1000 Men, 1000 Stories : Photographs: Combined Operations Training, November 1942 (1)

At the No. 1 Combined Operations Training Camp, The Royal

Kents and More Canadian Sailors are Put Through Their Paces

The 1st Royal Kents "are given a wet landing," as they wade

ashore at HMS Quebec, the No. 1 Combined Operations Training

Camp just south of Inveraray, Scotland. November, 1942.

Photo Credit - Walter Thomas Lockeyear, H25389 IWM

Introduction:

While collecting and sharing photographs re "Training for Combined Operations" by particular official war photographers Lts. Lockeyear and Tanner, I came across a way to collect and share a wider range of photos by both men, first off by searching for them under a slightly different heading, i.e., "Combined Operations Training." Yes, it was that easy to get more than a dozen of photos, most of which I'd never seen before.

(Just as easy was getting more of the headings the mens' work was organized under, e.g., "Combined Operations Exercise." More and more pics soon to follow out of the 5,000 (approx.) organized under their names at Imperial War Museum).

The production date of November 17, 1942 is written or stamped on the back of several of the photos. It is known that several Canadians in Combined Ops - including my father Doug Harrison and his close friend Buryl McIntyre from Norwich, Ontario, Canada, were participating in the invasion of North Africa (i.e., Operation Torch) on that date. However, a few hundred other members of RCNVR had volunteered for Combined Operations after the first two drafts of Canadian sailors (about 100 in all; Doug and Buryl were a part of the first draft of about 50 men) had been shipped from Halifax to the U.K. in January, 1942.

So, it is likely Canadian members of the later drafts participated in training in November, 1942 at some of the Comb. Ops. locations scattered throughout the U.K., including at Inveraray (as seen below in the 1st photograph), home to the No. 1 Combined Operations Training camp.

Please click here to learn more about the training experienced by early Canadian volunteers to Combined Operations, e.g., at Inveraray and elsewhere.

Shared below are photographs from Lt. Lockeyear's collection:

IWM (H 25383) (1/2) Original wartime caption: The Royal Fusiliers embarking

into American assault craft used for training purposes. Photo Credit:

Lockeyear, Walter Thomas Production date 1942-11-17

IWM - Imperial War Museum, England

Please click here to learn more about WWII photographers - War Office official photographers

Click here for more about the WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION

More information about the training purposes at the No. 1 Combined Operations Training Camp (about 2 miles south of Inveraray, Scotland) was included on the back of the above photo by W. Lockeyear:

IWM (H 25383) (2/2) Original wartime caption: The Royal Fusiliers

embarking into American assault craft used for training purposes.

IWM (H 25384) Royal Fusiliers leaping from their craft on to

the beach during a landing. Production date 1942-11-17

IWM (H 25385) Royal Fusiliers attacking "enemy" positions after landing.

IWM (H 25386) Black Watch landing after "touching down.”

6th Ben. Black Watch

IWM (H 25387) General view of the 1st Royal West Kents, landing.

1st Royal West Kents

Two photographs of my own, taken a dozen or so years ago during my first trip to Scotland (for research purposes in part), show somewhat the same perspective as the above pic: