HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-11-04, Page 121:
Exeter es -Advocate
Family
World War II veteran looks back
on Normandy Beach, Just four days
after D -Day. Brintnell says he and the
other men were aware of what had
just happened four days earlier. but
says his group didn't meet with any
German resistance until they arrived at
the Carpiquette Airport, which was one
of the first airports the Canadian Army
was able to overtake,
From Carpiquetto, Brintneil's group
moved to the Caen River, about 25
miles, from the French coast. There
they had to construct bailey bridges
before they could cross because all of
the bridges had been blown up.•
Once they wer.e constructed.
Brintnell says he was one of the first
men over the.river.
Shortly after. though, near a town
called Ifs, Brintnell says.he "met my
Waterloo" when, ridinga motorbike,
he hit -a mortar bomb and ended up in
the ditch with his bike on top of him.
. Ile lay there fv_r hours before being
• jack B•rint•nell enlisted in the Second Picked up by medics and was sent back
World War when he was 20 years old. • to England because,
While he was eager to.go overseas to h r s lout was ,.smashed up". Itis foot
fight, he admits there were some scarywas damaged
to the point whore he receives an army
times' pension. heir r,.,ays .�-- iy
njury-iii
Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE SfAI'�:
minor and didn't interfere' With the
rest of his life.
Brintnell remained in England for
• - the rest oI' the war and was c ttego-
EXETER While it's impossible for riled by ,the army
younger generations to understand the as an L3 soldier—
.younger
too injured to go• back to the war, ..but
IuII impact war can have on a person,
not.inbe eci badly enough da. he'nci�d
the memories don't fade for those who
c d to be sent back to Canada
participated.
Exeter's Jack Brintnell enlisted in r)e his injury might seer) t
a stroke of luck because it got B
the Second World War alongsout of combat, Brintnell didn't
buddy. Hilton Saunders in May t]' that way. .
and partici aced in the war in England. "l was disappointed: that I co
P
and France, gland. go back."
Brintnell joined the Royal CanadianBrintnell said he was,awa
Regiment Infaptry and said going to Through the -war how the Allies
war was something he wanted to get doing and said the troops were ke
involved in, although he can't really.to date on what was happenin
describe why he joined. He says simply says•there was -never a time whc
that the country was asking for volun- thong*ht Canada would lose the he
• teers so he volunteered. Ile docs. however.
In fact, Brintnell wanted to.go so during admit r.
b In enlisted without tellingto_his
some scary times ac the was
Parents. While he's not sure what his When •I was in France I was sc;
- I'm not afraid Co admit that."
- mother's initial reaction was when she There were some good mom(
heard her son had joined the war,- •
though. Brintnell remembers a tim
Brintnell says his father was proud of England when Prime Minister Wilhim. Lyon Mackenzie King came eve
Aly worst fear wi(s (the war) would inspect the battalion.
be all over before I got there . I 'Ile'' was a little short fella," I3rint
couldn't get over there fast enough." Says with a smile._
•
In England,.Brintnell joined the . Brintnell, a former president, of
Royal Canadian liegiment.lst Battalion Exeter Legion, says November is
- in July 1940 after the fall of Dunkirk. important month for him and says
There he was posted on the south nota
thinks about the war often:
coast of England and patrolled. the 'Quite often Igo u t,
•
shoreline."It was a long lonely old tour there and read the names s overeL knn
down there," Brintnell says of his time each and every one of them person
in England. ly."
Ile says one of the risks of the shore- Brintnell's experience in the war has
line patrol was that the men were lead him to feel countries acid e
equipped •with poor weaponry should always avoid wars at all cost pie
tle ammunition, meaning they couldn't I get depressed a little bit when
do much in the case of an attack. people can't get along; together .. .
Also during his time in England, makes me feel sad." ' ilial
Brintnell and hiss i worked d,
on Upon his return toof Canada Brintnell
anti-aircraft duty during went back to school in Chatham and
Britain. g the Battle of eventually worked as branch manager
In addition to his military training in Mills. Ila also spent of the Baden branch of Maple Leaf'
things such as hand-to-hand nd combat
11 years On school
using a bayonet, Brintnell didguard boards and served six years on Jarvis
duty at a race track. �
town council He retired to Exeter in
Brintnell linen left the Roya• l 1983.
Canadian Regiment and joined the
During Remgion visit's
Day cel the
traffic patrol military police where he tions, the Legion visits all of the
was. involved with traffic control with schools in.the area and the Exeter
the Polish Army Division. Villa. Brintnell Will be visiting seniors
While that part of his military career dining at the Youth Centre for a special
didn't particularly involve danger, service.
Brintnell says it was importantAnd Remembrance Da
because it involved learning how to Brintnell, shouldn't just be for Day,
at-
control traffic and avoid traffic jams, erans. Ile credits Canada's current
"Through experience you have to - crop of peacekeepers with doing
learn these things and I think theyimportant work.
dividends in the end." paid 1 think we have to give those guys
On June 14, 1944, Brintnell landed tough Job.• special consideration, too. They have a
o some
rintnell
see it
uldn't
re all -
were
pt up
g; He
he
r. -
had
(red.
.nts,
0 in
Ilam
r to
nell
the
an
hf•
phe
November 4. 1998
TSE.
. '-
QS
T
pT�/1L
E
S
E
. .
i
tOewrite you °jr'Love, oknow
The storiesyou aidwretJDov- E
The
de
•
and
ad
n't
, erors are al tUore.soda y *lends die. Love.
e d �foVie.Ths were Love.
�rbloodshed h�Icowdsee.
tt ruined ?gain asi nightve!lh s�ting to get s1eIts hhpd`eto Love,
The anU her ,tcthick•Tell Io,jo1 spy "Ili".
then,
that lCal!led letHilly enlist, �eve.The sniper here isn't fair.?he bobs are fallinssIOve,Mylde nhharph'oprewar edn'voeThaaen didn'tdie ethetruPetsbioilove'ane hoe* with t
o awitht erSonnPleasw on.tShStears, Love,
ere all good Oilersb g.'ljmember,love you, proud of�lor�retsere tour hidLwv,That tDalY ted for you .
Closis filled n.
I hear Calling LoveCheryl
Rem �6 2ic'p! Noveotbe 1997 l
q��amitypj"zero
N'alerl Conks` e
Laura Sheppard of Crediton and Kyle Ferguson of Dashwood were two of the
more than 30 members of 2923 Huron Middlesex Royal Canadian Army Cadet
Corps who took part in the annual poppy drive in Exeter and Huron Park on
Saturday. Sixty youth are enrolled in the cadets and more are welcome.To get
involved, come to the Huron Park Recreation Centre on Thursday nights at 6:15
p.m.