Donald Stewart is pictured top 2nd from the left, On leave after VE day (1st from the left)| Courtesy of The Memory Project

Click play to hear Donald Stewart’s complete audio story

Donald Stewart, a naval gunner from Kelowna, B.C., on coming home.

Apparently, some fellow with the same name as mine, his ship was torpedoed, and so my parents were notified I was lost at sea. When I got home, I didn’t tell them I was coming, I caught the bus and went to Copper Mountain. My father, being the policeman there, had to meet the buses. The old man looked at me and said, ‘you’re dead.’ I said, ‘what the hell do you mean, I’m dead?’ He says, ‘we’ve had your memorial service.’ I said, ‘how is mom taking it?’ I went home. She grabbed a hold of me, I thought she was never going to let loose. I can still feel this today.