Insult to injury

Heroes Remember

Insult to injury

Transcript

When we got to Manila, everybody got a hundred dollars in American money. I took, I think it was thirty five dollars and went out that night. And I put the rest in a cigarette package. I took some cigarettes out. I had an all new kit and everything. We had these tents built on a… we were gonna have a hospital there when they attacked Japan. I was on a corner and while I was out, somebody swiped my kit, my cigarettes, my money, my everything. And I came back in, they had big trucks and everything all over and the ruts were that deep in the road. And it rained and I was in the mud. I remember sitting down in one of these ruts because it was just that deep. And I got back in and I went and I took a shower with my fatigues, everything I had on to wash the mud off ‘em. The next day, I was out of uniform because I didn't have anything. An officer come along and he said, “You're not in the goddamn prison camp any longer,” he says. “Well, I haven't got any clothes.” I got a new kit, but I didn't get any money back.

Description

Mr. Whitman discusses going out on the town in Manila after he's liberated, and returning to his camp to find all of his money and belongings stolen.

Allan Whitman

Allan Whitman was born in Bridgeville, Manitoba on February 21, 1921. His father ran a general store in which he also worked. Feeling it was his duty, Mr. Whitman enlisted with the Winnipeg Grenadiers in September, 1939 and trained at Minto and Tuxedo Barracks. In Hong Kong, he fought in D Company until his capture. Mr. Whitman became ill with dysentery, and later beri-beri, the debilitating effects of which kept him in hospital in Hong Kong until the war ended.

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