Peace at a Big Cost!

Well I feel it’s nice, commemoration, but celebration no. Because, well peace is tough. I don’t know, you can’t just buy it. If you do there’s a big cost. I mean thousands got killed. Well I sing in the choir, The Singing Legionnaires. I’ve been with them now about fifty years I suppose. Well we just do routine stuff. We go around and then we go up to the Government House and have a few drinks and go over to the, St. John’s got a Naval Association, HMCS Avalon, no. Anyway, we go for a few drinks. Then we go down to DVA, the hospital and sing them a few songs and that’s a good feeling seeing old people tapping their feet and half of them got Alzheimer’s. And a lot of them were well in different wars, the Korean wars and all that stuff. And to see that you could do something, a little bit something to help them because you can see their feet going. People never moved.

Reflecting back at his time during WWII, Mr. Starkes speaks about the importance of Remembrance Day and tells how he carries on in being part of a singing group that brings smile to many from that generation.

Charles Starkes

Mr. Charles Starkes was born in Greenspond, Newfoundland May 24, 1922. Mr. Starkes joined the Royal Navy under the British Forces from his home province of Newfoundland. He trained as Torpedoman on board a British aircraft carrier and took on the roles and responsibilities of an electrician. Mr. Starkes was part of the D-Day invasion and holds great pride for the service he provided during this time 75 years ago. After the war, Mr. Starkes returned to Newfoundland and obtained a Master Electrician license and worked in that field until retirement. Mr. Starkes now resides in Saint John’s, NL with his family.