Signing Up
Heroes Remember
Signing Up
Transcript
Picture of Mr. Pelly as a recruit.
Interviewer: Where did you go next? From there we went to basic training in New Glasgow. Interviewer: What do you remember about the basic training? Well, you get up every morning, shave and wash and that, then go out and do an hour's PT before breakfast, come back and get your breakfast, and then you went to work on the parade squares and that, and learn to march, and how to, even how to tie your own shoe. Couldn't even learn . . . You had to learn to tie your shoes. Yeah. Interviewer: What do you remember about the NCOs during that period? Oh, the NCOs were beautiful. They just put you through your drills and if you done what you were told, yes, no problem. Yeah It was the . . . The NCO in charge of the gates and stuff at night, we even got to know him, and Corporal Bubs was his name. We called him Corporal Bubs. They all had . . . he even had . . . mark an "X" on my bed. When I wanted to go out at night, stay a little late, mark an "X" on the bed. He'd mark me in. They were great, yes. No problem.Description
Mr. Pelly talks about joining the Canadian Army with his brother.
William Pelly
Mr. Pelly was born February 8, 1921, in Nova Scotia. His father was a labourer who mostly worked in the woods. He comes from a large family having 20 brothers and sisters. Mr. Pelly attended school in a one room school house that was two and a half miles away from where he lived. He left school after only five years of attendance. When he was 14 his mother died and the children were sent to work on other farms in exchange for room and board and would try to return home every weekend to see their siblings and father. At the age of 18, Mr. Pelly went to work in the woods, his duties included getting up early and seeing to the horse and oxen teams that were used at the time. He worked at this until he joined the Armed Forces in 1941. He was one of six boys from the Pelly family to join up. He enlisted in Antigonish, did his basic training in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and was sent to Petawawa for advanced training as a driver. From there he was sent to England via Halifax. In England Mr. Pelly received additional driver training hauling heavy artillery and took a mechanics course as well. In 1943 he joined the Canadian Service Corps, as a staff driver/truck driver. With his new outfit he sailed to Italy after the fall of Sicily. On the way his convoy came under attack and was diverted for a time to Northern Africa before landing in Italy where he took up his position as a driver. Late in the war he was transferred to Western Europe from France to Holland, where he served with the 8th Army although still attached to the 1st Canadian Corps. He was moved from trucks to a staff car position serving at Headquarters. Mr. Pelly left the Armed Forces shortly after returning to Canada.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 1:48
- Person Interviewed:
- William Pelly
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Canada
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- 1st Canadian Corps
- Occupation:
- Truck Driver
Related Videos
Driving a Supply Truck
In the Second World War as a truck driver in the Canadian Amy, your truck was your office, and home at times. Mr. Pelly describes living conditions in his truck and working as part of a convoy carrying supplies to the front.
- Date modified: