Retired Flight Sergeant Walter Carter still remembers the day he lost his crew while training in Norfolk, England.
It was March 3, 1943 and Carter was 20 years old.
Carter said he was training with his crew when they crashed. He said he hadnB次元官网网址檛 even gone up on an operation yet.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 the only survivor,B次元官网网址� Carter said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why Remembrance Day means so much to me because I lost my three buddies in one accident.B次元官网网址�
Carter said he had a lot of friends on his tour as well as some in different crews.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e all dear friends of mine, or they were,B次元官网网址� Carter said.
Carter, who is now 96, said he thinks about his friends all year long.
Carter was part of the Royal Air Force number 487 New Zealand Squadron.
He grew up in Southern Ontario and said work was tough and hard to find.
When he was 17 years old, Carter said he signed up for the air force but was sent away on leave for one year until he could be called up when he was 18.
In October 1942, Carter went overseas.
B次元官网网址淓verything was new, everybody was the same age,B次元官网网址� Carter said. B次元官网网址淲e were just a bunch of kids.B次元官网网址�
Carter said at that age, he didnB次元官网网址檛 think about getting killed at the time. He said it was an opportunity to see the world.
Carter is not sure how long he was in the hospital after the crash.
He said he remembers walking out of the hospital at the air base, sore and bruised but without any broken bones.
B次元官网网址淚 went back to our quarters on the base,B次元官网网址� Carter said. B次元官网网址淎ll my buddiesB次元官网网址� gear and stuff was there.B次元官网网址�
He said he hung around for three or four days before taking off to Scotland for two weeks leave.
When he returned, Carter said he flew with various crews in eight different trips.
He served until January 1944.
Carter said he still remembers the big thumps in the aircraft and remembers how frightened he was while in them.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 terrifying,B次元官网网址� Carter said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 weird sounds, the thunk, thunk. The smell of cordite and shells. That sounds dramatic but itB次元官网网址檚 the truth.B次元官网网址�
Carter said he becomes very solemn and teary-eyed on Remembrance Day.
B次元官网网址淚 can salute the guys,B次元官网网址� Carter said. B次元官网网址淵ou donB次元官网网址檛 dwell on it but you respect them.B次元官网网址�
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