I Couldn’t Talk, I was Stunned

Oh it was good, I was more free, felt more freedom and I was anxious to see my father and mother and sister and brother. They were so proud. They cried, tell the truth they cried and my uncle met me at the station in Carlisle. I was to get off in Chandler but they come and they meet me at the station in Carlisle and my uncle, two of my uncles, they come and when they seen me getting off of the train, they grabbed me and they carried me, “Hector, Hector, Hector!!!” Oh they were making, they held me up. They held a party for me and we had people from all around - the neighbours, brothers and brother- in-laws, son-in-laws, and all of that. They all come and they were enjoying themselves, the uncles and aunts, and ah my God, my God. What a time, what a time! The question is when I seen my mother and father and I thought to see someone else but I seen the husband and my sister was dead and he was married with another woman, that hurt me. That hurt me more than it ever hurt me in the war. My mother and father, I says, “I seen my brother-in-law”, his name is (inaudible). He’s dead now, God have mercy on his soul, but she died the same year we were coming home. She died in the hospital in Campbellton and he had my cousin, he married my cousin and he was with her. Well, I says, “How come?” I says “Lionel, that’s not Veronica, my sister, how come?” And they told me. Just as well they had of taken me and gave me a real beating. I couldn’t talk, I was stunned. I was stunned from the shock of hearing she was dead.

Mr. Hunt describes his bittersweet homecoming - a warm family reunion and learning of his sister’s recent death.

Hector Hunt

Hector Hunt was born in Pabos Mills, Quebec, on December 9, 1911. His father was the local river guardian. Mr. Hunt was the second oldest of 16 children. He had little schooling, having gone to the woods at the age of ten to cut pulp with his father. He also transported supplies to his father when he was busy on the river. At sixteen, Mr. Hunt started work at the Chandler pulp mill for twenty-five cents and hour. When the opportunity to enlist occurred, he signed up anticipating better wages and lifestyle. He had very little basic training and no live ammunition weapons training. Mr. Hunt served in Newfoundland before eventually being shipped overseas toHong Kong. He was a POW in both Hong Kong and Japan, where he worked in the coal mines near Niigata. Mr. Hunt credits his strong faith for helping him to endure his time in captivity. After completing his service, Mr. Hunt returned home to work in the local mill.