A Sapper’s War - 12 Fld Coy RCE History, Part 18: April –Liberating the Dutch and Crossing the Rhine
A Note on Blog and Book
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.
The 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
April 1945 – Liberating the Dutch and Crossing the Rhine
The Canadian Army was together now, working alongside the British along the northern coastal regions of Europe, while the Americans advanced further south. The tough battles of moving the Germans out of Normandy and driving them further east were done. The very difficult and costly Battle of the Scheldt was over and the port of Antwerp was now available for use by the Allies. The areas west of the Rhine River had been taken. Now it was the crossing of the Rhine and the invasion of the German heartland that beckoned. Along with that, much of Holland had yet to be liberated
The plan was to cross the Rhine in two locations, one more northerly and the other farther south. The northern crossing was to meant to cut off the important industrial Ruhr region from the rest of Germany. This was to be known as “Operation Plunder”. It was to be a massive undertaking of British, American and Canadian troops, including airborne drops or parachute troops. Air forces and artillery would also pound German positons. The crossing of the Rhine and other water course would obviously require a lot of engineer assistance with bridges, storm boats, ferries and mine detection.
Fortunately, the German Army was not the overwhelming force that it once was; it was short of men, heavy guns and ammunition. Still, you could never take the German Army lightly.
The operation began in late March, with the Rhine River crossing, and carried on for most of April much farther into Germany. Canadian engineers built a Class 40 bridge (capable of bearing tanks) at Emmerich. Two more bridges were quickly put across and men and equipment were soon pouring over the Rhine in that area.
The main Canadian efforts were then concentrated on clearing the Netherlands of German occupation, including the areas around Arnhem and Apeldoorn, names that are associated with the phrase “a bridge too far”, from September 1944’s failed “Market Garden” operation. 1st Canadian Infantry Division, having moved from Italy, played a hand in finally taking these locations for the Allies.
The advance through Holland was quite rapid and eventually the North Sea was reached. There is still a lot of good will between Holland and Canada resulting from the liberation, which the Dutch of the time really did appreciate. As well, Canadian soldiers brought home many Dutch war brides (all willing, of course).
Canadian troops also moved into Germany (accompanied by a Polish armoured brigade), eventually taking Oldenburg and the Emden-Wilhelmshaven peninsula. Wilhelmshaven was the location of the majority of the German surface fleet, which was duly surrendered.
From the point of view of the sappers who
had been transferred from Italy, in the low countries they found themselves
dealing with many of the same features that they had encountered near Ravenna;
boggy ground, rivers, canals and dykes.
12 Fld Coy played a key role in one of these important river crossings,
as will be summarized in their War Diary.
12 Field Company War Diary, April 1945
Following is a condensation of the 12 Fld Coy War Diary notes for April 1945.
April 1 to 4 – Nigmegen, Netherlands
1 Platoon had a variety of duties – one section was maintaining Rose Barge Bridge, while another was on Storm Boat patrol with the infantry, and a third was helping the Navy to sound the river bottom to find deep anchorages. They also built an anchorage from the ever-versatile Bailey Bridge panels, for use by the Royal Navy. Towards the end of the period they provided a covering party for 2 and 3 Platoons while they worked on bridging.
2 Platoon worked on Class 9 close support rafts, dismantling some and constructing others. They then built a Class 24 Bailey Bridge, along with some associated mine sweeping.
3 Platoon also dismantled some rafts and built a small 30-foot Bailey Bridge. They then got some practice with the Polish Mine Detector and took some training in Buffalos, an amphibious vehicle that could be used in river crossings. After that, they worked with 2 Platoon on its bridging job, as well as building its own 50-foot Bailey and sweeping for mines.
April 5 to 8 – Nigmegen, Netherlands to Elst, Netherlands
The time period featured a lot of road work, but the company received mechanical assistance in the form of 2 D-6 bulldozers, 1 armoured D-6, 1 armoured D-7, a power shovel and 15 tippers (labourers) to help them out. They swept and cleared mines and filled craters on Arnhem Road; that included locating both R mines and Shu mines and lifting them. They also placed “white forestry pickets on each side of Arnhem road” – the purpose of this is not stated in the War Diary. Perhaps it was a signal to indicate that the road had been cleared of mines.
April 9 to 12 – Zevenaar, Netherlands
Some changes on the plans for an attack on Arnhem had the company move to the town of Zevenaar, east of Arnhem across the Ijssel River. This actually had them move into Germany on the route, crossing the famous Siegfried Line. This fortified line had been the site of many casualties, American, British and German only a short while earlier.
12 Fld Coy was to supply one of the bridges to get troops and equipment across the Ijssel River for the attack on Arnhem. Upon arriving, the company set to work on constructing the components of a floating Bailey Bridge. It took a couple of days to construct the bridge components and a landing bay – a hessian camouflage screen was put up, so that the enemy couldn’t observe the goings on. There were a lot of big components involved – a 150 foot combined floating and landing bay, another slightly smaller 140 foot combined bay, and a couple of 40 foot floating bays. There were also several piers and craft to help move these objects downriver.
The components for the bridge were then to be floated downstream several miles, from a nearby canal and then into the Ijssel River, where the bridge was to be quickly put together, beginning from each bank and meeting at the middle. The completed bridge would then be ready for the assault across the river. H-Hour for the assault was to be 2240 hours.
April 13 – 14 Zevenaar, Netherlands
Shortly after midnight, the Commander Royal Engineers ordered that the floating bridge equipment be brought to the bridge site, with the help of some small naval craft. The 150 foot floating/landing bay arrived at the near bank by 0300 and was put into position, but the 140 foot floating/landing bay intended for the far bank was late, due to the naval pilot missing the turn-off to the river. Nonetheless, both bays were in their places, on opposite banks of the river, by about 0330.
Unfortunately, just about then, a Class 40 raft that had been used for ferrying upstream broke free and came rushing downriver, out of control, and smashed into the bridge units. The far bank unit broke away and was swept downriver, until it was captured by Lt. York (the War Diary doesn’t say how he achieved that), just before it was about to pile into the ruins of a previously demolished bridge. The near bank unit was knocked about, but it didn’t head down-river.
The units were finally back in position by about 0500 and the landing bays were speedily jacked down, via something called “ghost piers” being flooded with water and being allowed to sink. One of the smaller floating bays was then put into position, connecting the two bays on each bank of the river. The landing bays were then decked and on-ramps were added to the bridge. The bridge was open to traffic at 1030, about 12 hours after H-Hour, greatly aiding the progress of the assault. The commanding officer of the company then christened the structure as “A Song and a Prayer” Bridge.
The operation went off without many casualties, though the estimable Sgt. Critchley was wounded by shrapnel during the construction. It may be recalled that he won a medal during the company’s time with Porterforce, but also was wounded in a later operation with that same force. Lt. Hess was in charge of the sapper party who went to the far bank to build the bridge, along with an infantry assault unit. Lt. Bent was in charge of the sappers on the near bank.
After their busy and somewhat harrowing night mission, the platoons went back to their routine jobs. That included skin-decking the “Song and a Prayer Bridge” as well as maintaining several other bridges and routes nearby.
April 15 to 18 – Zevenaar, Netherlands to Arnhem, Netherlands
The next days involved other typical engineer tasks. Platoon 1 operated a Class 40 ferry, marked off mined areas, and repaired road craters. No. 2 also operated a Class 40 ferry near the bridge that they had just built, and continued with skin-decking and adding catwalks to the bridge. No. 3 also operated a Class 40 ferry and did skin-decking.
1 Platoon then moved to Arnhem and helped maintain the 5 Cdn Armoured Division’s axis from Arnhem to Deelin. No. 2 salvaged the “ghost piers” from the other night. No. 3 worked on several bridges including their “Song and a Prayer” and did some route maintenance.
The platoons then handed off bridge duties to other sapper units and focused on routes and sweeping verges for mines.
April 19 to 23 – Loenen, Netherlands
All three platoons continued with maintaining routes in the Zutphen to Apeldoorn area. The War Diary also notes that 3 Platoon constructed a “whizzer strip” – it is not clear what that was, but it may have been a landing strip for a certain type of aircraft. Or maybe not. 2 Platoon worked on a Casualty Clearing Station nearby.
About this time, the company’s commanding officer, Major Evers was ordered to England to take over training of engineer reinforcements. Captain Eldridge was to become acting major.
The diarist also notes that the townspeople of Loenen were extremely supportive of the company, “doing everything possible to make our stay pleasant”. There were many dances, with music supplied by the 12 Fld Coy RCE band. I suppose among several hundred men, more than a few were able to play instruments.
April 24 to 27 – Loenen, Netherlands
It was now time to start dismantling bridges and rafts that were no longer needed. It was also time to start rebuilding some of the infrastructure of Arnhem, so the company began repairs to a power plant and a water main. They also built a water tower at the Casualty Clearing Station.
They also did some mine sweeping along a utility corridor. No mines were found on that job, but they had to blow up all the mines that were stored at a nearby mine dump. Presumably those were enemy mines that had been lifted. That must have been an interesting sight.
The changing nature of the tasks seems to signal that the war’s end was in sight.
April 28 to 30 – Loenen, Netherlands
A new commanding officer was now sent to
the company, a Major Prichard. The
company continued on works in Arnhem, and at a Field Dressing Station and the
Casualty Clearing Station. They also did
maintenance work on various routes in the area.
As the Diarist says “nothing else of interest to report”.
Other Notes and Observations from April 1945
Following are some selected quotes from the report on Operations during April 1945 in France and Belgium, written by the military (Volume III THE VICTORY CAMPAIGN THE OPERATIONS IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-1945):
1 – A Unique Tactic for Bridging the Ijssel
The main historian of the Canadian army wrote about 12 Fld Coy’s clever bridging of the Ijssel, as described in the company’s War Diary entry of April 13. The official RCE history also gives an extended account of the operation on pages 398-400, well worth reading, but a little long to recount here. Note that L.C.M. stands for Landing Craft Mechanized.
Assistance in building up our forces in Arnhem was given by Force "U" of the Royal Navy and engineers of the 1st Canadian Corps. After participating in Operation "Plunder", Force "U" dispatched L.C.Ms. to help in "Anger". These craft helped to carry British troops across the Ijssel. The Canadian sappers' contribution included the striking expedient of prefabricating a Bailey pontoon bridge near Doornenburg on the Pannerdensch Canal, floating it some five miles downstream with the help of No. 3 Inland Water Transport Group R.E., and placing it in position at Westervoort. This was successfully carried out, after careful trials, by the 12th Field Company R.C.E., under Major D. H. Evers. Some difficulty was experienced in handling the heavy landing bays (one piece was over 150 feet long), but the bridge was opened for traffic on the morning of the 13th, less than 11 hours after movement began from the construction site.
Volume III THE VICTORY CAMPAIGN THE OPERATIONS IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-1945, page 571
2 – Nearing the End, a Desperate German Attack
Remnants of the German garrison in the Apeldoorn/Arnhem area attempt to break out from encirclement, but a mad dash is no longer enough to get the job done. Ironically, there were only a few weeks left in the war, so surrender was inevitable by then.
Shortly after midnight a German patrol "suddenly came racing into Otterloo, yelling like a gang of fanatics and firing their automatic weapons madly". This incursion quickly developed into an Assault supported by artillery and mortars. Although the Irish and the gunners of the 17th bore the main brunt, all headquarters personnel were soon involved. The guns fired over open sights (the mediums demolishing a nearby church tower in their efforts to shorten the range) as the enemy infiltrated into our positions. However, at daybreak the headquarters tanks and the Irish counter-attacked, driving the invaders back, and "Wasps" completed the enemy's demoralization. By mid-morning the situation was under control. The Germans had suffered possibly 300 casualties, with between 75 and 100 killed. Our own losses were much lower. The Irish and the 17th Field Regiment had 22 and 25 casualties respectively; in addition, the artillery had three guns knocked out and several vehicles destroyed. (Page 578).
3 – Relief from Famine for the Dutch People
In some regions of the country, the Dutch people were facing a famine not seen since the middle ages. There was controversy in the higher levels of Allied leadership about what to do; finish off the German resistance first and then relieve the population after liberation or divert resources from military operations to provide aid first at the risk of prolonging the war. Eventually it was decided that humanitarian aid had to be provided before Germany’s unconditional surrender, as the need was urgent. Even the German military leadership in Holland went along with the idea of relief for the civilian population, in return for a sort of truce in the military sphere. Canadian troops were instrumental in providing this relief.
At Ede our tank crews had seen civilian faces "stamped with the mark of malnutrition or downright starvation". Elsewhere during the 1st Corps' advance such conditions multiplied. Many a Canadian ration was shared with these unfortunate people, especially with the young and aged. Although Apeldoorn had suffered less hardship than the bigger centres in the western Netherlands, its population had been swollen by 65,000 refugees, and large numbers required assistance when the town was liberated on 17 April. The following day a special detachment moved in and began distributing 40 tons (80,000 rations) to the inhabitants. The population remained orderly, and effective control was exercised over refugees. Relief measures were, quickly and efficiently organized. (page 586).
4 – Catching up with Popski, the Final Allied Assaults in Italy
Though all of the Canadian troops had left Italy in February, the war there carried on, though forces on all sides had been depleted. Everyone was war-weary, many Allied troops had been moved to northwestern Europe and the German Army was short of men and materiel. April saw the final big push by Eighth and Fifth Army; Popski’s Private Army, which we met in November 1944, was in the fight. Here is a passage from “Popski’s Private Army” describing the German surrender in those last days:
“When
I arrived in Chioggia the poor German Major, who had declared that he wouldn’t
surrender to anything smaller than a battalion, had realized that he had been
tricked by a handful of men – but it was too late: his men were disarmed, this
officers all put under guard and he consoled himself with the brandy
bottle. Steve Wallbridge had spent
twenty-four hours in the town before the surrender, at the German HQ; he had
cleverly played on the dissensions amongst the German staff, some of whom,
against the views of their commander, wanted to resist to the last round, and
he had somehow succeeded in suggesting that he had several battalions just
across the Brenta. I believe that an
important element in the success of his negotiations took place on his first
night in the town, when, being entertained in the German mess, he drank the
whole staff under the table. Of this,
however, I have no other evidence but the word of an enemy. ” (location 8002,
Popski’s Private Army, Lt-Col. Vladimir Peniakoff DSO MC)
Orders and Documents Archived with the 12 Fld Coy War Diary, April 1945
Following are some selected quotes from the documents associated with the 12th Fld Coy War Diaries during April 1945:
1 – Transportation to Canada for Dependents of Personnel of Canadian Army Overseas
Since my mom was a war bride, this order would have been of particular interest to my dad. At the time of the order, though, he was already on a ship headed for the U.K.. He was far from alone in this regard; some 50,000 or so war brides were brought to Canada, which means that somewhere between 5% and 10% of all Canadian servicemen had war bride wives, mostly from the U.K., though the Netherlands was also a significant contributor to that total.
The notion of sending the new wife back before hostilities had ended must have been a difficult one to decide upon. After all, one couldn’t be absolutely sure that he wouldn’t be killed in action, during the interim. The life of a new war bride was one thing, but who would want to take the chance of consigning their beautiful new bride to the life as a new war widow in a strange new country?
The order also brings up the possibility of being ordered to the war in the Pacific (“high priority will be allocated to meet operational commitments in the war against Japan”). For most soldiers, they considered the war in Europe to be the one that they signed up for, and didn’t want to be sent to the Pacific theatre.
At that time the Canadian government was stating that all personnel sent to the Pacific would be volunteers, but how could soldiers really be sure of that. The plan was for a division of infantry and a division of armour to aid the assault on Japan, but it what if more men were called for, which was a distinct possibility. Plans change, and every soldier knew that.
The last subject that the order brings up is the matter of the priority for sending men back to North America. That would prove to be a major point of contention, and the cause of a little known riot of Canadian military personnel in July 1945. More about that later.
April 10, 1945
1 This notice is of the greatest importance to all ranks who have dependents in the U.K..
2 Throughout the period of the war there has been a serious shortage of shipping accommodation which has become more and more acute. All shipping owned or controlled by the Allies is operated on a pool basis in the best interests of the common cause, in accordance with agreed priorities. Our requirements for shipping space can be met only in accordance with such priorities.
3 As soon as hostilities with Germany come to an end, the demands for shipping will become greatly intensified, and the comparatively limited number of ships available will be utilized on a strict priority basis. Very high priority will be allocated to meet operational commitments in the war against Japan. When these have been met, demands to provide for the repatriation of very large numbers of Allied forces personnel must come next. Quite obviously, ships for the transportation of dependents cannot be provided until the requirements for forces personnel have been fully satisfied.
4 It is therefore apparent that dependents of Cdn Army Personnel who are in the U.K. after the “cease fire” in Europe will have to remain here for a very considerable period of time and in most cases for many months after such army personnel have been returned to Canada.
5 In view of the above, it is essential that full advantage be taken of all opportunities for transporting of dependents of Cdn army personnel to Canada. These will exist in some measure until the cessation of hostilities in Europe, whereupon the movement of civilians is likely to be suspended indefinitely. Ocean travel is subject to wartime conditions. When possible, certain accommodation will be provided for dependents but in some cases it may be necessary to utilize suitable prepared troop deck space with bunks for married women without children or non-pregnant women.
6 Having regard to the situation outlined above, it is essential that all Cdn Army personnel who have dependents in the U.K. should arrange, if at all possible, for the dispatch to Canada of such dependents at the earliest possible date and all are urged at once to instruct their wives in the U.K. to make immediate application for passage to Canada, if they have not already done so, at the same time advising them what arrangements have been or can be made for their reception in Canada.
7 In considering this matter, the Army personnel concerned should have regard to the fact that if their dependents do not proceed to Canada now, no assurance can be given as to when it may be possible to send them. Further, they should take into consideration the financial difficulties which are likely to arise in the event of their retirement or discharge from the Army while their families are still in the U.K., and dependents allowances have ceased.
8 Copies of this notice are being sent to all dependents in the U.K.. Such dependents have already received copies of the official pamphlet “Your Journey to Canada” which contains detailed information regarding the application for passage, the preliminary arrangements to be made in the U.K. and full particulars regarding the journey at all stages to the destination in Canada.
2 – Instructors and Entertainers
Maybe the Allies were getting a bit ahead of themselves, since the German Army still had some fight left in it. Still, it made sense to plan for the problems that would come after victory was achieved. A lot of men with time on their hands, eager to get home presented a problem. So, both to provide a distraction and an opportunity for the men to improve themselves, the army was looking for talent and knowledge that could be put to good use.
As far as I know, at that time one of my dad’s biggest talents was a really inventive turn of phrase, particularly in the swearing and cussing departments. But in the army of 1945, that was probably a fairly common talent.
April 15, 1945
1 In accordance with Company Orders 363 and 364 it is necessary to canvas the company for prospective instructors and entertainers to be used during the period between the cessation of hostilities and demobilization.
2 To do this, pro formae have been distributed and officers will have them completed and returned by April 16 45.
3 For instructors and officers and O.R.s with the following qualifications will complete pro forma:
(a) Degree in Arts, Science or Agriculture.
(b) Teaching certificate from a Normal School or Teachers’ College.
(c) Experience as an instructor or qualification to instruct in any Army trade.
(d) Special courses in civilian life in any vocational field.
(e) Experience in handicrafts instruction.
(f) Expert knowledge of
economics and social problems of reconstruction in Canada.
Some Family Stories Related to April 1945 Events
Returning to the United Kingdom
Having returned to Britain from the Mediterranean on April 18, my dad was now listed as belonging to 1 Cdn Reception Depot. There seem to be no further entries in his record for April 1945, so it isn’t clear just what this entailed. It may be that this was meant to be a stepping stone to early repatriation to Canada, given his status of being wounded in February. However, from his point of view this probably wasn’t desirable, as he had a war bride in the U.K..
My mom said he had volunteered for the Pacific army – perhaps he thought that would keep him in Britain, near his new wife, for the foreseeable future. Apparently, a lot of Canadian volunteers were betting on an early end to the Pacific war, which would mean they wouldn’t actually be involved in that battle. Perhaps he was one of these. Clearly, these men had no foreknowledge of the use of the atom bomb, which did in fact end the war early. I guess they just got lucky with one of the biggest gambles of their lives.
The Norwegian Factor
As I noted earlier, my dad would sometimes mention that he had spent some time in Norway during the war, but never went into detail about it. I never knew what to make of that - it could be true, as he did speak Norwegian and Swedish fluently and had emigrated to Canada from Norway, so he would have had friends and relatives there. A lot of the underground activity in Norway was related to what are referred to as “listening posts”, keeping an eye on the German occupation force in that country via interacting with the civilian population and reporting those observations. So, not exactly James Bond, but still useful information gathering.
The British did have a constant flow of people between Scotland and Norway during the war, colloquially referred to as the Shetland Bus. In actuality, small craft, generally fishing boats, were usually used to transport people back and forth between Norway and Britain (the base was in the Shetland Islands), as these could legitimately ply those waters. Some of these people were Norwegian citizens fleeing Norway, some were Norwegian citizens providing information to the Allies and some were saboteurs, both Norwegians and Allied personnel. A famous example of the latter was the destruction of heavy water facilities and stocks, to ensure that the German atomic bomb project was denied that important resource.
There was also a real concern that the large German garrison (200,000 plus troops) in that country might want to fight it out, even after Germany proper had surrendered. Late in the war, the need to maintain surveillance on this force would have been keenly felt. My dad’s army records are pretty scanty for that period of time, and I doubt if this sort of activity would have ended up in the records. So, you never know. It’s fun to think that your dad could have been a spy for a few weeks.
Here’s a recap of the activities of the Shetland Bus, written by one of the key British personnel there:
As Allied strategy never called for an invasion of Norway, our work and that of the forces in Norway which we supplied always remained a side-show and never reached the climax which we expected would come before the end. At the end, we wondered whether it had all been worthwhile. It was a question we could not answer. Perhaps nobody could. But certainly it helped to win the war in some small ways. Without the contact which our boats afforded between the Norwegian people and the part of the world not dominated by Germany, the unhappiness of Norwegians would have been deeper. Everyone in Norway knew that the route to and from Shetland was always kept open, and this knowledge helped to maintain their hope of ultimate freedom and their wish to fight for it. The arms which we transported, ported, nearly four hundred tons in all, were used in many acts of sabotage, some under direction from London and others arranged spontaneously by the organizations in Norway; and these arms also had a psychological effect both on the Norwegians and the Germans, making the Norwegians self-confident and the Germans nervous; for both sides knew that a large and ever-growing proportion of the men of the country were armed and trained and that it was only a matter of time before they would rise and fall upon the occupying forces without mercy. There must have been many German soldiers in small isolated garrisons to whom the capitulation of Germany appeared as a release from this inevitable fate.
David Howarth. The Shetland Bus: A WWII Epic of Escape, Survival, and Adventure (Kindle Locations 2683-2690). Kindle Edition.
And here’s a bit about Norwegian agents from the same source:
In fact, the British troops who were already there soon had reason to be jealous of some of the handsomer Norwegians, who seemed to possess an irresistible glamour in the eyes of the female sex.
David Howarth. The Shetland Bus: A WWII Epic of Escape, Survival, and Adventure (Kindle Locations 1536-1538). Kindle Edition.
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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 don’t forget a shovel and a hammer), 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
Germany: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B09HSXN6Q2
France: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B09HSXN6Q2
Spain: https://www.amazon.es/dp/B09HSXN6Q2
Italy: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B09HSXN6Q2
Netherlands: https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B09HSXN6Q2
Japan: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B09HSXN6Q2
Brazil: https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B09HSXN6Q2
Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09HSXN6Q2
Mexico: https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B09HSXN6Q2
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.
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.
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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