Surviving The Gas

Mr. Green recalls being gassed by the Germans while at the Front Lines of Northern France. He describes how the German soldiers were quite surprised to find any survivors let alone enough left for defence.

George Leonard Green

Mr. Green was born in Chester, England, in 1895, and, along with the rest of his family, moved to Winnipeg at a young age. Before the war, Mr. Green was in charge of the stationary department at the Great West Life Insurance Company. After joining the 90th Winnipeg Rifles he was sent to Valcartier, Quebec, for basic training. After the completion of basic training, his unit was shipped overseas - they arrived in England on October 12, 1914, as a part of Canada's Expeditionary Force and were shipped out to Northern France soon after. Mr. Green spent two full years at the front lines of Northern France and Belgium - it was rare that anyone would spend that long at the front, let alone survive. After taking sick, he was shipped back to a hospital in England. After he recovered, since he had already spent so much time at the front, he was stationed to a staging camp, teaching Women's Army Corps members to drive. After completing training, he was assigned to Headquarters in London where he stayed until the war ended.

Medium:

Video

Owner:

Veterans Affairs Canada

Duration:

1:48

Person Interviewed:

George Leonard Green

War, Conflict or Mission:

First World War

Location/Theatre:

Northern France

Branch:

Army

Units/Ship:

90th Winnipeg Rifles

Rank:

Sergeant

Copyright / Permission to Reproduce