Melville Thomas passed away in He was The story to follow was written in Melville Thomas is a collector. His apartment, in the heart of Stouffville, is filled with his collections of spoons, thimbles and memorabilia from his full life.
Thomas, who celebrated his th birthday on September 23, , was happy to speak about his long life, including his war years. On June 6, , Mr.
Thomas joined the military service as a machinist. He was years-old, and having apprenticed as a machinist and toolmaker, he wanted to serve his country. These are places he never thought he would see when he dropped out of school after Grade 4. But there were a lot of good memories as well.
He recounted how he spent Christmas in Matera, Italy and how the Italian people kindly prepared a wonderful Christmas dinner for his outfit. Most of his service time was spent in Italy. One of Mr.
Thomas's more difficult memories was of a German airplane letting a bomb go over a schoolhouse. Although the memories are harsh, he notes; "They made me a better man. He came away from the war more empathetic to the different cultures and ways of life of people in foreign countries. Thomas explained that during a hour trip across the North African desert, he was surprised the nights were so bitterly cold. The cars of the train had no heat, and the men just couldn't get warm.
