WWII - Please meet Parkie, the young kid who made a man out of himself
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Hello Everyone,
The brotherhood has grown smaller by one, Jack passed away on Thursday.
At 1:00 AM in the morning,
I have a last letter from Jack; He left it to be put on the boards, when he passed.
From Jack.
I have been feeling very poorly of late, and I know that my time has come to an end.
I go to be with the one true brother I had, Parkie.
I know that Buster will not be long to follow.
To all my friends, I say so long, if I missed saying goodbye to any of you, it wasn’t my intention.
I have been fortunate in my life to have done things, that, I myself can’t believe I did.
And I did them not just because I had to, But also, because I wanted too.
To parkie’s son, for bringing us three, together again and giving us a place to be the old soldiers that we are.
For living the war all over again with us.The good and the bad, You made me feel young again.
And for giving me his new Hummer to drive, I can go a happy man.
To the grand daughter of a brother in arms, I hope you find everything that your looking for and you live life to the fullest.
Good-bye everyone, remember, Jack loves you.
Jack
When the last of this small brotherhood is gone, The ashes of all three will go with me on horseback, up to West Ridge where they use to go and hunt has Kids, And only I, alone, will be coming down, I think that is what they would have wanted.
Nick.
The brotherhood has grown smaller by one, Jack passed away on Thursday.
At 1:00 AM in the morning,
I have a last letter from Jack; He left it to be put on the boards, when he passed.
From Jack.
I have been feeling very poorly of late, and I know that my time has come to an end.
I go to be with the one true brother I had, Parkie.
I know that Buster will not be long to follow.
To all my friends, I say so long, if I missed saying goodbye to any of you, it wasn’t my intention.
I have been fortunate in my life to have done things, that, I myself can’t believe I did.
And I did them not just because I had to, But also, because I wanted too.
To parkie’s son, for bringing us three, together again and giving us a place to be the old soldiers that we are.
For living the war all over again with us.The good and the bad, You made me feel young again.
And for giving me his new Hummer to drive, I can go a happy man.
To the grand daughter of a brother in arms, I hope you find everything that your looking for and you live life to the fullest.
Good-bye everyone, remember, Jack loves you.
Jack
When the last of this small brotherhood is gone, The ashes of all three will go with me on horseback, up to West Ridge where they use to go and hunt has Kids, And only I, alone, will be coming down, I think that is what they would have wanted.
Nick.
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Nick,
We are all poorer for his passing.
We are all poorer for his passing.
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Nick
Thoughts and prayers to all that knew this great man.
Thoughts and prayers to all that knew this great man.
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I cannot fully express the saddness that has become of me reading these last posts after being away from here for so long. I read the stories of all these great great men and what they've done for us all, it made me proud and humbled at the same time. I will remember thier history as it was written here and use it to give me courage shall the time come that I am called upon to do my duty.
Even in the end, these men rose up to the memories of thier younger years and challenged the demons of thier past to share all they could with us, more sacrifice for our benefit.
It does give me great joy to have been honoured with thier memories and I cannot thank them enough for sharing it with us. I will never forget, never forget the true heroes that walked amongst our ranks.
They are an inspiration to those that serve today and thier accomplishments serve as a source of fear for any would-be enemies.
May you all rest in eternal peace with you're fellow brothers in arms and thank you, for everything...
Even in the end, these men rose up to the memories of thier younger years and challenged the demons of thier past to share all they could with us, more sacrifice for our benefit.
It does give me great joy to have been honoured with thier memories and I cannot thank them enough for sharing it with us. I will never forget, never forget the true heroes that walked amongst our ranks.
They are an inspiration to those that serve today and thier accomplishments serve as a source of fear for any would-be enemies.
May you all rest in eternal peace with you're fellow brothers in arms and thank you, for everything...
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R031 Pte Joe said:I cannot fully express the saddness that has become of me reading these last posts after being away from here for so long. I read the stories of all these great great men and what they've done for us all, it made me proud and humbled at the same time. I will remember thier history as it was written here and use it to give me courage shall the time come that I am called upon to do my duty.
Even in the end, these men rose up to the memories of thier younger years and challenged the demons of thier past to share all they could with us, more sacrifice for our benefit.
It does give me great joy to have been honoured with thier memories and I cannot thank them enough for sharing it with us. I will never forget, never forget the true heroes that walked amongst our ranks.
They are an inspiration to those that serve today and thier accomplishments serve as a source of fear for any would-be enemies.
May you all rest in eternal peace with you're fellow brothers in arms and thank you, for everything...
Amen to that, couldn't have said it better myself!!
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R031 Pte Joe said:I cannot fully express the saddness that has become of me reading these last posts after being away from here for so long. I read the stories of all these great great men and what they've done for us all, it made me proud and humbled at the same time. I will remember thier history as it was written here and use it to give me courage shall the time come that I am called upon to do my duty.
Even in the end, these men rose up to the memories of thier younger years and challenged the demons of thier past to share all they could with us, more sacrifice for our benefit.
It does give me great joy to have been honoured with thier memories and I cannot thank them enough for sharing it with us. I will never forget, never forget the true heroes that walked amongst our ranks.
They are an inspiration to those that serve today and thier accomplishments serve as a source of fear for any would-be enemies.
May you all rest in eternal peace with you're fellow brothers in arms and thank you, for everything...
HERE HERE
J
Jacqueline
Guest
Thank you for sharing your experience. This helps alot of people. Respect for real.
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Loved this thread, thanks so much.
In my quest to know more about the history of the Canadian Army and its men and women I have searched this forum and found a thread dated 2006.
I know that the thread is an old one. So is this story: Canadian soldiers fighting for freedom during Word War II.
"I never thought of myself has anything other than just one man who stood at one time with a group of other young men to say -NO!"
But it moved me to a point... I could not imagine. Having grand-parents who went through WWII (Grand-mother implied in the French "Résistance" and Grand-Father in the navy) of course, I have heard stories but like a lot of us, I tend to forget.
In reading Parki's story not only did I learn more about a Canadian point of view of that war but also about bravery, courage and strength... along with wisdom and patriotism.
I think of Parkie's story to be one of Army.ca's treasures but also Canada's history through the eyes of men who truly stood up for their country:
"WE'RE NOT TOMMIES,WE'RE CANADIANS AND YOU'LL BE BLOODY LEAVING IN SHORT ORDER.who the hell do they think they are, go home!"
I am hoping that many new members of this site will take the time to read it and make a point of honor in remembering and thinking about Parkie and his friends along with the thousands of others who went through these dangerous times.
Through out this story, there is a hero. A kid who wanted to make a man of himself and lived through it all with one motto: Master your fear!
"we would take some ground and lose some ground and at night when you were dug in the germans would bring out a large rail gun they had in the mountain's over looking us and the silence of the night would be broken with the low drone of the engine on the locomotive bringing that damn thing out and it sent shivers down your spine because you just knew hell was coming and where are you going to go.nowhere.master your fear!!master your fear!!out to the left some poor souls crying because he knows what's coming to!master your fear!!master your fear!!Whump the ground would vibrate when that bloody thing let loose and Incoming!! you hear someone shout.no damn kidding, you think to yourself, how could you miss that,it sounds like a freight train coming in has it passes over head and you thank god.Their shelling about a mile down the road,you just know that some other poor buggers getting it,your only glad that this time it wasn't you and now you have about a minute to think of home or somewhere, anywhere but this bloody foxhole with that thing going off over my head,and Whump!!Incoming!!!Master your fear!! Master your fear!!"
Through out this story, there is this man who had to eat what ever it was even if this implied eating bugs.
"We only eat at night ,the flour they have been using has been filled with Bug's about 2-3 inches long with long feelers you know ,like the spruce beatle we have here in Canada.great big bloody things,bad enough food is short,very short.we have to eat them anyway so we toast the bread over a small fire,no use trying to pick them out if you do there won't be anything left, you know.so you get probably five or six in every slice plus all the bit's and pieces from the one's that got broke up in the mix,so toast them at night and pretend their raisins ,you know."
He would get sick for oranges because his stomach could not take "normal food" anymore
"The oranges were delicious,but we got the runs so bad could not eat any more"
Having so many moments when he felt powerless in helping his brothers in arm...
"man crawls to you in the night,crying for help with two feet of wood sticking out of him,what can you do,you know.how can you pull two feet of wood out of a man's innard's you know,some tried,All you do is pull the poor bugger's intrail's out,god,bloody god awful!"
Through out this story, there is this man so proud of his country, so proud to be a soldier... he was a soldier in soul his entire life:
"I know when you see me at the memorial services you see an old broken down vet with two canes in a suit with a few medals hanging off his chest and one or two of his old buddy's in wheelchairs with him. But I'll have you know looks can be deceiving because inside I'm dressed in my greens and I'm marching with a full regiment by my side."
Parkie shared his war diary and memories with members of Army.ca. and I find this to be absolutely amazing. He just did not want any of us to forget.
"My old friend Joe who fell far to young, use to say a little prayer before going into battle, Lord protector, protect me and give me the strength to protect others, I don't know if they were his own words or not but I've always remembered them and he died doing just that, Protecting. And is that not what being a soldier is about or more importantly a Canadian Soldier."
Please meet Parkie, the young kid who made a man out of himself.
A.C.(parkie)
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
1st Canadian Infantry Division
2nd Infantry Brigade
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/41265.0.html
Alea
I know that the thread is an old one. So is this story: Canadian soldiers fighting for freedom during Word War II.
"I never thought of myself has anything other than just one man who stood at one time with a group of other young men to say -NO!"
But it moved me to a point... I could not imagine. Having grand-parents who went through WWII (Grand-mother implied in the French "Résistance" and Grand-Father in the navy) of course, I have heard stories but like a lot of us, I tend to forget.
In reading Parki's story not only did I learn more about a Canadian point of view of that war but also about bravery, courage and strength... along with wisdom and patriotism.
I think of Parkie's story to be one of Army.ca's treasures but also Canada's history through the eyes of men who truly stood up for their country:
"WE'RE NOT TOMMIES,WE'RE CANADIANS AND YOU'LL BE BLOODY LEAVING IN SHORT ORDER.who the hell do they think they are, go home!"
I am hoping that many new members of this site will take the time to read it and make a point of honor in remembering and thinking about Parkie and his friends along with the thousands of others who went through these dangerous times.
Through out this story, there is a hero. A kid who wanted to make a man of himself and lived through it all with one motto: Master your fear!
"we would take some ground and lose some ground and at night when you were dug in the germans would bring out a large rail gun they had in the mountain's over looking us and the silence of the night would be broken with the low drone of the engine on the locomotive bringing that damn thing out and it sent shivers down your spine because you just knew hell was coming and where are you going to go.nowhere.master your fear!!master your fear!!out to the left some poor souls crying because he knows what's coming to!master your fear!!master your fear!!Whump the ground would vibrate when that bloody thing let loose and Incoming!! you hear someone shout.no damn kidding, you think to yourself, how could you miss that,it sounds like a freight train coming in has it passes over head and you thank god.Their shelling about a mile down the road,you just know that some other poor buggers getting it,your only glad that this time it wasn't you and now you have about a minute to think of home or somewhere, anywhere but this bloody foxhole with that thing going off over my head,and Whump!!Incoming!!!Master your fear!! Master your fear!!"
Through out this story, there is this man who had to eat what ever it was even if this implied eating bugs.
"We only eat at night ,the flour they have been using has been filled with Bug's about 2-3 inches long with long feelers you know ,like the spruce beatle we have here in Canada.great big bloody things,bad enough food is short,very short.we have to eat them anyway so we toast the bread over a small fire,no use trying to pick them out if you do there won't be anything left, you know.so you get probably five or six in every slice plus all the bit's and pieces from the one's that got broke up in the mix,so toast them at night and pretend their raisins ,you know."
He would get sick for oranges because his stomach could not take "normal food" anymore
"The oranges were delicious,but we got the runs so bad could not eat any more"
Having so many moments when he felt powerless in helping his brothers in arm...
"man crawls to you in the night,crying for help with two feet of wood sticking out of him,what can you do,you know.how can you pull two feet of wood out of a man's innard's you know,some tried,All you do is pull the poor bugger's intrail's out,god,bloody god awful!"
Through out this story, there is this man so proud of his country, so proud to be a soldier... he was a soldier in soul his entire life:
"I know when you see me at the memorial services you see an old broken down vet with two canes in a suit with a few medals hanging off his chest and one or two of his old buddy's in wheelchairs with him. But I'll have you know looks can be deceiving because inside I'm dressed in my greens and I'm marching with a full regiment by my side."
Parkie shared his war diary and memories with members of Army.ca. and I find this to be absolutely amazing. He just did not want any of us to forget.
"My old friend Joe who fell far to young, use to say a little prayer before going into battle, Lord protector, protect me and give me the strength to protect others, I don't know if they were his own words or not but I've always remembered them and he died doing just that, Protecting. And is that not what being a soldier is about or more importantly a Canadian Soldier."
Please meet Parkie, the young kid who made a man out of himself.
A.C.(parkie)
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
1st Canadian Infantry Division
2nd Infantry Brigade
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/41265.0.html
Alea
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I never got to meet him, but did exchange emails with him occasionally. Great guy. He wrote a book prior to his passing away, and if its anything like his posts I hope his family gets it published one day.
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Dear Sir, I would give anything to have heard the memories my father had, he just could not deal with the memories of WW2, He was a BlackWatch Canloan officer, Leuit. 22 CDN Eric Barton Howard, He ended his career an RCR 1st Battalion, last tour of duty 1966,67 cyprus. He was also a Princess Pat, of which he held close to his heart, the only memory he kept was his wooden place with the Pat's insignia on it. He was taken off the field of battle in WW2 after 36 days in battle, hysterically blinded, from seeing his comrades blown out of the trench with him, but they died, he only died inside. He was entered into a physchiatic ward on 20 July 1944, he was sent to Guys Hospital but first to 175 field ambulance on July 13th, then after Guy's hospital to BAsin. Neuro.The medic who wrote his notes when my father was taken from the field, wrote good notes as to the fact he was a brave man who had had not rest in 36 days, as rest area being shelled constantly, then blindness likely brought on by the minds unwillingness to see his comrades being blown to bits. the medic made sure no one would think 22 Lieut. Howard was a coward, the medic also put as the first line on my fathers report, that his father is a colonel in the Canadian Blackwatch, also doctors notes say Howard is very eager to return to his battalion, they could not allow it ,as he was jarred by every sound, bang or loud noise. but he wanted to go back to fight. I thought to myself how wonderful it was to make sure his Colonel father would not think his son was chickening out, trying to get back to canada. It is also nice for his daughter to know how badly he wanted to get back to his comrades. He never even told us he was in WW2 let alone anything about the war. He did mention Korea the odd time, but we always wondered why he would watch a Bridge to far and say bad things about Montgomery, and how far off the movie was from what really happened, he talked as if he was actually there. We just assumed he was dealing with stories his father told him. We only found out about his WW2 involvement, this year when I recieved his military file.He joined the blackwatch in 1941 at the ripe age of 17, they correct his age a year later when he can admit he lied to get in. When he was in WW2 he was with 21A grp canloan 5th battalion 51st highlanders, with all this info I cannot figure out from all the sites on this computor if he jumped in Arnhem or normandy. I am proud he went to keep his country free, but I would like to know if possible where he was. it says on his papers he left U.K for NWE on June 3 1944. and on July 13th admitted to fieldambulance hospital discharged from Bas. Neuro. Aug 30th to 3 infantry depot. he get struck off strength of canloan 25 oct 44. I can't figure out what he did from Aug30th until oct 25 44 and he doesn't have any more entries till he gets to montreal in july of 1945. was he still fighting, his doctor notes say they feel it unwise in July of 44 to put him back on the front lines and then nothing. I was hoping as you were a Pat and in WW2, you might have Known my dad and might be able to tell me something about his WW2 involvement. His medals and anything to do with his military career are gone, and I can't find anything out from my siblings, as they prefer to forget that they had a father. I chose to find anything good out about him, as no matter what, he was a soldier and I am free thanks to him and the men he saw die beside him. I want to have proud thoughts, He was very damaged and I can tell from all I read why and it helps me to know he did good things, even great ones, so if anyone can help me with his WW2 career I would be grateful. Eileen Howard Fralick
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in my last post, I hadn't realized Parkie was already gone, he is with my father now, and I send my deepest regrets to his family, I have not read all the posts as of yet, but I will continue to enjoy and appreciate the wealth of knowledge he left behind, as my dad was unable to talk at all about WW2. I still want to know about my dad's service, but I may have to live with what is in the posts Parkie left us, and maybe his family could publish his memoirs. Eileen
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I am sad to see that Parkie, Jack and others that contributed to this thread are now passed away. The whole time I was reading I had goosebumps. I am truly appreciative that the time was taken to provide us with these stories. Even though it's now 3 years after the last post was made in this thread, hopefully new members will take the time to read and gain a better understanding of what these brave men and women went through. Words cannot do justice to how grateful I am for their service and the lives they lead, but from the depths of my heart I thank all veterans and in particular Parkie and his family for writing these stories down and sharing them with us.
Thank you so much Parkie, Rest in Peace, job well done soldier.
Thank you so much Parkie, Rest in Peace, job well done soldier.
