Like most of the lads from the Nipigon area, Lawrence was eager to get signed up come war
time. And like a lot of these enthusiastic fellows, it didn't take the army long to find
out he was too young for service and send him home. For a whole year, as he waited for his
18th birthday to roll around. He spent his time in the bush as a lumber jack. In the
winter of 1942, Lawrence was cutting trees and then skidding logs with horses. When spring
came the river was full of logs, and Lawrence was on hand for the river drive, then on the
boats bringing the logs to the mill. Hard work was not new to this young man waiting for
the day he would be of age to go and enlist again.
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Early in the summer of 1943 Lawrence was off to Camp Borden for training. The young
private was then sent overseas into the thick of the battle. Lawrence admits that WWII was
a hard war, very rough for the people in the war- torn countries and for the soldiers. He
also remembers that there were good times and very warm moments. Lawrence was in Holland
at the time it was liberated. He recalls how happy the Dutch people were at the time
because the Canadian soldiers had a big part in the liberating of Holland. They were
especially welcomed throughout the country. "They (the Dutch) sure treated us boys
good," says Lawrence "they're really nice people." The soldiers were
billeted throughout the country waiting to go back to Canada. The family that Lawrence
stayed with were like most of the people in Holland at the time, very poor. They didn't
have anything because of the war. One of the sons of the family had found a job but did
not have any boots to wear. Lawrence took it upon himself to get the boy fixed up. After
selling some of his things and swinging a deal or two, Lawrence got the boy a new pair of
boots to go to work in. Lawrence sums up what he did with, "You did what you had to,
in those days." |
When Lawrence got back to Canada he, like a lot of boys from the area. Volunteered for
duty in the Pacific. Because the fighting in the Pacific was so different from that in
Europe, he took special training in Macdonald for the tour. This was at the tail end of
the war and before he shipped out the war had ended. Only too glad to hear that victory
had been obtained, Lawrence was discharged and headed home.
After the home-coming celebrations he settled back into his old job, the logging
industry.Nine years later, Lawrence found himself becoming more and more worried about
what was happening in Asia. His strong beliefs against Communism and knowing that things
in Korea did not look good, he volunteered again to serve his country. In April of 1954,
Corporal Lawrence Martin left his wife and two small sons, knowing that he must fight to
secure their future in a free nation.
In Korea the fighting was very different from WWII, commented Lawrence. He was a gunner on
a half-track fighting in WWII and he patrolled the DMZ-lines in the hills of Korea. He
recalls that there were sometimes so many bullets flying around you couldn't really be
sure just where the enemy was firing from. In the surrounding villages, there were
hundreds of young children who were orphaned and hungry. Often while on leave he
volunteered for honour guard-duty for Canadian soldiers being buried in Yokohama and
Hiroshima. Not all of his tour was terrible, when he had time away from the battle he got
to see some of the beautiful countries in Asia. Lawrence found the people extremely nice
to him while visiting around the area, "If you treat others good they seem to do the
same for you."
After the war in Korea was over Lawrence came back to Canada, to a much different welcome.
Many people here did not realize the full extent of the war that raged in Asia. They in
turn didn't treat our men coming home with the same fan-fare as when they returned from
Europe the previous decade. Lawrence merely settled into his home life as he had left it.
He went back to his job in the bush working for what is now Domtar, having four more
children and staying active with his family and community.
Rfn. Root and Cpl. Lawrence Martin.
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Lawrence always felt that the Canadian Armed Forces were the very best trained military
force in the world. Unfortunately he sees that our defense is rapidly falling behind other
world powers. "I don't like war, I don't think anyone does. But we must be prepared
to defend our country. We have a very rich country and we could be easily defeated if war
ever broke out." Lawrence's strong feelings, that express his love for his country,
continue, "An Army career is a good career for any young person. There is all sorts
of training available, good trades, a good pension and lots of advantages these days in
the army. But mostly, we need the manpower to be prepared for anything. |
Lawrence firmly believes our young people should be thinking seriously
about the direction our country is taking these days and what is ahead for the future.
"I think people should be trying harder to help others, without asking so much in
return. You feel a lot better when you've done some good for others." Living by this
advice he gives us today, has rewarded Lawrence with strong family ties and the respect of
his home community and all those who are glad to be called his friend.
Lawrence Martin's Family Profile can be seen here |
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