Articles: Six Canadian Sailors Make Headlines, Parts 1 - 6

Rare Canadian Newspaper Articles and Interviews

re members of RCNVR and Combined Operations

Photo Credit - From the collection of Lloyd Evans (deceased), Markham Ontario

Same photo of Lloyd Evans and mates, with different caption

Photo Credit - Crow's Nest, Truro, Nova Scotia, March 1944

Photo Credit - Found on microfiche. University of Western Ontario, London

Introduction:

Rare is a news article that devotes a good deal of time and space to a member of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve who also went on to volunteer for Combined Operations, a British organization that was devoted to offensive actions during WWII, i.e., small raids initially, then larger raids, requiring hundreds of landing crafts and crews.

Where would Combined Ops and the Royal Navy get the crews? They would beg, borrow, steal and post 'Help Wanted' posters here and there. And in late 1941 some Canadian sailors - my father included - in Halifax caught wind, volunteered and soon participated in their first hostile actions, i.e., the Dieppe raid, and subsequently the invasions of North Africa, Sicily and Italy.... and more. 

Rarer still is a half-dozen or more news articles and interviews about these Canadian sailors, devoted to flying under the White Ensign.

Links to the 6-part series re Six Canadian Sailors "In The Thick of Things":

1. Doug Harrison's Interview Touches on Dieppe, North Africa, Sicily and Italy

2. Leading Seaman Joe Watson of Simcoe, Ontario

3. AB Lloyd Evans: An Ottawa Boy Recalls Sicily Invasion and Much More

Doug Harrison (dark uniform, centre) assists U.S. troops land at Arzew, Algeria,

during Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, beginning Nov. 8, 1942

Photo Credit - RN Photographer F. A. Hudson, Imperial War Museum

4a. Leading Seaman Art Bradfield, Simcoe; Dieppe Veteran and More.

4b. LS Art Bradfield, Land Establishments and Ships Ahoy!

5. Al Kirby, RCNVR/Combined Operations from Woodstock, Ont.

6. Buryl McIntyre, RCNVR/Combined Operations, Norwich, Ontario

American troops unload LCA 426 on the beaches of Arzeu (Arzew), Algeria

in November 1942, during Operation TORCH. Canadian sailors man this LCA

and others. Doug Harrison handles an anti-broaching line to left of LCA 426.

Photo - RN Photographer F. A. Hudson, Imperial War Museum

Questions and comments can be directed to the Editor at gordh7700@gmail.com

Please link to another series of posts at Editor's Research: Operation Baytown Series, Parts 1 - 11

Unattributed Photos GH