First Shell Fire (Part 2 of 2)

Heroes Remember

First Shell Fire (Part 2 of 2)

Transcript

And the guys were lined up over there, so we were just about to go over and these shells start to come in and, of course, it was the first time I was ever under fire and I dove for the side of the road, for the embankment, you know, the ditch on the side of the road, I dove for protection there, and the last thing I saw was, was one of the shell heading, shells hitting the peak of that shack roof, you know, and I know a couple of guys who were killed there with, with those shells coming in. And the MPs, of course, dove for cover, too cause they're standing on top of the road at the intersection, and of course, as the Germans retreated, that's all that they've registered, what they call registered, they put that on a map and they've registered shells on there before you ever got there. So they've got that target, they had everything. They can drop ‘em right in the middle of the road, you know. So this stuff was coming in, a lot of it was airburst cause it was 88 and it was airburst and so this stuff is driving down on ya and, oh Christ, you know, I remember my head was, you know, ringing and I'm pushing it as far as I can and I'd have gone right under that road if I could have got under it, you know. And then one of the older guys that was there was laughing at me and he says, "Jesus, Dick," he says, "I never saw anybody run so fast!" he said. I said, "Well, I didn't see you wasting any time!" So, anyway, that, that was the, my introduction.

Description

Mr. Field describes the slow fighting in Beveland and the first time he came under fire.

Richard (Dick) Field

Mr. Richard Field was born in Toronto, Ontario, on November 11, 1924, where his father was an accountant for Brazilian Traction Light and Car Power Company located in Toronto. After hearing stories from his grandfather and friends about the service, Mr. Field and his father enlisted in 1943. Serving as a Gunner in the Royal Canadian Artillery, Mr. Field went to the continent after the summer of 1944, and landed at Dieppe. Having witnessed battles such as the Battle of the Bulge, which was, on record, the coldest battle fought during the Second World War, encounters with German POWS and the German SS, nothing stirs up memories such as the moving story about the Highland Light Infantry returning from battle, wearily marching on to battle, serenaded by the haunting melody of the bagpipes. Mr. Field returned home to Toronto and married his high school sweetheart, however, the war never left the dreams and thoughts of Mr. Field, who still, quite frequently, is plagued by dreams and nightmares of life on the front.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 01:40
Person Interviewed:: Richard (Dick) Field
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Belgium
Battle/Campaign:: Northwest Europe
Branch:: Army
Occupation:: Gunner

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First Shell Fire (Part 2 of 2)

Heroes Remember