Heat of the Shrapnel

Heroes Remember

Heat of the Shrapnel

Transcript

We were sitting there and there was a crossroad or like just a road across from us and the Black Watch guys were over on the, on the, where the farm was, and they started to shell. They killed the farmer and his wife, and about 10 Black Watch guys were, dove underneath a tree there, and they all got killed. And I was sitting in my hole by myself, like, and I could see that, them getting hit, and, and this sergeant major, him and I used to fight all the time, so, I saw him go behind this big mound of earth and, so... And they used to tell you, you know, if you're shelled in, you're not suppose to move around, like, stay where you are. You start moving around, that's when you get hit. So, I started to go where I saw the sergeant major go behind the, the mound of earth, and just as I got to the mound, there's a piece of shrapnel went by my ear. I could feel the heat just go by my ear, you know, and I leaped right over this mound, landed right on top of the sergeant major. Well, then we get into a fight there, arguing there, and the shelling was finished by the time that we, before we got done arguing. What he was mad at, he had all these cigarettes he used to smoke, what is it? British Consulates. They used to come in pouches, and he had them all in, in his tunic, and when I landed on him, it crushed them all, and that's what we were fighting about. But then it, it took the scare away from the, you know, from the shelling. That kind of cooled it down for that, that part, that one anyway. But they tell you, like, you're not supposed to move. You're not suppose to go under trees. I used to do that all the time. I did everything that... I shouldn't have really come through there, because I did everything that I wasn't supposed to, but it seemed to work out.

Description

Mr. Loranger recalls a close call he had with a piece of Shrapnel.

Paul Loranger

Mr. Loranger was born in Seseninika, Ontario in 1927. His family later moved to Englehart, Ontario, where his father was employed with the Canadian National Railway, and they were able to ride out the depression in relative comfort. Mr. Loranger joined the army at age 16, became disillusioned when denied entry into the paratroopers, quit, and then re-enlisted. Once in England, however, he joined the Calgary Highlanders, and was quickly sent to France. There, he was involved in driving out remnants of the German Army. He was recalled to England when his age was discovered, and eventually sent home to Canada. He worked for the CNR until his retirement. Mr. Loranger now resides in Harriston, Ontario.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 2:08
Person Interviewed:: Paul Loranger
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: France
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Calgary Highlanders, 5th Brigade
Rank:: Private
Occupation:: Infantry

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Heat of the Shrapnel

Heroes Remember