Driving a Supply Truck

In the Second World War as a truck driver in the Canadian Amy, your truck was your office, and home at times. Mr. Pelly describes living conditions in his truck and working as part of a convoy carrying supplies to the front.

William Pelly

Mr. Pelly was born February 8, 1921, in Nova Scotia. His father was a labourer who mostly worked in the woods. He comes from a large family having 20 brothers and sisters. Mr. Pelly attended school in a one room school house that was two and a half miles away from where he lived. He left school after only five years of attendance. When he was 14 his mother died and the children were sent to work on other farms in exchange for room and board and would try to return home every weekend to see their siblings and father. At the age of 18, Mr. Pelly went to work in the woods, his duties included getting up early and seeing to the horse and oxen teams that were used at the time. He worked at this until he joined the Armed Forces in 1941. He was one of six boys from the Pelly family to join up. He enlisted in Antigonish, did his basic training in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and was sent to Petawawa for advanced training as a driver. From there he was sent to England via Halifax. In England Mr. Pelly received additional driver training hauling heavy artillery and took a mechanics course as well. In 1943 he joined the Canadian Service Corps, as a staff driver/truck driver. With his new outfit he sailed to Italy after the fall of Sicily. On the way his convoy came under attack and was diverted for a time to Northern Africa before landing in Italy where he took up his position as a driver. Late in the war he was transferred to Western Europe from France to Holland, where he served with the 8th Army although still attached to the 1st Canadian Corps. He was moved from trucks to a staff car position serving at Headquarters. Mr. Pelly left the Armed Forces shortly after returning to Canada.

Medium:

Video

Owner:

Veterans Affairs Canada

Duration:

2:17

Person Interviewed:

William Pelly

War, Conflict or Mission:

Second World War

Location/Theatre:

Italy

Branch:

Army

Units/Ship:

1st Canadian Corps

Occupation:

Truck Driver

Copyright / Permission to Reproduce