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Sentimental Journey

October 1, 1943

RCAF HQ, London, England

After almost three years in the Canadian Army in Great Britain, I was transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force for aircrew training back in Canada. In the three-week period from October 8 to October 30, 1943, I was at a repatriation depot near Liverpool, England. After bouncing off a previous shaky r . . .

Sentimental Journey Continued

Sept. 26, 1945.

Entering Rotterdam Harbor. The Netherlands.

On board The Mexican In the English Channel.

From where the Rhine River enters the English Channel, it is about 20 miles up the river to Rotterdam, Holland. The harbor pilot had to navigate The Mexican carefully, as there were miles of WWII debris (sunken ships, bombed bridges, etc.). prot . . .

Sentimental Journey Continued

Thursday, Sept 27^th 1945

Rotterdam Harbor -- The Netherlands

Though   rather inaccessible, Bremen is the only   German Atlantic sea port.   In September of 1945 the Nuremberg trials were looming in the coming year and   Rotterdam, Holland   had become the most convenient sea port for the panicky Nazi hierarchy to flee from Europe. The r . . .

Sentimental Journey Continued

Friday, September 28th, 1945

Rotterdam Harbor, The Netherlands

On Friday we were paid our wage of $50 each for our one-way trip (18 days).  Then Dave Miller and I went to an Information Office, where we were sent to the USWSA (United States Wartime Shipping Administration). They had already been told about us but could not help us. However, a Captain Sc . . .

Sentimental Journey Continued

September 29, 1945

Rotterdam Harbor, The Netherlands

On Monday, October 1, 1945, Dave Miller and I took a 20-minute train ride to the Netherlands’ capital, The Hague. A phone call from the Canadian Embassy to the British Consulate brought only the routine answer “No.” So we had no other solution, except for Canada’s official letter saying our passport was in ord . . .