One Close Buddy

We came from a minuscule operation of 1500 men or 2000 men in ‘39, in ‘40 and we’re the fourth largest air force in the western world - of the allied world. I would say that our contribution had to be significant. Not only in the theatre of operations, but again you must think that we had the whole six group. There was 400 some squadrons from fifty, from four hundred to 4, 4,4, triple 4. There were 44 squardons overseas of fighters alone, fighters and bombers and that was significant. The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, I don’t think the war would have been over nearly as quickly if it hadn’t had the air crew provided by the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Which, it wasn’t conceived in Canada. It was certainly spawned here and developed here and brought to head here. So I would say significant.I really only had one close buddy I guess. Many then, many friends but I had only one close buddy from back in my school days, high school days and he is about the only one that I have any deep feeling about and he was on his first operation I believe and he was in on the air drop at Arnhem in a tug Dakato towing a glider and he never made it. Billy Padget and he’s, if I had any hate I guess about the enemy that was, be as a result of him. Other the people in the service, I got lots of good friends, but I don’t feel deeply, you know, about the loss and it’s just, it was part of the game I suppose you might say. It was to be expected. Cold feet and sometimes rain. Well it gives you a time to reflect on the sacrifices that people other than yourself have made for you and on your behalf and rather than thinking that you’re the people or you should be receiving the thoughts and sympathy, I think of the other people that made the, paid the supreme sacrifice and aren’t around here to enjoy themselves in this over taxed land of ours but it is a time of reflection for those that are not with us.