Memoirs of Gordie Bannerman - World War II

• Petawawa Camp was a memorable place, as here is where we all were so many miles from home. Letters were the means of communicating in those days, also the hope for a parcel from home with the things you did not get in the army. During our stay in Petawawa, the service clubs were active. The Salvation Army, and Knights of Columbus being two of the most predominant.The Sally Ann was really the best. Their good work continued overseas and they were always the nearest to the forward areas when we went into action. The Sally Ann had a Major Waters in charge. A more kindly soul you could not find anywhere. If he spotted a really homesick chap he would find some excuse to talk to him. While talking to him he would say young fellow I note your unit badge is on a little askew. Go over to the corner and Mother Waters and some other older ladies will sew it on for you, and while you're at it take a free cup of coffee with you. Well this was a ploy so that the young fellow would be able to talk to the ladies, and they in turn would cheer him up. The Waters were great people, Like most veterans, we still donate things to the Sally Ann. They were the best!

  There was great wet canteens, with the Sappers canteen called the Merrie Sappers Canteen, or was it Tavern? Also, the large Gunner canteens. I think each regiment had its own officer, sergeant, wos, and gunner canteens. I recall one sergeant major on a Saturday sitting in our Wos and Sgts mess mumbling away about something. I thought he had quite a few beers under his belt. Seeing he had an audience, ME, I heard him say what kind of a dirty trick was that. Put the glass of beer to his mouth and a small turtle swam into the glass of beer. Now he said if you have to go do not do it while in my mouth. That exchange over with the turtle he put the beer glass to his mouth and had the turtle once again in his mouth. This stunt to a naive farm boy was something else. Apparently Sgt Major Daykin kept doing this same stunt in the pubs in England. Sgt major Daykin was a ww1 veteran and was transfered out to a noncombatant holding unit and I imagine soon sent back to Canada. I suppose with turtle.

  We had some fatalities here, Jim McConville and Alfie Jordison were walking over the bridge coming back to camp when Jim was struck by a car driven by an engineer officer. He would not let Alfie put Jim in his, the officer's car, in case he got blood on the seats. Jim as I remember was killed on impact. I cannot recall if the officer was charged or not. Alfie Jordison did not get his wish to accompany his buddy's body back to Aneroid Sask where they both came from and were the best of friends. Sgt Bill Lloyd brought the body home, much to a lot of crticism. But that was the army. Apparently that was the way it was supposed to be. Rules could have been bent. Alfie still lives, but Bill Lloyd a long time fellow Sgt major passed away not far from his 90th birthday,

  One of our officers lost his life on a motor cycle and memory is not too good on this one but I believe he was in the sidecar of the motor cycle. He was Lt. Allen. He had a brother in the regiment, a Marty Allen, who used to play hockey with the Yorkton Terriers. Marty survived the war and was a railroad conductor. He married overseas. Both Marty and his wife passed away a few years ag. Sad part of writing this so many years after the war that there is so few left, so if I write a book who would buy or read it.

  1941 was a very long year with so many new things happening. We started to mature and change from boys to youth to, we thought, real gunners ,.