IslandVoices

Audio

Recording Details: Ralph Gallant T1 [Tape One]:

***Ralph is interviewed from 00:00:05 -- 00:37:50. Dutch begins interviewing his wife Amelia at 00:37:52 and she continues on until 01:01:57 when Ralph speaks for the remainder of the tape.

SIDE A 00:00:05 -- 00:02:36 Ralph introduces himself; Harvest Excursion, 1941, army, WWII, moonshine, jail, coal mines. 

SIDE A 00:02:36 -- 00:03:43 Discussion about his birth in Duvar, his family, and their farm; Dunn, Duvar, mixed farm. 

SIDE A 00:03:43 -- 00:06:11 Discussion about serving in WWII with his father; WWII, army, PEI Highlanders, North Novas, North Novies, army instructor, Rufus Gallant. 

SIDE A 00:06:11 -- 00:11:55 Discussion about being in action during WWII, the end of the war, casualties, and parcels from his mother; WWII, V-E Day, casualties, Canadian army, army, Canadian soldiers, Berlin, Red Cross, parcels, Tommy Gallant, T. J. Gallant, tea bags, cigarettes. 

SIDE A 00:11:55 -- 00:18:19 Discussion about the places he went to during the war, German soldiers, snipers, and soldiers affected by the war; German soldiers, snipers, wages, Walter Arsenault, WWII, PTSD, Ted Cormier, Brussels, Belgium. 

SIDE A 00:18:19 -- 00:24:44 Discussion about wild Cape Bretoners during the war, friends he lost, and the end of the war; WWII, Cape Bretoners, Capers, wine, casualties, Canadian soldiers, Ed McMullan, 1946, HMCS Laurentian, Halifax, wages, gratuity pay, riots, V-E Day. 

SIDE A 00:24:44 -- 00:31:47 Discussion about Berlin and Belgium, army rations, air raids, entertainment, internment camps, and his reflections on the war; Berlin, WWII, army rations, air raids, barracks, air raid shelters, schnapps, drinking, movies, entertainment, internment camps, Belgium, horse meat, grass soup, Canadian soldiers. 

SIDE A ends at 00:31:47.

SIDE B 00:31:56 -- 00:37:50 Discussion about coming home from WWII and working in coal mines; coal mines, coal miner, 1949, Minto, WWII, lungs, 1971, coal mining, wages. 

SIDE B 00:37:52 -- 00:40:43 Discussion with Amelia about her marriage to Ralph and their family, with mention of Ralph's illnesses; Ralph Gallant, Amelia Gallant, cancer, lungs. 

SIDE B 00:40:43 -- 00:46:03 Discussion about her parents, her father's work in coal mines, and growing up in Minto; Bachand, Louis Bachand, Victoria Bachand, coal mines, Minto, mine explosion, coal mining. 

SIDE B 00:46:03 -- 00:47:55 Discussion about home remedies; home remedies, hot rum, doctors, cod liver oil. 

SIDE B 00:47:55 -- 00:49:38 Discussion about languages spoken in her house growing up and school; languages, coal miners, French, Flemish, school. 

SIDE B 00:49:38 -- 00:57:18 Discussion about how she met Ralph and their marriage; courting, Ralph Gallant, drinking, Paradise Tea Room, marriage, 1941. 

SIDE B 00:57:18 -- 00:59:05 Discussion about raising their 14 children, house work, and working at the Soviet; Summerside, The Soviet. 

SIDE B 00:59:05 -- 01:00:30 Discussion about Ralph being in jail; jail, moonshine, drinking, beer, Summerside. 

SIDE B 01:00:30 -- 01:01:57 Discussion about the Paradise Tea Room in St. John; St. John, Paradise Tea Room, waitress, tips. 

SIDE B 01:01:57 -- 01:03:44 Discussion with Ralph about making beer in jail; jail, homemade beer, beer, Summerside, Sheriff Dewar. 
 Tape ends at 01:03:44.

Overview:

Interviewee(s):
Gallant, John "Ralph" and Amelia

Playing Time:
01:03:44

Interview Date(s):
1997-10-22

Interview Summary:
This interview is with John "Ralph" and Amelia Gallant of Summerside and Kensington, P.E.I. In this interview Ralph talks about his family, his service in WWII, his work in coal mines, and his time spent in jail. Amelia talks about her family, how she met Ralph and their marriage, raising their 14 children while working as a waitress, and working in the Paradise Tea Room in St. John.

Place(s) Discussed:
St. John, NB; Summerside, PE; Berlin, Germany; Brussels, Belguim

Time(s) Discussed:
WWII, 1941, 1971, 1949

Rights Information:
All content on this site is made available for personal research and private study only. Any other reuse, reproduction, or re-purposing may require the permission of the rightsholder(s); please contact the UPEI Library for more information on permissions/clearances.

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