NEW GLASGOW – Ted Teiman can recall things about his military career as if he was still in the services.
Now 88, the New Glasgow resident’s memories this time of year lean toward his time in military service during and after the Second World War.
It has been a varied journey. He served first with the British Merchant Marine and later with Norway’s merchant marine from 1943 to 45.
It was a treacherous time, avoiding German attacks while shipping supplies to Norway and Russia as part of the Allied war effort.
“Some of my best years were in the merchant service,” he said. “I got to see a lot of places I never would have seen.”
He was an officer with the South African Colonial Mounted Police after the war, joined the RCMP upon his return to Canada and in 1952 joined the Royal Canadian Air Force before retiring in 1973 with the rank of captain.
One of his air force postings was in Saskatoon, Sask., where he met his future wife Catherine, who was from Biggar, Sask., and was living there at the time.
Part of his time with the air force was spent while raising their family at military bases in Germany – Sulz and Baden-Baden.