Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion go home, pick up his wife and take her to the doctor. That was the end of the story. He just wanted someone to give him some advice. Among the POWs there was a man who was the Captain of the pocket battleship Sharnhorse. Our officer, a Major, told us this POW was coming up to the Sick Bay to visit Willie and it would be nice if we came to attention when he arrived, out of respect. Up come this little man with a nice suit, little black beard, but no hat. Everyone came to attention and he looked us up and down. As he passed the man with no eyes and the man with the bad eczema, he patted them on their heads. After that he saw a man in the Galley doing pots and pans and he said, “same as in Germany”. He spoke good English. While in International waters the loudspeaker announced that we had two hours to buy things at the canteen. Willie was going to Cogswell Street Hospital and I decided to take up a collection to buy him some goodies, hoping to leave a good taste in his mouth. Everybody agreed. While collecting I tried to stay clear of the man with no eyes. He said, “Orderly, something is going on”. I said, “Oh, it’s nothing” but he insisted he wanted to know what was going on. So I told him I was taking up a collection for Willie and the man with no eyes gave me 54 crown. Even the guards gave me money. I went to the canteen and bought chocolate bars, toothpaste, etc. whatever. Upon presenting Willie with a bag of goodies, he cried. In my civilian life, I was an Engine man on the railroad for 33 years. On August 3, 2000, Catherine and I were married 60 years. We had nine children, six girls and three boys. We lost a son in 1960 in an accident. We have 22 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. My wife passed away on August 30, 2000 of a massive brain hemorrhage. I am a Legion member. I live in Parkland Estates. It’s an assistant living residence. My hobby is making Jacob’s ladder in bottles. I’ve been doing this since 1962 and have made approximately 1,500. I believe in keeping things simple and I always look for the good in people. You see, everyone has some good in them; and there are two sides to every story. continued ... www.ns.legion.ca 159 Tony Lipton passed away on Christmas Eve 2011 at the Veterans Memorial Hospital, Halifax.
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