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I was born 8 August 1920 in Truro, Nova Scotia. My father, Eugene worked at Borden’s Milk Factory and my mother, Ethel nee Crowe was a housewife and a very busy one with five sons and six daughters. I was the second oldest and my younger brother Russell was also in the military but he didn’t get overseas.
Prior to enlisting in the military, I attended College Road School and Truro Central School and worked in Wilson’s Grocery Store on Inglis Street. I joined the Army in Truro and went to Yarmouth for Basic Training in 1941. After Basic I was posted to the Royal Canadian Ordinance Corp in Halifax.
I went overseas on HMCS CYNTHIA to Aldershot, England for Advanced Training. I then transferred to the North Nova Scotia Highlanders who at that time were fighting in Caen, France. In a two-week period I went from the youngest soldier to the oldest. I saw many of my friends either wounded or killed. I was with my Company through the rest of France and Belgium.
We spent the winter of 1944 in Nijmegen going out on patrol until the Spring of 1945 when they made the last push into Germany. I was wounded in Kleve, Germany and sent back to hospital in Belgium for three weeks and recuperated in Holland at a holding depot where I received rehab for two weeks. Then I was sent back to the front lines until the end of the war.
When the war ended I was shipped back to Halifax and was met by my Dad and father-in-law. I guess I forgot to mention that I married Helen Henderson on 2 December 1941 and we have one daughter. I was released from the military on 23 March 1946 at Depot # 6 in Halifax.
I often think of my war experiences and the things that happened but I have no regrets and would do it again if I had to. I’ve been a member of the Royal Canadian Legion for 45 years. My hobbies include hunting, fishing and bowling.
*Source:www.billcasey.ca
