Salutes, Saunders Camp and Sundaes in Canada
[Photo: A13216. Lord Louis Mountbatten taking the salute at the march
past by men of the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force.
Photo - RN Photographer S.J. Beadell. Imperial War Museum]
Introduction:
The first draft of Canadian members of RCNVR - who also volunteered for Combined Operations - trained on landing crafts at some of the camps mentioned in this entry. For example, in the top photo, Lord Mountbatten is 'taking the salute' at Camp RAF Dundonald, south of Irvine, Scotland, which was adjacent to Camp Auchengate, home to the Canadian Navy boys while they practised landing assault crafts on the broad beaches between Irvine and Troon (farther south by only a few miles).
Several photographs at the bottom of the entry deal with (camp) H.M.S. Saunders at Bitter lakes, Kabret, Egypt. Much Combined Operations training took place there and the Canadians, after circling Africa in the summer of 1943 with their landing crafts aboard troop transport ships, stayed at Saunders - as a stopover - on their way to Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily (July, 1943).
Most photos below and their informative captions are attributed to the Imperial War Museum (IWM). Explore their rich stock of photographs (11 million and rising) at Search Our Collection.
The following Heading appears with many of these photos at IWM:
LORD LOUIS MOUNTBATTEN AT A COMBINED OPERATION CENTRE. DUNDONALD CAMP, 9 DECEMBER 1942.
By December 9, 1942 the first draft of Canadians in Combined Ops had gained experience in training at H.M.S. Northney on Hayling Island, H.M.S Quebec south of Inveraray and at Irvine. They wold also have participated in Operation Rutter (the cancelled raid on Dieppe), Operation Jubilee (the Dieppe raid) and Operation Torch, invasion of North Africa in November, 1942.
In December the Canadians were very likely on leave. (My father recalls spending Christmas with an aunt and uncle in London).
A13217. Lord Louis Mountbatten inspecting the WRNS personnel.
RN Photographer S.J. Beadell, Imperial War Museum
A13218. Lord Louis Mountbatten inspecting Naval Ratings.
RN Photographer S.J. Beadell, IWM.
A13219. Lord Louis Mountbatten inspecting Canadian soldiers.
RN Photographer S.J. Beadell, IWM.
A13220. Lord Louis Mountbatten chatting to a signal Rating.
RN Photographer S.J. Beadell, IWM.
A13221 Lord Louis Mountbatten inspecting Canadian soldiers.
RN Photographer S.J. Beadell, IWM.
Heading - LORD LOUIS MOUNTBATTEN AT A COMBINED OPERATION CENTRE. DUNDONALD CAMP, 9 DECEMBER 1942.
A13226. Lord Louis Mountbatten shaking hands with Army officers.
Photo Credit - S.J. Beadell, Imperial War Museum.
Readers will notice that the Army officer third from the right is shorter than all others nearby, maybe about 5 ft. 2 in. That being said, he might be a tough one to deal with when returning to camp after enjoying a few pints at the Harbour Lights in Irvine.
My father recalls the following (while at H.M.S. Quebec near Inveraray) in memoirs:
Nearby was the H.M.S. Chamois camp (adjacent to Quebec). 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. Page 15, "Dad, Well Done"
Heading as found at IWM. - Mobile DEMS Gunnery School. 7 to 11 December, 1942 Devonport.
Heading - MOBILE D E M S GUNNERY SCHOOL. 7 TO 11 DECEMBER 1942, DEVONPORT. IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR TRAINING ESTABLISHMENTS WHERE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE MERCHANT NAVY ARE TAUGHT HOW TO USE THEIR GUNS, THERE ARE NOW A NUMBER OF MOBILE SCHOOLS WHICH TOUR THE VARIOUS PORTS GIVING THREE DAY GUNNERY COURSES TO ANY MERCHANT NAVY PERSONNEL WHO WISH TO TAKE PART.
Heading - COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF EASTERN APPROACHES, MEETS NAVAL OFFICERS AND RATINGS WHO TOOK PART IN THE NORTH AFRICA OPERATIONS. 13 DECEMBER 1942, IN THE PLYMOUTH AREA.
Here are a few lines from one of my father's lengthy newspaper columns written for his hometown paper, the Norwich Gazette (Ontario). It was published in the 1990s and recounts a Christmas dinner in London England while on leave after the invasion of N. Africa.
Upon returning to England from the invasion of North Africa by Allied Forces in November, 1942, I was stationed in barracks at H.M.S. Foliot near Portsmouth.
As a boy, I had read and re-read history books about Admiral Horatio Nelson, my hero, and while waiting for a leave over Christmas I journeyed to Portsmouth to see Nelson's ship, H.M.S. Victory, which to me was a bonus. I never dreamed I would one day actually lay hands on those famous last words: "England expects every man will do his duty."
Christmas came ever nearer and parcels began arriving from family and friends in Canada. I hadn't received mail for some time and along with Christmas parcels came cartons of Sweet Caporal cigarettes from the Women's War League in Norwich.
There were perhaps 250 Canadian sailors at H.M.S. Foliot and everyone got Christmas and New year's leave. I don't remember exactly how many parcels I received but I piled all my earthly belongings neatly in my locker, and when all the necessities for a great Christmas for myself and relatives in London were stowed away in my kit bag, I just managed to tie it and put on a padlock.
The padlock was such that it acted as a hand grip and I lugged Christmas goodies on buses, trains and tube trains all over London. I had arranged the Christmas cakes in my metal hat box, and it was right on top....
For more details about HMS Saunders, please link to Combined Operations Command.
Please link to Photographs: Training on Landing Crafts (14).
Unattributed Photos GH
D. Harrison (left), Al Kirby. Guard duty! circa 1942
A13344. On the range a seaman fires with live ammunition at a moving target.
Lt. L. Pelman, RN Official Photographer, IWM.
Heading as found at IWM. - Mobile DEMS Gunnery School. 7 to 11 December, 1942 Devonport.
A13346. The Officer instructor explains the principles of sighting on the blackboard.
Photo Credit - RN Photographer Lt. L. Pelman, Imperial War Museum
A13349. Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Forbes, GCB, DSO, inspects divisions
at HMS FOLIOT I AND HMS FOLIOT III of Naval officers and ratings lately
returned from operations in North Africa. Photo - Lt. L. Pelman, IWM.
Heading - COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF EASTERN APPROACHES, MEETS NAVAL OFFICERS AND RATINGS WHO TOOK PART IN THE NORTH AFRICA OPERATIONS. 13 DECEMBER 1942, IN THE PLYMOUTH AREA.
Here are a few lines from one of my father's lengthy newspaper columns written for his hometown paper, the Norwich Gazette (Ontario). It was published in the 1990s and recounts a Christmas dinner in London England while on leave after the invasion of N. Africa.
Down Memory Lane
Upon returning to England from the invasion of North Africa by Allied Forces in November, 1942, I was stationed in barracks at H.M.S. Foliot near Portsmouth.
As a boy, I had read and re-read history books about Admiral Horatio Nelson, my hero, and while waiting for a leave over Christmas I journeyed to Portsmouth to see Nelson's ship, H.M.S. Victory, which to me was a bonus. I never dreamed I would one day actually lay hands on those famous last words: "England expects every man will do his duty."
Christmas came ever nearer and parcels began arriving from family and friends in Canada. I hadn't received mail for some time and along with Christmas parcels came cartons of Sweet Caporal cigarettes from the Women's War League in Norwich.
There were perhaps 250 Canadian sailors at H.M.S. Foliot and everyone got Christmas and New year's leave. I don't remember exactly how many parcels I received but I piled all my earthly belongings neatly in my locker, and when all the necessities for a great Christmas for myself and relatives in London were stowed away in my kit bag, I just managed to tie it and put on a padlock.
The padlock was such that it acted as a hand grip and I lugged Christmas goodies on buses, trains and tube trains all over London. I had arranged the Christmas cakes in my metal hat box, and it was right on top....
A13350. Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Forbes, GCB, DSO, inspects divisions
at HMS FOLIOT I AND HMS FOLIOT III of Naval officers and ratings lately
returned from operations in North Africa. Photo Credit - Lt. L. Pelman, IWM.
* * * * *
E4594. Camouflaged troops in an assault landing craft during combined
operations training in the canal zone, Egypt, 2 August 1941.
Major Geoffrey Keating, No. 1 Army F and P Unit, IWM.
E8172. A Matilda tank comes ashore from a landing craft during combined
operations training involving 5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade at Ras Sudr
in Egypt, 9 February 1942. Photo - No. 1 Army Film and Photo Unit, IWM.
Two Art Works - Herbert Hastings McWilliams, HMS Saunders, Kabret, Egypt, 1945
Canadians members of RCNVR in Combined Operations, aboard H.M.S. Keren,
on their way around Africa to Port Said, Egypt and Operation Torch, 1943
"H.M.S. Keren/43. Atlantic." With names of Canadians in Combined Ops.
Note: D. Westbrook, Hamilton. Dad was his best man in December, 1943
Canadians in Combined Ops at H.M.S. Saunders. Tents barely seen in background.
Note - Don Westbrook, back row, 4th from left. Likely has dysentery!
Canadians in Combined Ops, aboard Aquitania bound for Canada, Dec. 1943
Note: Don Westbrook in 'Group of Seven', centre. Father in group, far right.
My father enjoys a sundae back in Canada with a member of CWAC. Dec. '43
In January, Canadians journeyed to a Comb. Ops camp on Vancouver Island.
In January, Canadians journeyed to a Comb. Ops camp on Vancouver Island.
Please link to Photographs: Training on Landing Crafts (14).
Unattributed Photos GH
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