George Streeter, 82, still has many vivid memories of the horrific year that he spent serving with his Canadian Army mates fighting in the bitter Korean War of 1950. He had joined the Canadian forces in 1948 at the age of 17 years, then took special training at bases in Shiloh, Manitoba and Wainwright, Alberta, which would also serve as a prison camp. Streeter was a member of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery First Field Special Forces Regiment that would eventually be sent to the Korean Battle front. It was during that non-stop confrontation that 27,000 brave Canadian soldiers would fight shoulder to shoulder to bring peace to the war-torn region, with 516 of our proud soldiers making the supreme sacrifice.
A story of hardship and bravery
The first day on the front lines for the young Canadian soldier was May 4, which was his 19th birthday, but all that he could recall was that they all had to grow up real fast when they suddenly realized very quickly that they were right in the middle of a war. George Streeter’s crew were in charge of the vital maintenance of the telephone lines, which were strung across the battle grounds and were the only form of communications for the Canadian contingent.
During the shooting and bombing, the lines were quite often damaged or broken, and it was up to George and his mates to crawl across the rugged terrain and complete the repairs while the battle raged on. He was quick to explain that while they were attending to the tasks, they wore no helmets, no insignia, and had no rank, and carried only their tools and a Leigh Enfield rifle, which carried 10 rounds with one in the chamber, while the enemy were constantly trying to sneak into the ranks of their foes. Needless to say that long year of war in Korea may have ended in a truce, but it took its toll, with countless Canadian soldiers returning to their home bases wounded and in extremely stressed condition, and so sadly to many who were left behind. When it was all over, one of the three members of George’s line crew had been killed in action.
Mr. Streeter, who is now the last living veteran of the Korean War in the Ponoka area, returned to Manitoba in 1951 and served for many years on the base. George would always make sure to stay in touch with the other lads in his family who were serving Canada in the war-efforts, including his father Henry, who fought in WW II and received the Coronation Medal, as well as his brothers Reg and Henry, who served in Egypt and Korea. He still stays in contact with Murray, who also fought in Korea, and would later become his brother-in-law. After leaving the forces, George Streeter worked as a millwright in a Hamilton area steel mill, and then later moved to Kitimat, B.C., where he faithfully served as a care-giver for his wife Aleza after she was seriously injured in an accident, and has continued to do so for many years. Along the way, they happily raised their family of six girls and two boys (yours-mine and ours), including Anna, Rose, Linda, Susan, Sandra, Jeanie, Todd, and Terry, and have been blessed with 38 grand-children and five great grand-children. The Streeters moved to Ponoka eight years ago to be with their daughter and son-in-law Wayne and Sandra Chisolm and family, and they really love it here, stating that it was the best move they ever made; the people are very friendly, and there is sunshine 93 per cent of the time. Wayne was a sergeant and star trek jumper in the Canadian Army, while George has been a long-standing member of the Masons, Shriners, and Legion, and enjoys tinkering with his hobby of carpentry.
A coveted award
Mr. Streeter and his family were thrilled in July when he received official notification from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ottawa that he was one of the 2900 former Canadian soldiers to receive the coveted ‘Ambassador of Peace’ Medal as a special token of sincere and enduring appreciation for service performed during the Korean War. The document, which was marking the 64th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, was written in both English and Korean, and expressed that the Korean nation have never forgotten the great legacy of the 27,000 Canadians who fought shoulder to shoulder with them during that desperate year of confrontation. The award confirms that thanks to the bonding, support, and ‘special partnership’ of the hardy Korean War Veterans, Canadians should always take special pride in knowing that their service gave the Koreans the greatest gift of all.....freedom, peace, and hope.
George Streeter will always carry a great respect and pride for all the men and women who have been involved in the Canadian forces both at home and throughout the world, both yesterday and today. He stressed that it was a great honour to serve side by side with his regiment, as well as with such prestigious units as the Princes Patricia Canadian Light Infantry and thousands of other brave and dedicated soldiers. We congratulate him on his award, and sincerely wish him and his wife and family all the very best in the future.