Article about: My Uncle Bill was a dentist before the war and enlisted right away. He left Canada a captain with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in WW2. Lots of action over in Europe, in particular Holla
My Uncle Bill was a dentist before the war and enlisted right away. He left Canada a captain with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in WW2. Lots of action over in Europe, in particular Holland. He brought the Rileys home as a Lt. Col and paraded them through Hamilton.
My father has told me one story about Uncle Bill that I have always liked. His unit was pinned down just outside a town in Holland, hunched down in the ditches on either side of a road. The German fire was brutal, as they were waiting for the Canadians to try to take the village. There was a huge blast from some sort of tank or arty that blew a cloud of cement down the road. As the cloud was blowing past, all of the troops were excited to see a fat pig coming down the road, running from the excitement. Captain Whiteside left the ditch, tackeled the pig, slit its throat, and landed in the ditch on the other side. They all were more concerned that another shell blast, and they would lose the pig, than for their own safety.
This story I actually read about years later in the regimental history of the Rileys. It's sugar coated a bit, and it says that later that day, Dr. Whiteside was giving and anatomy lesson to his troops with a deceased pig.
I guess when the military says "anatomy lesson"... the civilian term for it would be "splashy bar-b-que".
This is him with his men going through Holland. He's the good looking cat in the front with the Clark Gable pencil mustache, closest to the camera.
Even after the war, when there was a lot of his troops that were down and out, and couldn't shake the war out of mind. He would always take the time to help out the guys when he could. My father remembers knocks at the door in the wee hours from 'rough looking men'. Pop would see them eating sandwiches, and polishing off a bottle or two of scotch.
I have a request in to the Canadian Government to see if I can get his military record, but have run into some red tape. Apparently he was in some sort of "special operation group" in Europe that still has some level of secrecy.
Lots of waiting, papers, photo copies, waiting...
Even after the war, when there was a lot of his troops that were down and out, and couldn't shake the war out of mind. He would always take the time to help out the guys when he could. My father remembers knocks at the door in the wee hours from 'rough looking men'. Pop would see them eating sandwiches, and polishing off a bottle or two of scotch.
I have a request in to the Canadian Government to see if I can get his military record, but have run into some red tape. Apparently he was in some sort of "special operation group" in Europe that still has some level of secrecy.
Lots of waiting, papers, photo copies, waiting...
I am sure what they saw and experienced during the war was pretty hard on their system and to go back to a civilian life after was hard too for some . So they would have to look up to army buddy for some help . That was nice of your uncle to help others like that.
It scares me i have some items of a canadian soldier and i want to know more about him as i see of your experience ( with a relative ) i am almost afraid to try as i am not related to that soldier at all . Anyway good luck in your research and keep us inform about it
Hi,
Great story i love it, just imagine tha pig s--t it self through the
bombing and got killed anyway. i bet the pork tasted good to
the guys. Thanks for sharing your uncles history they had bad times there going by the books ect. They look smart marching
throug that area.
dave.
The really interesting twist to this entire story happened not long ago.
I work in a family business and I had all of the paperwork out on my desk at work to get my Great Uncle's military file. I asked Pop if there was anyone else that worked for our family that was with Uncle Bill in the forces. He gave me two names; Anderson was the first, and the second was a Sgt. Philip Ford.
My Grandfather hired these two men before the war, and when they came back, they had their jobs waiting for them. So I wrote their names down on sticky note and put it on the front of my file.
The kid I just hired two weeks previous walks past my desk, and asked me about something work related, glances down at my file, and asks why I have his grandfather's name on a file. Turns out Sgt. Ford, was my new guy's grandfather.
Echo's of the old TV show Twilite Zone theme song here. The stage is set. Now you have to get the records for both and see what fate has brought about.
by SatansCabanaBoy
The really interesting twist to this entire story happened not long ago.
I work in a family business and I had all of the paperwork out on my desk at work to get my Great Uncle's military file. I asked Pop if there was anyone else that worked for our family that was with Uncle Bill in the forces. He gave me two names; Anderson was the first, and the second was a Sgt. Philip Ford.
My Grandfather hired these two men before the war, and when they came back, they had their jobs waiting for them. So I wrote their names down on sticky note and put it on the front of my file.
The kid I just hired two weeks previous walks past my desk, and asked me about something work related, glances down at my file, and asks why I have his grandfather's name on a file. Turns out Sgt. Ford, was my new guy's grandfather.
Great story, SCB, and an even greater twist to it. Time now to get that
kid educated about who his grandfather is and what he (they) did !
Hopefully, he'll show some interest and want to learn.
I love WWII stories like these, thanks for sharing them with us ! !
The new guy and me have talked a few times about what his grandfather did. He said he was very young and talked to Sgt Ford a few times about his tour through Europe, and all that he really got from him was that he didn't like to talk about it. Neil said that all he knows for a fact was that he was at Dieppe, and got off the beach. He took a lot of shrapnel there.
He then asked me what Dieppe was all about.
So I said, first off, it's amazing that your grandfather got home at all since 5000 Canadians went, and 1500 made it back.
Second, no wonder he doesn't like to talk about it, Sgt Ford went through hell to be able to have got home and met you.
I wonder If he realizes the importance now of what his grandfather did and has
a better understanding and feeling of pride in his ancestry...............
My Great Uncle, William Whiteside
.
by SatansCabanaBoy
Bookmarks