Korean War veteran Gilbert Allen has had the memories of his peers trapped in the walls of his mind for nearly six decades.
The 79-year-old Nova Scotia native now resides in Innisfail and said it's impossible to avoid reflecting about the “wonderful” people he met in the Canadian Army when Remembrance Day draws closer every passing year.
“Remembrance Day makes me think about the people that I knew that were killed within a stone's throw of the Second World War,” Allen explained. “It makes me think about guys, like when I was in Korea, that were killed by bad ammunition on the guns we were on. It makes me think of all the good people that served in the military.
“It's an honour thing. Remembrance Day is an honour thing, and I hope nobody ever forgets that.”
Allen served in the Korean War, along with five of his siblings and several friends that enlisted, when he was a mere 18 years old. In spite of his decision to join the war as a teen, Allen added it was the “right” thing to do, and admitted he would do it again if he was given the choice.
“I left school in Grade 10 and I joined the Canadian Armed Forces because I wanted to go to Korea, and 20 of us left Yarmouth, Nova Scotia for Korea. Then we ended up going to basic training in (Manitoba) for basic training,” he said. “You see, I was only 17 years old, so I couldn't go to Korea right away. This was the thing that I never even thought about until I first joined. They wouldn't even let me go until I was 18; even with special permission, I couldn't go until I was 18.
“I was in Canada for almost two years. I didn't get over to Korea until January of 1953. So, I was only in action from January until July.”
But the memories of Allen's time in Korea have remained close to his heart for all of these years.
“All together, I spent 14 months in Korea, but I was there after,” he said. There was a lot of cleanup — shells and mines.
“My whole family was always pretty involved with the military, so I always wanted to join up and do my thing. I was over there two years late.”
He explained the honour of defending Canada remains inside of his heart and mind. It received public attention on July 27, he added, as many other war veterans marked the 60th anniversary of the ceasefire with memorial services.
It is now the Year of the Korean War Veteran, officially marked by the Canadian government to pay tribute to more than 26,000 soldiers who came to the aid of South Koreans during the Korean War, and especially to the 516 Canadians who were killed in the line of duty.
“He gets hyper at this time of year,” his wife said with a chuckle.
Allen attended the annual veterans' supper at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #104 on Nov. 1. Now, he is eager to attend the annual Remembrance Day service at the legion with his son for the first time on Nov. 11.
“He works in (Asia),” Allen said excitedly. “And he's coming home from work, so it's probably the first time we'll get to go to a Remembrance Day service together.”
