"I'd rather shoot myself"

Heroes Remember

"I'd rather shoot myself"

Transcript

Previous to going to Hong Kong when I was home from Jamaica, I was at a party there one night, and somehow or other word got around to a possibility being taken prisoners of war. I shot my big mouth off saying that rather than being taken a prisoner of war, I would shoot myself. On the surrender of Hong Kong, I can honestly say I did try to commit suicide. I had the, my rifle loaded, cocked, under my chin, my finger on the trigger, but that trigger was just like cement, I couldn't pull it. Which, today of course I'm glad I didn't, I couldn't. Possibly if I had of known what the next, almost three years were gonna be like, I might have had found the courage to commit suicide I don't know. But I did, pardon me. I, after this occurred I, rather than turning my rifle in I took and threw the bullet away and smashed my rifle over a rock and threw it away.

Description

Mr Peterson recalls what he said he’d do if he was to be captured, and what happened when the time came.

George N Peterson

Mr. Peterson was born in Winnipeg February 8, 1921. His family moved to Saint Watell, where he now considers home, when he was five years old. His father was a Veteran of the First World War, having served as a sergeant in Artillery. Having participated in Sea Cadets and the Cameron Cadets previously, with written permission from his father, Mr. Peterson joined the Winnipeg Grenadier Militia as a drummer in the bugle band in January 1938, at the age of 16. Mr. Peterson signed on for active service with the Winnipeg Grenadiers on September 6, 1939, - his twin brother also joined the Grenadiers September 7th, and their father joined the Winnipeg Light Infantry September 12th. Soon after signing on, Mr. Peterson was promoted to Lance Corporal and was made a Mark 4 Vickers machine gun instructor. After Basic Training, his unit was shipped to Jamaica as POW camp reinforcements, but returned to Canada soon after On October 27, 1941, his unit boarded the Awatea in Vancouver, bound for Hong Kong. Captured after capitulating to the Japanese, Mr. Peterson was interned in North Point and Shamshuipo POW camps. While at Shamshuipo he was put to work as slave labour at Kai Tac Airport. Eventually he was sent to Japan to work in a coal mine 120 miles north of Tokyo. After three years and eight months of internment, Japan surrendered to the Americans. Mr. Peterson was reunited with his family soon after.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 01:45
Person Interviewed:: George N Peterson
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Asia
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Winnipeg Grenadiers
Rank:: Lance-Corporal

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"I'd rather shoot myself"

Heroes Remember