Service aboard a British Destroyer
Heroes Remember
Service aboard a British Destroyer
Transcript
Description
Mr. Pellerin talks about the hasty placement of him aboard a British ship sailing out of Halifax harbour. The HMS Caldwell was used for convoy protection crossing the North Atlantic.
Victor Pellerin
Mr. Victor Pellerin was born January 9, 1921. One of seven children he was the son of a stone mason, carver/bricklayer, whose work kept him from home for long periods of time.
Mr. Pellerin attended school in Moncton during his early years, also attending school in Memramcook, and later Lagere Corner, also known today as Dieppe, New Brunswick. During his early teenage years Mr. Pellerin worked as a bicycle delivery boy for EA Fryers in Moncton. Later he took a job with Canadian National Railway in Moncton where he worked up until he enlisted for service into the Canadian Navy. After signing up in St. John, New Brunswick, Mr. Pellerin travelled to Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, to do basic training. After completing basic training he was transferred to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he was hastily assigned for service aboard HMS Caldwell, a destroyer assigned to the British Navy, purchased from the American Navy. Mr. Pellerin refers to that type of ship as a four-stoker.
Mr. Pellerin served on convoys between New York, eastern Canada and Great Britain, Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Often referred to as the "milk run."
Mr. Pellerin was later assigned to serve in Halifax working on the gates to Halifax harbour for ships passing through Halifax harbour. Mr. Pellerin served in the Canadian Navy during the VE-Day celebrations in Halifax at the end of the war in Europe. He returned to Moncton after his service and was able to return to his position with Canadian National Railway retiring as a Carman.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 2:51
- Person Interviewed:
- Victor Pellerin
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Location/Theatre:
- North Atlantic Ocean
- Battle/Campaign:
- Battle of the North Atlantic
- Branch:
- Navy
- Units/Ship:
- HMS Caldwell
- Rank:
- Able Seaman
- Occupation:
- Seaman
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