Sense of Fear is Real
Heroes Remember
Transcript
I remember the first night we went in action. We had to use our
guns, shall we say, to fire and when I looked this way, I had
the first watch, my group was on duty on the gun so we loaded
up the gun and all that and when they said fire we had to fire and
the noise then, all the guns together the noise was more than I
ever heard in my life and I could see the blue flashes out of
the gun muzzle, and I always said it was the only time in my
life that I really said my prayers. It was true and anyone that
tells you any different they’re not being honest.
I can guarantee you that. I heard this big bang, I was frightened to death.
I tell you there’s no heroes when you’re hearing the
banging in the night time, the “dit, dit, dit, dit, dat, dat,dat'' Yah...
Description
Mr. Mercer discusses the feeling of fear he had especially his first night in battle; a sense he believes all soldiers must experience.
Leslie Mercer
Mr. Leslie Mercer was born June 24, 1927 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Being a child of the Great Depression, he went to work at the dockyard at a very young age. He was too young to volunteer for the Second World War but when the Korean War broke out he was quick to join with the Special Force. He became part of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery as a bombardier. After spending a year in Korea, Mr. Mercer returned to St. John’s, Newfoundland, married and raised a family.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Recorded:
- November 10, 2015
- Duration:
- 1:14
- Person Interviewed:
- Leslie Mercer
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Korean War
- Location/Theatre:
- Korea
- Battle/Campaign:
- Korea
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
- Rank:
- Bombardier
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