Armistice Day

Heroes Remember

Armistice Day

Transcript

Interviewer: Remembrance Day, Armistice Day. You mentioned earlier that every year you say a little prayer for people you've lost. What does it mean to you, that day? Remembrance Day? Remembrance Day to me is a very important event. At one time I paid very little bit attention to it and because I thought it was just another, another parade type of thing. And one day my brother, Henry, called me aside and said “Listen, you got medals up there somewhere in the house, put them on, they're yours, you earned them, take part in those parades and be proud that you're a Veteran. And don't stay at home on the 11th of November, go to the Cenotaph, go and say a prayer for your friends that died, and for others that sacrificed their lives.” And I decided to listen to my brother and from that time on where I take a very active role in all the events and parades and any kind of a celebration that goes on amongst native people. I'm there.

Description

Mr. Knockwood talks about what November the 11th means to him.

Noel Knockwood

Mr. Knockwood was born in the Indian Brook First Nations in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, July 17, 1932. He received his early education at the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School. He joined the Canadian Army in 1951 and at the suggestion of his older brother, a Second World War Veteran, signed up for the artillery. He spent six years in the service serving in Canada, the United States, Japan and Korea. He received his basic training in Shilo, Manitoba. During this training he received courses on atomic, biological and chemical warfare. He was just 18 years old when he went overseas to fight in Korea and was there for 413 days. After returning from Korea, Mr. Knockwood taught small arms artillery and became a drill Sergeant. After leaving the military, Mr. Knockwood furthered his education graduating with a major in Sociology from St. Mary’s University. He went on to teach at Dalhousie University and St. Mary’s University and was a guest lecturer at several other universities in the Maritimes. He received the National Aboriginal Achievement Reward for Heritage and Spirituality in 2002. At the time of this interview Mr. Knockwood was the Sergeant at Arms for the province of Nova Scotia.

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