Q: Does it surprise you to realize that, even after two global conflicts, war continues to rage in different parts of the world?
A: No, it doesn't surprise me, because that's the way human beings are. World War One, when that was fought and ended, that was supposed to be the war to end all wars. And certainly World War Two, experiencing five years of the world at war - I thought after those there would be no more wars. But my opinion about that changed after I got older and got involved in the world more than being a military person.
Q: When did you come home?
A: I returned to Newfoundland after the war ended in 1945. I got out of the military when I came back. I went back to Robert's Arm because that's where my parents were living and I already knew Myrtle before I left. She was very young then, but she was my sweetheart and I never forgot about her. So when I came back, she was working in Corner Brook. I came back on Sept. 25, 1945 and I wanted to get married the next day, but she kept me waiting for a year, rightly so. She was still very young."
Q: You worked in the pulp and paper industry for a few years before deciding to go to school. Where did you study?
A: I went to Mount Allison University (in New Brunswick) in 1961 and I studied arts. I went from there to Pine Hill Divinity Hall School of Theology (in Halifax), which is now the Atlantic School of Theology, and I graduated from there and came back to Newfoundland and was ordained to the Christian ministry in St. John's. I then took a year's leave of absence from the conference, and went to Asbury Theological Seminary (located in Kentucky) and took another full year in theology and evangelism. I had ministries in Newfoundland and Ontario before I retired in 1987. That's when we came back home and we've been here ever since.
Q: Many veterans don't have a lot of pleasant memories of war, but you have one that's good.
A: I suppose the biggest thrill of my life when I was in the military was on my birthday, which is May 31, and I was in action then up in the mountains in Italy. I received a telegram from Myrtle wishing me a happy birthday. It was so wonderful, you can't imagine. I'm assuming it took her a full month's worth of her wages at that time to pay for that telegram to reach me in Italy. And I got it on my birthday. Isn't that beautiful?
Q: What made you decide to join the military in the first place?
A: When I am asked that question by young people today, I say it was for the simple reason that they might have the privileges that they have now - the freedom to do as they wish; the freedom to live. That's why. And, of course, in defence of my country. If we hadn't gone and fought and won a victory, we wouldn't be here today. We wouldn't have this freedom."
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