The Valour and the Horror

World War Two, saving private ryan, Second World War, W.W.II

HARRY FOSTER As quoted in "The Valour and the Horror"

A brigadier serving under General Simonds, dramatised in "The Valour and the Horror."

On Generals Simonds and Crerar:

V&H 01:11:55:00 Simonds sets high standards, and he's impossible to satisfy. I tried to talk to him after he ran roughshod over two of my senior officers. He said, "Somebody had to talk to them Harry. I did, because you didn't."... Unfortunately he doesn't have time for poor old Harry Crerar either.

On D-Day:

V&H 01:13:04:15 I could feel the tension coiled inside everyone, like an electrical charge waiting to explode.

On POW's: after the Ardenne battle:

V&H 01:26:33:00 It's always an uncomfortable surprise seeing the 12th SS P.O.W.'s being brought in for interrogation. Some of them aren't even old enough to shave, but my God can they ever fight!

On the training of soldiers:

V&H 01:57:07:10 Most of the men we're getting are soft. They have been trained to cook, bake, drive, type and shuffle papers. Everything but kill Germans. The problem's with the bloody politicians in Ottawa, who don't realize that in war, men are wounded and die and have to be replaced.

On POW's and Kurt Meyer:

V&H 02:38:15:00 I don't believe Meyer pulled the trigger on his captives, or gave orders to execute any of them. But, I'm sure he knew what was happening..... But does that make him any more guilty of murder than I'm guilty for knowing about the German prisoners my troops killed?