Stumbling upon the Germans
Heroes Remember
Stumbling upon the Germans
Transcript
Description
Mr. Weir describes stumbling upon 400 Germans just before they are bombed by the Allies from above. He and the other 3 men eventually lose touch with the rest of the convoy.
John Weir
Mr. Weir was born in Toronto on July 22, 1919. His father was DSO MC in the First World War, a colonel. He was machine gunner in the 19th Battalion, and was gassed at Vimy and suffered from then on with asthma. After seeing the horrific pictures of the trench warfare from his father's service, Mr. Weir decided to join the Air Force rather than serve in the trenches. He joined the service the day after war was declared and began his training in Winnipeg. He started off as a pilot officer-provisional but wanted to be a fighter pilot. During his service, Mr. Weir was shot down in Barth and captured. He was a prisoner in a Gestapo jail, and was involved in "The Great Escape from Stalag Luft III". He was moved to various prison camps and witnessed atrocities of the Holocaust. He eventually escaped on a forced-march from Bremerhaven to Lübbecke by bribing a German guard.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 02:16
- Person Interviewed:
- John Weir
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Europe
- Battle/Campaign:
- Battle of Britain
- Branch:
- Air Force
- Units/Ship:
- 401 Squadron
- Occupation:
- Pilot
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Mr. Weir remembers being picked up by the Germans and being treated in a German hospital.
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