Years 11 to 20

Thomas Edmund Oram His Memoirs

Early Meanderings      Eddie Oram                                                                                  (Feb. 2009)

Severn Falls, Ontario          Circa 1943

When I was walking along the dirt road from our house to the train station (about 12 years old), I stopped and asked myself   “I wonder where I will be and what I will be doing when I am 50 years of age?” Then at that time and place I vowed to remember, every year in the future, that time and place. So far, so good. Just past 80 but still remember that point in time. This helps remind me of the progress that I have made in my life, the challenges overcome and the things that I have yet to do. It also remind me of the life that I lead during WW11 and my father being in the Army (Royal Canadian Provost Corps – Military Police name at that time), my mother working at the local store in Severn Falls in the summertime, and my small job was to haul ice blocks from the icehouse next to the store to the dock. I would sweep off sawdust from the top of a block of ice, drag it to the dock and lower it into the waiting boat of a cottager. For this I received a ten cent tip – more candy, yeah. The local summer store (no store in the wintertime) was owned by Pearl Beckstead (nee Dean) who, at that time, lived on a small island in the Severn River. She later moved into a house on the hill beside the store.

Pearl’s father, Walter Dean (Wife Ellen) (Cottage: DeanEllen located north of the Severn Bridge, immediately down the left side of the track) owned most of the land in the area of Severn Falls (a Hamlet of about 36 year round residents) and my parents purchased a lot from him on the dirt road leading into town upon which my Dad built our two bedroom home. The property extended from the road allowance back to the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks (about 100 feet by 1200 feet). At that time the road ended at the Government dock near the community centre (yes, we had one then).

The community centre was a large hall with tables and chairs for meetings, Sunday school, Saturday night dances, card games etc. It was not used for running or jumping. It was built by the men in the community with funds for the materials coming from the municipality.

The names of those whom I remember are as follows (year round residents):

(*Detailed info on Sweet & Dusome provided by Jamie Sweet – Bradford)

SWEET,        Mel & Marie

           Children: (8) Marie m. Allan ?, Johnny (d.) m. Helen Stevenson (Orillia), Joe m. Edith (Coldwater) son Ken, Charlie m. Ethlyn (Garson), Noble, Denny (m. Phyllis Dusome (see Below)), Ella Mae m. Carl Robinson, Bill (Orillia), Shirley Anne (Richmond Hill).

CADEAU,      Herman & Exilda

           Children: (4) Basil, Philbert, Gertrude, John Baptiste (d. Baby)   Granddaughter Dawn?

SMITH,          Doug & Mrs.?

           Children (3) Helen, Ross, Margaret.

DUSOME,      Steve & Elizabeth

           Children (10): Dorothy (Dot) m. Ken Mitchell (USA) 2 kids, Florence-82 m. Jim Shaw(d.) (Saskatchewan) 8 kids, Delia-88 (Mission BC) m. Clarence Marshall (Mink Trapper/Farmer - Buckskin) (d.) (Dau), Phyllis m.2 Denny Sweet m.2 (d. at 52) – Son James (*Jamie) (Bradford), Dau. Sharon. Dau. Kitty 6 kids + 6 kids, Dave drowned in Severn River, Helen (d.) m. Frank Geal (Wawa, ON) 3 kids, Laura (d.) m. Nelson Perrault & Allen Simmons, Albert (Sonny) (d.) m. Jackie Milner 3 kids (Wpg), Jimmy (d.) partner Jenny Ball (Orillia). Bernie (Orillia). (ages above as of Feb. 2009)

WOOD:          Frank & Bess   (Eddie’s Uncle – Mom’s Brother)

WOOD:          Charlie & Mary    (Eddie’s Uncle – Mom’s Brother)

           Children: (2) Charlie (Chuck) & Margaret

A few days before my nineteenth birthday, a group of my friends and I sat in a small cafe in Bala where we gathered to discuss local affairs. We discussed how surprising it was for Chuck Stinson to have joined the army.He had joined the Royal Canadian Regment (RCR's) in London. I recall Don Hudson saying that he would never join up because they would cut his hair. He was proud of it and the style he wore looked good on him. We were surprised since his older brothers had served in World War 11. After convincing ourselves that we could join the army, Fred Decaire and I decided that we would go to Toronto and sign up.After all, his older brothers had served and my uncles and Dad had also served. Why shouldn't we, now that we are men?

The next day we left home without telling anyone (stupid I know) including our parents. We completed the physical exam and paperwork, but since one could not join without parental consent until they were nineteen years of age, I had to wait until the next day to be sworn in on my birthday, August 23rd., 1950.

Sometime during the fall of 1951 a group of us were sent to Tokyo for 'Rest and Recuperation" (R & R). We were flown over to Tokyo and provided with accommodations in a British Army camp outside the city. We were provided with a cot and a locker and released to our own devices. At the gate a taxi awaited. Something to behold. It was small and steam operated. The back outside hatch held the boiler and a supply of small pieces of split wood. He stopped once to add fuel to the fire before reaching 'The Ginza".

Once in the Ginza what does a soldier on leave first look for....no....what is the second thing a soldier looks for - a drink. My friend and I walked around the many blocks that made up the Ginza to orient ourselves. We found that we could only buy local booze, rice wine & beer, cheap whiskey. We didn't want to chance getting sick on that. We then saw a large group of American soldiers gathered around a large shop - it was the US Post Exchange or PX, where Americans could purchase products from home. How do we get a supply? Foreigners were not allowed to purchase anything. Need proper ID. I spotted a USAF Sargeant leaning against a wall a few steps away from the other soldiers who were coming and going from the PX. I started up a conversation and found out that his name was Gene Frechette from Rudyard, Michigan. He was on leave. I asked him what the rules were for getting inside to purchase some liquor. He said we could go in with him but we couldn't buy anything, but he would go with us and use his ID. Lady Luck has smiled on us. It turns out we had a great time and found a great guy who knew his way around and made our leave better than we could have expected.

He later wrote his name on a Hotel card for me. It shows the phone number as 2231 Sault Ste. Marie (Rudyard is about 30 miles south).

The place were we were staying at was the Hotel Inaho, Minami Inaricho, Taitoku, Tokyo - Tel. Shitaya (83) 0398.