VE-Day

Heroes Remember

VE-Day

Transcript

We saw it was coming. You see the war was over for us on the 5th of May. VE-Day wasn’t until the 8th, so we had a head start and yes, the silence, it was so quiet. I’ll never forget the feeling of silence and relief and I had been through a tremendous experience and I was still alive and I was grateful.

Description

Mr. Aitken discusses his feelings about the war’s end.

John Aitken

John Aitken was born June 4, 1917, in Kenora, Ontario. He was the eldest of three children. His family moved to Medicine Hat, Alberta, where his father worked as a flour miller. After graduating high school at age seventeen, Mr. Aitken became a teacher and then school principal. He graduated from university in 1942. Mr. Aitken initially enlisted in the artillery, but after his arrival in England was selected to train as a meteorologist. As the war progressed he achieved the highest level possible, Independent Forecaster. After the war, Mr. Aitken continued a distinguished military career, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant.

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