1000 Men, 1000 Stories : The Arts of War: From "The Crow's Nest" (4)

Amid Cartoons, Poems, Art... News from D-Day Normandy!

Introduction:

As I continue to comb The Crow's Nest, a Canadian Navy newspaper, I find good examples of 'the arts of war' produced by officers and ratings in the RCN and RCNVR. Occasionally I also find a gem of a photograph (like the one above!) or news article that directly or indirectly relates to my chief topic of interest, i.e., the 950 - 1,000 Canadians in Combined Operations.

It is my understanding that Canadians were being trained as Beach Commandos (their role is described in the caption above), perhaps as early as the fall of 1943 if not earlier (my father writes of seeing commandos in Halifax* - see next photo - when he arrived back home in Dec. 1943 after two years of overseas service aboard landing craft flotillas). It is my understanding as well that a few Canadian RCNVR officers served - on loan to the Royal Navy - as Beach Masters during the Dieppe Raid.

*These "crack combined operations boys" may have been training as Beach

Commandos, See previous post From "The Crow's Nest" (3) for details

The following items of interest were published in the August, September and November issues of The Crow's Nest in 1944. Questions or comments can be directed to the creator of this online site at gordh7700@gmail.com:

During D-Day Normandy, beginning June 6, 1944, there were as many as 30 Landing Crafts, Infantry (Large) designated as being a part of Canadian Flotillas. Some stories by officers and crew members appear in St. Nazaire to Singapore: The Canadian Amphibious War 1941 - 1945 (Volume 2), and they can be found at a University of Alberta online source... at times when the source is working.

LCI(L) 301 was not found among the Canadian flotillas, though LCI(L) 302 was found and an R. L. or H. L. Houston was aboard as CPO MM.

Another story about Canadians aboard LCI (L)s can be found at this link - Story: The Mine - Difficult Manoeuvres, 1944

Another story re an LCI (L) appears below at D-Day Normandy. LCI(L) 270 does appear among ships listed in the 3rd Canadian Flotilla. (See Royal Canadian Navy 1939 - 1945 Landing Crafts at silverhawkauthor.com for more details)

For another story re LCI(L)s please link to Story: HMC Landing Craft Infantry (Large)

The photo from HMCS Cornwallis above links directly to one of the activities with which my father was involved when he served at HMCS Givenchy III (Comox, B. C.) from 1944 - 45.

He writes as follows:

Then I went to Givenchy III, known as Cowards Cove, at Comox on Vancouver Island. It was absolute heaven there. Just normal routine; I trained a few zombies on cutters, and played ball five or six times a week under a good coach.

Photo as found in Sailor Remember by William H Pugsley

I acted as Coxswain on large navy cutters as soldiers worked the oars. The cutters were 27 feet long and wide enough (except at the bows) to seat four men, two men to an oar. This was fun, getting the proper stroke amongst 18 green oarsmen. If the rhythm was wrong and an oar caught a crab (got stuck in the water), the effect was that nearly every thwart was cleared of oarsmen and bedlam prevailed.

“Stroke! Stroke! Stroke!” I hollered, bursting from laughter.

The oars are about 12 feet long and are they ever heavy. To give the soldiers a well-earned rest I would give the order “Rest oars.” Then the oars would be pulled in, rested on each side of the cutter, and the soldiers could rest their weary arms on the looms for awhile.

“I enjoyed giving the order to toss oars” at The Spit, Comox BC

Photo as found in Sailor Remember by William H Pugsley

I enjoyed giving the order to ‘toss oars’. With this the huge oars were brought from the water and as quickly as possible tossed up in the air, and of course the water came pouring down from the blades in a regular storm for a minute and everyone got soaked to the hide, including me, but on a hot day it was refreshing. I was longing for a swim anyway.

Doug trained “Zombies on cutters” while on Vancouver Island, 1944 - 45
Photo by G. Bell, as found in Land of Plenty: History of Comox District

There were several cutters with soldiers and with experience we began to have races. The competition was a good thing and a real esprit de corp developed within the teams. The races were close, the blisters were soon forgotten and the training became enjoyable as some fun was injected into it.

Dad, Well Done", pages 40 and 126

The Navy boys on the West Coast played a lot of baseball as well, and were coached by "Hobie" Hobson (cf "Hoddie" Hodson above : )

Number 1 Navy Ball Team circa 1944. Photo - Doug Harrison (centre)

Variety shows raised the spirits of both the cast and the audience and were known to take place at Navy bases across Canada. A very creative Canadian member of Combined Operations is featured here - Brad's Poetry to Recite (2b)

And now, a selection of items from The Crow's Nest, issued in September and November 1944:

For all those who like rare football stats, here is a photo and caption that you may not have known about re the Grey Cup and members of Combined Ops: