Paul Koop
/Paul Koop – Sergeant Paul Koop - Artillery
Paul Koop will turn 100 years young on December 21st! Heaton Place Retirement Residence is proud to be of service to Paul!
Our interview began with Paul stating:
“I’m 99 years old, and I have nothing to hide. My dad brought me up to tell the truth” were Paul’s first words to me. When I asked Paul where he grew up, he chuckled and answered, ‘I think I am still growing up!’ Paul spent his first 6 years of life in a small village called Minsterberg located on the edge of the Black Sea in the Ukraine. This little village was later burned down during the Russian Revolution. The family fled and landed in Dundurn, Saskatchewan.
Paul’s father, whose name was also Paul, served in the first world war as a medic and would transport the wounded and fallen soldiers. The heart of one who believes wholeheartedly in defending his country, he instilled to his son Paul that if you’re going to live in your country, you’re going to help your country. So after school and with the Great Depression about to hit, Paul worked whatever jobs he could find. At 16 years of age, Paul attempted to enlist in the army, and was turned away based on the age requirement of 21yrs old. That did not deter Paul though; he traveled to Victoria with the thought that maybe if he got far enough away from the prairie lands, he could try one more time to enlist. His plan worked! Not a question was raised of what his age was, as Paul was build tall and strong, and perhaps appeared to be suitable to fight.
Raised on a farm, Paul had experience with firearms and driving vehicles, and was soon in the position of training young soldiers in artillery. I asked Paul, “what are you most proud of?” With tears rolling down his face and grasping his words, he passionately said “I was able to help my country”.
Paul served in World War 2 for six years. He said, “I believe World War 2 is what saved Canada. Paul cannot understand why we don’t teach young people to be patriotic! He says, “it’s the biggest thing I struggle with today. Where are all the Canadian Flags? Why are we not proud of our Country?” “We used to sing Oh Canada every morning in school.”
“Every place I have lived since I got out of the war I hung a flag. One of our best Liberals brought us the Canadian Flag to Parliament; George Stanley. I thank him for that.” It was the best thing that happened in Canada.
Paul met his first wife in grade one! Alice was her name, and Paul loved her dearly. They had 5 children together. They were married for 31 years. Paul remarried later in his life and was married to Sylvia for 42 years. I asked Paul what family means to him, his answer was EVERYTHING!
Some other questions I asked Paul were:
What would be the most important invention in your life? The first flight to the moon.
What advice would you give to young people today? Get off your butt and get a job! Keep the job and better your life. You have to start somewhere!
What is your secret to a long life? Keep on Breathing! Make life interesting, don’t buy life, do life. The problem with kids today is they have too much money and it’s all about buying stuff. We never had that, we appreciated the simple things.
Paul said his dad used to make a tractor and combine out of wood and give it to him for Christmas, he says “it was a prize Christmas present”.
Is there anything in life you wanted to do but didn’t do? Nope!
Do you have any regrets? Nope!
What do you want for your 100th Birthday Paul? With a small chuckle,he said, “what does a guy who is 100 years old need for his birthday. Nothing, but hugs from all the girls!
Paul is very passionate about getting a message to our younger generation; with tears rolling down his face, he says “Wake up! You’re living in the best dam country in the world! Show your appreciation!
A story Paul told me the day after our time together; he told me he’s been thinking about it for 50+ years: He says “It was one of the brighter times for my in all my time in the military”
One day at a camp in Holland during a campaign, Sergeant Koop, noticed this young lad standing outside the Sergeants barracks. This little boy stood there with big, sad eyes, sunken in due to hunger. Sergeant Koop said to this boy, “are you hungry”? “yes”, says the young lad. So Paul invited the boy into the barracks and sat him at the Sergeants’ table. There, the little boy ate until he couldn’t put another bite in his mouth.
Thus began a beautiful relationship between the boy and the Sergeant. The little boy would come again and eat with the men of war. Paul said this boy was so happy and proud to be surrounded by all the soldiers. When the little boys’ mom became aware that her son was being fed by the soldiers, she became worried that her son was becoming a nuisance. They assured her that he was not a bother and they began sending food home with the boy.
Paul shared with tears dripping off his cheeks, that every time he thinks of this boy he cries.
There was another part to this story. Paul told of a dog that was trained to kill and belonged to the German SS. This dog somehow ended up with the Canadians. There was a special, somewhat ‘wild’ soldier who took this dog under his wing, and within days, the dog transformed into a very friendly dog.
The story was told that the dog and the boy marched with the troops in the Victory Parade in Holland.
To this day, Paul wonders what ever happened to that young boy.