When told he was likely the last Second World War veteran living in Moose Jaw, Allen (Al) Cameron chuckled and joked that he wasn’t enthusiastic about being last in anything.
“I am blessed (by) the good Lord to bring me here and look after me,” the 97-year-old said recently, noting his longevity is because he maintains healthy practices by exercising and refraining from smoking or drinking.
“I guess I’m just so happy living that I want to keep it up,” he smiled. “My goal is 100; that’s (about) two years from now.”
Moose Jaw’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 59 conducted research recently and estimated that Cameron and Bruce Hatley were likely the last two Second World War vets still in the community. However, it admits there could be more vets it doesn’t know.
Meanwhile, provincial command estimates there are roughly 100 such vets across the province.
Supporting the legion
Hatley moved to Saskatoon this past summer to be closer to family, but he was ever present at Branch No. 59 for years, said president Roy LaBuick. He first met Hatley when he joined the executive in 2000; the man was a big supporter of the organization, well-liked and respected, and helped often.
Before the vet left, the legion gave him a Quilt of Valour to honour his 70 years of service with the organization.
LaBuick has only met Cameron once but knows that the veteran has been a regular fixture at 15 Wing Air Base. Specifically, Cameron has participated in the annual Battle of Britain ceremony by reading the names of the fallen; he served in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a leading aircraftman mechanic.
The base asked LaBuick to step in for Cameron two years ago because the latter could not make it. LaBuick thought it was an honour to read the names on Cameron’s behalf and an honour to have him there yearly.
“I salute both of them. They are very kind individuals; you just ask them and they’ll help out,” LaBuick added. “They may not be as active as they used to be, but it’s great when they do get involved. And I love to see things like that.”
Helping the ANAVETS
Don Purington, president of the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans (ANAVETS) club in Moose Jaw, was amazed that there were still about 100 World War II vets living in Saskatchewan. He thought it was great to have those people around, especially during Remembrance Day ceremonies.
He noted that young people — especially air base trainees and Dragoons reservists — flock to Cameron whenever he visits and tells stories of his time in the RCAF.
The veteran enjoys singing and would have sung O Canada during a recent WHL Warriors’ game but took ill. Still, he would do anything for the ANAVETS club and help whenever possible.
“He’s a gem,” said Purington.
Purington thought it was amazing that Second World War vets had such longevity and reached 100 years of age, contrasting that with many young men who died in their 20s. He thought society needed to educate itself more about the sacrifices those young people made while appreciating those around today — of any age.
“I don’t think we can do enough for these veterans. I don’t think we recognize them enough. Every time we have the chance to honour them, we should … ,” he added. “There’s a lot of needy veterans around.”
A veteran’s perspective
People likely wouldn’t want to engage in war if they had been alive to experience the Second World War, said Cameron, pointing out there were other wars before and after that that didn’t prove anything.
As an aircraft mechanic in Italy, Cameron’s responsibility was to keep the bombers flying. What stuck with him from that time was watching 30 bombers leave and only 10 come back. Eight men per plane meant 160 young airmen died per mission.
“That takes some getting used to,” he said.
Cameron made a list of all the friends he wanted to maintain after the conflict was over. He started with 37 people, and over the past eight decades, that number decreased to one — a widow of the last surviving list member. He reiterated his belief that God was watching over him.
“You see things you don’t like or want any part of, and you have to take every precaution you can to survive. War is a game of survival,” Cameron said, noting, in comparison, his 22-year-old brother was shot down and killed on June 30, 1944.
The veteran thought it was becoming increasingly difficult to explain to people what war is in terms they understand. But he does his best to be a messenger and tell people that war solves nothing.
“War is hell,” Cameron added. “And you can’t explain it any more clearly than that.”
