Returning to Civilian Life
Heroes Remember
Returning to Civilian Life
They had the band there to greet us and they had quite a few
speeches and stuff. And then they took us to the armouries and
we each had a free beer and the whole bit. And then they had to
rush us to the railway station to catch the train for Calgary,
‘cause it was due to leave right away. Then we‘d go back to
Calgary six o’clock at night, nobody there at all. We marched
to the armouries. There was a beer there available. You could buy
a bottle if you wanted. Our parents were there to meet us,
but nobody else. When I first got home, I had an awful time.
I couldn’t stay in one place. My folks had moved to their
retirement home in town at the time. I was there for a day or so,
and then my brother was on the farm. He had me out there for
a year or so. I had another brother in Calgary, go down there.
One of the young guys from Korea got wounded, had to go to his
place. I had a rough time. It’s something that stays with you.
I got disability pension for post-traumatic stress, but it
doesn’t leave you completely. Some of them had it so bad,
they couldn’t take it. They’d take their own lives.
It would drive you crazy if you dwelled on it.
You just ignore it, think about something else.
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