Bonds Between the Infantry

Heroes Remember

Bonds Between the Infantry

Transcript

An infantry regiment was like that, because you know that you're going to be into action; one guy's gonna be looking after you and you're gonna be looking after him. That's a tight-knit outfit, any infantry man will tell you that. Even today, as many years after, and I've just lost a good friend here that retired from BC Hydro not very long ago. He's an infantry guy that belonged to my branch of the Canadian Legion which I belonged to for over fifty years right here in Abbotsford and we were just like that. And of all these other guys that were in the army service corps hauling up supplies or whatever they're doing, we call them sharpshooters, twenty- five pounders, five miles back, throwing slugs over top of your head. But we're in there, he was all the way through with the Seaforth Islanders from Vancouver and he came from Vancouver. He was, and Merritt was actually in his battalion before he came to the South Saskatchewan and he was all through Italy and up; he just died here about two or three weeks ago. But we're tight, that's, that's the way infantry guys are, because you're through it.

Description

Mr. Keys describes why there is such a bond between the men in an infantry regiment.

Herman C. Keys

Mr. Keys was born on September 15, 1916. He grew up in Balcarres, Saskatchewan which is sixty miles east of Regina. Mr. Keys started school at the age of six and quit in grade ten, at which time he went to Ontario to find work. His father owned a hotel which he sold before Mr. Keys was born. He also owned two farms and later became a cattle buyer. He died when Mr. Keys was twelve. His mother came from England and was a housekeeper for his father. Mr. Keys had a brother, named Mel and a sister. Mel went into action with Mr. Keys in Dieppe. Mel was wounded but survived the war. Mr. Keys joined the South Saskatchewan Regiment as a rifleman and was a member of the merchant marine for three years prior to enlisting.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 01:12
Person Interviewed:: Herman C. Keys
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Canada
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: South Saskatchewan Regiment
Rank:: Lance-Corporal
Occupation:: Rifleman

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Bonds Between the Infantry

Heroes Remember