Near Misses

Heroes Remember

Near Misses

Transcript

Early on in Sicily, I think it was our first encounter with the German soldiers, and they were setting up on high point looking down on us and lobbing mortar shells on us. So we, we had to get them away from there so we could proceed. Lieutenant Swan again and myself and three other guys were told to go up this hill and clear the hill and, which we did. And when we were going up this, and it was fairly steep hill, we spread out in single file sort of thing and advanced. And they were shooting at us like crazy and we were stupid and we, you know it was like, still like training, we kept going. We captured three Germans when we got to the top and they said "You guys are crazy!", says, "Why didn't you take cover?" But we didn't have that much sense to do that. And we were very lucky then. But after we had taken these soldiers and sent one guy back with them, the German prisoners I should say, we were still trying to find out where this observation post was and finally they opened up at us with a machine gun again. And one guy got hit, and I don't remember where he got hit. And the two of us grabbed him and was trying to carry him. And we were going back up the hill and they were shooting from down here, they had a clear view on us and I was on the left side of the guy. But anyhow, you know, we have these ammunition bandoliers, they call them, over our shoulder and one shell hit it and ripped it right off of me and I didn't get hit again. So you know, you have so many, many close shaves that you know, you wonder when, when the next one's going to get ya. Earlier on, there was two of us standing in a building looking through a window watching the Germans set up a machine gun that we wanted to shoot them, and the officer says, "No, get the guy with the PIAT gun." That's an anti-tank weapon. And I never did figure out why he done that. But anyhow, I was standing with my back up against the wall looking out and I got this strange feeling and I jumped away and a burst of machine gun bullet went right where I was standing. So you know this is why I say sometimes you wonder if there isn't somebody looking out for you, cause that happened so, so many times during twenty-three months of war that you are almost convinced that you have a protector.

Description

Mr White recalls two instances where he narrowly escaped certain death.

Maurice White

Maurice White was born in Coldwater, Ontario, on January 2, 1925. At a young age, his family relocated to Grassland, Alberta, where he was raised. After being rejected as too young by the air force, he successfully enlisted with the army, joining the Prince of Wales Armoury in Edmonton, Alberta. By the age of 17 he was an instructor, carrying the rank of corporal, but anxious to serve overseas he left his rank, to serve as a Private with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. For 23 months Mr White served in the Italian Campaign, seeing action in such cities and towns as Ortona, Sicily, and Ragoona. Although not a religious man, his numerous near death experiences left him believing someone may have been watching over him He served with the military police for a year after the end of the War before returning to Canada.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 03:16
Person Interviewed:: Maurice White
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Italy
Battle/Campaign:: Italian
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: 1st Special Service Force
Rank:: Corporal

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Date modified:: 2019-06-20