Peter Wilkins
The following is from Intergenerational Integrities 2021 Anthology. Intergenerational Integrities involves 18 like-minded, passionate secondary students of British Columbia and Alberta who share a common love for writing, history and learning. Their purpose is to connect youth and seniors, especially during the Covid-19 global pandemic, where many have been physically and socially isolated. For this initiative, each student has been paired with a veteran of the Korean War.
Peter Wilkins has experienced two wars. He lived through the Second World War as a child in his native England. He lived in Coventry, England when it was bombed, and the Germans thought obliterated on November 14th, 1940. He then fought in the Korean War, serving aboard a ship in 1950 and 1951. A 30-year navy veteran, Peter signed up for the armed forces when he was just 15.5 years old; then went on to serve aboard a ship during the Korean War. Peter is a former member of the West Carleton Legion Branch 616 and the Kanata Legion Branch 638. He currently lives in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
Leonardo Curiel is a grade is a seventeen-year-old goalkeeper (soccer), musician, and science enthusiast, who hopes to one day become a doctor. He enjoys helping others, reading books, listening to and playing classical music as well as playing the clarinet, trumpet, euphonium, French horn, and bassoon. He also enjoys playing chess and a good cup of tea. With this biographical essay, he hopes to bring light to the experiences of Korean War Veterans and ensure that the Korean War is forgotten no more.
A look at the forgotten war through the perspective of Mr. Peter Wilkins
By Leonardo Curiel
One of the world’s most famous quotes was once said by Philosopher George Santanya, indicating, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. This quote has resonated with the world for decades, being repeated, or paraphrased, most famously by Winston Churchill. Conversely, much of the world’s population has passed over an event much greater than a simple aphorism: the Korean War. Not only was the war itself forgotten, but also the thousands of soldiers that fought in the conflict to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula. Until recently, the only ones that remembered the forgotten were Veterans. One of these Veterans is the Nova Scotian Peter Wilkins, who was interviewed by the author to share his experiences, his stories, and his hopes.
Wilkins described his experiences in the Korean War as a member of the Royal Canadian Navy, working both as a Gun Loader and as a Sonar Operator. Having been born in England, Mr. Wilkins started his career in the navy with the Royal Navy in 1947. Two years later, because his parents were immigrating to Canada, he transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, eventually becoming Chief Petty Officer. When asked for his motivation to join the navy, Mr. Wilkins responded that he had lived through the London Blitz in 1941 as a child; Finding a profound sense of justice through that experience, he decided to help fight for those that could not defend themselves, such as the civilians in South Korea.
However, due to his being stationed on a ship based in Japan, Mr. Wilkins rarely ever encountered locals (Korean or Japanese). A large part of his ship’s duty was to demolish bridges and other structures, using the onboard guns, to hinder the North Koreans’ progress and remove their supply lines. Mr. Wilkins recalls a foggy day, when he and some other volunteers climbed into a boat and went ashore to inspect a bridge, when suddenly, the fog lifted, and several North Korean soldiers were staring back at them, 100 yards (ca. 91 m) away. Fortunately, both sides were so shocked to see the other that it took a while for shots to be fired and the Canadians were able to get back to the ship, unscathed.
Mr. Wilkins has recounted these stories, among many others, to his children and grandchildren. However, he tells them mostly the good parts of his experiences, but some bad parts because he believes it is important to know both sides of the story. Upon his return to Canada, no adoring crowds were welcoming the heroes home; there were no banners, no parades, and otherwise no public celebrations. Only the families and loved ones of the heroes were there to greet them on their return to native soil. It was not until recently, through the efforts of a certain Senator Martin, among others, that these heroes, many of whom have now passed, now begin to see acclaim. Mr. Wilkins, in sentiment like George Santanya’s, said that “if people don’t talk about [the Korean War], the history will repeat,” appreciating the efforts of Intergenerational Integrities and the Senator.
Fortunately, with the endeavours of Senator Martin, Intergenerational Integrities, and others, it seems that history will not repeat itself—at least according to Santanya, Churchill, and Wilkins. The world can benefit from the experiences of noble people like Mr. Wilkins, who were willing to put their lives at risk, fighting for the freedom of others, and who share their experiences in the hopes of creating a better world in the future.