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REFINED STYLES with A COOL TWIST 0 E O I W L S V I 6 S E H ) E W X 3 E O Z M P P I ? ? [ [ [ F Y V V S [ W G P S X L M I V W G S Q 17 Years of Excellen t Service rrs TM Defensive Driving Certificate Program - MTO Approved Minimizes Road Test Time and Qualifies for Maximum Insurance Discount Advance Defensive Driving Program Minimizes Road Test Time, Qualifies for Maximum Insurance Discount and Teaches You Emergency Skills Driver Retraining Program for Reinstating Drivers License Complete Refresher Program Prepares you for G2 or G License Refresher Program Helps Reviewing your Driving Habits for Test Preparation and Evaluation Warm Up Practice Before the Test Winter Time Driving Program Helps Overcome Your Winter Driving Jitters DRIVING IS A PRIVILEGE, LET US HELP YOUR EARN IT 7 PROGRAMS TO CHOOSE FROM: www.ultimatedrivers.ca Gift Certifi cates Available NOV. 13 Weekend Program NOV. 22 Evening Program NOV. 27 Weekend Program 407 Speers Road Suite 205 905-825-1172 SAVE$50.00 Valid on Defensive Driving Program Only NEW PROGRAMS STARTING Sign Up On Line 3 Friday , N ovem ber 12, 2010 O A KVILLE BEA V ER w w w .o akvillebeaver .co m By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF They are images he cant forget, images of ships burning bright against the complete darkness of a night at sea. For Oakville resident John Garside these memories are now nearly 70 years old, but they still have the power to bring tears to his eyes. I never forget, he said, voice quivering. I dont do it deliberately, but I just see something that reminds meand I get all emotional. During the Second World War, Garside served as a Royal Navy gun- ner on board merchant ships as they made their dangerous supply runs to the various Allied fronts. Garside, who grew up in England, signed up to join the Royal Navy in 1942, when he was just 17. He said he did this because he fig- ured he was just a few months away from being drafted at which point he could have been sent anywhere. I wanted the navy, he said. I always wanted to go to sea. Every book I read was about the navy and my mothers family were all sailors. After completing his training, Garside was sent to Halifax, Nova Scotia where he was eventually assigned to the SS Fort Crevier, a brand new 10,000-ton merchant ship built in Montreal. As international law actually for- bade merchant ships from carrying guns manned by naval personnel, Garside said he could not wear his uniform on board the Crevier. He also had to keep his uniform and other things connecting him to the navy in a weighted bag, so the incriminating evidence could be thrown overboard if it appeared the ship was going to be captured. Being identified by the enemy, as a sailor out of uniform would have had severe consequences, he said. After taking on a cargo of ammu- nition, tanks and grain in Quc, the Crevier began the journey to Halifax where it was scheduled to join its first convoy across the Atlantic. This trip, however, was cut short when the Crevier encountered a severe storm in the Gaspay. You sling the lifeboats out when you are going to sea. You always did that during wartime and we were rolling around so badly these boats Naval vet dodged death at sea See Crew page 5 HE WONT FORGET: Oakville resident John Garside served as a Royal Navy gunner on board merchant ships during the Second World War. NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER