Transcript:

[Parks Canada beaver logo - parkscanada.gc.ca]

Text
From 1940 to 1947, Canada detained some 34,000 German combatants, Great Britain’s civilian internees, and enemy merchant mariners in 26 camps across the country.   

Audio
I’m Paul Mengelberg, from Longlac.  Paul Mengelberg: I came to Canada of my own free will.    

Text
Paul Mengelberg:  Prisoner of War 1940-1947          

Audio
I’ve been living in Longlac for the last 50 years. Three of the camps—Red Rock, Neys and Angler—were located on the north shore of Lake Superior. My first time in Canada, I came from England to Halifax to Camp Angler.      

Map appears showing locations of detention camps in Canada.  The camps on Lake Superior are labelled.

Audio
We could see Lake Superior from there and the railroad.     

Camera pans showing Lake Superior and railway running close to shore.

Audio
There was snow that reached up to our knees. Prisoners of war were guarded by members of the Veterans Guard of Canada, comprised largely of World War I veterans. There was a bridge going over Angler Creek into the camp. I had side stepped and slid right down and landed on the ice. When I looked up there was a hole, and suddenly I saw a guy reaching for me. I was only 75 pounds because I had lost weight in England, because there was nothing to eat.  He grabbed me by the neck, pulled me up, and said “Welcome to Canada”.  (laughter)     
           
Picture of Paul Mengelberg as a young submariner superimposed on a map of Camp 'X' Angler

Audio
This was a Native fellow, who was a guard.  He put me back on the bridge and I went into the camp. We were there with 500 POWs, most of them were air force,          

Picture of Camp Angler in winter showing the camp's remote location.

Pictures showing German officers in uniform, men mingling at a work camp, and members of the Veterans Guard on parade.

Audio
and we were there with six navy submariners, and then some guys from the army. 
The camp at Angler was wunderbar (German for wonderful)...very good.  We had potbelly stoves in each hut. I got a job again...I was postmaster. 


Photos showing the inside of a dining hall, and double bunks—one upstairs, one on the bottom.

Camera zooms in on main gate of a model of Camp Neys

Audio
The only English word I knew then...I would go to the gate and say “MAIL”.  And then somebody came and got me.I was in a camp in Longlac, a bush camp.

Historic photos showing members of the Veterans Guard with POWs working in bush camps cutting trees, posing for the camera, and carrying hey for the livestock.

Audio
And you can call it stupid or a lucky misfortune, but I cut myself in the foot with an axe.  
A Finlander (person from Finland) brought me home to the camp,   and I became second cook (laughter) which was really good.  I learned to cook a bit.  

Camera zooms out on the cookhouse of a model of Camp Angler
Text
The humane treatment of detainees prompted hundreds of former prisoners to immigrate to Canada following the war.    

Audio
(Following the war) we were classified as enemy aliens and could not enter Canada.  I tried right away.  

Camera pans across a model of Camp Neys, showing the guard towers, fencing and buildings both inside and outside the compound

Audio
A farmer in Glencoe, in southern Ontario, brought me back.  He sent tickets over. 
But I had met my wife and got married.       
So I asked the farmer if that changed anything.       
He said “all the better, bring her”.     
Of course, I had to pay him back.  Nothing is free these days.         
I was well treated here.          

Text
The detention of Second World War military prisoners of war and Great Britain’s enemy aliens sent to Canada has been designated a national historic event.     
A commemorative plaque marking the event is located in Neys Provincial Park.     
"Special Thanks to:
• Paul Mengelberg
• Walter Epps
• Thunder Bay Military History Museum
• Ontario Parks"         
"In Memory of:
Frank Spence
1939 – 2012
Thank you for your passion and perseverance!"