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Description
Mr. Mullin goes off for paratroop training, and meets up with Private Lightning, a canine soldier who he respected enormously.
Bob Mullin
Avant de s'enrôler, M. Mullin a travaillé aux États-Unis comme chauffeur pour une société productrice de tabac. Il a quitté son emploi de chauffeur et est revenu au Canada pour s'enrôler. Il s'est joint à la 20e Batterie de campagne de l'Artillerie le 4 septembre 1937, à Newcastle, N.-B. Il a passé quatre ans en Grande-Bretagne pour recevoir son instruction avant de participer aux combats. Il a combattu au Saillant des Ardennes aux côtés de la 6e Division aéroportée britannique, mais il prétend que la participation de cette dernière ne figure pas dans les dossiers car les Américains ne voulaient pas qu'elle soit connue. En Allemagne, une femme vient le chercher dans la rue pour aider sa fille à mettre son enfant au monde. Au moment de cette entrevue, M. Mullin vivait à St. John, N.-B.
Transcription
Well then, when I went to the paratroopers, we went up to Totten Park, that's where all the British paratroopers were trained. And this is where I first met, Private Lightning, a German Shepherd dog. And I thought, you know, he belonged to the 5th Parachute Regiment, or Brigade I should say. And, he must have made a jump or two before I became in contact with him, because when we, the first morning when we down to draw chutes to go out to the dropping zone, he was all excited, he was all over the place. And he really loved this. And, you know, it helped me, it took my worries away from that first jump. But anyhow, he got his parachute, he drew his parachute he wore a little vest like. He was a soldier, he had a pay book, he drew rations, he had a ration card. And uh, was very well taken care of, one man took care of him. We went out and we loaded into the aircraft and of course his keeper was with him. And they jumped in the middle of the stick. Now his keeper went out first, and the dog followed him, and then I was next. So as we were coming down through the air, I began to talk to him and his tail would waggle, he was all excited, he thought this was great.