A Sapper’s War - 12 Fld Coy RCE History, Part 20: Post-May 45 – Repatriation and Rehabilitation

A Note on Blog and Book (Amazon link to the book near the end of the blog)

This series of blogs, entitled "A Sapper's War" follows some units of the Royal Canadian Engineers in World War 2, primarily the 12th Field Company, which was my father's unit. The main sources are the unit War Diary, Daily Orders, official military histories, and The History of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers Volume 2. I will also include some personal accounts of his, when this is appropriate to the history.

he blogs will mostly relate to their time in Italy, from Oct 1943 to Jan 1945, though it will ultimately be extended to the later events in Northwestern Europe and the earlier events in the U.K.. They will be put together in book form eventually, but until that time the blogs will be available for interested readers on this "Dodecahedron Books" blog site. I encourage anyone who in interested to read the blogs, and buy the book when it comes available.

Naturally, I am claiming copyright, though you can make "fair use" of content, of course, if you are writing about similar times and events.

Though the overall history of the war will be noted, as context, the text mainly relates to the experiences of the 12th Field Company, as indicated in their War Diary and related orders, and other documents. If you want a more general history of the war, there are many other sources to more completely fill in those details.

There will be a fair bit of focus on what might be called "social history", in addition to the sometimes routine, sometimes harrowing military activities of a group of Allied sappers in the Italian Theatre of WW2. The daily orders and company War Diary often provide an interesting window into this day-to-day world that the strictly military lacks.

Though this account is based is a Canadian engineer company, it is likely that British, other Commonwealth and American sappers would have lived through similar experiences at this time, so families and interested parties from those nations might also find it interesting.

I will fill in links to the blog series below, as they are posted.

Oct 1943: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Nov 1943: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2019/11/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Dec 1943: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2019/11/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history_30.html

Jan 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Feb 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history_27.html

Mar 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Apr 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

May 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/05/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Jun 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/05/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history_31.html

Jul 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/06/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Aug 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/07/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Sep 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Oct 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Nov 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history_21.html

Dec 1944: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/12/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Jan 1945: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2020/12/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history_31.html

Feb 1945: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2021/02/12th-fld-coy-rce-february-1945-stepping.html

Mar 1945: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2021/03/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

Apr 1945: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2021/03/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history_31.html

May 1945: https://dodecahedronbooks.blogspot.com/2021/04/a-sappers-war-12-fld-coy-rce-history.html

After May 1945 – The Postwar Months: Waiting for Repatriation to Canada

Though the war in Europe was now over, the troops couldn’t go home yet. There were a number of factors in the way of a speedy return (note that there are longer, more detailed entries in the appendices about some of these):

· The war in the Pacific was still raging and all of the western allies including Canada were committed to supplying troops for the ultimate victory over Japan. That would require immense amounts of shipping, shipping which would have first priority. That would interfere with the repatriation of most troops who were not Japan-bound. Based on the Allies experience of the past few years, it was expected to be a bloody affair. Though Canada was only committed to sending a division of volunteers, everyone knew that such promises couldn’t always be kept. Soldiers were concerned that they might just get called up for another war, whether they wanted to go or not; so were their families.

· Germany would have to be occupied by Allied forces, at least for a time, as it was de-Nazified and returned to the status of a normal country. Some shipping would also be devoted to that, which would also have priority over repatriation. There were also some fears that die-hard Nazis might make a stand in a redoubt in the Alps, which could also involve bloodshed and require more fighting by the seasoned troops who just wanted to go home now.

· There would have to be some support for the formerly occupied countries of Europe, to help them rebuild from the destruction of the war. Again, that would take shipping away from the repatriation efforts and require some Canadian troops to stay behind.

· Though the Cold War with the Soviet Union hadn’t kicked off yet, the possibility of that (or worse, a hot war) was also on people’s minds. Though that wasn’t actually diverting shipping from repatriation at the moment, it was definitely a concern for the future.

· As noted, a vast amount of shipping would be needed to send millions of people back across the Atlantic ocean, to both Canada and the United States. There would be major headaches about how to prioritize this shipping among the two western hemisphere nations, while also returning British soldiers from the Continent to their homeland.

· Troops had spent a lot of time in the forces, time that had been taken away from their normal lives. They had also experienced a lot of suffering, mental and physical. So, efforts to reintegrate them into civilian life and rehabilitate the wounded were sorely needed. Some of that would have to happen before repatriation to Canada. It wouldn’t do to just ship them home and say “have a nice life, fellows.”

Given these calls on manpower, the general policy for shipping, in order of priority, was as follows:

· 1) Canadian Army Pacific Force – volunteers for the CAPF were to be given first priority for shipment back to Canada. They were then to be given a month’s leave before re-mustering at depots within Canada. After being shipped to camps in the U.S., they would receive training in U.S. arms and tactics and become part of the invasion force for the assault of the Japanese home islands.

· 2) Canadian Occupation Force – volunteers who were not already in northwestern Europe would be need to be shipped there, either from Canada or the U.K..

· 3) Demobilization of high point troops, to return them to Canada (this would probably include a stay in Repatriation barracks in England). Point scores were based on length of service. For one month service in Canada, 2 points; for one month service overseas, 3 points; for a portion of a month overseas, the highest number of points, i.e. 3 points. 20 per cent was added to the score of personnel who were married or who were widowed with dependent children.

· 4) Demobilization of low point troops, to return them to Canada (this would probably include a stay in Repatriation barracks in England).

· 5) Those elements of the Army that had to remain in order to handle the administrative matters related to the above movements of troops.

· 6) Dependents (war brides and children) would then be sent to Canada.

A survey was done of individual soldiers, to determine whether they were willing to volunteer for the Pacific or Occupation forces. Point scores were calculated for men who didn’t want to volunteer, to prioritize them. There were some departures from these rules (for example, “key” personnel could be held back regardless of their scores) and the men could choose to stay overseas longer than their point scores warranted. But, generally speaking, this was the procedure.

Sappers had the mixed blessing of being needed for some of the immediate reconstruction efforts in Europe and Britain. That meant that they were kept gainfully employed, which was good for morale in one way. But it also meant that they were likely to be held back from repatriation, which was not good for their morale in another way. But eventually even those activities dried up, to be replaced by marking time with sports and lectures. Men were sent back to England, then Canada, according to the priorities of the repatriation policy and the whims of shipping.

12 Field Company War Diary, After May 1945

Following is a condensation of the 12 Fld Coy War Diary notes for the periods following May 1945. Though this is a multi-month period, not a lot happened after June, so it will be relatively brief.

June 1 to 7 – Amersfoort, Netherlands

Parades, inspections and sports tended to take up a lot of time. A steady trickle of both officers and other ranks were being rotated out, heading for the Repatriation draft and home. There were also various rehabilitation lectures to attend and some dances in the evening.

However, there was still work to do; Platoon 1 headed for Arnhem to construct a Class 9 support raft on the Ijssel River. They then provided a ferry service across the river, to transport German prisoners back to their homeland. That must have been an unusual experience, helping the enemy of only one month ago across a river.

Word also came down that there was to be an Engineer Regatta, involving aquatic sports such as Storm Boat races. Training for these events kept the men busy and looking forward to an interesting competition.

June 8 to 14 – Amersfoort, Netherlands

Training for the Engineer Regatta continued, as did the prisoner ferry service and general guarding duties. Some sappers left, bound for Canada and then service in the Canadian Army Pacific Force.

The Regatta was held on the 10^th and 12 Fld Coy excelled, such that they were chosen to represent 1 Cdn Corps at the RCE Regatta which would be held in Nigmegen in the near future.

Word then came down that the company was to work on a number of bridges in the area, demolishing some and constructing others. Craters would also have to be drained of rain water, then filled in, and culverts constructed. A few days later, that work commenced.

The company also began packing up some of their equipment, to be shipped back to the U.K., as it was no longer needed on the continent. That included a lot of gas warfare defense equipment, steel helmets and camouflage netting.

June 15 to 21 – Amersfoort, Netherlands, Netherlands

The rafting job was now done, and the raft equipment was dismantled and sent to stores in Ravenstein and 1 Platoon returned to camp. Some men were sent on a small painting job while others worked on bankseats for a new Bailey bridge.

Platoon maintenance and sports rounded out the week’s activities. Training for the upcoming Army Regatta also occupied the men’s time.

June 22 to 30 - Hilversum, Netherlands

Word came that the company was to be transferred to be under the command of 1^st Canadian Division, rather than 1 Canadian Corps. That would necessitate a move to a new camp, with a lot of the men having to live in tents rather than billets. Small arms would be turned in to the division headquarters. Armoured cars and PIATs would also need to be turned in.

Some equipment and vehicles were to be transferred to engineers with the newly formed Canadian Occupation Force. A number of men also left to join that force. Others went on leave to England. Lt. York headed for England where he was to gather data in preparation for the writing of a unit history.

The men who were to participate in the Army Regatta moved to Nigmegen to continue practicing. That regatta was then held, and the company acquitted itself well, but less successfully than in the earlier meet.

July 1 to 7 - Hilversum, Netherlands

The company was really just marking time now. A lot of sports were played (baseball, volleyball), physical training was undertaken, there were some inspections and lots of platoon maintenance. Some of the more musically talented men were sent to join a three month tour of the Canadian Army band in northwest Europe.

July 8 to 14 - Hilversum, Netherlands

There was some cross-posting of troops between the company and other companies in 1^st Division. That meant new blood and more people, and thus more tents to “house” them. The remaining rifles and 15 Cwt trucks (three-quarter ton) were turned in.

July 15 to 21 - Hilversum, Netherlands

There was more cross-posting of personnel, more turning in of vehicles and more sports played. Other than that, the main entry in the War Diary was “nothing much else to report”. Men continued to be sent back to England for repatriation.

July 22 to 31 - Hilversum, Netherlands

Most activities, such as they were, carried on as before. However there were lectures on rehabilitation (re-integration into civilian life) to add some variety. Lt. General Simmonds (G.O.C. Canadian forces in the Netherlands) stopped in for a visit and watched some softball. Some of the men took educational trips into Amsterdam, The Hague and Hilversum.

August 1 to 7 - Hilversum, Netherlands

Again, sports, P.T. (physical training) and rehabilitation lectures dominated the schedule. Repatriation drafts continued, focusing on high point men. Some of the officers also took leaves in Brussels and Paris, for courses and R & R.

August 8 to 14 - Hilversum, Netherlands

Rain interrupted some of the sports days, though platoons went on route marches, perhaps to keep fit. Rehab lectures were ongoing and various remaining tools and radio equipment were turned in.

August 15 to 21 - Hilversum, Netherlands

News came over that radio that Japan had surrendered and there was no longer any fighting anywhere – the war was well and truly over. Curiously enough, the atom bomb was not mentioned in connection with this event. It would mean the likely disbandment of the Canadian Army Pacific Force, and thus a speedup of repatriation for most of the men, as the CAPF would no longer have priority of shipping.

The C.R.E. (Commander Royal Engineers) announced a general holiday to celebrate V-J Day. I am not sure if that mattered a lot, as the men weren’t really engaged in anything that might be called “work”, anyway. But they did get a rum ration. Shortly after that brief holiday, however, the men were sent on a number of route marches.

August 22 to 31 - Hilversum, Netherlands

The usual routine of sports, lectures and route marches continued, sometimes interrupted by rain. The big news was that 1^st Division repatriation schemes were picking up tempo, so 12 Fld Coy would soon be on its way to Nigmegen, soon to be followed by the U.K. and on to Canada. By this point, it should be noted, most of the really high point men had already left. Nonetheless, the remainder of the company was excited by the prospect of returning home.

Sept 1 to 7 – Hilversum and Nigmegen, Netherlands

The company soon packed up, ready to move on to Nigmegen. They would leave their tents behind to give them some time to dry out. Service ribbons were handed out, and the C.R.E. came by to give a speech to the company. He congratulated them for the fame that they helped to bring to the Canadian Army and to the Royal Canadian Engineers. The company moved out on Sept 6. At that point it became part of 4 Battalion RCE in Nigmegen.

Sept 8 to Oct 1 –Nigmegen, Netherlands, Ostend Belgium, Cove England, Ile de France Atlantic Ocean, Halifax Canada

The stay in Nigmegen wouldn’t be for long. While waiting, the men were given a chance to send cigarettes and gifts to England, to pick up when they got there. They also attended a mandatory viewing of a film on venereal disease. There was a great deal of concern that returning soldiers would bring an epidemic back with them to Canada, so efforts were being made to prevent that, including physical inspections.

Then it was off by rail to Ostend in Belgium (the rail cars were German but were thought to be “quite comfortable”), followed by a trip across the Channel to England. After disembarking, the company was sent back to their familiar old haunts, the Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Units camp in Cove, England. Fortunately for them, the stay was not long.

Men who wished to remain in the U.K. to get married or to spend their 30 day leave were given the opportunity to make this choice. The remainder were to head back to Canada on Sept 22, all going well.

A week’s leave was given for all, on the 12th, with the Canada-bound men returning on the 19^nd of September to prepare to embark on the ship leaving for home. This they did, though there was few days delay, due to shipping problems, before they embarked on the ship. Then, it was onto the ship “Ile de France”, and home.

The trip was quite uneventful – a steady 21 knots bringing them to Halifax harbour by October 1, 1945. They were shepherded into dock by a destroyer; music played, whistles blew, fireboats spouted clouds of water and the crowds on the docks cheered them on. 12^th Field Company was finally home.

Orders and Documents Archived with the 12 Fld Coy War Diary, Post-May 1945

Following are some selected quotes from the documents associated with the 12th Fld Coy War Diaries during the post-May 1945 period:

1 – Venereal Disease and Soldiers Returning to Canada

This allows a rather timely comparison, given the Covid1-19 situation of 2020-21. The fear of travellers spreading a deadly contagious disease is an old one. The spread of the 1918 Flu Epidemic was greatly exacerbated by war-related travel, including repatriation of troops. Venereal diseases caused a similar concern at the conclusion of World War 2. The Canadian Army had a lot of venereal disease cases (another WW2 result which belied out tranquil image), and there was fear that they would bring the scourge home, infecting the civilian population.

The stated VD rate of 400 new cases per week works out to about 1.6 cases per 1000 (assuming about 250,000 troops in 1^st Cdn Army at that time), compared to Covid-19 during a fairly high period in Alberta Canada (12500 cases in a population of 4.375 million in December 2020), of about 2.9 cases per 1000. So, the concern was certainly not unwarranted, when compared to our recent experience with Covid-19. Of course explaining to friends and family that you picked up a sexually transmitted disease in 1945 would have been much more difficult than explaining that you picked up Covid-19 during the 2020-21 pandemic.

An order in July expanded on this order, with the notice that soldiers diagnosed with VD would not be allowed to return to Canada until they had been treated and declared cured. All soldiers were to be examined three days before their date of sailing.

June 11, 1945

Following is a copy of Adm HQ First Cdn Army letter 7 June 1945.

1 It will be brought to the attention of all ranks that although present methods of treating VD are effective and rapid, experience has shown that it is impossible to certify a cure within a three month period from the time a treatment has been given.

2 It is considered socially undesirable and dangerous to allow personnel who contract VD to return to Canada within that three month period. The possibility of a recurrence is too serious to risk any chance being taken of innocent parties contracting VD.

3 It has therefore been proposed, and approval of the policy has been requested by DND, that personnel contracting VD be held in this theatre for a full three month period notwithstanding the point score totals of such individuals, or until such time as the med authorities are prepared after the three month period to certify a cure.

4 It is therefore of the utmost importance if embarrassing situations are to be avoided, that all ranks are made aware of the dangers of VD in the areas presently occupied by Cdn Fmns, and that all of the lessons which have been disseminated during the past years be given full attention.

5 The weekly VD rate for Cdn troops of 1^st Cdn Army has arisen to a new high of 400 cases of new infection per week.

2 – Deadly Liquor, Accident or Die-Hard Enemy Action?

There were deaths due to bad liquor. Some of these were thought to be from liquor that had been purposely poisoned by disgruntled, now defeated enemies (Utrecht in the Netherlands is about 50 km from the German border). Of course it may just have been careless profiteering on the part of people producing bootleg booze, rather like it was in prohibition days. Similarly to the Venereal Disease situation outlined above, there were a lot of desperate people on the continent trying to get by during the early post-war period. The means of getting by included prostitution, bootlegging, smuggling and the black market in general.

June 11, 1945

1 Since arriving in Utrecht area 4 soldiers have died as a result of drinking rotten liquor. In every case the liquor was purchased from unknown civilians on the street. Personnel are warned NOT to purchase liquor from civilians on the street.

3 – Treatment of Suspected Collaborators

There were many cases of retaliation against suspected collaborators during and after the war. The Allies officially discouraged and/or forbade these events, but that was easier said than done. As this order states, sometimes allied soldiers were involved, presumably as part of the crowd, but that lent these retaliations legitimacy.

June 7, 1945

Below is a copy of a letter from ADM H.Q. First Cdn Army dated 3 June 1945:

“Representations have reached this HQ that members of the Allied Forces acting as individuals have recently taken part or been present at unofficial public demonstrations in liberated countries.

The demonstrations referred to have been directed principally against persons who are thought to have been supporting or to have been in sympathy with the German occupying forces. It is proper that such persons should be dealt with according to the laws of their own countries. However, demonstrations against them only increase the difficulty of the police forces of the liberated countries concerned. When members of the Allied Forces join such demonstrations the police forces sometimes feel that such demonstrations have the support of the Allied Command and have on occasion been loathe to intervene.”

This is a situation which cannot be countenanced and it will be brought to the notice of all ranks that in no circumstances will they take part in and join as spectators in any such demonstrations in the liberated countries.

4 – Repatriation and Wrapping Up

From July onwards, much of the documentation refers to the very detailed logistics involved in releasing men to be repatriated, transporting men and equipment, handing out honors, awards and campaign ribbons and eventually disbanding and dissolving the company as it would not be part of the peace-time army.

Some Family Stories Related to Post-May 1945 Events

AWOL, the Riots at Aldershot and Saved by the Atom Bomb

The last major event in my father’s story is all wrapped up in these post-war concerns – fear of the Pacific war, slowness in repatriation and just general exhaustion from it all.

Near the end of June, I suppose, my mother said he was regretting signing up for the Pacific war. She said he repeatedly stated that “he had done his bit. It’s the turn of others now.” She told him, “Mart, you can’t stay here. They’ll find you. You have to go back.”

But he didn’t go back, not right away. He went AWOL for a short time. That wasn’t unusual; plenty of Allied soldiers had done so before the surrender of Nazi Germany and they were still doing so. There were many Canadians, Americans and others, who were on the lam in Britain at that time.

He was in a pub and was spotted by some British officers. “What are you doing here, Canada? This is out of bounds - you should be in your barracks, especially after what happened at Aldershot”.

What had happened at Aldershot was a riot by Canadian troops. It is a story that has been pretty effectively covered up by the official history, though not entirely censored.

Basically, the troops who were impatiently waiting in the barracks at Aldershot for shipping, got fed up. There was a lot of concern about whether the allocation of shipping to bring men back to North America was fair. Many thought that the American troops were getting privileged treatment, even though they entered the war much later than Canada and had therefore spent less time away from home. First in – first out, that was felt to be the only fair way to do things.

This frustration, warranted or not, boiled over on Independence Day, July 4, 1945. Supposedly a newsreel announcing the departure of U.S. troops on a trans-Atlantic liner set things off. Here is a passage from Bruce Allen Powe’s novel “Aldershot 1945”:

“What set them off was the Movietone newsreel. A gigantic metal shape hove into view, the Queen Mary, its decks an organism of waving tentacles above grinning, pale faces. Out of Le Have, the plummy voice informed them, Yanks on the way Stateside from France, the liberators of Europe, some of them about to go on across America to the Pacific to knock the Japs for six. A job well done, the announcer exulted as the troop ship slid its delirious cargo out to sea. Before the lights came up in the theater, a slide wobbled its way onto the screen The stars and stripes. A few badly printed lines: “Independence Day America. Britain says its thanks, God bless!”…

“You see that? What about us? How come they get the ships, eh?””. (page 6)

At that time, my dad didn’t know what the British officers were talking about, but reluctantly or not, he made it back to Aldershot. Once there he discovered a chaotic situation – Canadians had rampaged through the town and camp for two nights, vandalizing buildings, breaking windows, stealing cigarettes and booze. But there was little violence and no rapes. In that way, it was a very Canadian riot.

He tried to report for duty late, AWOL and all. But someone told him “Forget it mate! Everything is in an uproar. There’s been no time for muster parades and the records are all in a mess. You got lucky, there’s no AWOL for you!”

So, he was lucky and missed out on the punishment that would surely have been meted out - perhaps a bit of time in the brig, maybe some lost pay, maybe being put on the black-list, to be repatriated last.

His luck continued to hold. The concern about the Pacific war ended with the dropping of the atom bombs in August 1945 and the surrender of Japan. So, no combat engineer duties, helping the troops to storm the beaches, then slowly advancing inland, building bridges and avoiding land mines. His service record shows a transfer from 1 Coy EU to 131 CD MD 13 (4 Repat) on August 9, 1945 which was the same day that the bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

To finish the story, he was granted 30 days leave on August 13. It seems likely that he got more time away from camp than that, however. He came back to Canada in November, being discharged on November 30. My mother followed somewhat later, in the spring, I believe. They had reasonably successful lives in Canada, which included raising 7 children. Like so many of their generation, they did their duty. They deserve honour and respect.

=========================================================================

The Sappers' War: 12th Field Company Royal Canadian Engineers

Are you a history buff, particularly interested in World War 2? Or, did you have a family member or
other relative participate in the conflict and are therefore curious about their experiences? If so, you might want to read about the journey of a military engineering company, throughout their time in action during the war.

The book focuses on one particular company of soldier/sappers in the Canadian Army, but many of their experiences would be common to any of the Allied units in the European theatre. Some of the major battles in which they were involved included Ortona, Monte Casino, the Gothic Line, the battles for Ravenna and the Po Valley, the Liberation of Holland and final defeat of the Third Reich.

In addition, some content relates to the experiences of civilians in Britain during that time. Appendices also look at some of the details of military engineering (e.g. bridging, mines, storm boats, the M-test), casualties, the Aldershot Riots and other issues of post-war rehabilitation and return to civilian life.

Much of the material comes from company war diaries and related materials, though a brief sketch of the wider campaigns relevant to the experience of these men is included, as are some interesting side-bars (e.g. the unit served alongside the celebrated irregulars known as Popski’s Private Army during their time in Northern Italy). To get a more “micro” feel for the on-site experiences of the time, some of my own family’s stories are related (a soldier/sapper, a war bride/war worker, a P.O.W., and an Atlantic convoy merchant marine sailor, among others). The summations of the War Diaries also include much interesting information about day-to-day life, both military and non-military.

So, grab your Lee-Enfield rifle and your mine-detector, and check out the life of a war-time sapper.

U.S.: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HSXN6Q2

U.K.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09HSXN6Q2

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Netherlands: https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B09HSXN6Q2

Japan: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B09HSXN6Q2

Brazil: https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B09HSXN6Q2

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Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09HSXN6Q2

India: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09HSXN6Q2

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A Ride on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail

U.S.: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GBG8JE0
U.K.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01GBG8JE0
Germany: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01GBG8JE0
Japan: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B01GBG8JE0
Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01GBG8JE0
Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01GBG8JE0
India: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B01GBG8JE0

The Kettle Valley Rail Trail is one of the longest and most scenic biking and hiking trails in Canada. It covers a good stretch of the south-central interior of British Columbia, about 600 kilometers of scenic countryside. British Columbia is one of the most beautiful areas of Canada, which is itself a beautiful country, ideal for those who appreciate natural splendour and achievable adventure in the great outdoors.

The trail passes through a great variety of geographical and geological regions, from mountains to valleys, along scenic lakes and rivers, to dry near-desert condition grasslands. It often features towering canyons, spanned by a combination of high trestle bridges and long tunnels, as it passes through wild, unpopulated country. At other times, it remains quite low, in populated valleys, alongside spectacular water features such as beautiful Lake Okanagan, an area that is home to hundreds of vineyards, as well as other civilized comforts.

The trail is a nice test of one’s physical fitness, as well as one’s wits and adaptability, as much of it does travel through true wilderness. The views are spectacular, the wildlife is plentiful and the people are friendly. What more could one ask for?
What follows is a journal of two summers of adventure, biking most of the trail in the late 1990s. It is about 33,000 words in length (2 to 3 hours reading), and contains numerous photographs of the trail. There are also sections containing a brief history of the trail, geology, flora and fauna, and associated information.

After reading this account, you should have a good sense of whether the trail is right for you. If you do decide to ride the trail, it will be an experience you will never forget.

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A Drive Across Newfoundland

U.S.: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NMR9WM8

U.K.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NMR9WM8

Germany: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07NMR9WM8

Japan: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07NMR9WM8

Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07NMR9WM8

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07NMR9WM8

India: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07NMR9WM8

Newfoundland, Canada’s most easterly province, is a region that is both fascinating in its unique culture and amazing in its vistas of stark beauty. The weather is often wild, with coastal regions known for steep cliffs and crashing waves (though tranquil beaches exist too). The inland areas are primarily Precambrian shield, dominated by forests, rivers, rock formations, and abundant wildlife. The province also features some of the Earth’s most remarkable geology, notably The Tablelands, where the mantle rocks of the Earth’s interior have been exposed at the surface, permitting one to explore an almost alien landscape, an opportunity available on only a few scattered regions of the planet.

The city of St. John’s is one of Canada’s most unique urban areas, with a population that maintains many old traditions and cultural aspects of the British Isles. That’s true of the rest of the province, as well, where the people are friendly and inclined to chat amiably with visitors. Plus, they talk with amusing accents and party hard, so what’s not to like?

This account focusses on a two-week road trip in October 2007, from St. John’s in the southeast, to L’Anse aux Meadows in the far northwest, the only known Viking settlement in North America. It also features a day hike visit to The Tablelands, a remarkable and majestic geological feature. Even those who don’t normally consider themselves very interested in geology will find themselves awe-struck by these other-worldly landscapes.

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On the Road with Bronco Billy, A Trucking Journal

What follows is an account of a ten day journey through western North America during a working trip, delivering lumber from Edmonton Alberta to Dallas Texas, and returning with oilfield equipment. The writer had the opportunity to accompany a friend who is a professional truck driver, which he eagerly accepted. He works as a statistician for the University of Alberta, and is therefore is generally confined to desk, chair, and computer. The chance to see the world from the cab of a truck, and be immersed in the truck driving culture was intriguing. In early May 1997 they hit the road.

Some time has passed since this journal was written and many things have changed since the late 1990’s. That renders the journey as not just a geographical one, but also a historical account, which I think only increases its interest.

We were fortunate to have an eventful trip - a mechanical breakdown, a near miss from a tornado, and a large-scale flood were among these events. But even without these turns of fate, the drama of the landscape, the close-up view of the trucking lifestyle, and the opportunity to observe the cultural habits of a wide swath of western North America would have been sufficient to fill up an interesting journal.

The travelogue is about 20,000 words, about 60 to 90 minutes of reading, at typical reading speeds.

Amazon U.S.: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X2IRHSK

Amazon U.K.: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00X2IRHSK

Amazon Germany: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00X2IRHSK

Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00X2IRHSK

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Dodecahedron Books

Tuesday 29 June 2021