Real War, Real Soldier gathers the remaining memories of a veteran of World War II. Raoul Corbeil served in the Canadian Army from 1942 to 1946, and fought in the bitter Northwest Campaign that opened the route to Antwerp and liberated Belgium and the Netherlands.
His war was a true front soldier’s war, a patient and dangerous advance as an infantryman in one of Canada’s most celebrated regiment, the Fusiliers Mont Royal. He faced the enemy literally man to man, killed some and gave hope to others. Raoul Corbeil narrates his combats, his retreats, and his entries into enemy held towns.
His story is an enlightening look into the day to day life of a real soldier at the front. He participated in the patrols he described, and helped real people on occasion.
Raoul Corbeil’s story is preceded in Real War, Real Soldier by a succinct but rich introduction to Canada’s role in the war, and to the life of Canadians during the war. The introduction is written by Jean Thibault, Ph.D., an historian specialized in the history of Canada during World War II.
Real War, Real Soldier also includes a chronology, a short bibliography, and a sketch map to help the reader place the events.