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Over Seas
with
Bill “BOOTS” |
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Refugees, 1943 Italy
by Bill Johnson
Some war stories are seldom heard because
during war time, it was against regulations to share them. Perhaps there’s
a hidden story tucked away in the memory of one of your older relatives.
When we landed in Naples, Italy (1943), the
run-down city was a sorry sight, as though the war had sucked its heart
out. Our camp was just outside of town, and we were told that no civilians
should be allowed onto the base. But due to a critical food shortage in
the area, young boys would always be hanging around begging for food to
take home to share with their families. The base food was certainly
adequate, but one gets tired of eating the same thing day after day. Our
leftovers would be put in a barrel at the corner of our area of the base
and the soldiers and officers would turn a blind eye and let the boys help
themselves.
The “no civilians on the base” rule was soon
abandoned as unenforceable. If we were in a camp for any length of time,
one boy would become a mascot of sorts, appearing on the base in a
cut-down uniform, always available to run errands. When we were near a
town, we could always find boys who would shine shoes or give a haircut or
shave. They were paid in the bartering of goods, soap, cigarettes, etc.
Thinking back to my time in Italy, I’m
reminded of one day when we were driving down a road on our way to a
mission. A group of refugees were coming towards us with silent, blank
looks on their faces. Even as our tanks passed through them, their
attitude remained the same. Ahead, we could see them parting for something
else in the road. When we reached that spot, there was a lady in the
middle of the road in the throws of giving birth. As if all of the same
mind, we stopped our vehicles and, as if of one mind, launched into
action. Some of us turned our guns to cover the intersection ahead, and
those with some medical knowledge (one of whom was a farm lad) attended
the woman. Our actions flowed so quickly and smoothly, it was as if we had
planned and practiced this scenario. One of our soldiers stopped a couple
of older ladies and told them to take mother and child to the nearest
farmhouse, or, if they needed medical help, to go to our medics, who were
an hour’s walk down the road. It was like magic--blank faces became
chatter boxes, as these women became alive with hope again. After the
birth, we carried on with our mission and back to the war.
The soldiers in these stories might have been
your relatives. In any case, they were your soldiers. In a time of war,
during the war, these soldiers and so many others were compassionate to
those in need.
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Community Care Peterborough is pleased to
announce the acquisition of a second accessible vehicle. The purchase of a
new van was made possible through the County of Peterborough provincial
gas tax revenue. The van has been retrofitted to accommodate up to 2
wheelchairs and 4 seated passengers. It will be available Monday to Friday
on a first come, first serve basis to registered clients of the ‘Caremobile’.
Community Care Peterborough’s ‘Caremobile’
currently provides accessible transportation to clients living in the
county. This 12 passenger accessible ‘bus’ offers transportation to
medical appointments, adult day programs, and social activities. Following
a preset route, the vehicle provides service weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. The ‘Caremobile’ is also available for group outings on evenings
and Saturdays.
Both these services are available to eligible
seniors (60+) and adults (18+) with physical challenges who reside in the
County of Peterborough.
In addition, Community Care Peterborough
offers a variety of home support services to assist people to live
independently in their own homes and remain in their own community.
For more information call 749-0036. For
information about other services call 742-7067 or your local Community
Care office.
For more information contact: Mary-Lynn
Koekkoek Executive Director, (705) 742-7067
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This was our 11th year selling flowers on the
Mother’s Day weekend for the Multiple Sclerosis Society and our best year
yet! Thank you to all who made donations, bought flowers, sold flowers and
the following businesses: Sayers’ IGA, Hunters General Store, the LCBO and
Donia’s Tim-Br Mart. We raised $1373.00! A special thank you to our
volunteers, your time is precious and we appreciate it very much.
The effects of MS are physical, emotional,
social, financial, and lasts a life time. Thank you for your help to
combat this mysterious disease and its effects upon more than 50,000
Canadians.
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In case you have been wondering, August's
edition of The Voice will contain the list of all of the donors to the
North Kawartha Medical Centre. The actual donors' wall will be up shortly
after that. So, if you would still like to make a donation, it will be
gratefully accepted (forward to the Township of N. K. Office) and there
will still be time to have your recognition, if you so choose, on the
wall. Many thanks for your support. |
