Having family members who served in the First and Second World Wars and the Cold War influenced Jim MacNeil’s decision to serve his country for over three decades.
MacNeil enlisted in the army at age 24 — “supposedly too old, but they took me anyway” — in December 1961 and joined the Royal Canadian Ordinance Corps (RCOC), an organization that handled logistics.
His three older brothers had already served in the RCOC — two did short stints and one served for 29 years — so their service had “quite a lot” of influence on him joining the same unit.
“Our job was supply. If you wanted it, we had it. If we didn’t have it, we’d get it — except for food,” said the former warrant officer, who served for 31 years before retiring in 1992.
As part of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) deployment in the early 1960s, MacNeil spent three-and-a-half years in Germany, ensuring the military was well supplied. Most of his time there was enjoyable — except for when he had to “stand to” at 4 a.m. in the rain.
“I got along well with everybody. The food and beer (were also) great,” the now 85-year-old laughed.
Other memorable experiences MacNeil had included travelling around Western Europe and seeing different countries, cultures and people, particularly in Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and France.
Switzerland stood out because of the Alps and its majestic scenery. While travelling around the mountainous region was nerve-racking at times, the veteran enjoyed seeing some cities by horse and carriage.
In 1989, MacNeil spent nine months serving in Damascus, Syria, where he supervised other logistics personnel. Their supplies were kept in the Golan Heights, a strip of land over which Israel and Syria disputed.
That trip was a different experience because of the culture he came across.
“It was surprising to find that there were Jewish shops and Christian shops and Arab shows all minding their own business and getting along,” he said, noting Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city on Earth.
Damascus was an old-looking city but also had modern amenities, MacNeil continued. In particular, there was a revolving restaurant on top of one hotel, which he thought was strange, “but there it was.”
For most of his career, MacNeil served in Western Canada, working at radar stations and on military bases.
“It was fun while it lasted,” he said. “But when I got to 55, they kicked me out (because of) compulsory retirement.”
MacNeil appreciated how the military supported him during his career, especially with family issues. He was working in Cold Lake, Alta., when his father, Alec, became ill in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, in 1973. Some of his friends went to the commanding officer and said he had to get home.
The next morning, he found himself in the backseat of a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star airplane — the T-bird — travelling home to Eastern Canada to be with his father.
MacNeil’s father was 19 years old when he enlisted with the Canadian army during the First World War. The man trained at Valcartier, Quebec, for several months before he was sent overseas in 1915.
Alec fought in many well-known battles, including at Vimy Ridge in April 1917, and was injured by shrapnel three times while overseas. Some shrapnel lodged in his jaw and gave him toothache-type nerve damage and pain that lasted until he died.
“They offered to cut that nerve, but they couldn’t guarantee it wouldn’t paralyze half of him, so he said no,” said MacNeil.
Alec — who started working in the coal mines at age 11 — returned to the mines after the First World War and continued there until eye problems forced him to retire in 1953. He attempted to re-enlist during the Second World War but was told he was too old, so he served in the Home Guard instead.
Besides his father, MacNeil’s older brother and sister served in the Second World War, with the former fighting in Belgium and Holland as a tank driver with the Governor General’s Foot Guards and the latter serving in London with the Canadian Women’s Army Corp (CWAC); both returned safely.
“So, all in all, we put in about 80 years in the army,” said MacNeil, noting the service of his father, brother, sister and other siblings influenced him to join.
“I’m happy with (that family history). It (the military) gives discipline and a purpose. … not that I didn’t get in lots of trouble sometimes,” he added laughing. “I’m certainly happy with what I did. Sometimes I regret not going in earlier, but what the hey, I had a good time.”
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