John’s story. From Oakville, Canada
John Trantom is a decorated war veteran, who fought for Britain in the Second World War and now lives in Oakville, Canada. His pension has been frozen since 1980.
John, originally from Cheshire, signed up to become a soldier in 1939, when he was just 19. He served in the North Sea and North Africa and took part in driving back Axis forces from Italy and across Europe to Austria.
For his services during the war he received the Africa Star, the Italy Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Meritorious Service Award.
John particularly remembers the Monte Cassino battles where German defenders inflicted heavy losses on Allied armies from a historic monastery they had fortified.
“It was bloody fighting and very difficult. There was always bombing and shelling, but I was always fortunate.”
Trantom eventually returned to England, married and returned to his job with an insurance company.
He emigrated to Canada in 1957, and has been drawing his British pension since 1980.
Now required to use a walker to move around, Trantom wants to add a stair lift to his home to make it easier for him to go up and down stairs, but cannot because he lives on a fixed income.
He said this is one of the reasons he would like to see his pension unfrozen.
“That is unfair. It’s doubly unfair because we are not getting health treatment paid for by Britain. We have to buy our own or have the Canadian government do it"
Trantom said this is particularly disappointing given he spent nearly six years of his life fighting for Britain during the Second World War.
“It’s a bit hard to bear.”
