Ken Thornton makes Remembrance Day address
The following is the address given by Ken Thornton at the Creemore Legion’s Remembrance Day service. A Second World War veteran, Thornton was invited to make remarks just weeks after his 100th birthday.
Good morning everyone, and please accept our appreciation for your presence on this special occasion. Obviously it should contain memories of the event we are remembering, and as mentioned to a friend, it is difficult not to duplicate past remarks. However, because on October 18, I celebrated my 100th birthday, it seemed appropriate to offer a synopsis of my life including, my participation in World War 2.
I would be remiss if I didn’t offer a tribute to our lads and lassies in blue this morning, which always fills me with a sense of safety knowing our country is in good hands! Thank you my friends, we are indeed indebted to you.
My name is Ken Thornton, born and raised on a farm in a small community near St Stephen, New Brunswick, bordering Calais, Maine. I walked to a one-room school, and concluded my education with Grade 8.
At 16, I drove a milk route for my dad to the town of St. Stephen, and met several very nice people. The first car was a Model T, the second one a Model A and in winter months a horse and sleigh. The 10-mile drive during winter months was not always desirable with blowing snow and zero temperatures, 365 days of the year!
At the age of 19, I wrote the exams to become a Mounty, under the guidance of Corporal Earle Sturgeon, one of my milk customers. His advice was to be prepared to wait, wait. and wait! Don’t be discouraged, this is the way it is, it could be even years!”
I waited only one month, and the letter read, “Dear Mr Thornton, thank you for your interest in the RCMP, but we have cancelled all recruiting until war’s end.” I immediately enlisted in the RCAF where I served my country as a “fitter”, a polite name for mechanic! My first posting was Moncton, New Brunswick, where we were taught the basics related to mechanism. After six months of a boarding house, a private school with bona fide teachers on loan to them, this was our first step. Six months later, we were posted to St. Thomas, Ontario. A beautiful building built by Premier Hepburn for the use of mental patients, however he had loaned this for the war effort. Beyond description, it was suitable for parades, including trucks of recruits in excess of five thousand people! The instructors here were first class, and qualified for their task, the majority from England.
Approximately 20 miles from London, Ontario was a training and gunnery school known as Fingal. It was here I received my uniform, and would be recognized as R99280 L. A. C. K. W. Thornton. Line-ups included everything, the mess hall, injections usually done on a mass basis. Barrack single beds were doubled, with 50 men in one section. Try and imagine taking a shower every morning, or the noise on pay night, and yes, particularly meals!
We worked on Fairey Battles, Boilingbrokes Harvards, Lysanders, Avro-Ansoms, Cornells, while many of the top ships such as “L: for Lanky,” required senior personnel.
It always created shivers down my spine when hearing the signal over the loud speaker, “Crash landing, Crash landing!” “ Everyone return to their stations”. Several personnel were required to attend this plight not knowing what awaited them, but assured it would be heart rending!
After three years at Fingal, I was transferred to Mt Pleasant, Prince Edward Island a very picturesque scene comprised of acres of potato fields, high winds, including red soil, and the sight of ladies of the evening with their silver fox collars, indicative of a thriving business for their pleasure. Two years later. I was posted to Trenton, Ont, where I received my discharge.
No longer necessary to stand at attention when addressing a senior gentleman! No line-ups at a suave restaurant, I can finally make my own suggestions, but alas, there were few to make as I was unaccustomed to civilian life! There were many memories that occupied my mind.
I moved to Toronto where I met a beautiful lady, who was blessed with an exceptional voice, and a member of the Leslie Bell Singers of Toronto. We were married at St. Columba United Church on February 14, 1952. We spent 40 years raising our four children – three girls and a boy – and running a business in Oakville.
It was my intention to apprise you of the years following my return to civilian life, which included the passing of 65 years prior to being invited into the RCMP again at the age of 84! However my time is limited, and I suggest we wait until next year.
As I close, I wish to thank everyone for your kind words at my birthday party. It was beyond all expectation, and my heartfelt thanks for your good wishes. May God bless you all.
