OT: Did anyone in your family fight in world war II for canada?

[HansonBro]

my grandfather sunk nazi uboats on a canadian destroyer called a corvette. dropped squid depth charges and destroyed 13 uboats. he never talked much about the war but he said it was very scary putting around on a boat in the middle of the ocean

For those interested

Corvette

A corvette was a small, lightly armed Canadian warship used for anti-submarine warfare in the Second World War. With the convoys of the North Atlantic under siege by German U-Boats in the early years of the war, Canada needed to produce ships quickly. The answer was the corvette, a vessel of about 190 feet long and 33 feet wide. The first 14 appeared in the St Lawrence in the last months of 1940. The Windflower and the Mayflower were the first ones commissioned. The carried only a single 4-inch gun, some machine guns and a store of depth charges. Most, like Chambly and Halifax, bore the names of Canadian towns. Built for efficiency, not comfort, the ships were very uncomfortable. A common saying was that they would roll in wet grass. Nevertheless, the crews developed a rough esprit suitable to the unpretentious little ships and often distinguished themselves with courage. Chambly was the first corvette to take part in the sinking of a German U-Boat, in 1941. Altogether Canada produced 122 corvettes.

Side note: the game World of warships is free on all platforms (pc, ps4, xbox) and features mostly WWI and WWII ships.

DeathmasonFU on Ps4

 

[7even]

My great uncle in WW2, my great grandfather, who was an immigrant, in WW1. My uncle still has his kilt he fought in, which is pretty cool as far as heirlooms go. I guess that makes me 3rd generation.

 

[Warden of the North]

My grandfather was in the army and ready to go just as the war finished and we stopped sending troops over.

My great grandfather fought and survived in WW1

 

[Christ]

My grandfather did not fight for Canada.

He was however a member of the underground fighting against the Germans in Holland. I do not know the extent of what he did while fighting with the underground, he never spoke of it. The only real story I ever heard about the war from my grandfather was when he was almost caught by the Nazis. My grandfather was visiting the home of his aunt and somehow the Nazis learned that he was there. Nazi soldiers had surrounded the house before my grandfather even knew that they were there. I am not sure how but my grandfather was able to slip out of the house through the attic and he was chased into a swamp. He spent the night hiding from the Nazis submerged in the swamp breathing through a reed before he was finally able to slip away. With stories like this, I can understand why my grandfather did not share many of his wartime experiences.

 

[Peiskos]

No, I am first generation Canadian. But rest in peace to all those who died for Canada.

 

[therealkoho]

For those interested

Corvette

A corvette was a small, lightly armed Canadian warship used for anti-submarine warfare in the Second World War. With the convoys of the North Atlantic under siege by German U-Boats in the early years of the war, Canada needed to produce ships quickly. The answer was the corvette, a vessel of about 190 feet long and 33 feet wide. The first 14 appeared in the St Lawrence in the last months of 1940. The Windflower and the Mayflower were the first ones commissioned. The carried only a single 4-inch gun, some machine guns and a store of depth charges. Most, like Chambly and Halifax, bore the names of Canadian towns. Built for efficiency, not comfort, the ships were very uncomfortable. A common saying was that they would roll in wet grass. Nevertheless, the crews developed a rough esprit suitable to the unpretentious little ships and often distinguished themselves with courage. Chambly was the first corvette to take part in the sinking of a German U-Boat, in 1941. Altogether Canada produced 122 corvettes.

Side note: the game World of warships is free on all platforms (pc, ps4, xbox) and features mostly WWI and WWII ships.

DeathmasonFU on Ps4

My wifes father served as an Able Seaman on a corvette. Which meant he was trained for a specific job, in his case he worked below decks in the engine room maintaining the boilers. They have a Corvette in the Halifax docks, which you can tour, we both went down into the engine compartment, it was tight, cramped, the floor was greasy and it absolutely stunk of bunker oil, I couldn't imagine working down there in temps of +100F with no fresh air, in a heavy sea while making maneuvers because a Uboat was stalking the boat.

 

[HansonBro]

My wifes father served as an Able Seaman on a corvette. Which meant he was trained for a specific job, in his case he worked below decks in the engine room maintaining the boilers. They have a Corvette in the Halifax docks, which you can tour, we both went down into the engine compartment, it was tight, cramped, the floor was greasy and it absolutely stunk of bunker oil, I couldn't imagine working down there in temps of +100F with no fresh air, in a heavy sea while making maneuvers because a Uboat was stalking the boat.

I am certainly not fond of confined spaces. I had a brother that would stuff me in the deep freezer, dryer (and turn it on), suffocate me with pillows etc...

I'm proud of our boys. Been out to Halifax as well

 

[nsleaf]

103 years ago, today, at 9:05 AM the Halifax Explosion occurred killing nearly 2000 and injuring 9000.