Cyril Marten had just returned home after serving in the Second War World when he first observed Remembrance Day on Nov. 11, 1946.
He was sitting on a tractor at his farm in Wapella, Sask., looking at his watch at 11 a.m. and thinking about his older brother, Lionel, who didn乌鸦传媒檛 make it back to Canada.
Now 99 years old and living in Penticton, Marten has spent each Nov. 11, the same way in the close to eight decades since.
乌鸦传媒淔or two minutes on that day, he乌鸦传媒檚 the one I think about every year,乌鸦传媒� said Marten, who served as a mechanic in the Second World War from 1943 to 1946, servicing planes and ensuring they were ready to take flight.
It乌鸦传媒檚 a sombre time of reflection for the Saskatchewan-born veteran.
His brother wasn乌鸦传媒檛 the only person close to him that he didn乌鸦传媒檛 get to say goodbye to.
But November is also a month of storytelling for the 99-year-old, from the ones that make him smile to the others that bring tears to his eyes.
乌鸦传媒淲e would go to sleep in the dark, wake up and work on a plane until it was serviceable,乌鸦传媒� Marten said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 hard to say how many were there, a lot of the planes didn乌鸦传媒檛 come back.乌鸦传媒�
Marten has lived in Penticton for 40 years but if he had it his way, being a British Columbian could have happened way sooner.
乌鸦传媒淲hen I first joined (the force), they asked me where I wanted to train and I said west乌鸦传媒nstead they sent me to Nova Scotia,乌鸦传媒� Marten said with a laugh.
Marten has earned six medals for his service, most recently in 2022.
When serving overseas, Marten recalls how proud he was when first putting on an Air Force uniform.
乌鸦传媒淭hey asked me if I wanted to be a mechanic and I said, yes, anything within the Air Force would be great.乌鸦传媒�
Marten returned home to his Saskatchewan farm in 1946, reflecting on his experiences in England, Scotland, Germany, Belgium and France.
He was a veteran who fought for his country乌鸦传媒檚 freedom and at this point, was officially a full-time farmer. 乌鸦传媒淚 did that for about 20 more years or so,乌鸦传媒� recalled Marten, whose memory in 2023 is as sharp as could be.
His sense of humour and timeless smile couldn乌鸦传媒檛 be more on point.
In conversation with the Western News, Marten discussed his life, before and after the Second World War.
And rest assured with the Penticton resident, there乌鸦传媒檚 always an adventure-filled story to be shared 乌鸦传媒� from how he met his wife at a dancehall after serving in the war to driving twice a year from B.C. to his hometown in eastern Saskatchewan to visit his sister, who died a few years ago at the age of 104.
He乌鸦传媒檚 proud of his time serving Canada overseas and of his life, too.
After all, the 乌鸦传媒渟ecret乌鸦传媒� to living his long life isn乌鸦传媒檛 too complicated.
乌鸦传媒淛ust be happy,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Marten is one of eight Second World War veterans living at the Concorde retirement residence in Penticton.
The local resident will be part of the centre乌鸦传媒檚 Remembrance Day events on Saturday, Nov. 11, with storytelling, bagpipes and a special ceremony headlining the day.
