Billy's Badge

Heroes Remember

Billy's Badge

Transcript

There was one lad, Billy Doss. I met him in Vancouver, under Birk’s big clock. You know where that is? And he … I was waiting for a girlfriend, and he came. There was a café right there, and he says, “Jesse, let’s go and have coffee.” We had a piece of pie and he gave me his badge. He said, “I’ll take it back when I come home.” He was blown to bits over there. I’ve still got it. I shine it every once in a while and look at it. Well, it was so nice for … that some of them came home. There’s a lot of boys are buried over there. The one that gave me the badge, nobody seems to know where he’s buried. I’ve asked and I’ve asked, and nobody seems to know.

Description

Ms. Gaspard speaks about receiving the badge of a soldier who later died in action.

Jesse Gaspard

Ms. Gaspard was born April 26, 1918, in British Columbia. That same year, both parents died from an epidemic flu, and she was then raised by her aunt Minnie. At the age of 19, while living in Victoria, BC, she and her two girlfriends decided to join the army. She received her training in Vermilion, Alberta, and became part of the Canadian Women’s Army Corp. Ms. Gaspard remained in Canada and provided much of her wartime service at Currie Barracks in Calgary, Alberta. She specialized in administration and worked in the ration stores. After the war, Ms. Gaspard moved to Ashcroft, BC with her husband, a Second World War Veteran.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 1:09
Person Interviewed:: Jesse Gaspard
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Canada
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC)
Rank:: Administration
Occupation:: Clerk

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Billy's Badge

Heroes Remember

Billy's Badge

Jesse Gaspard

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Billy's Badge

Heroes Remember

Billy's Badge

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