The Huron Expositor, 1982-11-10, Page 211dYFY
�lF 1 y
P'e lv ev.1r Ye'1N
Legion president
relates five years of
P.O. `„ ;m experiences
BY RON WASSINIIt;
When discussing the two world wars,
veterans are reluctant to relate most
experiences, only talking of humourous
events which took place when they were
overseas. If you ask a veteran to devulge
tales of righting on the front lines ask if he or
she fired against the enemy, or what it was
actually like in combat, the grizzled soldier
thinks 'for a moment and with tears in his
eyes. says he does not wish to talk about it.
One gets the impression, humourous
stories aside. that actual events off the war
were shocking. Veterans of the war. which
ended 38 years ago, have lived with these
memories since. memories so haunting that
they don't want to share them.
Interviewed on personal events of World
War 11, Peter Malcolm 1982.84 president of
the Seaforth branch 156 of the Royal
Canadian Legion said he joined the Scottish
Territorial Army. 51st Highland Division in
1932.
In January 1940, his division was sent to
France to liberate other forces fighting in
that country, The division was ordered to
transport supplies to "troops at the front."
Pctcr was engaged as a service man.
repairing equipment.
Six months later, in June, the division,
over 30,000 men, were captured by "the
great General Rommcll and the Black
Panthers." Peter was one of the captured
men.
The prisoners of war (POW) marched 500
miles, averaging 20 miles per day through
France. Belgium, and Holland to the
German prison camp. Stalag 8B. Protected
under the Geneva Convention, prisoners
who took ill on the march were transported
to the nearest hospital. Peter said they were
not left to dic.
Once in the camp. prisoners were shaven
and dc -loused, "We have lice from the day
we wcrc captured, the remaining five years
as 5 P.O.W," says Peter. "We slept on
bunk beds, three high, with mattresses of
straw." The daily meal, shared among
eight mon, consisted of one loaf of bread.
ESCAPE?
One would get the impression that
prisoners spent their days. loafing about,
thinking of ways to c•scapc.•A daily routine,
not a pleasant one. consisted of grading the
prisoners. 'those in A• I condition were sent
to work in coal mines. A working day was
not eight hours but 12. most times seven
days per week. "That's what 1 did for four
and a half years", says Peter,
Peter Malcolm. 38 years later. would not
remind anyone of a strong. stalwart g�taiift
a man. In fact, he is on thc sho idk,
stocky. with no trace of excess weight. To a
stranger. he may seem to have a hard
tcntpernrcnt, but in rcality..thc opposite is
trQc1
Speaking with a Scottish burr. Peter said
escape rias virtually impossible. "The odd
one got out hut was always brought back
and punished," Punishment took the form
of half rations and 12 hour days in the
mines.
"Wc ncvcr thought of escape. It seemed
a waste of time. The only chance we may
have had was during the march. but thcn
there wcrc too many guards."
Pctcr said the first two years were the
hardest. After that. Red Cross parcels were
corning through weekly. Containing cigar,
cries. chocolate bars. fruit and various other
goodies. parcels were shared amongst the
prisoners. He said friendly German guards
donated veasl which was mixed with the
fruit to make jungle juice. At the same time,
he received a set of bagpipes, an instrument
he continues to play,.Letters were received
and could be sent but were always
censored,
Questioned as to the type of treatment
received, Peter said the "young Nazis were
pretty rough but the old World War 1
German soldier was very good, bringing us
extra food, secretly,"
Not wishing to discuss -the P.O.W. camp.
in detail Peter did say there were "lots of
rats with heads which seemed as big as our
own. We used to kill them,"
Wiping tears from his eyes, Peter said he
had two buddies in the camp. Both died as
prisoners of war. "1 was one of the lucky
ones. My only problem was hemorrhoids.
TO BULGARIA
Knowing enemy troops were closing in,
the Germans began marching prisoners
towards the Bulgarian mountains. Peter
said he marched for eight weeks, beginning
in January, in the dead of winter. Fellow
comrades collapsed and died. "Food was
very poor. Prisoners who did not survive
died of dysentry."
Recounting the events leading up to
liberation, Petcr,said his group was resting
in a bush. "One plane followed the march
for three days. At first the pilot thought
most of the group was Germans and fired
upon them. He then realized the men were
P.O. W.'s"
"One of the crazy generals the Yankees
had, General Patten and his division
liberated us. We wcrc given rifles,
ammunition and food." Peter was liberated
in July, 1945,
To the most asked question, and the most
reluctantly answered, Peter said he did fire
upon Germans. "It was either us or them
and they had the upper hand." Relating
back to the prison camp, Peter said one
toilet and one wash basin had to bc shared
by400men. "If you wanted to wash, you
had to get up three hours before every-
body,"
Following his liberation, Peter and his
group wcrc flown to France. Following a
one day stay, they travelled to England
where two days wcrc spent cleaning up and
receiving new clothes. He thcn went home.
When asked if he was glad to get home,
Peter replied, "Damn right." "1 could write
a hook on P.O.W. stories but you wouldn't
believe them. They're hard to tell. Since
coming to Canada in 1953. I ncvcr talk about
the war. On November I I. veterans only
talk about good times. after the war." Ile
cgnduded his service as a mac}cine,inner
2iiCtl°re RWhl Atttilfcry. "
FIVE YEARS
Peter still cannot believe he spent five
years in a prison camp. "When we were
captured. we ncvcr thought it would be five
%cars! We figured we would be home in six
months. After five years. most of us figured
we would ncvcr get out. If a guy didn't have
stamina, he would never have made it, I
never had any regrets. 1 loved the army. If
war broke out today. I would be right
there...
Peter feels Canada "looks after veterans
prat% good. The Legion dues great work, If
it wasn't for the Legion. old veterans might
not gel %cry much at all."
Although Remembrance Day doesn't
seen important to sonic. Peter feels "it's
something that shouldn't he forgotten,
"Ten scars from now. I hope it will still bc
•
going strong." -f'; "
s
IN OBSERVANCE
OF
EMEMBRANCE
DAY
Our place of business will be
closed all day, on
Thursday,
November 11
FORD
SE�FORTH
MOTORS LIMITED
SEAFORTH 527-1010
STRATFORD AREA CUSTOMERS: 271-1626
52'-0610
d
1-17
t '
,y
May we never forget
their courage
Seaforth Creamery
(1981) Inc,
Seaforth
h
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, NOVEMBER 10, 1082 — A21
IN AN ATTEMPT to gain first hand knowledge of experiences of the two
great wars, several veterans were interviewed at the Seaforth branch of
the Royal Canadian Legion a week before Remembrance Day. In addition
to the experiences, veterans were asked for their thoughts on
Remembrance Day and why many people do not find the day significant.
From left are Peter Malcolm, Barbara Scott, Paul Doig, Peg Coombs and
Cleave Coombs. (Wassink photo)
Veterans recall
BY KRIS SVELA
Remembrance Day holds a special
significance for different people of all ages.
For mime it is a time to remember fallen
comrades, while others reflect on the
hardships they endured as civilians with
fond rations, blackouts and air raids. Still
others• too young to have experienced the
tragedy of war, take time out to remember
those w ho Inst their lives in both world wars.
For the 'cterans of both wars the memories
are still with them.
Peggy. Coombs and Barbara Scott, .
members of the Ladies Auxiliary at the
Seaforth Branch of the Royal Canadian
Icgmo. recall growing up in England
during the war from 1934 to 1945. Thcv
rcnu 11hcr the air raids• working in factories
kir the mar effort, the deaths of fancily
members and friends. and the overwhelm
ing feeling of togetherness as neighbours
coped through difficult times.
"'I he worst experience I had during the
war etas when my father was killed in
France In 19.19." Mrs. Scott explains.
II etas during the war that Mrs. Scots
joined the Auxiliarl 'territorial Service
1:1'15). helping train Red Cross workers to
handle ckilian casualties. She admits It was
a difficult time to grim up in.
Mrs, Coombs agrees. She oorkcd in a
printing shop during the mar and recalls the
bombings and the food rations.
It got lo the point during the air raids
that me (the worhersl mould work through
the raids because we had gotten uu'to the
It takes just a moment
to remember
1D
BANK
TORONTODOMINION BANK
where Deopin make the difference
52'• I460 Seaforth
In Respect of Remembrance Day
Our Office, Showroom &
Warehouse
will be closed all day on
Thursday, November 11
BALL-MACAULAY
komecatv
RUILDI 4G CENTRE
DE11Vr p. nvn nFI1
SEAFORTH
S2' ItI0
They fought
for our freedom
Seaforth Insurance
Broker Ltd.
',e.1 forth
memories
bombings :Ind the noise." she recalls.
They both remember the one fresh egg
thea received each month and the meagre
rations of bread. butter and meat, available
:11 the time. Coastal communities were
better off than many other inland areas
because ilii could supplement their diet
will] fresh fish.
I'hc pair can still remember German
bombers dropping bombs that were left
oyer from London raids on their way back to
Germany. Torn homes and buildings wcrc
the result of many random bomb attacks.
'Ihc two women recall the closeness they
experienced with their neighbours as
everyone pulled together to help each other.
1odos the twowurncnarc active in Legion
crogr;ttn.. directed at helping oar veterans.
Each year they travel to Westminster
Hospital in London to visit the veterans
there. many of them casualties of the two
wars. The Ladies Auxiliary adopts indivi-
dual veterans to help them lead normal lives
outside of the hospital. They also host an
annual gathering of veterans in Seaforth,
and donate money for the veterans' pub at
the hospital
On Thursday November 11. Remem-
brance Day. Mrs. Coombs and Mrs. Scott
w ill join with thousands and other war
veterans in remembering those who died in
both world wars and the memories they
(cake of thc years of conflict.
They both agree that they hope nobody
w ill have to live through another war.
Wear a poppy
in remembrance
MacLean's Flowers
52"43121
Seaforth
Remembrance Day
November 11
Bob £t Betty's Variety Ft Gifts
Radio thaw Seaforth
A moment's silence
for a lifetime of
freedom
Town of Seaforth
We are free to choose
because of them