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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday November 10, 2007 - 3 Lest we forget the sacrifices made By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF J im Prescott was a prisoner of war for three and a half years. When the Second World War ended, he was immediately admitted to hospital because he weighed 84 pounds. Tank driver Joe Paul remembers driving on Juno beach on D-Day. Under heavy fire from German troops, his focus was on keeping his crew alive. Air force photographer Merner Ritz developed prints to help the army map out its territory. He recalls his camp was constantly under attack. The roles each of these men played in the Second World War differ greatly. The amount of combat they saw, the reason they enlisted, the things they remember ­ it's all different. The tie that binds these veterans: Their stories need to be told. As Second World War and Korean War veteran Joe Paul put it, "It's about time I talked about it." To commemorate Remembrance Day, The Oakville Beaver visited Post Inn Village, a long-term care facility that's home to more than 20 veterans. Three of them shared their stories. Jim Prescott Desperate. That's how Jim Prescott describes three and a half years as a prisoner of war in Shanghai, Japan. "It was terrible. No toiletries or anything," says the 93-year-old, his cane resting on his lap. "We worked hard ­ all day. And you even had to work at night." He remembers the hard labour he endured, either working on the docks, chopping down trees in the jungle or drilling in a coal mine. These details are still vivid. Other memories, Prescott says, are hard to come by these days. "If you'd come about two years ago, I knew everything ­ dates and everything," he said, smiling. "It seemed to go, ever since I turned over 90. "It's really hard to think, you know, I never wrote anything down. Foolish," he said. "My family always said, why didn't you write anything down? I should have." A native of England who moved to "Civilization," Prescott said, smiling. He recalls being transported on a hospital train, where he was treated for malnutrition. The memories of driving under the golden gate bridge in San Francisco and seeing AlCatraz as he headed home still bring a smile to his face. Joe Paul They used to call him `Slim,' because he had to fit into the hatch of his tank to get behind the wheel. Joe Paul's service, driving tanks in the Korean and Second World Wars, is a defining part of his life. Flags, pictures of war medals, Remembrance Day parade photos, and an old black and white print of his regiment ­ "the gang," he calls them, adorn the walls of his room. "I think it's a part of you," said the 84-year-old. "It's just something you never forget." Among the reminders of his service are five model tanks that sit on a LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER shelf in his room, along with pictures CANADIAN HERO: Merner Ritz, 83, developed aerial photographs and put them together to serve as maps during of his wife, two kids, five grandkids the Second World War to help the army plan its advancements. Above left, Ritz in uniform, at right, Ritz today. and seven great grandchildren. "That's the one I drove, the Canada more than 20 years ago, "When the war ended, "When we went down in this American tank. It's called a Prescott was a member of the British mine, it was so hot that you could Sherman," Paul said, pointing to the Navy throughout the Second World I was six stone weight. hardly breathe. You could do five tank on the far left of the shelf. War. He was a signaler who used Hard work, no food, minutes, then you had to come out His crew consisted of him behind Morse code to keep the allied forces in that was our punishment. and drop in a bucket of cold water." the wheel, along with a crew comtouch. The POWs were fed just "a wee mander, gunner, wireless operator We never had enough "There was nothing secret about to drink, either." box of rice in the morning, and a wee and co-driver. what I did," he said. "It was so they box of rice at night," he said. "When "The crew commander told us could get in touch with each other." the war ended, I was six stone most of the time where to go. Drive Jim Prescott, Prescott got married just before weight." left, drive right, get the hell outta' war veteran the war began. He enlisted "on the That's 84 lbs. here," he said. "Then you just put it first day," he says, at age 23. "Hard work, no food, that was our into gear and get it the hell out." "A friend persuaded me to enlist. punishment," he said. "We never had Paul never fired a shot. We got two week's holiday," he added, Percival surrendered to the invading enough to drink, either." "I was busy driving, taking comJapanese army in what's considered smiling, "at camp." The living conditions were a mands from the crew commander, Some of the details of where he one of the biggest surrenders in whole other story. listening to what he said, watching and the army were stationed escape British military history. "Horrible," said Prescott. "There where I was going, and staying out of "It was General Percival, he more was excretions all over the floor. Just him now, but Prescott recalls signaltrouble," he said. ing from South Africa and India, or less surrendered to the (Japanese), awful." He did get shot at plenty, though. because we had no chance," Prescott among other places. He joined the navy, and then "Oh, we got shot at," he said. "It's He remembers when the British said. endured this for three and a half like not knowing where the heck you That was February 15, 1942. Army was forced into Singapore as years, yet Prescott doesn't remember are." Prescott was among approximate- being scared. the Japanese forces were threatening. A native of Kitchener, Paul tried "Every day for a few days, the ly 400 Allied soldiers taken by the "When you're 20-odd years of age, to enlist in the Canadian army at age Japanese came over with about 14 Japanese as prisoners of war ­ and you're never scared," he said, smiling. 17. aircrafts and they were bombing us," they were immediately put to work. He recalls rumours of the war's "I lied like hell," he said, smiling. "It was always hard work," end circulating among the prisoners. he said. "They hit us one day, and the But the lies didn't work. As Paul's boat sank. We had to get out and Prescott recalls. "When we found out, it was all wife, Clara said, "His aunt squealed The worst of it was the copper whisper this and whisper that. You swim." on him, so they kicked him out. She Prescott says another boat took mine, where he laboured daily for didn't think it could be true," he said. didn't want him in the army." the allied troops ­ about 500 of them nearly two years. When American planes started Paul went back at age 18. If you "We had to walk about 100 steps dropping food, they realized the war ­ over to Singapore. ask him, his reason for enlisting was It was during the battle of up, and then we needed to walk down had been won. The former POW's simple. Singapore that General Arthur 240 steps every morning to get to boarded a ship and left Shanghai. See Didn't page 8 work in the mine," he said. PREPARE FOR THE ROAD AHEAD. Next course: Nov. 24, 25 & Dec. 1, 2 ­ Sat. & Sun., 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Dec. 27, 28, 29, 30 ­ 4 days ­ 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. www.youngdrivers.com 905.845.7200 MTO APPROVED BEGINNER DRIVER EDUCATION COURSE PROVIDER