The Home Front
Heroes Remember
The Home Front
My name is Donald Marshall Sutherland. I was born in Toronto
on the 22nd of June 1916. When I was 7, my father bought a very
nice old house in Weston because he was a keen golfer and he
wanted to be as close to Weston Golf Club as he possibly could be
and so we moved to Weston. In those days it was a,
a village I guess, or a town of 2,500 people in the northwest
corner of Toronto, on the Humber. Jobs were scarce,
money was scarce. I don't think that we ever actually suffered
from The Depression, but it probably curtailed some of
our activities. I can remember I, I joined the Bank of Commerce
in about 1935 and one of the things I remember is that my salary
then was $450 a year plus $100 allowance for living in Toronto.
And if you had to work at nights, and of course everything was
done by hand in those days, no computers, you were given money
to go across the street to the local restaurant where
for 35 cents you could get a three or four-course meal.
My parents couldn't afford to send me to university
and so that's why I joined the bank.
Related Videos
Assignment on HMS Prosperine
Mr. Sutherland became an officer in the navy and volunteers for mine disposal duties.
“Mine Dismantling” Part 1 of 3
Risking his life, Mr. Sutherland secures a mine which is adrift in the Scapa Flow close to some battleships. Because of this action he was mentioned in a dispatch.
“Mine Dismantling” Part 2 of 3
Risking his life, Mr. Sutherland secures a mine which is adrift in the Scapa Flow close to some battleships. Because of this action he was nominated for the George Medal.
- Date modified: