'It was hard to take': Son shares father's memories of D-Day battle

When Leslie Clarkreturned to his hometown of Millbank in northeastern New Brunswick,he tried to forget what happened overseas bytuckinghis Second World War memorabilia away in a couple of old suitcases.

But while those items were hidden away out of sight the veteran couldnever forget the memories of war.

His youngest son, Greg Clark, believes his father, who died four years ago at the age of 93, spent his life suppressing thosememories.

"He never talked about the waruntil his later years," said Greg Clark. "He would sit there and tell me a story right out of the blue."

After his father would finish the story, he'd say, 'I don't know what in the hell made me think of that,' and he'd get up and leave the room."

Once he shared those stories, Leslie Clark would have nightmares and be irritable days later.

But they were stories that needed to be told.

Greg Clark said his father was worried people would forget what happened during the First and Second World Wars andmight even believe theynever happened.

"My father feared nothing in his life. He had no fear. And before he died he said, 'I'm scared that someday, that nobody is going to remember.'"

After that, Greg Clark took it upon himself to share photos and memories his father kept in a diary. He did this so his father and other members of New Brunswick's North Shore Regiment would not be forgotten.

Battle after battle

Even though he wasreluctant to share what happened, Leslie Clarkdid visitlocal schools with his grandchildren for their Remembrance Day services.

He also wrotedown his memories ofthe D-Day landing in a diary back in 1980.

His writing is descriptive and emotional.

"I knew I had lost a lot of my best friends. After that itwas just like one long day, battle after battle," Clark said in his writing.

He writes about making three crosses from wainscotting he ripped off a house. He also talks about digging shallow graves for three men who were killed, one being a lifelong friend.

"Father Hikey (sp) gave a short sermon at the graves, and we moved on," he said.

"It was hard to take."

5 Clark brothers off to war

Leslie Clark, along with his four brothers:George,Earl, Charlie andDave all joined to serve in the Second World War. Even their father, Harold, who served in the First World War and was injured in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, rejoined but did not serve.

Clark joined the North Shore Regiment on June 17, 1940, while hisbrothers joined the air force, navy and reserves. The five siblings figured if they served in different divisions, there was less chance of them all being killed.

In July 1944, Leslie Clarkwas hit by a shrapnel shell from a bomb in France. For days, he stayed at a field hospital where his leg was amputated.

He wasn't expected to live.

That news was sent back to his home in Millbankby telegram. It was a telegram his 12-year-old sister, Lorna, receivedthe same day a telegramwas sent from Bathurst saying their mother, who was sick in hospital, might not live.

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"They got a telegram in the morning saying they didn't think their mother mightlive and then the same afternoon they got one of dad, saying they didn't think he was going to live," Greg Clark said.

But they both survived.

After his leg was amputated, Leslie Clarkwas taken back to England to recover. Eventually, hereturned home to Canada,arriving in Halifax on his 23rd birthday.

Thin and weak

After serving in the Second World War, all five brothersreturned home to their parents and two younger siblings, who were taking care of the farm at the time.

After the war, the family continued on with their lives as best they could.

"He told me when he came home he was pretty thin and pretty weak," Greg Clark said. "I think he said he weighed about 100 pounds when he came home."

To pass the time and forget the memories of war, Leslie Clarkwould often sit around drinking and smoking. As time went on, the veteranmade up his mind that he'd had enough and wanted to keep working.

"He said, 'I went to the woods with a bucksaw and an axe and I started cutting trees'. And he said it was hard."

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Greg Clark said his father went back to work toregain his strength. His father credits the hard work and fresh air, whichhelped him recover both physically and mentally from the war.

"He said, "I think that's what got me through it."

Clark went on to fish salmon, gaspereau and smelt. Before retiring, he alsoworked at the former air base in nearby SaintMargarets in northeastern New Brunswick. After the war, he alsomarried his wife Annie and had three sons of his own.

A ceremony for 'the boys'

Although he tried to move on with his life, LeslieClark never forgot his fallen comrades.

Every year on the D-Day anniversary, manyveterans from the North Shore Regimentwould join him at his fishing stand along the banks of the Miramichi Riverto remember.

"They'd all gather around the spring down there, and dad would have pints of liquor hidden in the moss and he'd have little tin cups that used to hang in the trees there. And they'd all have a little toddy," Greg Clark said.

"Then dad would go and haul the net and come in and say, 'Here's a fish for you boys.'"