Memoirs re Combined Operations

"DAD, WELL DONE" Navy Memoirs (4)

by L/S Coxswain Doug Harrison

 [Doug Harrison, age 21, on guard duty in England or Scotland]

[Doug Harrison, Buryl McIntyre at Stadacona, Halifax,
outside Wellington Barracks A, November 1941]

Chapter THREE. SOUTHERN ENGLAND, THEN SCOTLAND - Part 2

Now, in the navy you are divided into two watches or groups, Port and Starboard, and one is on duty one night and free the next. On this occasion of uprising, the watch was used as the guard, and they got a key to the armoury, got rifles and fixed bayonets. We Canadians were all lined up on the road facing the little Sgt. Major when he shouted, “Fix bayonets,” and then, “Load rifles.” O/D Buryl McIntyre, now passed away, had to show the guard how to load their rifles.

The Sgt. Major said, “You Canadians, right turn, and go back to your barracks.” We didn’t move. We next heard, “Guards, put your bayonets to their bellies. Canadians, quick march.” And we did. And there was no more fuss that night.

Nearby was the H.M.S. Chamois camp. We moved there for a time and still used the same wet canteen. O/D Kirby of Woodstock, a very young man (possibly 17 or 18 years old), got quite drunk and on his way back to camp was challenged to show his ID card. After he did so he went on to his barracks but then started to brood. “No 5 ft. 2 in. English guard is going to challenge me for my ID card,” he said. So, back he goes to pick a quarrel. Quite soon came an order: “You, you, and you. Take a stretcher down to the gate.” Who should come back but young Kirby, quite unconscious. The guard just slammed him over the head with the butt of his rifle.

[Scenes from the western side of lovely Irvine. October 2014]

Soon after, my group was sent up the Loch to Irvine, and I shall always remember that town. We practiced running our ALC up the stern of the Iris and Daffodil, i.e., train ferries in peace time that carried whole trains across the channel between England and France. They were later to be used as ALC transports. Their sterns were nearly completely open, but with waves and a stiff wind blowing it was difficult to hit the opening. We practiced and practiced, and once in, winches were used and helped get barges onto tracks. One day I just could not make it. I had a Seaman named Jake Jacobs and he said, “Let me see her. I’ll put her in there.” He pulled the ALC back, poured the coal to her and crashed right into the stern of the Iris. There was Hell to pay.

[Details re Iris and Daffodil - St. Nazaire to Singapore, pg. 50]

Then we had to practice living on short rations, i.e., chocolate, hard tack and compost tea (tea, sugar and milk powder in what looked exactly like a sardine can). We received a small allowance, enough for three or four days, and slept aboard the ALC. It was tough going but we made it. When we went into Irvine the townspeople brought us cookies, tea and coffee. What wonderful people. When we left we took up a collection, a whole hatful, and gave it to the townspeople to do as they chose.

One time, Sub-LT. Pennyfeather rather meekly said to me, “Harrison, you look terribly thin and drawn. Here is ten bob, go get a good meal.” When I said, no sir, he said, “But I insist.” And I had a wonderful meal.

After one of those long sojourns without much food, no shaving, etc., we came back into Irvine and I couldn’t stand it any longer. I loaded my attache case and started up a street in Irvine and met three girls. Two were sisters, Jean and Francis, and the third one we will call Thelma. I was a terrible sight and needed a bath and shave. I walked up to them boldly and said, “Pardon me girls. Could you tell me where I could get a shave and a bath?” They linked their arms in mine and said, “Sure can, Canada. Come with us.”

They took me to 22 Waterside St. in Irvine and I learned the sisters’ last name was Cricksmere. I bathed and shaved, was fed, and given a bed for many nights after a day of training. I corresponded with them after the war. They were English, living in Scotland, and their mum reminded me of my own mother. I know they fed me their own rations, even eggs.

[Scene of Waterside Street, 1958: Photo credit Old Irvine Facebook]

[Scenes of Waterside St., Irvine: October 2014]]

There was also a son about 40 years old, 4 f’r, and he and I used to battle Johnnie Walker every night. After a few we would ride the bus to Dragon and get a couple of more because they were open longer. Moonlight Serenade and Sunlight Serenade were big hits at that time.

Actually, we were stationed at Auchengate camp outside Irvine at the time in bell tents and all washing facilities were outside. We never went ashore the regular way under inspection of an officer. O/D Art Bradford, who was confined to barracks, inspected us, lifted the fence and said, “Be back on time you guys.” And we always were.

 [Bell tent at Irvine: Don Westbrook, and Butler emerging:

From St. Nazaire to Singapore Page 44]

Canadian members of Combined Ops in Scotland: Circa 1942-43;

L - R: (Don) Westbrook, Murray (back), Walker, Summers.
Photographer's shadow reveals his identity, i.e., Doug Harrison]

Jake Jacobs was a lead swinger of the first water and said he would make it back to Canada before any of us, and you know, he did. He wangled it somehow and after Auchengate I never saw him again. And just to digress a bit, O/D Seaman Patty Neville used to pee the bed and wouldn’t sleep on the lower bunk, so O/D Don Linder of Kitchener had to sleep with raincoats over him.

Sometimes at Irvine I acted as seaman along with Gash Bailey under a Coxswain named Owen, who wasn’t very bright. One night we had an exercise landing, complete with soldiers against shore defences. Also, we had a stoker, Lank, who was below decks. My, it was rough and cold. The stoker took a pail to vomit in and Gash and I lashed ourselves down on ALC cowling. We had an officer named Jake Koyl who was later to become our commander after Lieut. McCrae was captured at Dieppe. During the exercise the soldiers became sick, oh so terribly sick. And what happens a long, long way from shore? We run aground.

Koyl says, “Okay, over you go Harrison and Bailey, and together we’ll rock her loose.” We were wearing big heavy duffle coats and sea boots but over we went. After we got her loose, however, Owen left us out there and headed for shore. We fought for high ground against the waves and, weighing nearly a ton, we took off our duffle coats, dropped into holes and had a wonderful time until Owen somehow found us toward morning.

[Photo and caption related to Doug's story in St. Nazaire to Singapore, Page 46] 

[King's Arms Hotel, on High St., Irvine as of October 2014; WW2 owners,

i.e., The Skinner family, sold the hotel many years ago to the current owners]

The good people at the pub near the place our ALCs docked took us in, gave us blankets, porridge, whiskey, and dried our clothes.

Soon after that we were to get our baptism of fire. Our time of training had come to an end. How would it all show up?

More to follow.

Link to Memoirs re Combined Operations "DAD, WELL DONE" Navy Memoirs (3)

Unattributed Photos by GH