Soldiers' Stories ~

For the next few days we will be posting exerpts from Soldiers' Stories* by Kirk Du Guid. Du Guid interviewed over twenty-five veterans in our area. He dedicated his book to "Those Who Served in Times of War and Peace."

A veteran himself, Du Guid states, "There is something I do each Remembrance Week. When I meet veterans, I walk up to them and shake their hand and thank them for their service. The reality is that, just by putting that uniform on, someday during their service they might have been asked to make the ultimate sacrifice. 'Lest we forget, lest we forget!' "
*Soldiers' Stories, 2009. Kirk Du Guid. Printed & Bound by First Choice Books
Available at The Neat Little Bookshop

Veteran Arthur Simmons was born in 1920 in Collingwood, Ontario. It was in June of 1940 that Art began basic infantry training at Camp Borden, Ontario. After completing a sniper's course, he was made range artificer with the Grey & Simcoes. The regiment was selected to parade through communities stimulating recruiting in the regiment.
When the regiment was switched from infantry to armour, it was renamed the 21st Armoured Regiment. Art was in the 4th Division; his brother, Howard, in the 1st. in an infantry regiment ~ the 48th Highlanders from Toronto. Art embarked for Great Britain in June, 1943 after working as Lance Corporal on tanks. For the duration of the war, he served throughout France, Belgium, Holland and Germany working on all kinds of tanks, getting them back into action ~ making the rank of Sergeant. Brother Howard was shot and killed when his platoon was attacking up a hill in Sicily.
After the war, Art returned to his past time of repairing watches and clocks. He now resides in Cayuga, Ontario and often visits The Neat Little Bookshop. We shake your hand, Art, and as Kirk would say, "Thank you for your service."