Born in Norway in 1926, Knut and his mother made the crossing to Canada in 1928 to join Knut’s father, who was already in Saskatchewan establishing a homestead. Arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax, the pair had just $25 to their name. With a new country came new experiences, and Knut recalls his mother’s story of the ‘rotten apples’ at the train station in Montreal as they made their way West to the farm. His mother’s fingers broke right through the skin and she thought, “Why are they giving us rotten fruit?” and threw them out. It wasn’t until they arrived in Saskatoon that they were introduced to peaches, and realized what the soft fruit was they were offered on their way west. “Mom loved the fruit from that point on!”

Settled north of Regina in Birch Hills in a one-room cabin, his family tired of the cold weather and made the move to Powell River, where his father worked as a General Labourer. “He was an Electrician by trade in Norway, but couldn’t work in Canada without redoing his apprenticeship,” Knut remembers. “He took any job he could get.”

In 1942 his father joined the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and moved the family to Victoria. Knut was 17 years old in 1944, and wanted to join the fight in WWII. Armed with an approval letter from his mother, Knut tried to enlist with the Air Force. He was denied. Instead, he was recruited to the Canadian Technical Training Corps (CTTC), also commonly referred to as Boy Soldiers. In 1943, the Canadian military was in desperate need of qualified tradesmen to service military equipment. CTTC recruits were given one month general military training, followed by a three-month orientation course. Knut apprenticed as an electrician. 

Knut, in 1954, in his 5th Field Battery Dress Uniform.

Knut and his fellow Boy Soldiers were billeted in H-huts on Topaz Avenue in Victoria, in an area that is now Topaz Park. Each morning they marched to their training in downtown Victoria, marched back for lunch, then back for afternoon classes and home again for supper.

“I don’t know how far it was, but it was several hours each day.” Knut recalls. “Twice a month we had an additional four-hour route march!”

By the time Knut finished his training the war had ended, and the CTTC was disbanded. Wanting to continue his military career he was enlisted into the Regular Armed Forces as part of the 3rd Canadian Artillery Battery. When they asked what he would like to do, he said, “I want to do electrical work,” but was told that was full.” When asked what else he enjoyed, he recalls telling them, “Well, I used to help my mother baking.”

“Well that was it, I ended up in Vancouver for a year as a baker,” he said. “I was only able to bake for the year though. I enjoyed it and finished my time there. But the flour would irritate my skin something terrible.”

Knut and Marjorie celebrated 62 years of marriage. They lived in Victoria West for 35 years, where they raised their four children.

Returning to Victoria, Knut worked with the Department of National Defence as a Cleaning Services Foreman till retiring in 1981. During this time he continued as an Army Reservist with the 5th British Columbia Field Regiment and transferred as Regimental Sergeant Major with the Service Corp in 1982.

On a Signal Training Course in Kingston, Ontario Knut met his wife Marjorie, who was also in Kingston training as a nurse at the Hotel Dieu Hospital. “A bunch of us were set up on blind dates at a nurses’ dance. It didn’t cost me a thing! Of the group of us, Marjorie and I were the only ones still together 10 years later. Together they raised their four children in Victoria. Marjorie passed away in 2016.

Knut participated in the Veterans Health Centre Day program at Veterans Memorial Lodge for several years, eventually moving to Veterans Memorial Lodge in May of 2020.  It is an honour to be able to serve Knut during his time living at Broadmead Care.

You can help support veterans like Knut and ensure they have the best in comfort and care by making a donation today.

To obtain permission to use this story in your publication, please contact Connie Dunwoody, Communications Coordinator, at connie.dunwoody@broadmeadcare.com.