Tracy Bray introduced her dad Doug Bray to share a few stories of what he remembers from the 1940's and some history book recommendations.  Doug admitted he looks like a veteran, but isn't one except as a Hastings and Prince Edward County School Board veteran where he taught for thirty years.  He was involved with the Army reserve his last year of high school and strongly feels this program should be a priority today.  Many analysts of WWII might say it was a blessing when Germany attacked London, England.  Hitler focused on bombing airports and factories to slow down the airforce.  Churchill retaliated by bombing Germany and this relieved the stress on the airports and factories and the British were able to build up their forces and defeat the German airforce.
 
Doug related a personal experience when he was a young fellow living in Halifax on July 18, 1945.  The war was pretty much over, but a fire broke out in Bedford, Nova Scotia and spread to a dock where ammunition was temporarily being stored, creating a reaction of fires and explosions that continued for more than 24 hours. Something that Doug will never forget.  The explosions continued well into the night.  Him and his family were safely huddled up in the commons, but even at a young age, he remembers what happened very vividly that day and night.
 
Doug recommended a couple of books for Christmas.  The Blind Mechanic is about a man who lost his sight, but wanted to be a mechanic and pursued his dream, even with his limitations and became licensed in Nova Scotia and shared his skill with many.  A Good Spy Can Live A Long Life is about a young man in Holland when Germany invaded and he shares how he lived through it.  Immigrated to Canada and settled right here in Quinte.  The young boy was A.A. Spitters a story of perseverance, hard work and love and the father of John Spitters of CJBQ.
 
Peter Malone thanked Doug for bringing some humour to his story telling and reminding us that education is the corner stone of who we are.