Return Home to Canada

Heroes Remember

Return Home to Canada

Transcript

Interviewer: The extent of your injuries, Mr. Finestone, what were they? Well, in military parlance, L-5. Your PULHEMS, your medical conditions, ears, eyes, nose, throat, and so on and legs. And there was, you're scored from 1-5. Five is as low as you can go. I was L-5 big. Interviewer: So you went back to Canada, roughly when did you return? Ah, beginning of August. Interviewer: Of 1944? Yeah. Interviewer: Tell me, during that period of time in your convalescence, you saw your mother and father again? When I got back to Canada, sure. Interviewer: What was their reaction when they saw you? My father had turned white. His hair had all turned white and within six months of my coming back, it turned black again. It must have been terrible for him. Interviewer: So he was terribly worried about you? Well, he got the usual telegram saying that, “Your son was wounded in action and his left leg is badly injured.” And then, they woke up to the fact that it was my right leg. So, they sent him another telegram saying that, “Your son has been wounded in action and his right leg is badly injured.” So, he thought I had both my legs gone. When I got to Montreal, I was a stretcher case. But, I persuaded the doctor to let me get off the train on crutches. So, when he saw me walking, he was very relieved. Do you remember the reaction of your mother as well? Well, she was happy to see me, obviously. Happy that I was out of the war. She said, “Now you don't have to go back!”

Description

Mr. Finestone describes his injuries, his return home and the reaction of his parents upon his return to Canada.

Bernard J. Finestone

Mr. Finestone was born in Sacramento, California, and moved to Montreal when he was ten months old. His father served with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery during the First World War. Mr. Finestone joined the COTC while he was studying at McGill University and when the war broke out he was in officer training. Mr. Finestone served as a tank commander in Italy and during the Italian Campaign, he was severely wounded. Mr. Finestone is an active speaker. He speaks to young Canadians about his military experiences and being a Jewish veteran.

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