Back In France - D-Day plus 2
Heroes Remember
Back In France - D-Day plus 2
Transcript
Description
Mr. Grand eventually takes part in the Normandy landings of 1944. He arrives on D-Day plus two and soon finds himself at Caen, a few miles inland. He recalls his surprise when he discovers that one of the city’s churches has escaped damage in the midst of the carnage from the bombing.
John Grand
Mr. Grand was born in 1909 in, as he described it, “a small hamlet in the wilderness of southern Manitoba.” His father homesteaded in Manitoba and then Saskatchewan. John Grand described his growing up during the Depression as poor and tough.
Mr. Grand was very interested in electronics as a teenager and held an amateur radio licence. He tried to join the Signal Corps in the 1930's, but was rejected for being “too flat-chested”. He remembers being so poor that he often joined the soup line to get something to eat. His first job was on the assembly line at Canadian Marconi for eleven cents an hour.
He joined the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals when war was declared in 1939. He was first assigned as a radio operator, but when his superiors saw his mechanical skills he was quickly re-assigned as a radio technician. His overseas service included landing at Dieppe, participating in the Normandy Campaign and in the liberation of Holland.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 01:33
- Person Interviewed:
- John Grand
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Europe
- Battle/Campaign:
- Battle of Normandy
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- Royal Canadian Signals Corps
- Rank:
- Staff Sergeant
- Occupation:
- Radio Operator and Technician
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Road to Portsmouth and Dieppe
Mr. Grand recalls how his trip to Portsmouth, England would enable him to participate in the Dieppe landing.
Given Their Orders
Mr. Grand describes that when the crossing of the beach at Dieppe got underway, those aboard his ship were called to the main deck to be told where they were going and why.
English Channel Voyage to Dieppe
Mr. Grand describes how the ship continues to move across the English Channel toward France.
Carnage and Courage
At 11 o’clock in the morning, the Royal Navy ship, from which Mr. Grand was observing the carnage on the beach, lay three miles off-shore. Orders were received to proceed to the beach with instructions to “use everything”. Mr. Grand tells of the events that followed and the remarkable courage of three British Navy men who saved the lives of those on board.
Homing Pigeons Carry Message of Losses
Mr. Grand describes his crippled vessel’s journey back to England. He recalls that it was decided to send a message to England, reporting the outcome of the attempted landing, by an on board homing pigeon.
A Return To Dieppe
Mr. Grand recalls that two years following the landing at Dieppe, the French port was again the target of Mr. Grand’s regiment, but for an entirely different and happier reason.
War Nears End...in Germany
The war in Europe was nearing an end and Mr. Grand’s regiment is now inside Germany, moving slowly toward Berlin.
The War Is Over!
Mr. Grand explains where he was and how he reacted when the war in Europe ended.
Cigarettes for a Fine Camera
Many merchandise exchanges took place between allied soldiers and members of the surrendered German army. Mr. Grand describes how he was interested in taking home one of the excellent German cameras and how he arranged a deal.
Words to Young Canadians
Mr. Grand offers a unique response to young Canadians and future generations about service and duty to their country.
A Plea for Understanding the Cost
Mr. Grand is asked if he feels that it’s important for Canadians to understand what he and his comrades went through during the years of the Second World War.
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