EASTPORT, N.L. — A smile softens Chesley Bull’s face as he recounts the many incredible stories of his well-lived life.
The veteran of the Royal Navy in the Second World War celebrated his 100th birthday on Jan. 20 in his hometown of Eastport, N.L.
“I had a brother who lived to be 99 and three months. My father was 92 and my grandfather was 98. My mother died on her birthday in Gander, eating breakfast at 77. I’ve got them all outdone.”
In an interview with SaltWire Network in his beloved local Royal Canadian Legion branch, Bull talked about his life, dating back to fishing in Labrador for seven summers, his enlistment in the navy in 1941 to fight in the Second World War, and his subsequent return to and life in Bonavista Bay afterward.
“Eastport is a good place, b’y,”
The friendliness and support that surrounds Bull is only outmatched by his continued zest for life — even after becoming an official centenarian.
And for as much as his family and friends value him, it’s for good reason. His stories and jokes are worth their weight in gold.
His service in the Royal Navy’s convoy brought him all over the world, from training to South Africa and Madagascar, the rivers of the Belgian Congo, as well as to Devil’s Island, off the coast of South America.
Bull says there were a few instances where he was lucky to be alive. He says not ending up on a boat was one — the ship struck a mine leaving the harbour and a sailor sent in his place at the last minute was killed when it sank.
Bull wasn’t sent to the other boat because he was skilled with helping steer the ship and they didn’t want to transfer him.
While staying in England before deployment, a nearby bomb blast showered him with glass.
And while off the coast of Africa, an enemy torpedo luckily didn't detonate when it hit their boat.
“It bent the bow of the ship right in like ‘that’,” he says as makes motions with his hands. “And the torpedo never exploded.”
One of the most remarkable stories from the war had nothing to do with combat.
On the way from Boston to Key West, a Russian ship was torpedoed and they were tasked with picking up the survivors.
While swimming back to his ship from a beach in North Carolina, he remembers, “everybody was out without a stitch of clothes on."
Suddenly, he was attacked by a barracuda, suffering very serious bites.
“Blood was streaming down my two legs … they took the flesh right to the bone.”
He was off ship recovering for 40 days.
After returning home on Christmas Eve 1946, he lived in Eastport, working for Terra Nova National Park, the local post office, and as a fisherman throughout his working days.
Today, he still partakes in many games of cribbage, as well as playing VLTs and bingo. He loves the legion, and proudly shows it off.
“I would say right now, this is one of the best legions in Canada. It’s beautiful.”
He has maintained his licence and drives himself around — but only during the day.
At home, he also cooks and cleans for himself, never slowing down in his day-to-day routine.
“(You have to) keep working. Keep moving. I could go and lie in on the chesterfield and not move out of it. But if I did, I’d be dead long ago.”
His daughter, Marion Hunt, who lives in St. John’s, visited Eastport to help her dad celebrate his 100th birthday.
Hunt told The Packet her father, however stubborn, is someone she’s learned so much from in her life.
She says, when she thinks about it, generosity and how he thinks of others are her father's biggest influences.
“Dad has done so much for people in his life,” she says.
Aside from being involved in every form of committee or group in the community’s history — from mayor to the Lions Club to the fire brigade — he’s thoughtful to others.
From raising funds to those in need, to making sure someone who wasn’t feeling well in the community got something to eat, his kindness has been unparalleled. Throughout his days, he’s cut cords of wood for his buddies and offered up homemade wine, beer and coffee liqueur as gifts.
“He was always there to help other people,” said Hunt.
With such an impact, the community of Eastport has been truly blessed to have Bull around for the past century — and is certainly glad to have him for even longer.
Twitter: @jejparsons
