Description
Mr. Ford reflects on why war happens at all and reflects on his good fortune to have survived to the age of one hundred and two years.
George R. Ford
George Ford was born on March 19, 1897 in Barrie, Ontario. In 1899, his family moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and, when his mother’s health started to fail, on to Victoria, British Columbia. Here, Mr. Ford studied mathematics and surveying, which resulted in employment with the provincial government in the mapping department. Against his parents wishes, he enlisted in 1916, joining the 103rd Infantry Battalion. Mr. Ford went overseas aboard the SS Mauritania, landing in Southampton, England, where he was deployed with the 54th Battalion. He later transferred to the Light Trench Mortar Battery. Mr. Ford saw action on many fronts, but only discussed Vimy in any detail. However, his clear perspective on the futility of war, death, mutual respect, honour, and patriotic duty, honed over a 102 year lifespan, are well worth the viewer’s attention. After the war, Mr. Ford returned to his job as a surveyor. He joined his local Veterans Association, and some time later, the Royal Canadian Legion, Victoria, B.C.
Transcript
I can’t understand war. I mean, to me you’d think you could avoid it somewhere, without so much loss of life. But then, you think we formed the United Nations, you know, to get together, to try and bring peace in the world, and look what’s happening. You can’t win. No, I think that they ... there should be some way that we can come to some … at least for different countries, come to some agreement that don’t cause all this trouble. I was fortunate, very fortunate. As I say, five of us that went over, three killed, one died of illness, and I hung on. But they all ... I wondered sometime, “Why? ” Because I did everything wrong when I went overseas. I mean, I didn’t smoke before I went overseas, didn’t take a drink. When I got overseas, I got mixed up with the boys there and I used to go out party with them, you know. When I come out of the line, at the estamany at night, and I ate anything … but I got through it all. A hundred and two, yeah, going on a hundred and three.