Ottawa, the day that war is declared
Heroes Remember
Ottawa, the day that war is declared
Transcript
Description
Mr. Bowen describes the atmosphere in Ottawa the day that the Second World War is declared, through the eyes of a fifteen year old paperboy.
Gerald Bowen
Gerald R. Bowen was born in Ottawa, Ontario on October 13, 1925. He attended Lisgard High School, and was a paperboy. His family had prior military experience. His uncle had served in the Air Force and his father in the Army, later becoming an historian with the Department of National Defence. Mr. Bowen enlisted in the Navy where he became a telegrapher, serving aboard a Royal Canadian Navy frigate on convoy duty in the North Atlantic until the war ended. He left the service for a brief time and re-enlisted in the Canadian Army, where he became a paratrooper and a specialist in sabotage. He later served as a peacekeeper in Cyprus. Mr. Bowen’s extensive experience in the Canadian military offers us some very informative and perceptive anecdotes.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 1:33
- Person Interviewed:
- Gerald Bowen
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Canada
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Mr. Bowen describes his role setting booby traps for the enemy. He describes in detail eliminating an enemy stronghold on a hill nicknamed ‘Guerty’.
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Mr. Bowen discusses the fact that the Chinese would set ambushes for stretcher bearers attempting to recover the dead, and would sometimes booby-trap the corpses.
Peacekeeping in Cyprus
Mr. Bowen offers his opinion on being called a ‘peacekeeper’ and goes on to describe patrolling Cyprus’ Green Line, which divided the Turks and Greeks.
Army officers are versatile.
Mr. Bowen offers his perspectives on how being an Army officer helped shape his attitudes and abilities
War is inevitable.
Mr. Bowen talks about ongoing conflict and its inevitability.
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Mr. Bowen describes the emotional impact that Remembrance Day has on him and discusses how the war robbed him of his youth.
Humans weren’t the only enemy.
Mr. Bowen describes his rather humorous rescue of a buddy from a boa constrictor.
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