Information and Resources (3)
Combined Operations Insignia
MOTTO: United We Conquer
There are several books and websites that provide information about how the Combined Operations organization began in the UK and how Canadian involvement in it originated. A few are listed below.
1. Combined Operations by Canadian Clayton Marks, London Ontario
Excerpt: In late 1941 and early 1942, the Canadian contribution to Combined Operations was increased to fifty officers and three hundred Ratings, who had volunteered for a specially hazardous duty with the Royal Navy. The first and second Flotillas sailed from Halifax on the "Queen of Bermuda" in November of 1941, which ran aground outside Halifax Harbour. After new sailing orders had been made, they sailed once more on the "Volendam" in December of 1941. They were shepherded to the United Kingdom by the versatile K.S. MacLachlan who, as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army, held the position of Deputy Minister for the Naval Service. Now "dipped" at his own urgent request to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander RCNVR, MacLachlan was to have the work of ironing out administrative problems for his charges and was to serve on British Combined Operations staffs in several theatres.
This group was then followed by the third and fourth Flotillas on the "Cameronia" in February of 1942 and again followed by the fifth and sixth Flotillas on the "Batory" in May of 1942. Other Officers and Ratings were added as required later, in 1942 and 1943 aboard the "Queen Elizabeth". For the invasions of Sicily and Italy, France and Greece and D-Day, the "Prince Henry" and the "Prince David" were added.
["WW2 training bases for Combined Operations; E.g., H.M.S. Quebec in
Inveraray. Source - History of Combined Operations Organization"]
The newly arriving Canadians, together with some already in Britain, were to make up the personnel of the six landing craft Flotillas. They entered upon their first training at "H.M.S. Northney", the Combined Operations base which was now established on Hayling Island, east of Southampton. From there they moved on to more advanced Flotilla training in conjunction with Army personnel at another base, "H.M.S. Quebec", at Inveraray, Scotland. (Page 5)
2. The Naval Service of Canada Volume 2 by Gilbert Norman Tucker, 1952
Excerpt: Related to the work of (the Staff Officer Personnel) was that of the Staff Officer, Combined Operations. The nature and the extent of R.C.N. participation in combined Operations was decided upon as a result of conversations in the summer of 1941 between Cdre. H.E. Reid (D.C.N.S.), Lieut.-Gen. A.G.L. McNaughton (General Officer Commanding the Canadian Army in the United Kingdom), and Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes. Fifty officers and three hundred ratings, a number afterwards increased from time to time, were assigned for training to H.M.S. "Quebec", the combined-Operations establishment at Inveraray. They were organized in six units, each comprising the personnel needed to man one flotilla of landing craft. Arrangements were completed by the end of 1941, and early in February 1942 the first two units began training. In order to keep in touch with their training and operational employment, and in addition to keep abreast of developments in combined Operations generally, Lieut.-Cdr. K.S. MacLachlan was appointed to the staff of C.C.C.S. as liaison officer and Staff Officer (Combined Operations).
The most persistent problems encountered were those stemming from the frequent changes in training and manning schemes inevitable in a comparatively new and rapidly growing organization. As it had been laid down that the Canadians should be kept in their own units as far as possible, it was difficult for replacements and additional personnel drafts to keep pace with these changes, and in Operations such as the Dieppe raid and "Torch" it was found impossible to operate flotillas manned entirely by Canadians.
In addition to these problems, discussions and exchange of information with the Canadian army and the British forces called for considerable attention. Operational requirements and the equipment and techniques to meet them were repeatedly revised in the light of experience obtained at St. Nazaire and Dieppe, and in North Africa, not to mention scores of small raids. (Pages 454 - 455)
["Insignia on front cover of The Naval Service of Canada"]
Photos by GH
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