Ilio’s Story

Heroes Remember

Ilio’s Story

Transcript

I think it was wonderful. I think it was wonderful. Only for the Merchant Navy, see, you see the Merchant Navy, the Navy wouldn't have done with out the Merchant Navy. Hardly wouldn't have done with out the Merchant Navy because the Merchant Navy was the ship that transport the,and was in to the most dangerous, because never had no guns. We were traveling with no defense what so ever. Only a convoy when you go in Halifax, go in to St. Johns or Argentina or whatever. So the Merchant Navy in my point of view, the Royal Navy the (inaudible) of the wire services, wouldn't have done it, only for the Merchant Navy. Just as simple as that. Yeah, simple as that. ??

Description

Mr. Quick describes the adoption of a starving young Italian boy, Ilio, and having him with them for the duration of the Italian Campaign.

Norman Quick

Mr. Quick was born in Toronto, Ontario on April 22, 1921. His father, a cinematographer, moved the family to Ottawa when he was very young and he remembers in particular, playing a lot of hockey wearing homemade equipment. Mr. Quick enlisted in the Medical Corps, but quickly transferred to the Film and Photo Corps once it was formed in England. His active service took him to Italy, where he filmed such notable actions as Ortona and Monte Cassino. Interestingly, he and his crew adopted a teenage boy named Ilio, who accompanied the Canadian film crew until its tour in Italy ended. Mr. Quick was then deployed to NW Europe, where he served in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He remained in the Canadian Army as a cinematographer, but left after Paul Hellyer amalgamated Canada’s Armed Forces. Mr. Quick currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario.

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