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William Bissonnette served in the British Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
William Burrell served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War.Content warning: This article contains content which some may find offensive or disturbing.Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
William Parrott served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
In 2009, The Memory Project interviewed William Hitchon, a veteran of the Second World War. The following recording (and transcript) is an excerpt from this interview. Born on 27 May 1922 in Belleville, Ontario, Hitchon enlisted in the armed forces when he was 18 years old. He served with the 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment during the war. After training in Petawawa, Ontario, and Debert, Nova Scotia, he was sent to the United Kingdom. He also served in Italy and North Africa. In this testimony, Hitchon discusses his duties overseas, which included guarding the royal family in 1943. He also recounts bombings in England, as well as stepping on an active, but malfunctioning, landmine. Hitchon served from 1940 to 1945; after the war, he returned to Canada, eventually settling in Trenton, Ontario. Hitchon died on 14 March 2012 at the age of 89, in Quinte West, Ontario. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker's recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
Bill Miller served as a truck driver during the Second World War.Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
In 2009, The Memory Project interviewed William Kondra, a veteran of the Second World War. The following recording (and transcript) is an excerpt from this interview. Kondra was born on 14 January 1922 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941 at the age of 19 and served as crew in a Lancaster bomber. Kondra was a member of 100 Squadron at RAF Grimsby, Waltham, part of RAF Bomber Command. In this testimony, Kondra describes his experiences flying in a Lancaster and carrying out bombing missions on factories. He also discusses the aftermath of a mission to Berlin, when 26 airmen were killed upon landing because of poor weather conditions at their base. After the war, Kondra worked as a flight engineer and engine technician. Kondra died on 10 January 2013 in Saskatoon. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker's recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
In 2009, The Memory Project interviewed William Plant, a veteran of the Second World War. The following recording (and transcript) is an excerpt from this interview. Born on 21 January 1919, Plant served in the Canadian armed forces from 1939 to 1946. He enlisted in his hometown of Brantford, Ontario, at the age of 20 and joined the Toronto Scottish Regiment. Plant arrived in Caen, France, a week after D-Day and served in the Netherlands and Germany. In this testimony, he describes his experiences as a driver of a Bren Gun Carrier (a light armoured tracked vehicle). After the war, Plant returned to Brantford, where he remained until his death on 14 June 2014 at the age of 95. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker's recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
In 2009, The Memory Project interviewed William Rawluk, a veteran of the Second World War. The following recording (and transcript) is an excerpt from this interview. From 1942 to 1946, Rawluk served in the Canadian armed forces with the Calgary Highlanders and The Westminster Regiment. Rawluk was born on 28 August 1923 in St. Paul, Alberta, and enlisted when he was 19 years old. He completed training in Edmonton and Calgary before travelling to Aldershot, England. His regiment arrived in France 30 days after D-Day and fought in the Normandy campaign, during which Rawluk and many of his comrades were wounded. In this testimony, Rawluk discusses his experiences during the campaign, including capturing nearly 20 German prisoners of war. He also describes his occupation duties in the Netherlands after the war’s end. Rawluk returned to Canada and worked as an electrician in Edmonton for 35 years; he died on 6 February 2011 at the age of 87. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker's recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
William Booth served with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals during the Second World War. He was responsible for maintaining communication equipment, working in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
William Carr joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941 after graduating from Mount Allison University. He was sent overseas and flew photo reconnaissance missions in England and Italy.Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
William Cockburn served with the Royal Canadian Artillery during the Second World War.Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
William DiMaurizio served in the Second World War with the Merchant Navy from 1944 to 1950, and gives an account of life aboard the Merchant ships, the danger of the U-boats and the organization of the convoys. He went on to serve in Korean War with the 2nd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment, and an interview on this experience is also available. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker's recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
During the Second World War, William Drinkwater commanded a heavy truck platoon in No. 47 Army Transport Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC) in Northwest Europe. He joined the army in February 1941. Previously a cub reporter for the Ottawa Citizen, his typing skills qualified him for typing Part I and Part II Orders, which he did at Camp Borden, Ontario for 28 months. At Drinkwater’s request, he was sent on officer training and became a RCASC lieutenant. He went overseas to England, then to the European continent to 1st Canadian Reinforcement Unit. Drinkwater then joined the Winnipeg-based No. 47 Transport Company, part of the 1st Canadian Corps. Towards the end of the war, as a captain Drinkwater was a staff learner at Headquarters, 1st Canadian Army.Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
William Earl served with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps during the Second World War through to his retirement in 1975. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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Memory Project Archive
In 2010, The Memory Project interviewed William Earl Wells, a veteran of the Second World War. The following recording (and transcript) is an excerpt from this interview. Born on 6 July 1918 in Hoosier, Saskatchewan, Wells enlisted in the Canadian Army as a private on 8 November 1941 at the age of 23. Assigned to the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, re-supply division, he trained in Jolliete, Quebec, and Camp Borden, Ontario, before travelling overseas to Europe. In this testimony, Wells describes landing on Juno Beach seven days after D-Day and his unit’s journey through Bayeux, Caen, the Falaise Gap, and eventually the Netherlands. He also recalls being seriously injured while riding a motorcycle at the head of the convoy of trucks. After the end of his service in 1946, Wells moved to Calgary, Alberta, where he died on 5 January 2013. Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
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