Seventy years after fighting in Europe officially came to an end, on the day now marked as Victory in Europe Day, Canadian Second World War veteran George Skinner recounted the horrors of his experience on the front lines of the fight with the Nazis.

On May 8, 1945, the Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, a week after Adolf Hitler died by suicide in his Berlin bunker. It was a day of jubilation for many in the Allied forces and their supporters back home.

But for soldiers still on the frontlines, it was too soon to celebrate VE Day.

George Skinner was among the Canadian soldiers who were unable to join in the tickertape parades. Instead, they sat through a 48-hour ceasefire, waiting to hear either good news from their commanders, or firing from the Nazis.

"We were waiting to see if they were going to obey the standoff," Skinner told CTV’s Canada AM on Friday. "They could have come after us. There were all sorts of tricks they were pulling on us, so we had to be on alert."

Skinner was part of the wave of young men who enlisted in the Canadian forces to fight the Axis invasion. Canada sent a million men, 45,000 of whom died serving their country.

"It was just something new. We didn’t know what was going to happen," he said.

Skinner was 19 years old when he was deployed to France as a bombardier with the 4th Light Ack Ack, and as a Lance Corporal in the South Saskatchewan Regiment, on July 16, 1944.

It wasn't long before he witnessed the atrocities of the war.

"On the 18th of July we were clearing out some houses to bring the troops back to recuperate, and this Frenchman came out of the house’s back door," Skinner said, describing the man stepping on a trip wire and setting off a shrapnel mine, also known as the "Bouncing Betty."

Skinner can hardly recount the story without becoming tearful at the memory.

"He spit up a little ball bearing," Skinner said.

"I handed it to him. I said, 'There’s a souvenir for you.' He was dead," Skinner continued, his voice quivering. "That was the first one."

Skinner then went to Germany, where he remained until the end of the war in Europe. Although the world celebrated the victory over the Nazis in May of 1945, Skinner didn't return to Canada until February of the next year.

Since then, Skinner has never forgotten his experiences or those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

"I lost a few friends," he said. "I hope it never happens again."