As we go about our daily lives, Canadians should always take time to appreciate how lucky they are to live in such a great country, and remember that things wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be this way without the brave soldiers who came before us, says a local veteran.
B次元官网网址淲ith no veterans, there would be no freedoms,B次元官网网址� said Sooke resident Tom Lott, who served 25 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Lott grew up in New Westminster, a suburb in Greater Vancouver, with his parents Eliza and Philip Lott and sister Darlene.
He worked many jobs growing up, but after graduation began working as a teller for a bank.
After a few years, Lott wanted to change his career path, and began looking at military jobs that he might qualify for.
At the age of 23, he applied to join the air force. A few months later he began working as a navigator, tracking Russian submarines and monitoring their activity.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not big on guns, believe it or not,B次元官网网址� laughed Lott. B次元官网网址淏ut I saw the position of a navigator and thought, B次元官网网址楬ey, I could probably do thatB次元官网网址� because I was pretty good with numbers.B次元官网网址�
Lott wasnB次元官网网址檛 the only one of his family members to have served in the Canadian military, both his father and grandfather served as well. LottB次元官网网址檚 grandfather was a survivor of Vimy Ridge.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of veterans donB次元官网网址檛 talk about it when they get back. The only complaint I think I ever heard him say was B次元官网网址業 donB次元官网网址檛 think I had dry feet for two years.B次元官网网址� The weather they had to endure was just treacherous,B次元官网网址� said Lott.
He explained that a lot of countries tried to defeat Germans, and the Canadians did so by doing something unexpected, and now, the morning of the defeat is often referred to as the day Canada became a country.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e heard a lot of definitions of a veteran, but I think the one that is best suited is B次元官网网址楢 veteran is a person who has written a blank cheque to the people of Canada, for any price up to and including his or her life,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Lott.
Lott never ended up having to go to battle, but said he was never afraid of receiving a call.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not a person who tries to predict the future. If you look ahead and you see bad things, itB次元官网网址檚 going to ruin your day, so I just take life as it comes,B次元官网网址� he said.
Lott said itB次元官网网址檚 important to make sure that Canadians knows and remember they live in a free country because of our veterans.
B次元官网网址淲e are very lucky because there arenB次元官网网址檛 a lot of countries that have the same freedoms as we do here,B次元官网网址� said Lott. B次元官网网址淭hroughout time, some 118,000 Canadians have made the grand sacrifice. And itB次元官网网址檚 not only at war where veterans get killed, itB次元官网网址檚 also in peacetime.B次元官网网址�
He explained that he has lost over 25 close friends during his time serving in the air force, and one day in particular, he lost 15 men after their plane went down during a training exercise.
B次元官网网址淔lying itself is not difficult, but it is unforgiving,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 knew every single one of them. There were several sad days in my career, but that had to have been the saddest. We were all like a big family.B次元官网网址�
Although Lott had to experience such tragedy while serving, he explained that it was part of the job and that he still enjoyed his many years serving.
B次元官网网址淚 would do it again in an instant. It was a great careerB次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 got to travel all over. I donB次元官网网址檛 even know how many countries IB次元官网网址檝e been to.B次元官网网址�
After retiring from the military, Lott and his wife decided to to pack up their RV and do a year-long trip across Canada.
B次元官网网址淥f all the places IB次元官网网址檝e been to, Canada is my favourite,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t is an absolutely phenomenal country, and we are so incredibly lucky to live here.B次元官网网址�
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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