The Attitude of Canadian Troops

Interviewer: Mr. Haegert, you were telling me about the Empress of Canada and you were telling me about your duties as a wireless telegrapher aboard that vessel, during that time, did you have the opportunity of transporting Canadian troops to Europe? Yes, yes. We went to Halifax once and brought a whole bunch of Canadian troops to Britain, yes. We picked up in Halifax. I talked to them all, they all looked very tall, very handsome and they were in good friendly relations with the men in charge, you know, they said "We're going to stick right by you" and that sort of thing. I liked the spirit, the spirit was extremely good. Interviewer: Did you notice what unit or what regiment those men were from? No, I wouldn't know what it was, no. Interviewer: You were pleased that they were Canadians? Oh yes. And a matter of fact I saw a lot of Canadians in England at that time I couldn't speak French and they were all speaking French. And one of them was good ... I was shocked, I saw them somewhere, you know, they had Canadian flags. But I spoke to them in English, but I was quite... at that time I couldn't speak French, I do now. Interviewer: What was the attitude that the British people had toward Canadian servicemen? I don't know, I didn't mix very much with them to tell the honest truth. I had an aunt I used to visit in, down in Cornwall. And I, oh I went to the Baptist church there all the time and they all accepted me, I was accepted. My, I think my, one of my aunts were a little nervous about my name, she didn't like my name very much, you know, a little nervous about, it's not a German name, it's a Swedish name. It's a real Swedish name. But, you know, is a little, you know, she a little bit nervous about it. I don't know what else I could say. I was treated with courtesy with everybody as far as I could see. I went down, I had a lot of time ashore, I went down to see where Robbie Burns was born, and I went around the trussix that they.... Everywhere I went I seemed to find people most agreeable to me, I do really. I don't drink at all, you know and I'm friendly and I was quite happy there. As a matter of fact, on the ship, the people on the ship felt more comfortable in Glasgow then in Liverpool. They felt they were more like us that's what they thought.

Mr. Haegert talks about the attitude of the Canadian troops and what they were like.

Joseph Haegert

Joseph Haegert was born in Bethel Mission, India. He was part of a military family of noble descent. His father was Prussian and moved the family to England, where he trained as a doctor in London. His father died when Haegert was three years old so Haegert had to be entirely self-sufficient throughout his life. He was taken out of school at the age of thirteen and put to work. At the age of sixteen, Haegert took a class in wireless telegraphy and was employed as a wireless operator and purser on the Gray, a supply ship. In 1918, he taught himself Latin. He wanted to go to Queens University so he learned German as well. He went to UBC, but was penniless and got traumatic fever, which lasted six months. After that he decided to go back to sea where he rejoined his original ship as a wireless operator. His brother, Sam, was killed in World War One in the Battle of the Somme. He wanted to be a field medic and stretcher bearer in World War One, but was too young. He celebrated the end of the war in Victoria, BC. He came to Canada on the Corinthian and married a Jewish lady. He worked as a civilian for the Western Air Command and with the Empress Line during the 1920s and 1930s as a wireless operator.