Trinity College School - Record Yearbook (Port Hope, Ontario Canada)

Page 28 text:

10 TRINITY COLLEGE SCHOOL RECORD It is the spirit of such people that has carried them through, the never say die spirit that makes a man alive when he really should be dead. There are unnumbered individual examples of heroism these days, many of them untold and unsung, but all testi- fying to the dauntless spirit of man. Yesterday I read of an R.A.F. pilot badly wounded over enemy territory but determined to save his observer and bring his light bomber home if it were humanly possible. Over the channel the damaged plane was dropping lower and lower, and the pilot was getting steadily weaker from loss of blood. His observer called him on the telephone and asked if they had not better jump for it, No , came the reply, hold ong I think we can make it . Later the same enquiry and again the same reply, though the voice was faint. Then they saw land, now only a bare thousand feet beneath them. Shall I open your hatch , said the observer. No, you get out while the going's good , said the pilotg 'Tm afraid I'm finished. The observer landed safely and the pilot crashed with his machine. Dead, yes, but his spirit saved a life and will inspire many others to give their all in this battle for existence. At Dieppe there were countless examples of undying spirit. Colonel Merritt led his men to a bridge over a valley in the centre of the city. The enemy had their machine guns trained on it and everyone who approached it was caught by the hail of bullets. Out walked Colonel Merritt to the centre of the bridge, head erect, swinging his steel helmet in his hand and call- ing out, Come on, fellows, see, it's all right, there's no real danger. And so they took the bridge. A Chaplain from this town, the Rev. A. J. Foote, safe on his ship after the terrible nine hours on the beaches, saw a medical officer still tending the wounded left behind. Without hesitation he leapt into the sea, swam ashore, and helped to succour the wounded, all in the face of heavy fire from the enemy.

Page 27 text:

TRINITY COLLEGE SCHOOL RECORD 9 derers at his gates and inspired the defenders until at the last the horrible might of the enemy broke through and he, with thousands of others, was quickly silenced. His voice was no longer heard, but how loud it still is, a lone man inspiring his countrymen to hope, to have faith, and hold on as best they can. Then, just two years ago, 'the Germans found them- selves free to turn their bombs of wrath on the British people and you know what undying courage that nation showed in its gravest hour of trial. A handful of gallant R.A.F. and R.C.A.F. fighters flew against the enemy night and day, modern St. Georges going out unceasingly to battle the foul dragons of the clouds. Though their bodies were ragged from loss of sleep and constant strain, and their machines often riddled by the superior numbers and firing power of the enemy, their spirit was undauntedg they faced the foe, kept on facing him and battling him, and finally won out, gaining a victory which will rank with the greatest battles of history, per- haps the turning point in the fight for the preservation of the civilized World. Look at the Russians last winter, the battles of Moscow and of Leningrad, retreat after retreat but never giving ing enormous areas of their country ravaged and destroyed and burnt, their people in slavery, brutally treated or killed. But they stood up against it and saved their principal cities by attacking when they seemed completely defeated, finally beating back their barbarous enemies. To-day, at this moment, they are repeating their gallantry and iight- ing to the death to save another of their great cities and strategic points. Think of the Chinese, no army to speak of, no air force, no navy, when their highly organized and cunning enemies turned on them, and for five years they have battled against the foe with their bare hands, retreat after retreat, but never giving in, and now they see signs of victory, dimly on the horizon.

Page 29 text:

TRINITY COLLEGE SCHOOL RECORD 11 The Canadian destroyer Ottawa was sunk a few days ago in the battle of the Atlantic. A very young graduate in medicine of the University of Toronto was thc medical officer. When the first torpedo hit, many men were seriously Wounded. For four days and nights young Dr. Hendry attended to them, performing major operations in a tiny cabin with the ship almost turning turtle in tremendous seas. Then on their way to port, a second torpedo hit them amidships and all had to abandon ship immediately. Dr. Hendry saw that the wounded were placed on deck with life belts about them and a moment later they all found themselves in the sea, holding on to rafts. The gallant young doctor's strength had gone and he slipped away, but no one who knows the story can ever forget the wonder- ful spirit of the man, wearing himself out to save the lives of his crew. And so it goes, day by day in this terrible struggle for our survival. Almost hourly, deeds of heroism are per- formed and behind them all is that unconquerable spirit of man. What are we- fighting for? Freedom and Democracy we say. But what do these words really mean? Surely they simply mean the human spirit. We are fighting for the preservation of the human spirit. That spirit cannot live and grow in a world of brutality and slavery, in an atmosphere of perpetual torture and fear. The human spirit must have freedom to grow and expand and flourish, but it must be real freedom, not license, which means we must use self control, the human spirit needs an atmosphere of understanding, of kindly help, of tolerance and sympathy. And that is the Christian spirit wherever it is found. When we acquire that spirit and live in it, we are in harmony with ourselves and our fellows and all discordant notes are stilled.