Re: History - Topics & Posted Articles

by **Accer** Fri 17 Dec 2021, 2:22 pm

The three battles of Canada’s Hong Kong veterans

Canada and Japan’s battle for a British colony in December, 1941, was only the beginning of the horrors that prisoners of war would endure – and keep enduring long after they came home. Eighty years later, we cannot forget their story

TIM COOK
SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL
PUBLISHED Dec 17. 2021

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

by **Accer** Mon 02 May 2022, 2:02 pm

Tradition a big part of the ceremony at the 77th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic

'The bells have always been a part of the traditional naval routine. We do it for all ships, we do it specifically for our Canadian veterans but it is in recognition of all the allied ships that were sunk'

Linda Holmes
May 02. 2022

Every year on the first Sunday of May, services are held across Canada to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic.

The battle which spanned from 1939 to 1945 has been described as the “longest continuous military campaign in World War II between the Allies and German forces.” At stake was control of the Atlantic Ocean.

“We were trying to protect the Atlantic and keep the Germans, the enemies, from reaching our shores. As we know there was a submarine found off the coast of Newfoundland and different parts of Canada,” explained Captain Lorie Hall, an active member of the RCNA (Royal Canadian Naval Association) as well as Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps (RCSCC) Brilliant.

The Allies sent millions of tons of food, and essential supplies to help Britain restock.

Canada played an important role in the struggle for control of the North Atlantic.

Just over 43-hundred Canadian Sailors and RCAF Air Crew lost their lives in the battle which raged on from 1939 to May 1945.

“The Canadian navy took on the major responsibility of moving convoys from Halifax. Halifax was the major port for convoys. Anything that was going into England, generally came up from New York from the American ports and gathered in Halifax because that base could hold hundreds and hundreds of ships and they would sail out of there on their convoy,” explained Brian Hansen who once served as a member of the Royal Canadian Navy long after the battle.

“Canadians take a great deal of pride, the Canadian navy in particular, in what we were able to accomplish over a five-year period. The Battle of the Atlantic starts from a Canadian perspective on the 16th of September a week after they started in England and it doesn’t end until the 8th of May in 1945. That is a long time to be fighting one battle.”

Members of the Royal Canadian Naval Association North Bay Branch, the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps (RCSCC) Brilliant, some members of 22 Wing CFB North Bay along with members of the public gathered in the Blue Room at 22 Wing CFB North Bay on Sunday to mark the 77th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic.

Tradition is a big part of the ceremony, especially the two bell toll.

“The bell had always been a call between watches and it was a way of recognizing a lost ship as well. The bells have always been a part of the traditional naval routine. We do it for all ships, we do it specifically for our Canadian veterans but it is in recognition of all the allied ships that were sunk,” explained Hansen.

“We tend to take more time with the Canadian side of it because Canada played such a major role in moving convoys across the Atlantic.”

As Captain Lorie Hall, an active RCNA member and commanding officer of the Sea Cadets went on to explain,

“The toll of the ship's bell is our reminder of our ships and fellow shipmates who have made the supreme sacrifice in the defense of our homeland. Let us not forget our obligation to those who have served our country.”

As the bells tolled, Hansen’s thoughts went to his own father Harry, who fought in the Battle of the Atlantic.

“He joined in 1940 and he came home in late 1945,” Hansen shared.

“Ninety-five per cent of his sea time was spent in the Battle of the Atlantic. He was 23 going in and 28 coming back out. It’s a long time out of a person’s life when they’re spending it constantly under the threat of battle,” said Hansen.

“I would say my dad probably aged 25 years in just five years. I have pictures of him when he joined and when he came home, he was a totally different human being. He had aged that much. It is very difficult to understand sometimes today. We have very few veterans left. I had the option as well of being able to sail with a lot of WWII and Korean veterans because I went in, in 1959. When I joined there were still quite a few WWII vets in the navy. And they never spoke about it.”

While many preferred not to speak of their experiences, the older Hansen eventually shared wartime stories with his son Brian.

“He did because after I had served in the navy, I think it was much easier for him to talk to me about it. He didn’t talk to the rest of the family, I know that. My brothers didn’t hear anything about the war, but he did speak to me at length throughout the '60s and ’70s until he passed away,” said the younger Hansen.

“My dad was a Chief Petty Officer in the engine room. Of course, during an attack, he was always in the engine room. I asked him one day what thoughts went through his mind knowing that he could be sunk at any time. And he said for the first couple of trips you feel lucky, he said after that it just sort of goes ‘If it happens, at least I will go quick.’”

One particularly gruesome event left a lasting impression on the older Hansen.

“One day dad said he went up on deck after an attack, and he saw merchant seamen in the water. The destroyers could not stop to pick them up because they were chasing down a submarine, and he said you could literally see the merchant seamen sliding down the side of the ship which was going full tilt after the submarine. He said some of the men were alive because he could hear them screaming in the water. He said it was the last time he ever went on deck during any sort of an operation because it was just too traumatic.”

War is always difficult on loved ones left behind.

“It was hard on my mother, worrying about what was going on overseas and having no idea what was really happening. I remember she did tell me once that one of the fears she had was, if somebody was killed at sea or killed in the war, the military would come and deliver a telegram to the house and she said when that vehicle came down the road and somebody got out, usually it was a padre and he walked up to somebody’s house, you knew what they were coming for.”

Harry Hansen took measures to protect his wife from the reality of war.

“My dad used to write letters home a week in advance if he was going to sea. He would write seven or eight letters and then the postmaster would mail them out one letter every other day so that my mother would never worry about what he was doing. She would have these letters coming in every other day saying everything was fine. There was never anything in there about battles or having to fight with the Nazis or U-boats. It was always pleasant things, that he was in England and had visited a museum. But they didn’t really visit museums.”

A ship known as “The Lucky Lady” had survived several attacks.

“He told me one time they were in a surface battle off the English coast, there were German destroyers out and they got a shell from a destroyer right through the funnel and the shell landed just in the water beside the ship and it didn’t explode.”

Reflecting on pictures, unexpectedly brought the reality of battle even closer to home.

“I have a picture of my mother and her friends and there were about 8 or 9 high school students in the picture. It looked like they were having a great time. And on top of the men, there was a date. I asked her about it once and she said that was the year they died, that was when they were killed. There was one person with no date above him, and that was my dad.”

During this 77th anniversary, the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps Brilliant took on a more active role in coordinating the ceremony.

It was the first such ceremony since the start of COVID.

“We’ve taken on more of a lead role. I think the intention there is really passing the torch on to the next generation. So all of the readings are done by youth,” said Hall.

“At one time the Sea Cadets did run it and then it was turned over to the Naval Association,” said Hansen.

“And now because most of the vets in the Naval Association are getting on in years, I’m one of the younger ones at 80, the Sea Cadets are taking the lead role and I think it is fantastic because it gives them an opportunity to start to understand some of the history of the Royal Canadian Navy and some of the importance of the Battle of the Atlantic in keeping the lines open for supplies into Britain and into Europe. The convoys were the lifeline for Britain and that was very important for making sure that supplies like fuel and food and weapons were brought as rapidly as possible across the Atlantic so that Britain could stay afloat and then they could build up reserves for the attack on Europe.”

The master of ceremonies was 17-year-old Chief Petty Officer First Class Nicholas Berube, who expressed pride in the Sea Cadets taking on such an increased presence in the ceremony.

“I’ve learned so much, about all the lives lost, and how Canada played a big part even though we had a small military at the time.”

The RCN grew from just 6 destroyers and 35-hundred personnel in 1939 to 373 fighting ships and more than 100-thousand sailors by the end of the war, one of the largest navies in the world based on information from National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces.

At one time as lead up to the ceremony, Hansen would meet and explain to the sea cadets this important part of Canada’s history.

“I would go through the whole process of the convoy, what was expected, what they expected from the U-boats. I spent a lot of time studying the war simply because my dad was there and it was an opportunity for me to explain, and to show them, I have a video presentation that I use, as well taking in and showing them my dad’s medals. And I would take the gun shield art off of HCMS North Bay. I think it is one of the few pieces that are actually left from the Second World War of actual gun shield art. The Canadian navy allowed the members of the ships to decorate the gun shields. So they put lots of pictures all over the guns.”

Hansen has high hopes for the sea cadets moving forward.

“My hope is that they will have a better understanding of the history of the Second World War, particularly from the Royal Canadian Navy and the importance of maintaining a strong military and the importance as well of having young people become involved in the military. We’re not all looking to turn these children into fighting men and women, but they have to understand the importance of having our military available to help and to be prepared to defend. And what their great grandparents at this point did during the war to protect Canadian freedom, “ shared Hansen.

“The Battle of the Atlantic also included the St. Lawrence River. There were German submarines in there along the St. Lawrence River sinking Canadian ships, so it wasn’t a remote event. It is in Canada, and it is an important part of our history.”

Hansen expects the ceremony will have an even greater impact on the cadets this year as the eyes of the world are focused on the crisis unfolding in Ukraine.

“The War in Ukraine is going to bring it home a little more forcefully than we can, just by talking to them. They are now seeing on television and the internet, exactly what war is and how important it is that we participate not necessarily in battle, but are part of the allied forces that are helping the Ukrainians. I hope that they do understand a little bit more when they can see the devastation that occurs. We were fortunate during the war that we didn’t see the devastation inside Canada in the sense they weren’t bombing Toronto or Montreal or Ottawa.”

BAYTODAY

by Covert Tue 07 Jun 2022, 7:40 am

How a persistent diver in the Bahamas solved a WW II mystery involving a Halifax pilot

Richard Woodbury · CBC News · Posted: Jun 06, 2022

History - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 43 Maurice-o-neill

CBC News

by **Riverway** Fri 19 Aug 2022, 4:12 pm

Dieppe: Remembering one of the worst disasters in Canadian military history

Published Aug. 19, 2022

It was the bloodiest day for Canadian soldiers in the Second World War. On Aug. 19, 1942, a commando battalion of 5,000, mostly comprised of Canadian and British troops, attempted a surprise attack in Dieppe.

The Canadian forces included the Essex Scottish Regiment, the Royal Regiment of Canada, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, the Calgary Regiment, the South Saskatchewan Regiment and the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.

The official version of Operation Jubilee at the time was that the British command wanted to seize and destroy a French port occupied by the Germans.

But it was a failure.

There were not enough navy ships and no air support to weaken German defences.

Amphibious troops landed in the morning rather than during the night and lost the element of surprise.

The Germans were ready to face them.

In less than 10 hours, nearly 1,000 Canadian soldiers were killed.

Two thousand more were taken prisoner by the Germans and would spend the rest of the war trapped in POW camps.

But yet, for decades, the Dieppe raid was barely mentioned in our history books, said Westmount High School history teacher Chantal Clabrough.

"The Dieppe raid was very difficult and disastrous carnage for all Canadians," she said. "It wasn't initially reported as a failure. It was reported first as a victory. It was the first engagement of Canadians in Europe, but it came out after that, the losses were tremendous, 2,000 men taken prisoner. It's not a victory as other events in the Second World War."

For decades, Canada accepted that the only thing Dieppe achieved was preparing the ground for the Normandy landing two years later since it prepared the allies for what to expect when facing Germany's defence along the coast, labelled the "Wall of the Atlantic."

But when the British opened their archives a decade ago, historians quickly understood that Canadian soldiers were sent to try to retrieve the Enigma communication system used by the Germans, a technological tool that, if cracked, could turn the tide of the war.

After the unsuccessful Dieppe raid, the Allies had to wait until October that year to find the device in a sunken German U-Boat.

Mathematician Alan Turing eventually cracked the code, brought to the screen in the movie "The Imitation Game."

"It turns out the Fusillier Mont-Royal, The Black Watch, and other regiments at that time were playing an absolute vital role in the pinch," said professor Davide O'Keefe, a writer and historian who currently teaches at Marianopolis College.

The new information has allowed Canada to reassess the sacrifice and heavy losses the country suffered in a more positive light.

Clabrough and a Quebec veterans education initiative called Je Me Souviens are launching a travelling exhibit meant to teach young Canadians about the significance of the Dieppe raid.

"The Dieppe raid, unfortunately, is not in the history book curriculum for high-school students, but the lessons learned at the raid are invaluable," said Clabrough.

The bilingual boards are filled with easy-to-understand explanations. They can be loaned to participating schools, where history teachers can engage with students about the meaning of the Canadian efforts during the war.

The official launch of the exhibit will take place next Wednesday, at the Fusillier's Museum on Henri-Julien St. in the Plateau.

"These are all free activities online which really allow students to explore many points of view," she said. "As adults, we need to add that too."

Montreal's Leslie Hart, whose father David Hart took part in the raid, said she recalls his stories growing up.

"He said he spent his days going through training drills. One day, his commanding officer told him that the next day, the operation would not be a drill," she said.

As she grew up, he shared the most gruesome details with his family.

"As soon as the (amphibious) vehicles got close to the beach, my dad's best friend next to him was decapitated by the shelling. He recalled the noise, the dead bodies," she said.

As a radio operator, the young sergeant insisted that he should get permission to warn his fellow soldiers that they would be sitting ducks.

"His brave action saved hundreds of lives," she said.

Hart was eventually awarded the Military Medal directly from King George VI at Buckingham Palace.

O'Keefe is in Dieppe this week with the families of veterans.

He said the story of the raid needs to be highlighted in our history books

"You can't simply look at it in hindsight and say it was simply a tragedy, and we'll never discuss it again," he said. "In fact, because it was a tragedy, we should be studying it. It doesn't have to mean we have to champion it, but we have to learn the correct and appropriate lessons for Dieppe."

He said the fallen soldiers still see this battle as a heroic one, 80 years later.

CTV News

by **Victor** Fri 11 Nov 2022, 7:20 am

'She didn't hesitate': The untold story behind a Black Canadian woman's wartime portrait

Ashley Burke · CBC News · Posted: Nov 11, 2022

History - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 43 Sgt-eva-may-roy

CBC News

by **Proctor** Tue 22 Nov 2022, 5:27 am

Unknown corporal from First World War buried in France identified as Winnipeg soldier

Published Nov. 21, 2022

History - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 43 Corporal-george-h--ledingham-1-6162608-1669067418570

CTV News Winnipeg

by **Stargunner** Wed 04 Jan 2023, 7:23 am

Almost 80 years after WW II, Ancaster man takes 'thrill of a lifetime' flight in dad's plane

Cara Nickerson · CBC News · Posted: Jan 03, 2023

History - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 43 Wilson-nixon-in-the-fighter-plane

CBC News

by Firefox Sat 14 Jan 2023, 3:35 pm

‘There’s still hope;’ veteran discovers new info about brother’s death in WWII

Flying Officer Morley Luellan Cameron died while on a dive-bombing mission in France in June 1944, but his family never learned the details about how he died or what contributed to it.

Jason G. Antonio . Jan 13. 2023

It’s been almost 79 years since Allen (Al) Cameron’s brother died in the Second World War, and while the family knows a little about the death, they don’t have a clear picture.

That picture is now much clearer after a historian found a 59-page package containing Morley Luellan Cameron’s service records and sent them to the Moose Jaw Express. The Express gave the package to Allen, who was thrilled to finally fill in the blanks about his brother’s death.

“It just shows that those who didn’t come back aren’t forgotten,” the 97-year-old said recently. “It lays to rest things we’ve wondered about for (almost) 79 years. We wondered what happened. That’s just a miracle. I don’t know how to exactly express it.

“What it shows is there’s still hope for people to find out information about what happened to their loved ones.”

Morley Cameron was born on Oct. 27, 1921, to Thomas and Ruby Cameron of Kenaston, Sask.

The youth — who stood 5-9, weighed 142 pounds, had blue eyes and brown hair — initially served with the Saskatoon Light Infantry before applying to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), where he became an airframe mechanic.

Morley later re-mustered in 1942 to be a pilot. The RCAF accepted him, and after training across Western Canada, he received his pilot’s wings in 1943.

He transferred to the Royal Air Force and continued training until Jan. 1, 1944, when he was placed with No. 19 Squadron, No. 83 Fighter Group, Second Tactical Air Force as a flying officer (F/O).

Records show Morley participated in a daytime dive-bombing mission on June 30, 1944, on a crossroads southwest of Caen, France — which Canadian soldiers were fighting for — and was the fourth plane in formation.

Around 6:10 p.m., while attacking road and rail communications, another pilot saw Morley’s spin into the ground and burst into flames. The pilot called the 23-year-old on the radio but received no reply.

“As all the other aircraft on this operation returned to base, it is possible to assume that the aircraft which crashed is Mustang aircraft FB 368,” according to the July 7, 1944 flying accident report. “In view of this information, F/O Cameron was classified as ‘Missing, Believed Killed in Action.’”

It was unlikely that Morley — “an above-average pilot,” his records show — flew into his flight leader’s bomb burst, considering they dropped their bombs from 500 feet, the report noted. Therefore, investigators presumed that “some obscure technical failure” or enemy flak brought down the aircraft.

As an RCAF airframe mechanic, Allen wrote to the wing commander asking for more information. The officer replied on Aug. 7, 1944, saying only that it was assumed Morley was dead since his plane failed to return.

The wing commander later sent Allen a letter on Feb. 5, 1945, confirming Morley’s death, according to the International Red Cross. Morley had been buried in Bonnemaison Cemetery, 24 kilometres southwest of Caen.

The RCAF sent Mr. and Mrs. Cameron a certificate of presumption of death on March 27, 1945, officially confirming their son’s death.

Aside from the vague letters from the air force, the family knew almost no details — only supposition — about Morley’s death, said Allen. However, these new documents remove a heavy weight from their shoulders.

“… how do you put a price on that?” he continued emotionally. “It would be extremely difficult to put a price on getting information on a guy who gave it all.”

The family also has a letter from a French woman who saw the crash. She wrote that civilians grabbed Morley’s body and hid it until the Germans left before digging a grave and burying him in the church cemetery.

“She was there; she saw it. They were in a girls’ school at the church and they saw it happen,” said Allen. “It just goes to show that the good Lord is always there.”

The veteran added that these documents are “absolutely priceless,” while he expected his son to “go nuts” upon seeing them.

MOOSEJAWTODAY

by Arkangel Sun 12 Feb 2023, 1:32 pm

Canadian veteran's wartime jeep connects families in N.B. and the Netherlands

Steven Webb · CBC News · Posted: Feb 12, 2023

History - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 43 Buck-cyr-s-jeep

CBC News

by Spartan Sun 26 Feb 2023, 3:41 pm

U.S. researcher to feature N.B. Acadian soldiers on WW2 podcast

Jason Theriot's podcast "Frenchies," about the experiences of Cajun soldiers, shifts focus north

Steven Webb · CBC News · Posted: Feb 26, 2023

History - Topics & Posted Articles - Page 43 Jason-theriot-and-camille-leblanc

CBC News

by **Accer** Sun 11 Jun 2023, 2:01 pm

Gilbert Taylor brought stories about Canada’s military to life

Lorrie Goldstein

Published Jun 10, 2023

Gilbert “Gil” Taylor, the Toronto Sun’s columnist on military affairs, wrote his first article for us on Nov. 3, 2018 on the brutal Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands during the Second World War.

He wrote his last column on January 14, 2023, arguing the Trudeau government has a long way to go to properly fund the Canadian military.

Gil died on May 27 after a year-long battle with cancer. His funeral was last week. He was 86.

I only wish we’d discovered Gil a decade or two before we did, because his wonderfully written columns about Canada’s armed forces and the history of armed conflict were fascinating, heartfelt, informative and based on his enormous body of knowledge.

He wrote about the Canadian naval hero who sank a German U-Boat – acting Chief Petty Officer Max Bernays – for whom Canada’s new Arctic patrol ship, HMCS Max Bernays, is named.

He wrote about decorated Canadian war-time pilot Russell Bannock, dubbed “The Saviour of London” by the British media in the Second World War.

He wrote about Canada’s remarkable female pilots who flew as many as 90 different military aircraft in civilian support roles during Second World War, using a “Blue Book” to brief them on where the cockpit instruments were.

He wrote about the storied history of animals serving in war – horses that distinguished themselves on the battlefield, homing pigeons valued as a means of communication, dogs used to lay telephone lines, find and aid injured soldiers and sniff out minefields, cats beloved in the trenches for killing giant rats that plagued no-man’s land.

He wrote about Canada’s tragic history of war-time internment, military chaplains serving in war and peace, the courage of First Nations, Black and Metis Canadians on the battlefield and the patriotism of First Nations, Inuit and Metis people, along with non-aboriginals, who serve in the Canadian Rangers in our far north today.

His respect for Canadians who served and continue to serve in our military and reserves was profound and a constant presence in his writing.

He had so many honourary military titles and awards they are literally too numerous to mention.

As then-president of the Royal Canadian Military Institute in Toronto, he worked with my late cousin, Jeffrey Dorfman, honourary Lt.-Col. of the Governor General’s Horse Guards, and Col. Peter Hunter, on a once-in-a-lifetime redevelopment deal, preserving the RCMI’s street facade on University Ave., while transforming it into a modern, multi-storey institution, housed within a gleaming condominium tower.

It was through Jeffrey that I got to know Gil, who also served as past-president of the Last Post Fund, dedicated to ensuring no veteran is denied a dignified funeral, burial and military gravestone due to insufficient funds.

Gil was also a ground-breaking Canadian filmmaker, nominated for three Genie awards and a Gold Medal at the New York International Film Festival.

He co-founded Marshall Taylor Productions with William Marshall and worked with John Bassett to bring the era-defining musical Hair to Toronto.

He was a world traveller, loved the great outdoors and was a law-abiding hunter – you did not want to get Gil started on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s gun control legislation.

He recently celebrated his 60th anniversary with his beloved wife, Anne. To her and Gil’s family and friends, we at the Sun extend our sincere condolences.

A celebration of Gil’s life will be held later this month at RCMI.

lgoldstein@postmedia.com

Toronto Sun

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