Description
Mr. Downe recalls traveling down a road near the Falaise Gap when he comes across a dying German trooper.
Russell Downe
Russell Downe was born on February 26, 1924 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He joined the army when he was just seventeen, following in the footsteps of his two brothers, Edward and Robert, who were already overseas. His training took place at Niagara-on-the-Lake. Mr. Downe worked as a motorcycle dispatch rider for most of the war where he was responsible for delivering urgent messages.
Transcript
A place called the Falaise Gap. The Canadian Army captured hundreds of troops in this little valley, the Falaise Gap. And, of course, I was there. They had many vehicles there to haul these people. I was there on a motorcycle as traffic control at that time. So, they passed some time while all these people were being paraded out of the Gap. I took a little road, I can see it yet, a little clay road down the side of the gap. I hadn’t gone very far, I seen a young SS officer laying on the side of the road in very bad shape. So, I stopped to see if there’s anything I could do for him. I said, first, of course, “Do you speak English? ” He said, “A little bit.” He said “I’m dying.” I said “Oh, do you want a prayer? ” “No, no prayers, no God, not for me, no God. I want water.” So I took my water bottle off and passed it to him, told him to help himself. I asked him again, a few minutes later, he was sinking fast, this boy. I’ll never forget that scene either. I said to him again, “Are you sure you don’t need a prayer? ” “No, I don’t believe.” “Okay.” So I stayed with him and left him my water bottle and stayed with him until he died. I went back to where the troops were. But that was an episode of my life that never left me.