Monday, February 12, 2024

Presentation: HMCS Prevost, London ONT, 2024 (2)

Details Related to an Upcoming Presentation

How Did 950 Canadian Sailors Get Into Combined Ops?

Canadians in Combined Ops were transporting Canadian troops and
all materials of war to the toe of the boot when Italy surrendered

*.  *.  *.  *.  *

After a lengthy introduction, the presentation continues with "early days in training, volunteering for Combined Operations."

1. From Hamilton to Halifax to Combined Operations

Dad, from Norwich ONT, 16 miles south of Woodstock, enlisted in the RCNVR, the Wavy Navy, at Hamilton Division 1, in the Steel City in summer, 1941. 

He writes:

June 21, 1941, I went on probationary strength at HMCS Star in Hamilton, corner of McNab and McNutt streets, a building which was at one time a cider mill. 

Note: No, he didn't. The Navy base became known as HMCS Star on November 1, 1941 about 4 - 5 months after Dad enlisted. However, in his defence, he wrote his memoirs in the 1970s when Star was 30-years old. And he recalls the original location of Division 1 and that earlier it had produced cider. 

By probationary I mean I went nights from 7 to 10 p.m. and took instructions on semaphore, rifle drill, marching, compass work, bends and hitches, knots and splices etc....

Other aspects of his training are listed as well:

Space at H.M.C.S. Star was not large enough for all-out training as H.M.C.S. Star is now. Rifle drill, route marches, frog-hopping up hills with 60 pound sacks on our back (frog-hopping is hopping in a squat position), and gunnery under the gunnery officer who always wears black garters (?*). Everything is done on the double. It was a madhouse. They really toughened us up. Hold a Lee Enfield rifle (approximate weight - 12 to 14 pounds) in front of you in one hand and double change to the other hand, over your head, behind your back, then watch black garters walk away and forget all about you and you are still running.

* black garters? Help! Your combined knowledge is more than I'll ever have.

Comedy too was all part of naval life. We had to scrub and wax and polish the ward room floor, and after waxing we put a rating in a clean pair of overalls onto the floor and dragged him by his arms and ankles to polish it. Needless to say, corners were tough on his head.

You might ask, if you know where Dad's hometown of Norwich is, why would he enlist in Hamilton and not London, which is closer.

I think I have the answer:

I lived with my late sister Gertrude (also an older sister) on Bay St., Hamilton. 
During the day I was employed at James St. North Hamilton Cotton Mills where I progressed from one job to another very rapidly.

So, Dad likely found it easier to live in Hamilton, not too far north of the navy base, where he could work at a nearby cotton mill to help pay room and board. And some of his details about that reveal a bit about his view of those in authority, resulting in one of the best run-on sentences I've ever run across:

I worked at Locke St. potteries before going to the cotton mills. I quit my job at potteries because of a small misdemeanor of taking a smoke. I was called to the office and reprimanded but the foreman wanted me to stay on, but when I quit, I quit, and he knew where he could stuff his clay...  (oh, dad's not done) ...which was formed and molded, then enamelled and heated at high heat for use as electric fence insulators, toilet and sink bowls and for electric stove elements.

A former cotton factory became a creative hub in Hamilton

When eight weeks of training were over we were shipped to Halifax, but not before the 80 of us, led by our mascot (a huge Great Dane led by Scotty Wales who was under punishment) and headed by a band, did a route march through Hamilton in early evening. We really were proud and put on a display of marching never seen before or since in Hamilton.

Photo - marching in Hamilton

From Dad's collection, perhaps taken by his sister Gertie

Shoulders square, arms swinging shoulder high, thousands watched and we were roundly cheered and applauded. This was a proud moment long-remembered, but soon we were bound for Halifax after a goodbye to Mum and family. Again I say we were a proud division and our training was to stand us in good stead in Halifax. Because if Hamilton was tough, it couldn’t hold a candle to Halifax.


Definitely NOT the warmest welcome from some Haligonians

Dad mentioned a few details about the training:

Training was very severe in Halifax. Can you imagine running outside in temperatures in the low twenties in T-shirts and shorts? We did, morning after morning.

My father was a good runner so this might not have been too tough

"At Nelson Barracks, Halifax... an enjoyable hour of rope climbing?" Sarcasm??
Photos from Sailor Remember by William Pugsley, RCNVR



Dad continues, related to the running:

O/D Seaman Ward of Niagara Falls was very heavy so he jumped on the street car and then met us at Stadacona’s gate and fell in at the rear. Never ran a step, still, no one ever squealed on him.

Challenge: Where's Waldo i.e., Ray Ward of Niagara Falls? Right
beside his friend Jim Cole. They appear together in another photo too.
Top row, on left... four of Dad's best mates - Joe, Chuck, Art, Joe

"Quebec, Ray and Jim 1942" from the collection of Joe Spencer, RCNVR.
Has Ray slimmed up a bit? Photos sent to me Gary Spencer, Brighton, ONT
More information re "HMS Quebec" (Scotland) in just a few minutes

Here's how the new recruits handled one particular tough situation in Halifax in late 1941:

We went six weeks before being allowed to go ashore and that also was ruined by a seaman known only as Thibodeau. 

I was initially confused by what "go ashore" meant. Dad was at a Navy base, not on a ship - but I slowly learned that to leave the boundaries of Stadacona or any land establishment was considered "going ashore" as if from a ship. 

The division was really angry (because) Thibodeau dropped a pint of milk out of a window nearly hitting the Officer of the day making his evening rounds to see if everything was clean. Our leave was cancelled indefinitely. We went to our Leading Seaman Instructor, L/Seaman Rose but he said he couldn’t help us, but we probably wouldn’t be seen if we ourselves took a course of action. Into the cold showers went O/D Thibodeau, clothes and all, as if the barracks weren’t cold enough for him already. He was on good behaviour from then on and we soon got permission for a few hours leave every other night.

** Thibodeau does not show up in any other stories or photos, even group shots

Here's the toughest situation my father recounts, toughest especially for me!


My girlfriend and my mother sent me a Rolex Oyster wrist watch for Christmas. I put it on and went to the washroom for a shave and wash, took off the watch, forgot it, and never saw it again. I probably had the watch for about half an hour. I told my mother I smashed it during rifle drill. “And it took us weeks to pay for it!!” said Ma.

I found a 1940s newspaper ad for the Rolex Oyster watch, $69.95, a lot of money in those days. But when I watch Antiques Roadshow and hear about their value today... that's tough to bear.

More details/stories about the training of young recruits in Halifax comes from Lloyd Evans, also a member of RCNVR and Combined Operations during WWII:

Lloyd, back row, part of the 2nd Canadian division to volunteer
for Combined Ops in late 1942. A few other faces are familiar too
Photo is from the Lloyd Evan's collection, given me by his son Steven.

Lloyd writes the following:

The new entry training (in Halifax) was at the ex-army Wellington Barracks (then C Block of HMCS Stadacona). The training consisted of knots and splices, rifle drill, semaphore, Morse code, ship and aircraft recognition, gunnery drill and parade drill. 

The highlight of the training was a one-day trip to sea on a Minesweeper for gunnery practice. The whole ship rattled and shook when the 4-inch gun went off. It wasn't all fun - one of our boys was so seasick he pleaded to be thrown over the side! I heard later that he was posted to sea and was just as sick and still pleading to be thrown overboard. He finally got his wish when his ship was hit by a torpedo!

Concerning Naval training in 1941, Hamilton was tough, Halifax was tougher but it would "stand many a young recruit in good stead", especially the 950 - 1,000 sailors (approx.) who were soon training overseas with, and like commandos, in far off corners of NW Scotland, amongst other locations in the United Kingdom, as members of Combined Operations.

So, how did Dad and his mates get into Combined Ops?

On page 7 in "Dad Well Done" my father writes:

One day (in Halifax, in November 1941) we heard a mess deck buzz or rumour that the navy was looking for volunteers for special duties overseas, with nine days leave thrown in. Many from the Effingham Division, including myself, once again volunteered. (Will I ever quit volunteering?) The buzz turned out to be true and we came home on leave, which involved three days coming home on a train, three days at home and three days on the train going back.

Effingham Division, the first group from Canada to volunteer for Combined Ops
Dad, front; Ray Ward, 2nd row. Then Richard Cavanaugh with WHITE X

My father shared a bit more information in a newspaper column in the 1990s:

Upon completion of our course rumours came to our ears about overseas duty. Our commanding officer confirmed the rumours and said a request had been made by England’s Royal Navy for Canadian Navy volunteers for hazardous duty overseas. We were given a few days to make a decision....

We had come to know each other very well over a period of six months, and were swayed greatly by the fact that it seemed an excellent way to stay together. So, come what may, we volunteered for the unknown, almost to a man.


Lloyd Evans writes:

At the end of the training period, the Navy asked for volunteers for a secret mission overseas. Most of our division volunteered, along with several navy motor mechanics and two leading PT instructors. We were given two weeks overseas leave and I spent New Year's day of 1942 on the train bound for Ottawa. These were uncertain times and I knew that this might be my last home visit for a long time. However, I was excited at the adventure of it all without having any understanding of the risks and dangers.

Lloyd and Don W., back row. Don Linder, Dad, front row.
Pre-Dieppe, June 1942? Photo - Lloyd Evans. 

Al Kirby, from Woodstock Ontario, later in life the president of the Woodstock Navy Club, wrote the following:

In December of 1941, I was finishing my Seaman Torpedo Course at the Torpedo School in Halifax Dockyard, when I saw on the bulletin board, a notice asking for volunteers to go to England to train with the Royal Navy for hazardous duties on small craft. I immediately thought "MTBs" (Motorized Torpedo Boats). Now that sounded very exciting to a 17 year old RCN Boy Seaman, so I reported to the R.P.O. and applied. The only qualification was that you be single and warm.

About this time my father said:

After returning from leave we were put aboard a large passenger liner, Queen of Bermuda, which went aground going astern as we left harbour and couldn’t be moved. 

I looked in copies of the Halifax Chronicle for any news item about the Queen of Bermuda, but found nothing except weather reports... re a nasty storm and lots of snow. However, I have since learned they crashed near Chebucto Head, which has been home to four lighthouses since 1872. The 2nd lighthouse was torn down in 1940 to make way for a gun battery. So it might have been dark out there the night the Bermuda ran aground.

LightPhotos.Net "NORMAL CHEBUCTO HEAD" Maybe the
night of the snow storm could be described as not normal

Dad added:

We bailed water all night with pails - and on a huge ship like that - it was like emptying a pail of sand one grain at a time. (Which is not normal!) However, we were transferred to a Dutch ship called the Volendam, (several days later) with a large number of Air Force men. This was to be an eventful trip.

And he was definitely right about that.

As found at Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21

Several sailors write about the trip because it was their first big trip aboard a passenger or cargo liner into very dangerous waters across the Atlantic Ocean. 

I'll just list a few things my father recalls:

The convoy consisted of a destroyer H.M.S. Firedrake, armed merchant ship Jervis Bay (sister ship of the famed Burgess Bay who held off a large German man o’ war until the remainder of its convoy could escape, costing her her life and all aboard) and an American four-stacker loaned by the USA to England.

(We know, of course, the convoy consisted of many other ships carrying troops and supplies, but Dad recalls only those with arms, for protection of the convoy and the one lost protecting a convoy.)

The Dutch captain lined us all up and assured us we would arrive safely because the Volendam had already taken three torpedoes and lived to sail. This was very heartening news for those of us who had never been to sea except for a few hours in Halifax upon a mine-sweeper. 

(Wait! "Heartening news?" "(?) I feel better now (?) after hearing about the torpedos that hit this ship I'm on?" I feel different about that... so maybe I'm not cut out to be in the Navy. "I'll stick to research!")

Dad remembers this:

Our first meal was sausage with lots of grease. Naturally, many were sick as it was very rough.

And:

Late at night I was on watch at our stern and saw a red plume of an explosion on our starboard quarter. In the morning the American four-stacker was not to be seen. The next evening I heard cries for help, presumably from a life-raft or life-boat. Although I informed the officer of the watch, we were unable to stop and place ourselves in jeopardy as we only had the Firedrake with ASDIC (sonar) to get us through safely.

After some days we spotted a light on our port stern quarter one night. It was the light of the conning tower of a German submarine. How she failed to detect us, or the Firedrake detect it, I will never know. I was gun layer and nearly fell off the gun (4.7 gauge). I informed the Bridge and the Captain said, “Don’t shoot. Don’t shoot. It could be one of ours.” But as it quickly submerged we did fire one round to buck up our courage.

Some days later we spotted a friendly flying Sunderland and shortly after sailed up the Firth of Clyde to disembark at the Canadian barracks called Niobe. Before we disembarked, however, we took up a good - sized collection for the crew of the Firedrake for bringing us through. 

**Pass Dad's hat!!

Note to Self: Pass the hat ; )

It was soon confirmed that the American four-stacker (mentioned earlier) had taken a fish (or a...torpedo).

Anything mentioned that might wake him up at night when he was in his fifties? The screams? The tin fish?

One item not mentioned is how many Canadian sailors in Combined Operations were aboard the Volendam.

By The Numbers:

During WWII, about 100,000 Canadians enlisted in the RCN, most into the RCNVR (almost 95,000 or 95%, and listed in navy records as HO, Hostilities Only), and of that whole number (!) only 950 - 1,000 went into Combined Ops. That’s just 1%. And of that 1,000, about 100 left Canada aboard the Volendam after Christmas in 1941.
 
Photo - Navy records, HO, Hostilities Only  


99% of the Wavy Navy did what? Served on Destroyers, Minesweepers, Corvettes, Fairmiles... land establishments... coastal patrol... aboard navy planes... I don't know. I don't study that. I study the 1%, Canadians who - because they were still warm - volunteered for Combined Operations.

Because he volunteered for Comb. Ops a few oddities show up on dad's Navy records:

Another indication he was in C. Ops was a wee scribble - "C.O. - Tmpy"

Upon his return to Canada in Dec. 1943 and landing back at HMCS Stadacona he writes:

We met a lot of sailors, who were shortly to go through what we went through already (i.e., Dieppe Raid, invasions of North Africa, Sicily and Italy), and they called themselves commandos. They were sure in for a rude awakening. We were never called commandos, only combined operations ratings, or CO ratings, and we were the first from Canada to go overseas.

Now, "the first from Canada to go overseas" means "the first to go as RCNVR and CO volunteers." Their training, their role… seemed a big deal. Dad seems to be proud of his service here. “We were the first to go!” And though he says, "We were never called commandos," I've learned he and his mates trained with commandos, and trained like commando units. And Dad's division was in fact the first to do so in Canada.

And this is what I know. My father, part of the 1%, crewed landing crafts, LCAs (landing craft assault, troop transport mainly, 36 men), LCMs (men and all materials of war that would fit on it, e.g., ammunition, food, fuel, e.g., Jerry cans, and small vehicles, small guns on wheels, lorries - some already loaded with supplies, more food, more fuel, machinery parts, Navy rum* with an astericks....
and when he and his mates arrived in the U.K., e.g., Greenock, Scotland they did not have one clue about anything that was to come.

Last photo of part 2:

Greenock Central (Train) Station, Glasgow. Chuck Rose 1942
Used with permission, from Joe Spencer's collection

1%. That’s rubbed off on me. Small numbers = Rare. Hardly enough to make waves!! But, they had front row seats to raids, invasions, from St. Nazaire and Dieppe  and North Africa (TORCH) in 1942; to invasions of Sicily (HUSKY) and Italy (BAYTOWN and AVALANCHE) in 1943.

Later groups of Canadians took part at Normandy (NEPTUNE and OVERLORD) in 1944. A handful trained others in combined operations on Vancouver Island in 1944 - 45. Doubly rare.

More to follow.

Unattributed Photos GH

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Presentation: HMCS Prevost, London ONT, 2024 (1)

"Dad's Navy Days" and Canadians in Combined Operations

HMCS Prevost, Downtown London, 2024 (1930hrs sharp!)

Doug Harrison's World War 2 Medals

Combined Operations insignia, gun pointing left

Introduction:

A personal challenge to consider -

Paint a good picture, tell a good story or two re Canadian sailors, members of the RCNVR, who also volunteered for a British organization called Combined Operations, or Combined Operations Command during WWII. I think I can do that w my Dad’s memoirs, news articles from the Norwich Gazette, a book from London, ONT, Lloyd Evans' memoirs, along with an extremely rare map from Sicily, and more.

Gord, be aware, it can get confusing because there were many military events or exercises called combined operations, e.g., Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily beginning July 10, 1943 (80 years ago last summer) during which Canadians in Combined Operations (the organization) took part, including my father and a small handful of sailors - a few from London ONT.

Photo of Map of Sicily from Combined Operations, a book by Londoner Clayton Marks


Some pertinent items on the map:

The black arrows (lower right) reveal where Allied troops landed during the opening days of Operation Husky beginning July 10, '43.  E.g., Canadian troops, west of Cape Passero. British troops north of the Cape. My father transported materials of war just north of Avola as part of the 80th Flotilla of LCMs.

The black arrows (upper right) reveal where Canadian and British troops landed during the opening days of Operation Baytown beginning Sept. 3 '43. The 80th Flotilla was active there as well, the first time a Canadian squadron of landing crafts transported Canadian troops. 

Clayton Marks, now deceased, presents information about the Canadian role in Combined Operations during WWII in a straightforward manner. He takes the reader from the early days of training aboard landing crafts in the U.K. at various training camps to Dieppe and North Africa in 1942, to three months in the Mediterranean (to Sicily and Italy) in 1943, to D-Day Normandy in June, 1944.

He includes his own detailed reports and rare accounts from other men who were there.

Photos of Table of Contents, pictures and descriptions of hardy landing crafts, accounts from Dieppe,  etc.


The "Workhorse of D-Day Normandy":



A bit of Comb. Ops background from page 14:


About the same time period my father writes the following:

One day we heard a mess deck buzz or rumour that the navy was looking for volunteers for special duties overseas, with nine days leave thrown in. Many from the Effingham Division, including myself, once again volunteered. (Will I ever quit volunteering?) The buzz turned out to be true and we came home on leave, which involved three days coming home on a train, three days at home and three days on the train going back.

After returning from leave we were put aboard a large passenger liner, Queen of Bermuda, which went aground going astern as we left harbour and couldn’t be moved. We bailed water all night with pails - on a huge ship like that - it was like emptying a pail of sand one grain at a time. However, we were (later) transferred to a Dutch ship called the Volendam, with a large number of Air Force men. This was to be an eventful trip.

Clayton and Dad mention some of the same events, but readers of their books will soon notice they come at things from different angles or points of view: Clayton reminds me of a High School or University History teacher while explaining the role of Canadians - officers and ratings - in Combined Operations, thus the name of his book.

My father writes his 45 pages of memoirs - and his numerous weekly articles in his hometown newspaper (The Norwich Gazette), his submissions to two other books - from a very personal view point.

I.E., "This is where I went, this is what I saw, this is what I did." Collecting background information didn't happen often if at all, but his memory of his personal role and a multitude of experiences is quite vivid and captivating. I've travelled many a mile just to get a better sense of it. 

At the beginning of the first page of his memoirs he writes:

Many Canadian citizens do not know about the active part taken by the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve in Combined Operations overseas during World War II. Here is a story regarding the Canadian Navy on navy barges on the operations against Dieppe, North Africa, Sicily and Italy, and many were at D-Day Normandy also.

Clayton writes an overview, my father writes "on navy barges." "I was on one, this is what I remember."

And at the end of that first page he writes:

... In the navy if an officer says “well done”, it is nearly the same as getting a citation or medal. I hope that my efforts at this story may interest someone enough to say “dad, well done.”

Signed: Doug Harrison V8809

There are only five people who can say, "Dad, Well Done." His book is from a very personal viewpoint. Thus the name of his book.

Clayton Marks went out of his way to collect some of the best background information possible re Canadians in Combined Ops. Here is an example from his chapter about the Dieppe Raid, Aug. 19, 1942:



More information follows in Clayton Marks' book from Robert McRae, later a philosophy professor in Toronto, along with a 25-page report about one sailor's experience at Dieppe, manning a landing craft, by Al Kirby of Woodstock, ONT.

Marks also introduces readers to another officer involved in the Dieppe Raid, who took over for an officer who was killed, and who - one year later - wrote a very interesting, significant account of the Canadian Navy in Combined Operations activities and accomplishments in the invasion of Sicily (Operation HUSKY, beginning July 10, 1943). For many sailors like my father, HUSKY was the main event of WWII, so any positive comments about their service from Koyl was like a feather in their cap.

Koyl writes:


Special Note: Koyl makes a mistake in the order of operations. The 80th flotilla operated a few miles to the north of the 81st, and they arrived on their beaches "about two hours later."

Allow me to illustrate:




As we work our way to the end of Combined Operations by Londoner Clayton Marks we find...


Comment about FISH, Gannet, GASH (Bailey) and "pass the Irish Mail, please."

Nicknames seemed plentiful: Dad - Cactus and Dogo. A stoker was called Smokey; Roy Burt was called Chocolate


Clayton's book, printed and distributed in the early to mid-1990s, about the same time my father was writing columns for his local, weekly newspaper, not only tells us a great deal about the Canadian role in Combined Operations, but it led to the production of two more volumes of WWII veteran stories, i.e., by Navy and Combined Ops vets and spearheaded by two Albertans, possibly from Calgary. 

How did one book lead to others? I offer a photo or two that might help answer that question.

Photo of Clayton, Doug, David Lewis, Al Kirby, Gash Bailey, London.

As found in St. Nazaire to Singapore: The Canadian Amphibious War, Vol. 2


I can only offer speculation. Clayton's book was making the rounds at Navy Clubs, Legion Halls, e.g., here in London, Woodstock, and... Calgary in the early 1990s. Former Sub. Lt. David Lewis, from Montreal, later Calgary, saw it and was inspired... and thought he should make a book as well, he had some contacts, e.g., Len Birkenes, formerly a Leading Seaman, RCNVR, Combined Ops.

Photos of Len with Joe Spencer, Dieppe group, and returning from New Haven, likely on their way to Southampton, likely HMS Tormentor:

As found in St. Nazaire to Singapore: The Canadian Amphibious War, Vol. 1

ALC 269 leaving Newhaven August 21, 1942. C. Sheeler, Len Birkness (sp.)
Used with permission, from the collection of Joe Spencer

ALC 269 returning to Southampton from Newhaven. C. Sheeler, Joe Spencer
Dad was "Proud of White Ensign." From the collection of Joe Spencer

Share the two books, volumes St. Nazaire to Singapore: The Canadian Amphibious War

Rare as hen's teeth! But they can be found online and links to the University of Alberta are included in Resource Lists on my WWII website.

Challenges, continued:

Include something about somebody else w a London connection:

Al Adlington called me on the phone while I was writing for The Londoner. He said, "I trained and served with your father, during WWII":

8 Canadians (RCNVR/Comb.Ops) Al Adlington first left. From the collection
of Joe Spencer second left. HMS Northney, Hayling Is. Jan., Feb., 1942

Wedding picture. Chuck Rose, Al and his new wife Mary and Mary's sister.
Photo - Glasgow, 1942. Mary travelled to Canada aboard the Ile de France.

The last challenge:

Try not to come off like an expert, because I’m not. My view of WWII history... it's like a giant jigsaw puzzle, growing everyday, in all directions, being torn apart daily so new puzzle pieces can be added, whether it's photographs found under grandmother's stairs in Inveraray (explain!) or very rare material e.g., sent me by Sue Katanna, Winnipeg (her stories about her father William Katanna, his obit, her letters from my father, re news related to an upcoming reunion).


How can I possibly consider myself an expert? Maybe dogged, or persistent. Recently, after a couple of emails sent back and forth, Laurel Burt, daughter of Roy Burt (aka 'Chocolate') from Osoyoos, southern BC, sent me a collection of Roy's photos. 





My experiences re research, creating a small archive of materials, makes me thankful I’m only focussing on 950 - 1,000 men. My small piece of the jigsaw puzzle is continually growing... but at a slower, easier pace than the entire WWII model/puzzle. 

Note to Self : Try to come off like an explorer, with a long way to go. 

Reveal details or photos no one has ever seen before. 

AND try not to go all over the map. TOO LATE!! Right??


More to follow.

Please click here to view material for an earlier presentation.

Unattributed Photos GH

Monday, January 29, 2024

Links to Resources: A Focus on Sicily and Italy, 1943 (3)

The Canadian War Museum, Ottawa Canada

A Multitude of News Articles, e.g. Operation HUSKY

Getting started, tracking down news re "landing craft Sicily"

Introduction:

I don't think I'll be finished mining for more materials for quite some time, especially related to the Canadians in Combined Operations who served in the Mediterranean Theatre for three months during WWII (July 10 - early October). The assortment of resources is getting wider not thinner.

One resource I am just starting to acquaint myself with is the selection of news articles from a variety of newspapers (Canadian and American) as found at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. By entering the words "landing craft Sicily" in the search engine (upper left in above photo) I was introduced to 351 different links. The examples listed in just the first two pages (#1 - 40) will give me good reading for today and tomorrow, and even longer if (as per usual) an article or two or three provide links to other related actions, names and addresses of participants in a battle or landing craft, etc.

Below are a few of the articles I've already downloaded, along with a photo or two when opportunity presented itself. Like, right now!

The lovely city of Ottawa

The museum rests beside the Ottawa River, shows off a healthy grass roof

The view atop the museum, looking toward Parliament Hill. GH

I typed in "landing craft Sicily," and several relevant news articles appeared. The first features Sub. Lt. Jack Dean of Toronto and provides details of his two years of service overseas. Though the name of the newspaper is not provided I believe it was published on February 28, 1944 about the time Dean would have been back in Britain preparing for D-Day Normandy:



More articles and books about the Dieppe Raid can be found here: Articles: Dieppe Raid 1942 - Rutter/Jubilee (1 - 9).

The article featuring Jack Dean continues:


More information concerning the story of Lt. R. J. McRae mentioned above can be found here: Passages: From 'Combined Operations'

Lt. McRae became a POW at Dieppe, 1942. Above is
"the drawing of my experiences as a POW pianist."

'Table of Contents' of St. Nazaire to Singapore: The Canadian Amphibious War
reveals entries provided by Robert McRae, Jack Dean and more, incl. D. Harrison,
my father. The book is online at the University of Alberta. Highly recommended!

The article/interview featuring Jack Dean continues:


My father mentions crossing paths with Jack Dean during Operation TORCH, i.e., the invasion of North Africa, and my father's take on the episode can be found here.

Jack Dean continues:


.   .   .   .   .




Another news article about  "500 Men Take Part" can be found here.

"Careful Planning Ensures Success" continues":



A drawing showing British troops inside a Landing Craft, Assault (LCA) at
6.30am on D-Day, about an hour before they are due to land in Normandy.
Photo Credit - The D-Day Story


For more information concerning the Sicily and Italian Campaigns and associated news articles, please click here and make use of the "Search the Newspaper Archives" feature provided.

Please click here to view Links to Resources: A Focus on Sicily and Italy, 1943 (2)

Unattributed Photos GH