Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Short Story re North Africa & Wine Barrels

The Saga of the Wine Barrels

by Roy C. P. Burt - 3753


The following short story is found in Combined Operations by C. Marks, Page 73 - 74:

After we had completed the landings on Oran's Y beach at Les Andalouses, and the beach was made secure, the Officers and crews of the LCM's of the "Salacia" and "Clan MacTaggart" moved to Mers el Kebir. Shortly after the Officers and crews of the LCM's of the "Clan" sailed for the U.K. on a very perilous trip.

The Officers on the three remaining LCM's and their crews were ordered to Oran for additional duties. On their arrival they heard a rumor that a French wine ship out of Marseilles was sunk outside the port the night before. We settled ourselves in an establishment which had once served as a dance hall, overlooking the harbour, so we can keep a sharp eye, at all times, on our landing craft. At this place some of our old enemies (French Foreign Legion) became our allies and helped us scrounge.

Lt. Beverage received a signal from the American Harbour Master to provide a Shore Patrol of the town of Oran. He had to attend a security meeting so designated a Petty Officer and six ratings to carry out this duty. After the Officer and the ratings left, the rest became curious about the wine ship and the story of its sinking. However, we proceeded to investigate with no definite plan of action. So it naturally developed that the capture or liberation of one of those wine casks was imperative. Leaving a couple of the crew to guard the other craft, the remainder boarded my barge and away we went, back up the harbour, about half a mile, where the first group of casks were found. Well a great to-do occurred trying to get ropes and lines around a mostly submerged huge round cask, but nothing worked. The operation was about to be abandoned when the obvious solution was found. We lowered the door down below the water as far as it could go, then moving slowly, we got a cask between the front edge of the door and the solid concrete wall of the dock. Power was applied to the diesels and the cask was now on the end of the door. It was then carefully raised (so as not to have this juggernaut come barreling aboard) until it was secure in the well of the craft.

Back to the jetty, and the cheers of those left behind. But another problem now arose - how to broach this immense monster? We had no tools other than dirks, and stokers' screwdrivers. Much banging and stabbing took place to the joy of the growing crowd of native Oranians, until some enterprising resident showed up with a brace and bit and thoughtfully, a siphon hose. Now the fun began! Cups, mess tins and whatever, were filled and quaffed in short order. The gathering on the dock was passing down every possible type of utensil to be filled, which we did with much enjoyment. Well enough was enough! The crowd on the dock got too demanding and we were getting higher and higher, and we needed more elbow room so we cast off and made for a large coal barge moored in the harbour. There we tied up and had ourselves a real wingding.

Finally our leader returned to the jetty, and hearing what was going on, came in another craft to our location. What he saw was many coal dust covered sailors flaked out in various stages of inebriation. Disgusting! He was quite upset, for some reason, and demanded that the basis of our condition be disposed of forthwith. So with much weeping and wailing we went alongside one of the empty freighters tied up to one of the docks, and after explaining our perdiciment to the crew thereof, they hastily passed slings around the cask and hoisted it aboard. So "goodbye" to our barrel!

Editor's note (i.e., C. Marks): This is a true story as Roy relates but being one of the members who was assigned to the duty of Shore Patrol we heard what had happened when we returned to the jetty. Shortly thereafter, the Harbour Master of the U.S. Navy ordered the Canadians to leave their LCM's and load all their gear on two 1500 cwts along with all the poor souls, and dispatch them to Mers el Kebir, and load them aboard the "M.V. Salacia" for onward transportation to the U.K.

When the wine tasters came to, we were well out to sea and they wondered how they got there. Besides Lt. Beverage and Roy (Chocolate) Burt and myself, other crew members were Art Daley (in above photo), Clarence (Scoop) Penn, Doug Leitch, Johnny Bandoain, Bill Hanley, G.W. Vale, Harold Weinstein, L. Stapley, L.C. (Biscuits) Munroe, Harry (Nipper) Spencer and others, but after 50 years it's a wonder we can remember this much of this great adventure.

* * * * * 

Below is an excerpt from an online news article concerning Roy (Chocolate) Burt:

Local Veteran Fondly Recalls Time Spent in Combined Operations, WW2 


The Caption that accompanies the above photo reads: Roy Burt, who settled in Osoyoos 40 years ago to take the job as post master with Canada Post, fondly looks over some personal photographs taken during his time with the Royal Canadian Navy. Burt joined the military as a boy seaman when he was only 17 years old and fondly recalls turning 18 because he was then able to fulfill his dream to fight for his country during the Second World War. Photo by Keith Lacey.

When Roy Burt looks back on his remarkable and rewarding life, his six years as a proud member of the Royal Canadian Navy will always provide many of his fondest memories.

“I wanted to be a soldier since I was a young child so I joined the military when I was 17 years old … next to marrying my wife (Jean) and having kids, it was the best thing I ever did,” said Burt, who, at age 89, looks terrific and possesses a rare ability to remember minute details from his life dating back decades....

With Remembrance Day ceremonies set for this Sunday here in Osoyoos, across Canada and around the world, Burt said November 11 always bring back a flood of memories – some tragic, but most of them good as he met “some of the best people I have ever met in my life was during my time in the navy.”

Burt was a proud member of the Combined Operations – a special team of 900 Canadian and mainly British soldiers who volunteered for “especially hazardous duty” and travelled around the world during the Second World War transporting men and equipment on huge naval landing craft.

“We went everywhere … I got to travel the world and loved every second of it,” said Burt.

After training for months in Scotland and England, Burt’s first active duty was being part of Operation Torch in the North African country of Algiers. He left on Oct. 26, 1942 on a convoy of 50 ships, with half of them headed to Algiers. A big part of their job was transferring American soldiers to various destinations using small landing craft, he said.

American troops making their way inland after landing at Arzeu. Several small
landing craft can be seen in the foreground whilst in the distance can be seen some
of the troopships that helped transport the men. Photo - Imperial War Museum

After an extended leave and further training, Burt participated in Operation Husky, which took him and the Combined Operations unit to Sicily in July of 1942. This time, his job was to help transport and transfer British soldiers to shore. Admitting he saw many of his fellow soldiers killed, Burt said he doesn’t like to talk about the losses, but is more than willing to talk about the good work performed by his unit....

Link to Osoyoos Times for full article.

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