We Lived In Danger: From True Prairie Boy to Royal Regina Rifleman: A Western Canadian's WWII Memoir

by Victor Hepburn Small, Joanne Wolf Small (Editor)

Overview

"We Lived in Danger" is a deeply personal and straightforward story about a small-town Canadian boy from Saskatchewan, Victor Hepburn Small, and a salient and fascinating slice-of-life glimpse into the World War II era. "Vic's" formative years in the Big Sky country, and his love affair for early 1900's prairie culture, prepared him for an extraordinary life event: to serve his country during WWII. Ensuring his membership in Canada's greatest generation, "Vic" enlisted in 1942 at age 18, "to fight the Germans. Every living body did the same thing."

Published by his wife after his death in 2021, this memoir is not only a labor of love, but also a remarkably unique anthology. Vic's transcribed "Blue Bombers" leave letters (how soldiers stayed in touch with family by airmail) are both gripping and eloquent, and reveal with intimate, authentic, and genuine curiosity, vivid details of his experience as a young man serving in the European Theatre from 1943 to 1945. Not unlike many Canadian soldiers, Vic carried his film camera with him - all the way from solider training in Alberta and British Columbia, across the pond on Cunard Line's Queen Mary - to England, Scotland and Germany. Lovingly preserved by his family for over 75 years, Vic shares a collection of snapshots from his time, taken from an album he put together of over 150 captioned photos of life and wartime. 

Vic's story is truly a tribute to the undeniable resolve of his generation, a rare, historic fingerprint of an analytical, yet curious young Canadian man extending his view of the world around him, and finally, an insight into the heart-breaking reality for veterans of war back then, and the few survivors left now.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798987227121
Publisher:	Joanne Wolf Small
Publication date:	06/30/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	130
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

A proud, but humble man, Victor Hepburn Small had a keen sense of humor and extremely kind nature. Born on May 28th, 1924, he was a true prairie boy raised in the western province Saskatchewan. "Vic" became Lieutenant Small, a Canadian WWII Veteran who served with the Royal Regina Rifles and the Calgary Highlanders in Europe during the years 1943 to 1946. Prior to his service, Vic was raised by a loving and resourceful family as they endured many hardships wrought by the Great Depression of the 1930's. Still, Vic became a King Scout, was an avid amateur photographer, and passionate lover of the prairie skies, chokecherry berries and jam, blue cowbell blossoms and the Western Red Lilly, mixed farming, and the Qu'Appelle Valley. Following his service as an infantryman and flamethrower, Vic returned to North America to earn doctorates in Optometry and Experimental Psychology and made Bethesda Maryland his home. As years passed, he was known as a beloved husband, father, stepfather, grandfather, great-grandfather, and uncle. Vic lived until a month before his 97th birthday, and left behind a story that, in his words, "Is a story worth telling."

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Preface

vii

Introduction

xi

Part One: From True Prairie Boy

to Royal Regina Rifleman

1. Biographical Details

"A Particular Image of my Boyhood

Remains Clear in my Mind": 1924 to 1942

3

2. Early Days of Service

"I Joined to Fight the Germans!": 1943 to 1944

19

3. Leave Letters Home

"Ah, but It's Good to Talk to Someone Who

Comes from the Same Burg!": 1943 to 1944

33

4. Wartime Service

"It Took Months Before I Stopped Reacting

to the Sound of Heavy Trucks": 1944 to 1945

57

5. An Email Written September 18, 2009

"There are Few of us Left Now"

67

6. An Email Written September 21, 2009

"Our Ranks are so Thin and Still Thinning"

71

7. An Email Written October 5, 2009

"I Mentioned Coming Across an Abandoned 6-Pounder"

73

8. An Email Written October 2009

"Our Mess Officer Did an Outstanding Job

of Scrounging Food from the Countryside"

75

9. An Email Written November 22, 2009

"It is a Good Clear Print. If You Need It..."

77

10. An Email Written February 12, 2015

"I Do Not Think I Have Much More Time"

79

11. An Email Written in 2015

"We Settled in with No Guidance from Above"

83

12. A Letter Titled "Deventer"

"We Waited in Darkness"

87

13. End of Service, 1946

"It Took a Little to Readjust to Civilian Life"

91

14. Reflections 2020

"Keep Your Head Low!"

93

Part Two: Leave Letters-"Well, Folks, That's all

for Now. We are on the Move again Shortly"

15. A Letter Written Home July 1944

"No Sooner had We All Picked Ourselves Up and Moved Again

than Another Doodlebug Came Over"

97

16. A Letter Written Home March 1945

"The Beginnings of the Castle Go Back Seven

Hundred and Fifty Years and More"

109

17. A Letter Written Home Good Friday, April 7, 1945

"My Letters May Be Less Regular Hence

Forth, but Don't Let That Worry You"

115