Israël Pothier (1903-1994) was a veteran of World War II, founding member and manager of the Wedgeport Tuna Guild from 1936- 1939. Army captain and liaison officer, member of the Knights of Columbus since 1922 and 4th degree member of the International Association of Hunting and Fishing for 40 years, director of the Organization of Emergency Measures, recipient of an honorary doctorate of Sainte Anne University in 1992, and former student of the university in 1918, municipal councillor for the Argyle Municipality for 12 years, former proprietor of Fishermen’s Rest Inn, member of the Yarmouth County Civil Defense, weed inspector for the Argyle Municipality, president of the Yarmouth County Hunting and Fishing Club, member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Wedgeport chapter 155, charter member of the Nova Scotia Bird Society, and former councillor of the village of Wedgeport. He was one of two Nova Scotian Acadians who served as Sergeant- at-Arms in the Nova Scotia Legislature. IN 1991, Israël wrote the following memoir of his wartime experience during World War II. In 1929, I joined No. 3 Company 3 Divisional Signals as a private. We learned the Morse Code with flag, Aldis Lamp and Heliograph, also basic electricity. In 1930, I went to Aldershot Camp in the Valley as a Staff Sergeant. In April 1931, I got a 2nd Lieutenant Commission (one Star Wonder). Went again in 1932 and 1933. Qualified as a Signal Captain at Camp Borden in 1933. In 1934 I spent 4 weeks at Connaught Range outside Ottawa. Went to Sussex, N. B. camp in 1934 and in August 1939, I went to the Royal Canadian Signal outfit in Kingston, Ontario, next to the Royal Military College. And then on September 1st, 1939, Hitler invaded Poland. . Canada declared war against Germany on September 10th, 1939. At the Wedgeport Tuna Guides Association Inc., when I was Manager since 1936, we were in the midst of an International Tuna Cup Match. Teams from U. S., Mexico, Cuba, British Empire, France and Luxembourg were here. The Match was cancelled. The 84th Battery became an Anti-Aircraft Unit commanded by Major King. Our Signal boys went to Halifax to work on lines at Signal Fortress. Officers Capt. Manning, Lieut. Douglas Cann, Loran Baker and I joined the Anti-Aircraft Battery. On September 10th, on a Saturday night, my girlfriend, Émilie LeBlanc, Charlotte LeBlanc, and Émilie's brother, Michael, drove by taxi to Halifax, saw the archbishop and got married on September 11th at St. Mary's Cathedral. Returning from Halifax on September 12th, I took my uniform and went on Active Duty as a 2nd Lieut. Patrick Murphy, Michael Murphy, Valois Boudreau, joined the Anti-Aircraft outfit a few days previous. We trained in Yarmouth in September and October and then I with 100 men, went to Halifax and were stationed on Lawler's Island next to MacNab’s and Eastern Passage. Pat and Mike and Valois Boudreau were there, and their officers were Munro Gardner and Loran Baker (N. c. won in Italy). Lawler's Island was a decontaminated outfit taking care of people with Smallpox, Bubonic Plague, etc. A couple of men from Tusket, Hubbard's Point, were buried there in 1901. Capt. Fred LeBlanc told me later that they were with his crew and were taken sick at Canso. Capt. Fred Morisay, who was also at Canso, had taken 5 men to Lawler's Island in 1901. One of these men was Archbishop Burke's father. 3 of these men were cured and returned to their home. After 6 weeks on Lawler's Island, there was an opening for an Air Intelligence Liaison Officer at Eastern Air Command, and I was given the position. Three of us Commissioned Officers were on Duty 24 hours a day, each 8 hours. We were in the Operation Room at the Navy League Building on Barrington Street. Meteorologist Rube Hornstein had arrived from Ontario and was upstairs. We used to go and get from him the Winds Aloft after they had released balloons and we would phone the result to the Air Base at Eastern Passage. We also would get reports from the Navy about their ships coming or leaving Halifax Harbour, also the convoys in Bedford Basin. Air Commodore Anderson was in charge and the S.A.S.O. senior air staff officer, Group Captain Guthrey, 2nd in Command. We went in various planes when there was Space - Buffalo, GrumneW Goose, P.B.Y. and Hudson bombers. I enjoyed the flying, flew with Flying Officers Christmas, and Van Camp; these two pilots were in the Battle of Britain. The vessel "Cerita" from Pubnico was unreported and I was asked to go in a Hudson Bomber with Sgd. Leader Little and Air Vice Marshall Bredner to come to South West N. S. searching for the Cerita. We flew over Seal Island, Brown's Bank and around the Tusket Island flying low and close to vessel to look at the names. On the way back, we flew close to my home and close to the only little building. At the Yarmouth Airport, I saw Jimmie Reside next to the small building. An hour later at Eastern Air Command, by way of radio, I talked to Jimmy Reside. "I saw you an hour ago". He said, "how in Hell did you see me?" "You're in Halifax". I said, "Jimmie, I was aboard that Hudson Bomber that flew close to you". Another experience was when some Wedgeport boys were ready to go overseas just before Xmas 1939 aboard the Polish ship Shroby. Henry Boudreau, Lindsay Hubbard, Randolph Cottreau, who were with the West NS Regiment commanded by Lieut. Colonel Bullock from Bridgewater; also spoke to Lieut. Paul Stéhelin and Harold Parker from St. John, N. B. who was in charge of the movie theatre in Yarmouth. Another experience was in 1940 before France collapsed, I as interpreter for Squadron Leader Samson, spent a whole day on maneuver outside Halifax Harbour aboard the French Submarine Bévéziers. We sailed on the surface, crashed dived, were at periscope depth, had dinner on the bottom at 90 feet - a dinner that included soup, chicken, lobster, cake, ice-cream, potatoes, etc. and jugs of red and white wine. The Captain of the sub said we were at Martinique and we took 20 tons of wine and a ton of water to wash. We were shown every part of the sub except the Embrage (clutch). The Commander said, "Ceci est notre secret". We had Hudson Bombers flying from 1000 to 10,000 feet to see how they could see the submarine which at periscope depth, crash diving. It was decided the next day to have the Hudson Bombers binoculars. Also, the Navy destroyers, the Saguenay and Skeena kept a mile off the sub, they and us were testing the Asdic (an electric device to hear submarines). The aircraft carrier Berne was taking 100 Stinson single engine planes to France but returned to Halifax. So, the S.A.S.O. said, "now we have lots of planes and we will teach you to fly". That same night when I took my daily report to Fortress Hgd., Colonel Craig said, "You are going to York Redoubt with the 7th Anti-Aircraft Unit from Pictou Co.". Oh, what a letdown! But the Colonel said I could take my horse to the fort because the last two remaining horses in the forces were there being taken care of by a Ferrier Sgt. by the name of Comisky. I enjoyed the boys from Pictou County. In 1941 I was told to report to Sydney, C. B. I had to sell the horse. I was stationed at Chapel Battery., Sydney Mines. After 6 weeks, I was told to return to Bedford Range. Gaspé I was given 100 men and a typewriter and told to get organized and go to Gaspé, Québec, being in charge of 5 Searchlights, 2 Dispersed beams for searching Gaspé Harbour. These lights, 60 in. beam with 800 million candle power. You could read a newspaper on a clear night at 20 miles. I was stationed at Peninsula where 2-6in. guns were placed. Émilie came with me to Sydney and to Gaspé. I did some muskrat trapping and Black Duck shooting was excellent. Returned to Halifax at Xmas and was stationed at Point Pleasant Park for the winter. I was the only officer with a coastal searchlight outfit. In the spring of 1942, I returned to Gaspé, and I was stationed at Fort Prével, some 30 miles from Gaspé and not too far from Percé Rock. Major Milburn was in charge; there were two 10 in. guns dated 1890 with only a range of 14,000 yards. Only 3 shots were fired knocking chimneys in the barracks and windows in the neighbouring houses. After that, I did not like big guns. Outside Gaspé Harbour, there were German submarines sinking loaded boats out of Montreal. Survivors, after some sinkings, stayed at Battery Park Hotel where Émilie was staying and we had to supply them with Army uniforms. One Commander was captured in the Mediterranean and got the Iron Cross from Hitler for sinking 300,000 tons of ships. The first sinking in 1941 between Gaspé and Anticosti was reported by the Defense Gov. after no more sinking was reported. One of the sub crew landed at New Carlisle and was captured by the R.C.M.P. He had $18,000 - the old long Canadian bills in his suitcase and he wanted to blow up the Aluminum Plant at Arvida, Quebec. He had been to Gaspé town and was saluted by our troops. This was a year before 3 Germans landed at Long Island, N. Y. While in Gaspé in July 1942, I picked mayflowers, strawberries and blueberries all at the same time. I sailed around Percé Rock and Bonaventure Islands where there is 1000 Gannets or more. No ships were seen by the gate boats therefore a German submarine had entered the outer harbor and laid mines. The next day my cousin Alphonse LeBlanc who was on a mine sweeper boat told me that with the aid of paravanes they had brought to the surface mines which were detonated by gun fire. Returned to Halifax at Xmas. Then I was stationed at Shelburne in charge of 3 forts on McNutt, Sandy Point Island where two 10-in. guns were there like those in Gaspé and Cape Spears in Newfoundland. I stayed 8 weeks in Shelburne and then I went on a Major's course at CD AA & Coastal Defence and Anti-Aircraft Unit at Eastern Passage. While there, a couple of Sgts. from Atlantic Command came there with the new 30 calibre carbines. They had 2 rounds each for 15 of us. We went to shore-the boys fired their shots at a post in the water. When my turn came, I tossed a large milk can that I had in my greatcoat pocket. I hit it with the bullet and then I threw a small milk can and also put a bullet through it. I turned around and there was the Camp. O. C. Col. Jones. I said, "this gun should be good for paratroopers". He said, "where did you learn to shoot like that?". "Sir", I said, "ever since I was 12 years old". He said, "will you work for me?". I said, "yes Sir, when I get back to Gaspé I will ask for a transfer". Back in Gaspé, Lt. Colonel LaFlamme said that I would be promoted to major. And then I started to get a bill for $40,000 for a shortage of equipment there at Fort Prével from Atlantic Command. They sent a questionnaire asking who was responsible for the shortage. I replied H. Q. Gaspé Defenses Atlantic Command. I had signed for everything at night and had left the next morning as a true soldier I had obeyed orders. I demanded a completed check-up. Two Sgts. came and after the check-up there was no shortage. So, I left Gaspé and came to Eastern Passage as small arms Weapon Training Officer. I was stationed there until the end of European and Japanese wars. Eastern Passage In August 1945, while stationed at Eastern Passage, explosions occurred at the Bedford Magazine. A lot of shells torpedoes, etc. were stored there. At around 6 p.m., the first blast occurred breaking windows in Halifax. The blast was heard here in Wedgeport. All the people in Dartmouth left. We were on the Parade Square. Lt. Col. Ted Mighan had just told the Officers, Sgts. and men to clean the windows on the barracks. It was a sharp crack that followed the Harbour. He said to me, "what is that?" I said, "It must be depth charges at the airport a mile from us". I was in charge of transport so the Col. said, "Get a station wagon and we will go to Dartmouth". On our way we met cars, buses, filled with people. We went to the Dartmouth Police HQ. The chief was sitting in a chair all covered with plaster that had fallen from the ceiling. We called Major Coolen at our base to send all our trucks to Dartmouth and to open all barracks for people to stay. The next day we had some 4000 persons. A Lieut. and I stayed in Dartmouth until 5 o'clock in the morning. There was a blast at 11 p.m. and at 5 a.m. No one was left in Dartmouth except a dozen ladies in a school who belonged to the St. John Ambulance outfit. They would not move. Only one sailor at the Bedford Magazine was killed by the concussion when he went to the wharf where the fire had started. Major Coolen at the base got the M.B.E. The Lieut. and I who had sent all people out of Dartmouth got nothing. Halifax was not prepared for war when Canada declared war on Germany. Very few coastal defense guns, logs, were put on forts to make people think they were guns. British battleships had been shortened; their magazines were empty. Few search lights, few anti-aircraft guns. A German submarine mined the entrance of the Halifax Harbour. One night when I was in charge at Fire Commander Post as Fire Commander, I got a phone call from the Navy that a steamer loaded with some T.N.T. was on fire close to Dartmouth. They said they would ask me to tell our shore batteries to fire rounds to sink it. The name of the boat - The Thornheim. The next phone call said that using shore battery guns like the 6 in. at Point Pleasant Park would probably hit Dartmouth close to the Nova Scotia Hospital. So, the Navy used a small explosive charge and sank the boat. The 2 masts could be seen for a long time. Not long after I got another phone call from the Navy saying that something had gone over the Indicator Loop. This is how the Harbour was protected. Anything passing over the Indicator Loop with metal would work a galvanometer (an instrument for detecting and measuring the strength and direction of electric currents) (Below York Redoubt). During the war while stationed at York Redoubt one evening I rode to Sandwich Battery on my horse. The guard at the gate let me in and I talked to the Lieutenant who was in charge of the gun crew, while I let the boys ride the horse on the Parade Square. It was at dusk, so I got on the horse and noticed a soldier starting to run for a barrack. The boys said he was scared of horses. I spurred the horse, and I was right at his heels when he went into a barrack. The horse jumped a few steps and went inside the building. It was the gunner's canteen and on pay night. Talk about a clatter of bottles and glasses. I saw an opening at the other end of the building, so I galloped out the building. The last thing I heard was "you crazy bastard". The next morning the paper man told me that Major Greason at Sandwich Battery had told the gate guard not to let anyone on horseback in. So, it was up to me to go settle things. I rode to the gate, tied the horse, saluted the gate guard and went inside the officer's mess. "Major Greason, I said, "I am Lieutenant Pothier who came here last night on horseback". "Glad to meet you, join us for a drink". I wondered what Shorty Craig at Fortress HQ. would say if he heard about this. "No monkey business or I will take the horse" he had said. So, a month passed and while sailing on the boat "Alfreda" between Halifax and York Redoubt, I could hear soldiers say, "that is the officer who has the black horse". (By the way, that boat is where Pius LeBlanc got the name Alfreda for his daughter.) And so, I went to Fortress HQ. and when the second-in-command (Major Fetterly) saw me, he smiled from ear to ear and said, "How is the horse?" A voice from the Colonel in the next room said, "Does he still drink beer?" I said, "No Sir, he likes candy" and so the horse story ends. I could have been court-martialed or cashiered (to dismiss from office in disgrace). Maybe??? After the war with Germany was finished, I signed for the Pacific Theatre, but Japan folded up after the A-Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I was discharged in 1946 having served 7 years dating from September 1, 1939, to April 1946. Therefore, 20 years including the N.P.A.M. years 1929-1939. I got the E.D.-Efficiency Decoration. Back home in Wedgeport I came home to Wedgeport and was named Deputy Member for Yarmouth County for Civil Defense.