The Canadian Army

We have or had, in my day anyway, we had a discipline that was effective and it was not oppressive and I'm saying that when I look at some of the British units that we were in contact with. They, some of their men almost seemed to be afraid of their officers. I couldn't, I couldn't see how an officer could lead men that had that feeling about him, I don't know. You didn't find it in the Canadian Army or if you did it certainly, I don't think that type of officer would be, would remain in command of combat troops too long. They'd give him a desk job somewhere. There's a camaraderie in the Canadian Army that, well it has lasted till this day that's why you've got a strong Legion. Does that answer your question?


Interviewer: It does, how would you rate them as a fighting force?

Oh good, good. Where other troops went to ground under a mortar attack the Canadians knew instinctively I guess that you cannot depress the mortar sights fast enough to keep up with a running man so they'd always charge the mortar, which was very effective. You couldn't, the other, the Americans and the British would go to ground on a mortar attack and call up artillery support. Canadians, if they were close would be, they'd run forward, get rid of it that way.