Handsomely furbishing our theme of humor in adversity, Earl Wrightman of Newmarket, Ont., says he was always impressed during his six WW II army years by quick wit that transformed serious situations into a spirits-lifting laugh.
Happily, he send us two examples from the Normandy campaign and the succeeding breakout north:
In July, 1944, the 14th Cdn. Hussars were sent into the line as infantry, much to our distaste. I was at the head of my section marching from Carpiquet to Le Mesnil de Louvigny via Bomb Alley when we heard a salvo of Moaning Minnies. We smartly hit the pavement. The shells all exploded near us, except a dud that landed directly in our midst.
I called to ask Cpl. George Hanson whether everyone in his section was OK.
“Yes,” he shouted back, “but thank the Lord and the foreign workers in Germany for that dud.”
Weeks later, comfortably back in our armored cars, we were investigating southern suburbs of Dunkirk. My orders were to take a two-car patrol, go forward to contact the Calgary Highlanders, and then push ahead as far as possible.
We came upon a young officer with about 30 men. He said that was all that was left of the company except for a sniper ahead. We found a small and very brave sniper vigorously firing from two corners of a house (he kept dashing between the two).
Cpl. J.A.M. Smith, in the lead car, shouted to him: “What have you got up here, mate?”
The sniper replied: “There are about 300 Germans just over the railroad tracks, but I got one of them.”
“Good,” Cpl. Smith told him, “then I guess there is nothing to worry about.”
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