Pre-flight Walkaround



     Well, the snow is melting rapidly and the forecast is calling for nice weather on the weekend with temperatures in the lower teens (Centigrade). We have had a very mild autumn this year and the leaves are still clinging to some of the oak trees – last week the thermometer in Ottawa actually rose to a surprising and welcome 18 degrees, nearly a record for this area! We were able to go for walks in the local woods and enjoy the fall colors.  But, the inevitable is approaching so we may as well accept the idea and dig out our winter apparel and ready our shovels.

     Now, where were we?  Oh yes - we were talking about my early days and the War.  It is interesting that when we say "the War" we older folk are really talking about World War II.  In fact there is a very good seven part documentary by Ken Burns called "the War" and it is entirely about the Second World War.  I know that many will have different perspectives about the events that occurred during this horrible period.  For example, our relatives in Norway suffered through the Nazi occupation whereas in Canada we lived in relative peace aside from inconveniences such as rationing and having the best and the brightest of our citizens leave for extended periods overseas, many remaining in the myriads of wartime cemeteries "over there".

Catching ZZZ's with Papa

     What do I remember about this time? Some of the memories may have been augmented by my family, but many are still vivid:

      1.   I remember living, along with my mother, with my Grandmother and Grandfather Murphy in Medicine Hat.  They were, and continued to be, more like parents than grandparents.  How fortunate I was to have such people in my life.
     2.   I remember vaguely about something called rationing (believe it or not, I won a much coveted can of Corn Syrup in a beautiful baby contest, or so I was told)!
     3.  I can sort of recall the family being very upset when Mom received a telegram (apparently she received 3 - one when my father had a motorcycle accident in England, one when he was in hospital with hepatitis and the last when he was suffering from his chest problems).

    4.   I can remember the night terrors when awakened by the Harvards, the "yellow perils," flying low over the house and making a racket loud enough to wake the dead, let alone a little kid.  Medicine Hat was, after all, a Commonwealth Air Training base  and there is an excellent book about this period by David J. Carter as pictured here:
    5.  I remember some of the aircrew that my grandparents invited to their home in order to make them feel like they were welcome and to savor Alberta beef.
    6.  I vividly remember VJ day, or maybe it was VE day.  It seemed that the entire population was downtown in the 'Hat and there was a real party atmosphere and sense of jubilation.  At last the troops would coming home and the loneliness and worry could end.  Harvards flew low over the city and dropped little spherical "bombs" which, upon bursting in the air, released colorful flags that floated slowly down to the eager hands of the spectators.  Some of the airplanes performed aerobatics over the city, looping and rolling as if in some sort of loud, crackling ballet.  The spirit was contageous - I can remember the wonderful feelings as the crowd shouted and cheered and a band played martial music and popular songs of the day like "White Cliffs of Dover."
   7.  Of course, the most vivid and treasured memory was greeting the stranger called "Daddy" at the door and wondering why everyone was crying.
   8.  I don't recall this though I wish I could: my Uncle Oliver Skjenna told the story that, when he came for a visit, he hoisted me up whereupon I peed all over his brand new uniform.  Darn, why can't I remember that!!
There were many events that happened in the years following the war as the men and women straggled back to civilian life. One event that does stand out in my mind was something that happened to Mrs. Loggin, one of the neighbours and family friend, and her husband, Harry, while he served in the RCAF. Harry flew Spitfires overseas and, during one of his missions, was shot down. At that very moment, Mrs. Loggin awoke in a sweat, being extremely anxious and frantic, nearly hysterical, rushing over to the Murphy house in a panic. As she later learned, Harry was able to "hit the silk" but his parachute tangled in the tail empennage of the Spitfire. However, he managed to free himself after a considerable struggle and landed safely, though his hearing was ruined. Harry later became a much respected bank manager, having returned to his pre-war position with the bank. I can still see his hearing aids, much larger and more obvious than today's models.
    
The next few years are a bit foggy in my mind but there were some incidents that happen to little boys who live in the city and in rural Alberta, memories that kind of stick like frost on your windshield when it is 40 below; the kind of events that shape who we are.  Maybe not as dramatic as in, say, "Tom Sawyer" or "Hucleberry Finn" but fun and noteworthy all the same.  In future episodes, I will try to recount some of these tales for your amusement and not apply too too much exaggeration or poetic license ;- )

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Hamlet Act 1, scene 5, 159–167