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"I had three bad months. That was Normandy, until we got out of Falaise. Once we got out of there, I had no problems. The Germans had two 88s [anti-tank gun] and when we tried to move, they blasted us."
See below for Mr. Steinberg's entire testimony.
Please be advised that Memory Project primary sources may deal with personal testimony that reflect the speaker’s recollections and interpretations of events. Individual testimony does not necessarily reflect the views of the Memory Project and Historica Canada.
![Charles Steinberg is in the first row, fifth from the left, Peterborough, Ontario, December 1942.]({"id":"cf2e945e-c446-4ae1-8ea9-033a7fc77ff7","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg","filename":"9082_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":4544800,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-06-02T21:07:39.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-06-02T21:07:39.000000Z","title":"Charles Steinberg is in the first row, fifth from the left, Peterborough, Ontario, December 1942.","alt":"Charles Steinberg is in the first row, fifth from the left, Peterborough, Ontario, December 1942.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg\/9082_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg\/9082_original.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","pivot":{"mediable_id":"0832fb80-257c-4136-af1a-2d0b76269fe1","media_id":"cf2e945e-c446-4ae1-8ea9-033a7fc77ff7","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":1},"translations":[{"id":"21e53702-10b8-4dbc-84d4-fe788def0d66","media_id":"cf2e945e-c446-4ae1-8ea9-033a7fc77ff7","title":"Charles Steinberg is in the first row, fifth from the left, Peterborough, Ontario, December 1942.","alt":"Charles Steinberg is in the first row, fifth from the left, Peterborough, Ontario, December 1942.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg"},{"id":"de0e7f00-b92a-4355-b6c5-4828c490a5bb","media_id":"cf2e945e-c446-4ae1-8ea9-033a7fc77ff7","title":"Charles Steinberg se trouve sur la premi\u00e8re rang\u00e9e, le cinqui\u00e8me \u00e0 partir de la gauche, \u00e0 Peterborough (Ontario) en d\u00e9cembre 1942.","alt":"Charles Steinberg se trouve sur la premi\u00e8re rang\u00e9e, le cinqui\u00e8me \u00e0 partir de la gauche, \u00e0 Peterborough (Ontario) en d\u00e9cembre 1942.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de Charles Steinberg","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de Charles Steinberg"}]} "Charles Steinberg is in the first row, fifth from the left, Peterborough, Ontario, December 1942.")
![Charles Steinberg, second row, third from the right, at the Canadian Artillery Training Centre, Petawawa, Ontario, March 1943.]({"id":"db82bc06-887b-4fcb-b926-45db09bb29a5","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg","filename":"9083_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":2278449,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-06-02T21:07:39.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-06-02T21:07:39.000000Z","title":"Charles Steinberg, second row, third from the right, at the Canadian Artillery Training Centre, Petawawa, Ontario, March 1943.","alt":"Charles Steinberg, second row, third from the right, at the Canadian Artillery Training Centre, Petawawa, Ontario, March 1943.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg\/9083_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg\/9083_original.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","pivot":{"mediable_id":"0832fb80-257c-4136-af1a-2d0b76269fe1","media_id":"db82bc06-887b-4fcb-b926-45db09bb29a5","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":2},"translations":[{"id":"4023d5a8-e60c-423e-9c4d-3c6ff52ce885","media_id":"db82bc06-887b-4fcb-b926-45db09bb29a5","title":"Charles Steinberg, second row, third from the right, at the Canadian Artillery Training Centre, Petawawa, Ontario, March 1943.","alt":"Charles Steinberg, second row, third from the right, at the Canadian Artillery Training Centre, Petawawa, Ontario, March 1943.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg"},{"id":"b937c4ae-5721-4fc4-bc00-e4a5aee7c23b","media_id":"db82bc06-887b-4fcb-b926-45db09bb29a5","title":"Charles Steinberg sur la deuxi\u00e8me rang\u00e9e, le troisi\u00e8me \u00e0 partir de la droite, au Centre d'entra\u00eenement de l'Artillerie canadienne de Petawawa (Ontario) en mars 1943.","alt":"Charles Steinberg sur la deuxi\u00e8me rang\u00e9e, le troisi\u00e8me \u00e0 partir de la droite, au Centre d'entra\u00eenement de l'Artillerie canadienne de Petawawa (Ontario) en mars 1943.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de Charles Steinberg","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de Charles Steinberg"}]} "Charles Steinberg, second row, third from the right, at the Canadian Artillery Training Centre, Petawawa, Ontario, March 1943.")
![Charles Steinberg in November 2003.]({"id":"3b1a9c5b-5da4-4118-8c5e-d3e0dba13990","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg","filename":"9084_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":415580,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-06-02T21:07:39.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-06-02T21:07:39.000000Z","title":"Charles Steinberg in November 2003.","alt":"Charles Steinberg in November 2003.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg\/9084_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg\/9084_original.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","pivot":{"mediable_id":"0832fb80-257c-4136-af1a-2d0b76269fe1","media_id":"3b1a9c5b-5da4-4118-8c5e-d3e0dba13990","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":3},"translations":[{"id":"f4020e0d-6ffd-4dae-bc5d-ee7516552c5f","media_id":"3b1a9c5b-5da4-4118-8c5e-d3e0dba13990","title":"Charles Steinberg in November 2003.","alt":"Charles Steinberg in November 2003.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg"},{"id":"16c197ca-63f7-4b18-885a-a737e4742db5","media_id":"3b1a9c5b-5da4-4118-8c5e-d3e0dba13990","title":"Charles Steinberg en novembre 2003.","alt":"Charles Steinberg en novembre 2003.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de Charles Steinberg","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de Charles Steinberg"}]} "Charles Steinberg in November 2003.")
![Charles Steinberg in Peterborough, Ontario, 1942.]({"id":"fc6a4c2e-af66-454f-b7c8-3c10eb99d35c","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg","filename":"9085_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":286522,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-06-02T21:07:39.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-06-02T21:07:39.000000Z","title":"Charles Steinberg in Peterborough, Ontario, 1942.","alt":"Charles Steinberg in Peterborough, Ontario, 1942.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg\/9085_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg\/9085_original.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","pivot":{"mediable_id":"0832fb80-257c-4136-af1a-2d0b76269fe1","media_id":"fc6a4c2e-af66-454f-b7c8-3c10eb99d35c","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":4},"translations":[{"id":"7ec1ebee-7091-445f-b973-e771720a73a1","media_id":"fc6a4c2e-af66-454f-b7c8-3c10eb99d35c","title":"Charles Steinberg in Peterborough, Ontario, 1942.","alt":"Charles Steinberg in Peterborough, Ontario, 1942.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of Charles Steinberg"},{"id":"d10ca775-a26f-49a3-b179-e1263fe54eb3","media_id":"fc6a4c2e-af66-454f-b7c8-3c10eb99d35c","title":"Charles Steinberg \u00e0 Peterborough (Ontario) en 1942.","alt":"Charles Steinberg \u00e0 Peterborough (Ontario) en 1942.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de Charles Steinberg","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de Charles Steinberg"}]} "Charles Steinberg in Peterborough, Ontario, 1942.")
![Charles Steinberg's pay book.]({"id":"2d0d9597-b1b0-45ae-ab75-b14fc27702b3","disk":"s3","directory":"MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg","filename":"9086_original","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":1089489,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-06-02T21:07:40.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-06-02T21:07:40.000000Z","title":"Charles Steinberg's pay book.","alt":"Charles Steinberg's pay book.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Historica Canada","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg\/9086_original.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net\/MemoryProject\/CharlesSteinberg\/9086_original.jpg","credit":"Courtesy of Historica Canada","pivot":{"mediable_id":"0832fb80-257c-4136-af1a-2d0b76269fe1","media_id":"2d0d9597-b1b0-45ae-ab75-b14fc27702b3","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":5},"translations":[{"id":"de992bc8-76c8-4df0-ad41-c965d6cad36f","media_id":"2d0d9597-b1b0-45ae-ab75-b14fc27702b3","title":"Charles Steinberg's pay book.","alt":"Charles Steinberg's pay book.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Courtesy of Historica Canada","locale":"en","credit":"Courtesy of Historica Canada"},{"id":"48f181a9-1a41-467b-8e12-061f32731985","media_id":"2d0d9597-b1b0-45ae-ab75-b14fc27702b3","title":"Livret de solde de Charles Steinberg.","alt":"Livret de solde de Charles Steinberg.","caption":null,"creator":null,"source":"Avec la permission de Historica Canada","locale":"fr","credit":"Avec la permission de Historica Canada"}]} "Charles Steinberg's pay book.")
Transcript
At that time, I weighed 111 pounds. And when [Camp] Petawawa [Canadian Artillery Training Centre] sent me overseas, I went to Greenock, Scotland, we landed. From Greenock, I went to Aldershot [main camp for the Canadian army in Britain]. That was a holding place. We stayed there for about a month. I had training over there. I went on the route march and I couldn’t walk. So I sat down and the officer told me, if I’m swinging the lead [pretending to be sick], I’ll be sorry. And he took me to the medical office and they checked me out; and they said, that’s all they had in Canada, 111 pounds? I says, send me home. He said, we’ll find something for you to do. And they put me on a truck. So I didn’t have to do any walking. And I did [Royal Canadian Army] Service Corps, then I went to 6thAnti-Tank [Regiment] with the 6th[Canadian Infantry Division] Div. I stood two and a half years in England and then I went into, 1944, I went into Normandy. Normandy, I went to Falaise, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. In 1945, I came home. I came home, I met my wife and I took my discharge. I had three bad months. That was Normandy, until we got out of Falaise. Once we got out of there, I had no problems. The Germans had two 88s [anti-tank gun] and when we tried to move, they blasted us. And a few of my friends remained there. And then once the Americans and Canadians started bombing them, then we were free. We went into France. France we went right through like a house on fire. Same thing, went into Belgium and into Holland. And then we came into Germany in 1945, the war was over. The best memory I can tell you is when I got on the boat to go home. That’s the only good memory, that’s the best memory I can tell you. Coming home, I came home on the [RMS] Queen Mary. That we were only half a boat, half was, it was all that we couldn’t stay or go near it because it was cruise ship. The [RMS] Queen Elizabeth wasn’t only built. It wasn’t ready for passengers. So that’s why two people had to stay in a room, we were six and eight. The only good memories I had.
