3 minute read
Tribute to Veteran Members of the War Amps
“I never got stuck,” Smith said proudly. Smith was limited in travelling in Korea and didn’t associate with anyone but his comrades. Moreover, he couldn’t leave his vehicle even in friendly territory because the locals usually attempted to con the soldiers. “You had to stay with your truck, or they’d steal everything off it,” he laughed. “When you parked, somebody would slip up; they would want to ‘sell’ you a spare tire.” Smith never met anyone famous in Korea, while he never joined guys who drank alcohol since he didn’t enjoy those beverages. This meant, however, that he was usually on call 24 hours a day. One interesting experience he had was at Christmas. On Christmas Day, the officers served their men food as part of a long-standing tradition. However, the commanding officer of Smith’s unit was not pleased to perform this task and asked the staff sergeant how long it would take to send the crews out to search for disabled vehicles. Two minutes was the reply. “Before a vehicle moved, it had to have a work order of what it was going to do. (The staff sergeant) said it wouldn’t be much of an emergency if you spent an hour looking for someone to sign a work order, so we had (the commanding officer) sign it for the full month,” said Smith. Smith and his crew missed Christmas dinner since they spent the day looking for wrecks and broken-down vehicles.
The Korean War ended on July 27, 1953, with a truce between the Communists and the United Nations. Smith and the RCEME were shipped home in 1954 but stopped in Yokohama, Japan, by boat first. They were given two hours to exercise, while they also experienced Japanese culture and cuisine. “That was a really nice experience,” he added.
Repairing vehicles and pulling them out of rice paddies were some of the duties that Charlie Smith performed during the Korean War. Photo submitted
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tribute to veteran members of the war amps
Submitted
As we approach Remembrance Day, I’d like to pay tribute to the veteran members of The War Amps.
The War Amps was started by amputee veterans returning from the First World War to help each other adapt to their new reality as amputees. They then welcomed amputee veterans following the Second World War, sharing all that they had learned.
These founding members then established the Key Tag Service, which is still going strong today, to fund the Association’s many vital programs including The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program.
I was born a partial left hand amputee and grew up in CHAMP which provided me with financial assistance for prosthetic devices and offered emotional support. These veterans have left a lasting impact on generations of amputees as they taught us that we should be proud of our amputation and to know that it will not stop us from achieving our goals.
Everyday, but particularly on Remembrance Day, Canadian amputees like me honour these veterans who not only served their country but returned home to make life better for all amputees.
Graham Spero
Graduate member of The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program
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