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Description
Mr. Danson remembers saying farewell to friends and comrades after he was wounded. He also tells the story of the tragic death of one of his close friends as he tried to escape from a German hospital.
Barnet J (Barney) Danson
M. Danson est né en Ontario, en 1921. Avant la guerre, il travaillait pour Columbia Pictures. En tant que Juif, M. Danson était bien conscient du climat politique en Europe. Quelque chose lui disait que la guerre était imminente, et l'envie d'aller se battre l'a pris. Il s'est donc enrôlé, en temps de paix, dans l'espoir de suivre un entraînement et d'être fin prêt advenant le déclenchement de la guerre. M. Danson était officier d'infanterie dans le Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. À l'automne 1944, il fut blessé et dut mettre fin à sa participation à la guerre. Il devint par la suite un homme d'affaires prospère. Plus tard, il fit son entrée sur la scène politique et servit à titre de ministre de la Défense au sein du gouvernement Trudeau.
Transcription
Gerry at least came over, to say goodbye, and we, I guess we both cried a bit. And, he went off to win the war by himself. About a month later, he was dead. And it was, you know, it was almost a typical Earl Stoll action. He was hit by a piece of shrapnel, and it took the inside of his thigh away. And was taken in to a captured German hospital, and all those hospitals on those days were in tents. And I guess he was unconscious or delirious and when he became conscious, saw that he was in a German hospital and figured he was a prisoner of war. And knowing Earl as I did, he got out and tried to escape. And of course he tripped on a guide wire of the tent, and just bled to death. And that was the end, it was rather sad. Just visited his grave recently in Calais. So why I'm one of four, why I was saved, I don't know. And those are the tragedies of war, even though there are some compensating things, but nothing is worth it.