Best Thing that ever Happened to me

Heroes Remember

Best Thing that ever Happened to me

Transcript

You see a guy die, even if it was one of your mates, it doesn't upset you like you'd think it would. It really doesn't. A funny thing really. You think more about it maybe after the war. One thing that happened to me that was very, very... This wasn't sad and it wasn't funny. There came a time when the submarines were being knocked off of, the German submarines knocked off, the planes and the boats were getting through with no problem whatsoever, they decided to give the British Army leave from Italy. And to start off there was one man for each company, that's like a hundred men, would be picked some way or other, to go at a time. We were in a bad place at that time with the mules and the mud and I'd been on duty that night. I'd come back in the morning, got into this bed in the farmhouse. Woke up with somebody to tell me that we were just about to have a draw to see who goes on this leave. We talked a little about it, but we weren't sure. Next thing you know, I fell asleep, next thing you know, I wasn't a sergeant then, corporal I think, this sergeant come, my troop sergeant came to me and said, "You've been picked. You've won." I assumed I had been drawn out of a hat and I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't believe the thought of me going home after that length of time. I just couldn't believe it. And then, this was the bit that I think about so very, very often This guy's name was Crotch. His name was Crotch. You can imagine what we called him, Sweaty. We always called him Sweaty. I met him after the war, since I've been in Canada. Went back for a reunion and I had this feeling all along there was something wrong in this sorting out of the hat and I said to Sweaty, "Tell me." I said, "The war is all over now. Tell me what did really happen that morning when you said you drew my name out of the hat?" "Well," he said, "it's all over I guess and nobody's going to worry now," he said, "But we were all, it's just officers and troop sergeants that did this. We all got together and decided we wanted you to go." And I said it as I say in the book. You can keep all your medals, you can keep all your citations. That was a, from your very young friends, that was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Description

Mr. Tee tells us about how he "won" leave from Italy.

Ronald Tee

Mr. Tee was born in Portsmouth, England, on December 1, 1919. His father served with the navy in the First World War and after retiring from the service moved his family to a small village called Pinner in Northern London. At the age of 20, Mr. Tee found himself being "called up" to the British Army. In February 1940 he joined the Queen's Royal Regiment and was posted to Newcastle. He later volunteered and joined the Reconnaissance Corp. Regiment (later part of the Royal Armoured Corps.) and became a member of the 56th Reconnaissance Battalion. He remained with this unit until the end of the war and held rank as Troop Sergeant. Mr. Tee received an honourable discharge from the service on September 11, 1946. In 1953, Mr. Tee and his family moved to Canada to start a new life. They now reside in Kingston, Ontario. Throughout his lifetime Mr. Tee has been known for his determination, courage, enterprise and his enduring motto of "Keep your chin up mate!" He has written a book sharing many stories and experiences he had as a British soldier during the Second World War.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 3:18
Person Interviewed:: Ronald Tee
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Italy
Battle/Campaign:: Italian
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: 56 Recee Unit (Armoured)
Rank:: Troop Sergeant
Occupation:: Armoured Car Commander

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Best Thing that ever Happened to me

Heroes Remember