Hi, Guest
11-12-2005, 11:46 AM
my grandfather was in WW II, was shot and then was a run over by a tank early in the war and lived, it was the soft mud in france that saved him.
He recovered in England, and later went back and was re-assigned to be an ambulance driver. He would talk about the days leading up to the end of the war when he was again reassigned to sniper status in Holland, but even up to his death he never once talked about his job as being an ambulance driver, his only comments when he would see a car accident involving a death or not he would sometimes comment " atleast they have more then 1/2 the body to identify for the family "
My grandfather died 2 years ago from a stroke, and we miss him everyday. He was looking forward to marking the end of the war in Ottawa for the 60th year of peace. Even though he's gone his memory will never be forgotten, we have a small memorial frame with his picture, metals, and his old army hat with a poppy in his hat, framed and on display at my aunts home. I can't help but feel pride for my family as everyone was involved in both war efforts and there are certificates to prove that from the city of Brampton, Toronto, and from the government of Ontario.
Norman Gates was a great man, and so was his father ( my great grand father ) Henery Gates who was in WW I and built the planes for WW II at what is now pearson airport.
He recovered in England, and later went back and was re-assigned to be an ambulance driver. He would talk about the days leading up to the end of the war when he was again reassigned to sniper status in Holland, but even up to his death he never once talked about his job as being an ambulance driver, his only comments when he would see a car accident involving a death or not he would sometimes comment " atleast they have more then 1/2 the body to identify for the family "
My grandfather died 2 years ago from a stroke, and we miss him everyday. He was looking forward to marking the end of the war in Ottawa for the 60th year of peace. Even though he's gone his memory will never be forgotten, we have a small memorial frame with his picture, metals, and his old army hat with a poppy in his hat, framed and on display at my aunts home. I can't help but feel pride for my family as everyone was involved in both war efforts and there are certificates to prove that from the city of Brampton, Toronto, and from the government of Ontario.
Norman Gates was a great man, and so was his father ( my great grand father ) Henery Gates who was in WW I and built the planes for WW II at what is now pearson airport.
I was the only member on this board with a Yellow Focus Sedan, and a 2002+ Euro Facelift on a sedan.