on my part and I guess I was quite sympathetic to them.

Description

Mr. Knockwood talks about his first impression of Korea and the poverty that he witnessed there.

Noel Knockwood

Mr. Knockwood was born in the Indian Brook First Nations in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, July 17, 1932. He received his early education at the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School. He joined the Canadian Army in 1951 and at the suggestion of his older brother, a Second World War Veteran, signed up for the artillery. He spent six years in the service serving in Canada, the United States, Japan and Korea. He received his basic training in Shilo, Manitoba. During this training he received courses on atomic, biological and chemical warfare. He was just 18 years old when he went overseas to fight in Korea and was there for 413 days. After returning from Korea, Mr. Knockwood taught small arms artillery and became a drill Sergeant. After leaving the military, Mr. Knockwood furthered his education graduating with a major in Sociology from St. Mary’s University. He went on to teach at Dalhousie University and St. Mary’s University and was a guest lecturer at several other universities in the Maritimes. He received the National Aboriginal Achievement Reward for Heritage and Spirituality in 2002. At the time of this interview Mr. Knockwood was the Sergeant at Arms for the province of Nova Scotia.

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