Confronted by Zoot Suits

We had what they call troop train from Vancouver all the way down to Halifax. So I was on this troop train and we got off in Montreal for a while. Oh yeah, they had to change, something they had to change in Montreal so we had to wait for a couple of hours, I guess you know. I had my rifle still in my full pack. We got off and we were not allowed to mingle with people. They must know what’s coming up. A whole bunch of young people came out, you know, they called in them days, Zoot Suits. They used to have tight, tight pants and chains and knives and what not walking around, great big chains. They’re a messy looking type and girls too. So they knew troops were coming from overseas and they just pack up the station. And he said, no, I grabbed my bayonet and I put my bayonet on my rifle, at least you know, defend myself. We had no ammunition anyway for it. That’s when they called us legalized killers. We were good for nothing else and here we just left the enemy line, fighting with enemy and here’s another enemy in our back yard, you know, to cope with. No appreciation whatsoever, you know, for fighting for freedom.