The Highland Light Infantry (Part 1 of 3)
Heroes Remember
The Highland Light Infantry (Part 1 of 3)
Transcript
Mr. Field posing with another soldier among empty cartridges.
and, or during it and anyway, we had these houses, there was a row of houses, you can see them in the back of that photograph, and we were in the basement sleeping on straw, and whatever, and there was space there, and when they brought the infantry back, they said to us, "We're gonna bring the infantry back, you know, the Highland Light Infantry Regiment, and they'll be coming back sometime this afternoon. Would you guys make your place ready, make room for them because, you know, they're badly shot up and they need a rest. So, and help them out, you know kind of thing." And they geared our mess up for them and the whole thing, you know, the mess trucks. And, so, anyways, towards late in the afternoon, well actually, it was dusk, almost dusk, we heard these bagpipes, first I heard a bagpipe, you know, way in the distance. And there is still this mortars going and shells going, not heavily, but sputtering, you know. And we heard this bagpipe, it was really eerie, long way in the distance, you know, and, way over there somewhere, you know, to the east, let's say. And then we heard another one, way to the west. So this, these houses were on a road, you know, they were going down to a crossroads and down at the crossroads there was a Canadian temporary war cemetery. Like, they were burying the dead guys there temporarily and on the other side was a German prisoner of war cage, just, just a fence, you know, but guarded.Description
Mr. Field tells a moving story about the Highland Light Infantry returning from battle, and moving to their next position.
Richard (Dick) Field
Mr. Richard Field was born in Toronto, Ontario, on November 11, 1924, where his father was an accountant for Brazilian Traction Light and Car Power Company located in Toronto. After hearing stories from his grandfather and friends about the service, Mr. Field and his father enlisted in 1943. Serving as a Gunner in the Royal Canadian Artillery, Mr. Field went to the continent after the summer of 1944, and landed at Dieppe. Having witnessed battles such as the Battle of the Bulge, which was, on record, the coldest battle fought during the Second World War, encounters with German POWS and the German SS, nothing stirs up memories such as the moving story about the Highland Light Infantry returning from battle, wearily marching on to battle, serenaded by the haunting melody of the bagpipes. Mr. Field returned home to Toronto and married his high school sweetheart, however, the war never left the dreams and thoughts of Mr. Field, who still, quite frequently, is plagued by dreams and nightmares of life on the front.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 02:10
- Person Interviewed:
- Richard (Dick) Field
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Belgium
- Battle/Campaign:
- Northwest Europe
- Branch:
- Army
- Occupation:
- Gunner
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