Tuesday, 5 November 2024

Was your Ancestor in 12 Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers in WW2?

Was your Ancestor in 12th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers in WW2?

If you think your father, brother, uncle, grandfatther, great-uncle, cousin etc. was in the RCE, he might have been in 12 Fld Coy.  Check the list, maybe the name is there. (the list is after the book info).

The list isn't necessarly exhaustive.  It is just those people whom I found somewhere in the war diaries and associated documents, while writing my history of the unit (my dad was in it).  However, the list does include over 1000 names, so it probably covers a fair propotion of the personnel.

Whether or not you had family in that particular company, you might still want to buy the book, to see what life was like for these sappers.

Note: The current copy of the book only has a selection of these names.  I will add them to the manuscrpt and republish, soon (I plan to do so by December, God and circumstances willing).

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The Sappers' War: 12th Field Company Royal Canadian Engineers, Oct 1943 to Sept 1945

What follows is a review of the history of the 12th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, primarily relating to the time that the company was in the Italian and Northwestern European theatres during World War II. Though the book focuses on the experiences of a particular company of Canadian military engineers, it also discusses some of the wider issues of the second world war and how it affected the people who lived through the era, civilian and military. Among those are my father (a sapper or military engineer) and mother (a war worker in wartime Britain and ultimately a war bride).

Thus, this is meant to be an informal and unofficial history of the company, written by an interested party in an effort to understand what these men went through during this period, and how that experience affected them and other people who lived through the war. The military aspects of the company's history are there (e.g. fighting, building bridges, detecting mines, maintaining routes), as are the cultural factors that influenced them and their times (e.g. the movies that they watched, the drinking they did, the many diseases they faced, their interactions with the Italian, British and other civilians that they lived among, their worries for the future). Some focus on life on the British home front is also given, via the experiences of my mother and her family.

Since many people had family and relations that lived during this time, it is my hope that the account will be of general interest to them, and to any that have a particular interest in this critical interval in history. Also, though the text relates specifically to Canadian sappers, I believe that many of the experiences will be common to the soldiers and loved ones of other nations who lived through the war, especially Americans and those from Britain and the British Commonwealth.

The primary sources of this document are the 12th Field Company War Diaries and related orders, with some material from The History of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, Volume 2 as well as various official histories by the Department of National Defence. Various other published sources are used as well, especially when discussing the wider issues of the war or the army experience (e.g. Churchill’s history of the war) , or conversely when relating very specific episodes of the war (e.g. Popski’s Private Army in late 1944). Personal accounts of my father’s or mother’s stories also augment the narrative. I have tried to fit those in during appropriate time periods, though some stories are more general and have therefore don’t necessarily relate to the time period being discussed. Nonetheless, they do help capture the essence of “being there” during the war years.

The War Diary is a day by day account of the primary activities of a given unit, as recorded by personnel in the headquarters staff of that unit, and signed off by the commander of the unit. As such, it is an official record, though the writers often brought a bit of their own character into the document. Naturally, as a relatively brief document it can’t hope to capture the complexity of the individual stories of 280 or so men, so the family lore generally has no corresponding entry in the War Diary, though there are sometimes tantalizing hints and near-verifications of these personal accounts.

There are a number of other sources for the book, from official histories to popular history books. I include quotations and references from these works (an eclectic mix), as I believe that they also shed light on different aspects of this period of time, and besides that, are just interesting accounts, in and of themselves.



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


Rank_1 Rank_2 Name First Occur
1-Officer 1a-Major Akins, EJW 1939


Brown, CE 1943


Evers, DH 1944


Kerry, AJ 1941


Nelson, WB 1939


Prichard, EAN 1945


Wade, GK 1944

1b-Captain Brown, MCS 1941


Christian 1940


Eldridge, JB 1944


Hess, HG 1945


Nelson, WB 1941


Osborne 1940


Sucharov, B 1939


Trenouth, BT 1944

1c-Lieutenant Anderson, AT 1943


Ansley, RH 1943


Bent, HG 1945


Bray, RCE 1945


Chivers, JA 1945


Darling, GB 1944


Dykes 1942


Ellingham, GE 1943


Hamilton, GC 1942


Hess, HG 1944


Horwood 1941


Howard, RF 1942


Hunter, AF 1941


Kennedy, JB 1941


Kirby 1939


Lukes, TO 1943


MacDonald, GH 1942


MacInnes, HRG 1943


Magee, EDB 1941


McLean 1942


McPherson, TA 1941


McQuillan, R 1942


Milhausen, WJ 1944


Milne, RH 1942


Neelands 1940


Philpot, FW 1943


Pierce, JG 1943


Place, ICM 1943


Ross, GM 1940


Sandbrook 1942


Scott, RB 1943


Seaton, J 1941


Smith, AJ 1939


Tremblay, TAV 1941


Usher, WJ 1939


Wach, J 1945


Warner, GR 1944


Whatmough, RG 1945


Wild, RA 1945


Woods, MT 1939


York, JA 1944
2-Non-Com. Officer 2a-Company Sergeant Major Brown, CE 1943


Critchley, AE 1945


Harris, WS 1939


Hughes, A 1942


Moglove, RS 1941

2b-Company Quartermaster Sergeant Boyle, EW 1942


Boyle, HW 1941


Frayling RW 1945

2c-Sergeant Baldry, RA 1940


Bale, JR 1943


Buchholz, R 1945


Chichester, CW 1941


Clark 1943


Critchley, AE 1941


Curphey, JA 1940


Dickson, NW 1940


Finch GC 1945


Gates, EA 1945


Harris, WS 1939


Ironsides 1940


Kouk 1939


Macnab, NB 1939


McLeod, HMC 1939


Millar, RD 1945


Morrisette, PD 1941


Overy, WS 1940


Pavloff 1942


Schofield, H 1939


Seymour, J 1939


Simpson 1944


Smith, HC 1941


Stadelmeir, AL 1940


Towns, JT 1941


Walker 1940


Watson, W 1940

2d-Lance Sergeant Barge, CC 1943


Berlin, Y 1943


Brown, DN 1941


Buchholz, R 1943


Colek, J 1941


Desveaux, BP 1943


Dickson, NW 1940


Finch GC 1944


Macnab, NB 1940


Millar, RD 1943


Moglove, RS 1940


Morrisette, PD 1940


Pilowski, A 1941


Reynolds, A 1941


Reynolds, MJS 1941


Tawns, H 1942


Templeton, RH 1945


Towns, JT 1940


Weardon, J. 1945

2e-Corporal Affleck, GE 1943


Anders, WO 1945


Andrew, F 1941


Bale, JR 1941


Boychuck, M 1943


Burton, CE 1942


Bytheway, F 1945


Cadrain, E 1941


Card 1943


Connolly, W 1943


Ducat, WS 1940


DuCharme, W 1940


Dunsmore, JM 1941


Finch GC 1943


Fry, CDH 1943


Gillam, KJ 1941


Gove, RE 1940


Highfield, WL 1941


Holme, GS 1940


Horton, HH 1944


Kittle, HW 1945


Kowalsky, G 1943


LeSarge, BR 1942


MacDonald, GH 1945


MacDonald, J 1941


Madden, HS 1945


Maybin R 1945


McDonald 1940


McGuire R 1945


McKenna, RJ 1945


McKinnon, JM 1939


Measor 1941


Northrup 1941


Orr, JH 1941


Phillips, TT 1940


Preston, JL 1939


Smith, HC 1939


Smith, JR 1941


Stock, JB 1942


Tawns, H 1941


Tremblay, JCA 1944


Urquhart, KT 1944


Wakefield, H 1941


Warmer 1940


Warner 1940


Warriner, LM 1940


Williams 1940


Wingfield, WJ 1941

2f-Lance Corporal Anders, WO 1945


Andrew, F 1942


Barge, CC 1941


Bayer, CR 1941


Bisset 1942


Boucher 1940


Boychuck, M 1941


Bremner 1943


Brown, DN 1942


Butterworth, EB 1942


Carrrol, PJ 1943


Chambers 1943


Clark, EB 1941


Clinansmith, CR 1943


Cove, RB 1940


Daggit, EM 1942


Daniels, W 1940


Davies, WD 1945


Day, CW 1943


Dodd 1941


Dushenko, D 1945


Feeney, JJ 1945


Finch GC 1941


Forbes, HG 1940


Forrester, CC 1941


Gabbs, D 1941


Gale 1940


Garbutt 1943


Gascoyne, H 1945


Gibbs, GW 1940


Gillam, KJ 1940


Gillem 1941


Graham, VL 1941


Hankins, EA 1945


Hepburn 1940


Highfield, WL 1940


Johnson, W 1940


Kelly, M 1941


Legge, GG 1941


LeSarge, BR 1941


Lewis, WR 1943


MacDonald, GH 1942


MacLeod, JN 1942


Mason, A 1943


Maybin R 1945


McGuire R 1943


McKee, GS 1941


Nadin, G 1945


Olynyk. S 1943


Orbe, GG 1942


Parker, MC 1945


Pennie, CF 1940


Regan, F 1941


Robinson 1945


Roughley, LC 1945


Seeley, WC 1942


Seymour, J 1940


Skeates, RE 1945


Stevely, J 1942


Stock, JB 1941


Troy, GF 1941


Turnbull, H 1941


Valkema 1945


Weedmark, WW 1941


Wescott 1940


Wilkins, AH 1945


Wislade, HH 1941
3-Sapper 4a-Sapper Abbey 1939


Acheson, AJ 1942


Adams, GL 1939


Affleck, GE 1941


Agewaga 1939


Albin, L 1943


Alexander, WH 1940


Allard, L 1940


Allen, WG 1941


Ambrosychuck 1942


Amos 1940


Amy 1941


Anderson, EC 1941


Archer 1943


Archgnault 1942


Archinuk, M 1942


Arkle, F 1941


Armstrong, PG 1941


Arnesault 1941


Aurther 1943


Baillie 1945


Bairgrie 1940


Baldwin 1941


Bale, JR 1943


Ballargeon, R 1943


Banyard 1943


Baratad 1945


Barge, CC 1943


Barker, RCE 1939


Barkley, GS 1939


Barrett, AW 1943


Barstad, OB 1945


Bayer, CR 1940


Bayley, B 1941


Beaton 1941


Beauregard, AM 1944


Beigrie, RJS 1939


Bennet 1943


Benton 1941


Benwell 1943


Berg, TJG 1943


Bergeron 1943


Berkly 1940


Berube 1941


Best 1943


Bestard 1940


Bettcher, NC 1942


Biggs 1940


Bissett, LG 1941


Blackburn 1943


Blacklock, DA 1940


Blake 1941


Blanchette, FG 1943


Blouin, W 1943


Bobeau 1941


Bolduc 1943


Bolduc, JH 1944


Bordignon 1943


Boudier, HP 1945


Boudreau, O 1941


Boule 1943


Boutelier, D 1940


Boutillier, D 1940


Bowering, JM 1939


Boyd, D 1939


Bradley, W 1942


Bramwell 1939


Brazier, JC 1940


Bremner 1943


Brickman 1939


Brooker 1941


Brooks 1945


Brotherton, LA 1941


Brown, HW 1944


Brown, HW (2) 1944


Brown, JC 1941


Brown, JO 1943


Brunet 1943


Bubersky, F 1943


Buchholz, R 1943


Buck 1943


Bucknall, JA 1943


Burles, CN 1943


Burns 1943


Burrow, W 1939


Burtehshaw, AC 1939


Burtniak 1945


Butcher 1943


Butterworth, EB 1941


Byng, D 1939


Cadrain, E 1941


Cail 1939


Cain 1942


Calder, TR 1944


Calleghan 1939


Callerno 1943


Calnen, JR 1940


Cameron, AB 1941


Campbell 1939


Carrrol, PJ 1941


Carruthers 1940


Carter, J 1942


Cartwright, CW 1942


Cartwright, HC 1945


Cassia 1942


Ceretti, HG 1941


Chapel 1941


Charbonneau, E 1940


Charge 1939


Chartrand 1939


Cherneyko 1945


Cherrill 1941


Chestnut, J 1941


Chichester, CW 1939


Chidley, GE 1942


Clark RT 1943


Clark, J 1941


Clarke, CN 1942


Clarke, J 1941


Clements, PD 1943


Clemonson 1939


Clifton 1943


Clifton, GR 1943


Cocksedge, J 1943


Coghill 1939


Cole SAG 1945


Cole, J 1942


Collins, CL 1943


Colton, JW 1945


Conners, PJ 1943


Connolly, W 1941


Connors, LF 1941


Connors, LP 1941


Connors, PJ 1941


Conroy, W 1942


Constantineau 1944


Cook, AE 1943


Cooper, FN 1943


Corkum, LCV 1941


Cory 1941


Coss 1941


Cox, TC 1940


Credguer, J 1943


Cropo, JF 1941


Cross 1941


Crossley 1941


Cruikshanks 1941


Cruise 1943


Culbert, R 1940


Cumming, WR 1944


Curtis, JF 1944


Curtis, WH 1941


Cutts, AMW 1941


Dafoe 1943


Dainard 1941


Daley 1943


Danko. S 1944


Dann 1941


Davey 1941


Davies, WD 1944


Davis, R 1941


Dawson, F 1939


Day, CW 1941


Dears 1942


DeCamp 1942


Dejmarais 1940


Deline 1941


Denis, L 1941


DeRoche 1941


Derry 1941


Desbois 1944


Descamps, EL 1942


Descrmeau 1945


Desmarais 1940


Desveaux, BP 1941


Dick, A 1942


Dickenson 1941


Dickey 1941


Dickson, NW 1941


Dingman, VM 1943


Dobois 1944


Dorsey 1944


Dougherty, JC 1944


Douglas 1944


Dowson, FG 1941


Doyle 1943


Drayson 1942


Drinkwater 1944


Driscoll 1945


Drury, AN 1941


Dubau, LJL 1943


Ducat, WS 1939


DuCharme, W 1939


Dukelow, D 1939


Durkin, T. 1942


Dusang, C 1939


Duval, L 1944


Dwyer 1939


Eadie 1942


Eden 1944


Edwards, LG 1941


Eggars, O 1943


Ehrich, OC 1944


Elle 1941


Elliot, JH 1941


Elliot, N 1943


Ellis 1943


Emerson 1941


Emery 1941


Emond, GRS 1939


Ewen 1943


Fader, BW 1941


Feeney, JJ 1943


Fellows, N 1940


Ferguson 1941


Ferris, WF 1945


Fink 1943


Fisher 1941


Flanbury, J 1943


Foggca, WP 1945


Footitt 1941


Forbes, HG 1941


Forrester, CC 1940


Fort 1942


Forte, N 1943


Fortune 1943


Foster 1942


Francis, BR 1944


Francis, SL 1944


Franks 1941


Fraser, JW 1943


Frazer 1941


Fremner 1941


Froy, GL 1942


Fry, CDH 1941


Gabbs, D 1940


Gaeau, TC 1941


Gair 1941


Galbraith, JT 1940


Gallacher 1941


Gallerno, SE 1943


Galloway, AC 1941


Gamba 1941


Gareau 1942


Gascoyne, H 1943


Gaston, AG 1942


Gates, EA 1945


Geils, G 1939


Genereaux 1940


Gerlitz, G 1943


Gibbs, GW 1939


Gibson, JK 1945


Gilbert, PE 1944


Giles 1940


Gill 1940


Gillan, CR 1943


Gillespie, TL 1941


Gilsean 1940


Gilseen 1939


Gilzean, DH 1941


Ginsberg 1939


Glezkowski 1940


Glover, LF 1940


Glynyk 1939


Godin 1941


Goguen 1945


Goldstrom 1944


Goplan 1939


Goplin 1940


Gordon, WJ 1941


Gormican, VE 1944


Gorret 1941


Gorveatt, AC 1945


Goudie, H 1943


Gove, RE 1939


Gowler, ARD 1939


Grabowski, FJ 1939


Grace 1941


Graham, L 1941


Grant, FK 1943


Graver, HC 1941


Gray, GG 1941


Green, GE 1940


Green, H 1939


Green, JJ 1941


Greening, GC 1939


Greening, HR 1941


Gregoire, MA 1945


Gregory 1941


Gropo, J 1945


Guay, A 1943


Guertin, EA 1941


Hagar, HF 1940


Hainstock, NS 1939


Halas, S 1944


Hall 1941


Hamel, AF 1939


Hamill 1942


Hammell, FE 1945


Hankins, EA 1944


Hardie, SH 1942


Harding, CB 1945


Harrison, H 1941


Harrison, JA 1945


Hart, EM 1941


Hartley 1940


Hattin, RY 1941


Hauck, AW 1944


Haughey, JJ 1939


Hayard 1940


Hays 1940


Heaman 1943


Heather, R 1939


Hedin, B 1945


Heinstock 1939


Hendry 1939


Henry 1939


Heslegrave, LA 1941


Hewitt, RJ 1941


Highfield, WL 1939


Hill, AW 1940


Hilton 1941


Hitchen, FC 1941


Hoban 1939


Hodgson 1941


Holdsworth 1939


Hollier, JC 1942


Hollingsworth 1943


Hopson, P 1941


Horton, HH 1941


Howe, F 1940


Howes 1943


Hudgin, JE 1943


Hudson 1941


Huffman, RR 1943


Huggard, RG 1944


Huggins, A 1941


Huggins, A. 1942


Hunter, AF 1940


Iliwitt 1941


Inglis, J 1941


Inkpen 1943


Ives, AWC 1939


Jacklin 1943


Jackson 1939


James, F 1942


James, MG 1943


Jansen, H 1942


Janzen 1943


Jardine, DF 1945


Jarry, AJT 1940


Jarvis, FW 1941


Jeffery, WC 1941


Jenkins, HA 1941


Jensen, CB 1943


Jette 1939


Jodoin, GR 1940


Johnson, EG 1939


Johnston, W 1943


Jolleymore 1939


Jones, A 1943


Jones, MC 1945


Keenan, TH 1944


Keller, FH 1940


Kelley 1943


Kelly, M 1940


Kempton, AF 1940


Kennard 1939


Kerr, JC 1942


Key, A 1939


Kile, ES 1943


Kincaid, RT 1943


King, MJ 1944


Kirk 1945


Kittle, HW 1944


Klippenstein 1941


Klug, L 1941


Kowalsky, G 1941


Kowk 1941


Krossinger 1942


Kubisky 1941


Laberge, A 1941


LaBranche 1940


LaLonde, R 1940


Lancaster, E 1943


Lanctot 1943


Landry, EF 1945


Langpap, CR 1941


Langston 1943


LaRiviere 1944


Larson, CJ 1942


Larson, E 1941


LaScelle 1944


Laurendeau, R 1945


Lavender 1942


Le Blanc 1940


Leah 1940


Lebbell 1942


LeClair 1939


LeClair, M 1945


Leeman 1944


Leet, E 1941


Legge, GG 1940


Lehoux 1941


LeLand, C 1944


Leonard, JP 1945


Lepish, UK 1942


Lesh 1939


Lewis, WR 1941


Lidstone, MD 1940


Little, JD 1941


Logan, E 1940


Logue, J 1941


Long, H 1939


Lopichuk, M 1941


Lopichuk. M 1940


Lott 1941


Lowther 1940


Lupu 1940


Lynch, LG 1942


Lyons, T 1943


MacAulay 1943


MacAuley, N 1943


MacCullough 1939


MacDonald, A 1944


MacDonald, WA 1944


MacGettie, SV 1942


MacGillis, A. 1942


MacKuk 1939


MacLeod, JN 1941


MacPherson, CD 1943


Maisey 1941


Malezewski 1939


Mallery, JA 1941


Mallinson, JW 1942


Mallock, G 1945


Mareau 1941


Marnie, A 1945


Marsh 1941


Marshall, D 1943


Martin, HC 1941


Martin, J. 1942


Martin, R 1941


Martin, W 1941


Maskell, A 1941


Maskell, A. 1942


Mason, A 1941


Mason, FG 1941


Matheson, GE 1941


Mathews, M 1941


Matson, S 1941


Mattice, EL 1940


Maybin R 1941


Maynes 1941


McAlpine, KA 1945


McDonald, AD 1945


McDonald, JA 1943


McDonald, MD 1943


McEwan. S 1939


McFarling, WJ 1942


McGillis, A 1940


McInnes, TA 1941


McIntosh 1941


McKay, K 1941


McKechnie 1943


McKee, GS 1943


McKenzie, L 1941


McLachlin, D 1945


McLaren 1943


McLean, D 1941


McLean, JJ 1941


McLeod, JW 1942


McLeod, VJ 1941


McLeod, WG 1941


McMillin, DG 1943


McMullen, PJ 1942


McMurther 1941


McNeil 1941


McQuire 1943


McWhinnie, MA 1944


Menu, GA 1941


Merrow, FF 1943


Meyer, A 1939


Meyers 1940


Michell, E 1945


Milburn 1942


Millar, RD 1941


Millen 1941


Miller, CW 1942


Miller, GW 1941


Miller, RD 1940


Miller, WH 1943


Milligan, R 1942


Mills, CB 1944


Mitchell, EA 1941


Mitchell, JK 1942


Mitchell, LW 1941


Monahan, JM 1940


Mongrain 1944


Mongrain, J 1941


Mongrain, MJ 1941


Moore 1944


Moore, LA 1941


Moore, RB 1941


Moore, WG 1941


Moore, WO 1942


Moran, MJ 1941


Morris 1939


Morrisey, E 1941


Morrow, WH 1941


Moskwa, I 1943


Moss, DS 1940


Mulcaster, DA 1944


Munro 1945


Murphy, ML 1941


Murray, F 1940


Musick 1943


Myers 1944


Nadeau, LR 1943


Nadin, G 1941


Nash 1941


Nelson, GA 1943


Neuart, GO 1941


Neville, WS 1945


Newbury 1939


Newhall, MA 1942


Newton, WK 1941


Nicholson, D 1944


Nicholson, EJ 1942


Nick, W 1944


Nightingale, JC 1941


Nixon 1943


Nobert, A 1941


Noel, PEJ 1941


Normoyle, WJ 1942


Nygaard 1945


O'Halloran, WP 1944


O’Brien, MP 1945


O’Flaherty, AM 1941


O’Halloran 1944


O’Hara, DJ 1941


O’Meara 1939


O’Reilly, B 1940


OakShotte 1944


Obey, WJ 1943


Ohrne 1940


Olausen, MO 1943


Olegouski 1940


Olynyk, S 1941


Orr, JH 1940


Oxton, W 1941


Palahnuk, W 1944


Palmater 1941


Paquin, RT 1940


Parker NC 1941


Parker, CC 1941


Parker, MC 1945


Parkyn, CR 1941


Paternaud, JAC 1941


Patrick 1941


Paul, HC 1939


Pauloff 1939


Pause 1939


Pearson 1940


Pedler, RM 1941


Pedrotti 1943


Peele, B 1939


Pelegrin, M 1942


Pennie, CF 1941


Pennie, J 1939


Pequin 1941


Percy, HB 1941


Perrot, A 1941


Perry 1941


Peters 1943


Phillipe 1939


Pierson 1939


Pilkington, P 1940


Pineau, LW 1939


Pink 1942


Plante 1940


Poirier, JG 1945


Poole, WR 1942


Porret, A 1941


Powell 1940


Prentice, GF 1939


Preston, WR 1939


Price, G 1941


Purdom 1939


Purdon, C 1939


Ragon 1943


Ragon, LG 1943


Randall, V 1941


Raynard 1945


Rector, RJ 1941


Regan, F. 1942


Reid 1945


Reid, AG 1941


Reid, AO 1939


Reid, IF 1945


Remillard, H 1940


Remillard, N 1941


Rennie, JL 1943


Reynolds, JS 1942


Rhodes, CN 1940


Rice, HE 1945


Richardson, J 1941


Ridley 1943


Robb 1943


Roblesky, J 1945


Rodger, WH 1945


Rogers 1939


Rogors 1939


Romhilf, AM 1943


Rone, CA 1944


Roode, CS 1943


Ross 1943


Roughley, LC 1944


Roy 1939


Rutledge 1944


Ruttan 1941


Salter, RW 1944


Samuels, JR 1944


Sanderson 1939


Sandham 1942


Sanford, JA 1943


Savage, RC 1941


Scady, G 1943


Scahill 1940


Schefield 1941


Schill, WH 1943


Schmidt 1939


Schmitt 1940


Scotton 1943


Scully 1940


Seahill 1940


Seeley, WC 1941


Seifried, AM 1944


Seifried, WC 1944


Selshanko 1939


Shafer 1941


Shearer, NJ 1941


Sheldon, RW 1940


Sheplawry, L.B. 1942


Shred 1941


Simmond 1943


Simmons 1940


Simone 1939


Simpkin 1941


Sinclair, SW 1945


Sinnett 1939


Sittler 1944


Skeates, RE 1943


Skeet, RC 1941


Smerechenski, W 1944


Smith, CE 1942


Smith, CH 1944


Smith, CJ 1945


Smith, FA 1941


Smith, H 1941


Smith, HJ 1941


Smith, JR 1942


Smith, RR 1939


Smith, WC 1944


Snider 1939


Snow, RCA 1941


Snowden 1944


Soady 1942


Sopha 1941


Souliere, G 1940


Soulsby, RL 1939


Speagle, 1942


Spence 1939


Stanlake 1939


Stapleton 1940


Stasiuk, MP 1945


Steele 1940


Stevely, J 1941


Still, FJ 1941


Stone 1941


Stoner, LW 1945


Street, RJ 1940


Strong, JW 1945


Studer 1942


Suertin, E. 1942


Suisham 1943


Sullivan, ME 1939


Sumner, HA 1943


Surhan 1941


Sutherland, JE 1942


Swaffer 1941


Sweet, C 1941


Sweet, FS 1941


Swimm, LE 1944


Symon, GD 1945


Szewaga 1939


Tafford, HG 1941


Talbot 1940


Tamblyn, FA 1941


Tarvonen, F 1942


Taves 1939


Taylor 1941


Taylor, B 1944


Taylor, FL 1939


Taylor, J 1945


Taylor, SB 1941


Taylor, SJ 1941


Taylor, VJ 1941


Taylor, VS 1941


Templeton, RH 1941


Teron 1939


Tessier 1939


Tessman, RC 1941


Theoret, L 1941


Thibeadeau 1940


Thompson, NC 1941


Thorburn 1940


Thorpe 1945


Tibbles 1941


Tiffen, G 1943


Timms 1941


Tipton 1940


Tonner 1944


Toron 1939


Trafford, GR 1941


Trotchie, W 1942


Troy, GF 1942


Tuckett, KG 1941


Turcott 1941


Turnbull, H 1942


Turner 1941


Tyler 1939


Ureen, G 1940


Urquhart, KT 1941


VanderKool, V 1944


VanRaes 1940


Verge 1940


Vermer, PM 1943


Verret, AW 1941


Vesala 1945


Wake, WM 1942


Wakefield, H 1940


Wanford, J 1941


Wannebo, W 1945


Ward, GW 1940


Ward, H 1945


Warde 1940


Wards, G 1940


Warrington 1944


Warrren, RS 1945


Watson, W 1939


Wauer 1939


Waugh 1944


Weardon, J. 1942


Weedmark, WW 1942


Wells, AR 1943


Weselake, JJ 1941


West, GP 1940


West, J 1945


White 1945


Whitesell 1939


Whiting, F 1945


Whittingham, DH 1941


Wick 1939


Wight 1944


Wilkins, AH 1943


Will, A 1943


Willmets, DR 1941


Willmette 1940


Wilson, N 1941


Wilwand, G 1939


Winnifield 1939


Winslade, HH 1942


Wise, G 1940


Wolchuk 1939


Wood 1939


Woodley, PJ 1942


Worsell, HE 1944


Wright, GE 1941


Wright, JW 1941


Wright, RH 1944


Wright, RJ 1945


Wurster, E 1942


Wycherly 1941


Wylie 1944


Yeates 1940


Young H 1939


Young HH 1939


Young, F 1941


Young, G. 1942


Yourchuk, AW 1945


Zagerman 1939


Zarwin, W 1944


Zimmerman 1944

(unknown rank) Bowie JD 1945


Browste, AM 1945


Butler, RL 1945
Total Result

1022 names

 

 

 

Fort Assiniboine Road Trip, (Oct 2024)

Fort Assiniboine Road Trip (Oct 2024)

You can do this trip easily from Edmonton in a day (return).  It is mostly farmland, with the highlight being a crossing of the Athabasca River on a ferry, followed by a visit to a provincial park near the river, that is noted for sand dunes.  This trip was by myself and my son Scott.


1) Edmonton to Intersection Hwys 628/779 (near Stony Plain), via Highway 628

  • This highway was mostly a fairly narrow two-lane road, that passes by the River Cree Resort and Casino (owned by a local native community), then by semi-rural farmland interspersed with acreage developments.

  • We have driven this route to get out of Edmonton (westward) on many occasions. The road varies from gravel to choppy pavement to new pavement. On the way out there are a lot of big power pylons along the road, as this route goes in the general direction of the Keephills generating station. There is also light industrial usage, as well as farms and acreage developments.

  • Along the way, there was a large group of crows and a few magpies, that were feasting on an animal corpse in a farmer’s field (the field had recently been harvested). Though they were going at it with great gusto, they were still at it when we passed this area on the way back, 6 or 7 hours later.

2) Intersection Hwys 628/779 (Stony Plain) to Intersection 779/37 (near Calahoo), via Highway 779

  • Traffic on this route was fairly brisk until reaching Calahoo, especially for the time of day (past rush hour).

  • There was a very long train that blocked traffic on Hwy 779, just as one was leaving Stony Plain. In fact, while train A was moving eastward, another train B came along, which was moving westward. The latter train B was primarily oil cars, while the much longer train A was primarily boxcars. Perhaps the newly opened oil pipeline heading for the west coast has diverted a lot of oil transport away from the train system.

  • Many of the train cars had that unreadable graffiti on them. While I am glad that it isn’t obscene or political (for the most part), I can’t understand why people create ‘signatures’ that aren’t legible. Is everyone ‘the artist formerly known as Prince’?

3) Intersection Hwys 37/779 (near Calahoo) to Intersection 779/777, via Highway 779

  • Traffic was fairly light on this stretch of highway.

  • It was just a short connector route, tying togehter 779 and 777.

4) Intersection Hwys 779/777 to Intersection 777/18, via Highway 777

  • There is a short jog to the east, where 777 meets 642. The turnoff to pick up 777 north was a bit tricky to find, as it wasn’t signed very well. In addition, 777 north at this point was gravel, which was a bit unexpected.

  • We first over-drove the turnoff, but fairly quickly turned back and picked up the route (signage was better going the other way). Fortunately the traffic was very light, so the U-turn wasn’t a problem (there are many little entrance-ways to farmer’s fields which are handy for these manoeuvres).

  • This two-lane gravel stretches were rather wide and level. They also seemed to be graded quite regularly, so they made for decent driving conditions.

  • This was primarily farm country. Since it was late in the fall, it wasn’t very colourful, as most crops had been harvested.

  • This was especially true of hay, as there were copious amounts of hay bales in evidence. Sometimes these were still in the fields, sometimes there were walls of hay bales stacked up.

5) Intersection Hwy 777/18 to Intersection 18/776, via Hwy 18

  • The route then picks up Highway 18 west for a short stretch, before intersecting with Highway 776.

     

  • The most notable feature of this short stretch (about 5 km) was a crossing of the Pembina River. It is a tributary river to the Athabasca River, which this route will also cross. Both of those rivers begin in the Rocky Mountains. Eventually, these waters flow all the way to the Arctic Ocean, via the Mackenzie River. The Pembina and Athabasca rivers are historically connected to the fur trade era and later to the agricultural settlement of the Peace River region. There are many very scenic views of this river, though this isn’t really one of them (note: it is taken from Google Maps). :)

6) Intersection Hwy 18/776 to Intersection 776/661, via Hwy 776

  •  The route runs north on 776 for about 25 km, where it intersects 661.
  • This stretch had few cars and was pleasant driving.

  • This area tends to be pretty darn flat.

7) Intersection 776/661 to Intersection 661/33 (near Fort Assiniboine), via Hwy 661

  • This was the mid-point and highlight of the trip, as it included two interesting features.

  • To begin with, Hwy 661 was a fairly flat paved road. After a bit, though, it made a few turns and then descended into a gravel road. There were signs for the Klondyke Ferry, which crosses the Athabasca River.


  • At first, we missed the turnoff to this ferry, as the signage was a bit spotty on this section.

  • After heading down Range Road 40 for a minute or two, we turned back realizing this ferry was actually how we were to cross the Athabasca River. RR 40 dead-ended in less than a km, so there wasn’t much choice in the matter.

  • We hadn’t actually known that there was a ferry crossing on this trip, but it was an interesting surprise. There are only a few ferries still operating in Alberta – I hadn’t heard of this one, which is rather off the beaten track.

  • The area around the ferry had some residences as well. It was gravel down to the ferry, and some rather steep hills. Given the conditions, these were no problem, though it would have been tricky in rainy or snowy conditions. I don’t believe the ferry operates in the winter, so I suppose you must go along some alternate route at that time of year.

  • It looks like the province keeps the ferry in operation at least partly as a historical/tourism feature. It goes back to the early 1930s.

  • It only holds a few vehicles at a time, perhaps 4 smaller cars could fit in, less for trucks. There is no charge and the ferryman seems to ply a steady trade, as long as there are some vehicles to take across.

  • The ferry is towed by guy-lines above the river, rather than being self-propelled. There is a prominent warning that the ferry won’t be used if there is a prospect of an electrical storm, so obviously the power-lines are a concern if lightening is possible.

  • The historical nature of the operation is maintained by a sort of abacus-type counter system, that is used to count the number of vehicles making the trip on that day. There are separate sliders for cars, trucks, motorcycles and foot traffic.


     

  • The area also has a park, where you can camp for $12 per night.

  • We got on the ferry pretty quickly, as there was little traffic at this time of year, so didn’t have to wait. However, it looks like traffic is considerably more busy in the summer, judging by the photos on Google maps.

  • The trip on the water, probably took less than five minutes.

  • All in all, it was a bit of unexpected fun.

  • Once across the river, we were into the Fort Assiniboine Sandhills Wildlife Provincial Park.

  • This area also had a winding gravel road, gravel and sand, actually.

  • One could see areas where people had taken trail-bikes or snowmobiles up the sides of the hills along the roadway. Evidently, this is a popular place for off-road recreation.  That includes horses.

  • We decided to have our picnic lunch at the Central Staging Area. That was about 3 km into the park on a narrow winding sand and gravel road, with plenty of changes in elevation.  I think our taste in jackets is ok.


     




  • This was rather fun to drive, though it would have been rather chancy in wet conditions.

  • We actually went up the road further from the turnoff to the Staging Area, out of curiosity. But after a few km, we turned back and went to the staging area. Again, that would have been a rather tricky maneuver on this narrow road, were it in the wet season.

  • There was a nice camping area there, with toilets, campsites and picnic tables. We were the only people there, which is hardly surprising, given the time of year. That said, we did see one other park on the road in to the staging area.

  • There were plenty of signs, warning people of the possibility of bear encounters. That didn’t happen to us, of course. We had a pleasant meal, with nothing but the moaning of the wind in the trees and the flight of some birds to accompany us.

  • After that, it was back onto Highway 661, which became pavement again, once we left the park. It was recently paved, so very smooth.

  • My son Scott took over the driving duties at this time.

  • Once out of the vicinity of the river valley, the ground was flat again.

  • Given that it was late October, most of the deciduous trees (poplars and birch) had already dropped their leaves. It was not the most scenic time of year, but the day was quite warm (about 10 degrees Celsius), with a nice mix of sun and cloud.

  • Some grasses were still green. The main sights were farmer’s fields and trees that had been planted for wind breaks.

8) Intersection 661/33 to Intersection 33/763, via Highway 33

  • The route had a short section on Highway 33, connecting 661 and 763, which would take us back south.

  • We got gas at a station in Fort Assiniboine. Even out here, the gas stations were now staffed by FTWs. This had become a big political issue by this time around the country. It seemed as if businesses were ignoring local labour markets in favour of foreign temporary workers everywhere, even in this relatively northern rural area.

  • We crossed the Athabasca River again at this point. The crossing was very different from the Klondyke Ferry.

     

9) Intersection 33/763 to Intersection 763/764, via Highway 763

  • We were basically back in farming country for a lot of the trip back to Edmonton.

  • There were many cattle in the fields. In one area they were mostly dark coloured beef cattle.

  • A little ways farther on were cattle that looked more like the black and white Jersey variety. I gather that these are mostly dairy cattle.

  • More cows, now brown – I don’t know how, perhaps one could ask one of these cows.

10) Intersection 763/764 to Intersection 764/43, via Highway 764

  • Further south, the land became more rolling. It was still dominated by farming. As on the way up, there were great numbers of hay bales, stacked in all sorts of interesting ways.

  • There were also fields with slash piles (trees that had been cut down). I guess farmers were becoming optimistic and increasing their cultivated land.

  • A low bridge crossing, near Cherhill. This was over a waterway called Deep Creek, which eventually flows into the Athabasca River.

  • Some flecks of snow for a few minutes, but it didn’t turn into anything.

11) Intersection 764/43 to Intersection 43/765, via Highway 43

  • A short connector between 764 and 765.

12) Intersection 43/765 to Intersection 765/633, via Highway 765

  • In a couple locations along this route were some fair sized flocks of birds. They were white, of average size, I am not sure of the species.

  • We also had a couple of deer run across the road and jump a fence. They were pretty close to the car, but no real danger of hitting them. It looked like it might have been a doe and a fawn.

  • I should not that on the way up, there was a partridge (or similar book) crossing the road. We came rather close to hitting it, but it evaded in time.

  • Similarly, a black cat crossed the road in front of us. It was getting close to Halloween, so I suppose that was appropriate.

13) Intersection 765/633 to Intersection 633/Range Road 20, Highway 633

  • Scott was getting tired, so I took over the driving again.

  • Another flock of those birds, wish I knew what they were.

14) Intersection 633/Range Road 20 to Intersection RR20/628 (near Spring Lake), via RR20

  • This is a pleasant stretch of road, passing by hobby farms and such, and eventually through the lakeside community of Spring Lake.

15) Intersection RR 20/628 (near Spring Lake) to Edmonton, via Highway 628

  • The crows and magpies were still feasting on the corpse of some large animal, that had probably been hit by a car, then wandered into the field along the road to die.

  • We, on the other hand, made it back to the city safely. Traffic was surprisingly light coming into the city, but it looked like a disaster leaving the city.

  • We stopped at Peter’s burger place for supper, to share with my wife/his mother.

  • And that was that.