Potential Danger in Germany

Heroes Remember

Potential Danger in Germany

Transcript

We were stationed in South Germany, the north part of Germany, communism was still going, and Russia were still there rattling their sabers and what not so we were still the good guys on the other side keeping the bad guys away sort of thing. Other than standard everyday work and going out on field exercises it was pretty well the same. We used to go on manoeuvres and go right up along side the borders of the communist countries and whatnot, do field manoeuvres and come home, this kind of stuff. In Europe you had a considerable amount of armies floating about, the Germans had an army, the UN had a bunch of people over there and the Russians had all kinds of them on the other side and if it ever blew, it would be an awful mess awful fast, but that was the thing, that feeling that anything could happen at almost any time was there but you were busy doing your work. You wouldn't have time to think about the politics. You don't get involved with the politics anyway so you don't really worry about the politics. You worry about your own stuff, make sure it's running, where it belongs and up to scratch so if the troops have to use it or the fighting troops got to use it, it's there and it's ready and they can use it. You don't have much time.

Description

Mr. Dunham describes the activities of NATO’s peacekeepers on the West’s side of the German demilitarized zone, and discusses the potential for conflict in that area.

Robert Dunham

Robert Dunham was born in Chartersville, New Brunswick. He was one of three children. He grew up on his father’s truck farm, and graduated from Moncton High School in 1949. Mr. Dunham enlisted in 1950, and at the urging of his friends, became an electronics technician serving with the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers. His first service overseas was in Korea from 1952 to 1953, where he was on duty just behind the front. He served in Cyprus in 1964, and later was to serve in Germany with the United Nations peacekeeping force. At home, Mr. Dunham served in Val Cartier, Calgary, Gander and Ottawa. He retired with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Recorded:: March 8, 2005
Duration:: 1:30
Person Interviewed:: Robert Dunham
War, Conflict or Mission:: Canadian Armed Forces
Location/Theatre:: Germany
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers
Rank:: Warrant Officer
Occupation:: Electronics Technician

Language selection

Potential Danger in Germany

Heroes Remember