Reliving the Past

Heroes Remember

Reliving the Past

Transcript

Last year we were, the reunion was in Charlottetown and on our way back, we came back to take a plane at Halifax. I think that’s what it was, and visit Halifax. The water front, Pier 21 and all that sort of thing. We actually stayed in a motel on Bedford Basin. Now that was quite a memory because I explained to my wife, and we had another couple with us and he recalled the memories. Looking out on the Basin and sort of thinking, “wow”. There was one ship, I think it was a tanker, you could see it away on the far side of the Basin. Compared to what I saw 65 years ago there was probably 75, maybe 100 ships in that Basin. And it was that day that we were there was raining. It was kind of a drizzle. It was cloudy. It was, the whole thing was almost like reliving 65 years ago, except the ships. So that was quite a memory. Yeah, yeah and to be able to explain to my wife, well that’s where I was out there, ready to go to sea, ready to sail.

Description

Mr. Colcomb recalls visiting Halifax and showing his wife and friends exactly where his ship had positioned itself for a convoy leaving the Bedford Basin. He also recalls that the weather conditions were remarkably similar.

Ross Colcomb

Ross Colcomb was born in Montreal, Quebec on July 2, 1926. After being an Air Cadet in his early teens, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force at age seventeen, and took air crew training. The demand for air crew was low near the end of the war, so Mr. Colcomb was discharged after nine months. He immediately joined the Merchant Navy. After a short period of engineering and gunnery training, Mr. Colcomb went to sea as a fireman aboard the SS Elk Island Park, which ferried war materials to England for the duration of the Second World War.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 1:19
Person Interviewed:: Ross Colcomb
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Branch:: Merchant Navy
Units/Ship:: Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers
Occupation:: Fireman

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Enlistment and Training Profile

Mr. Colcomb describes receiving gunnery instruction and boiler theory, but no practical instruction, before qualifying for engine room duty.

First Voyage

Mr. Colcomb describes joining the SS Oak Island Park in Halifax harbour as part of a convoy. He describes seeing a freighter converted to a miniature aircraft carrier, a late edition to the Allies effort to thwart German U-boats.

Foul Weather and Risks

Mr. Colcomb describes forming up a convoy in the fog-shrouded St. Lawrence River and being nervous because his ship was loaded with munitions. He also describes an incident during that crossing in which a tank lashed to the deck breaks loose and is re-secured without any damage occurring.

Firing the Boilers

Mr. Colcomb describes in detail the make up of an engine room watch, and goes on to describe synchronism required among the crew to keep the boilers properly fired.

London Rubble and Pubs

Mr. Colcomb describes shore leave in London and seeing St. Paul's Cathedral standing unscathed and surrounded by rubble. He also describes visiting a pub nearby and being surprised to see a clergyman sharing a pint with the locals.

Date modified:: 2019-04-03