80 Years Victory Campaign 1945 - 2025 In the Service of Canada A Royal Winnipeg Rifles platoon musters in Cleve before advancing toward the MoylandWood and Calcar-Goch road attack. Photo by Colin Campbell McDougall. LAC PA-145772. VOLUME XX, 2025
> Relocation Protection > Lifetime Flexibility > Purchase Protection Plan > Family First Cost Protection > Compassion Helpline > 100% Service Guarantee > Free Online Obituary > Bereavement Travel Assistance Proudly honouring those who served. FREE Planning Guide: DignityMemorial.ca 1-800-DIGNITY The Dignity Memorial® brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers owned and operated by affiliates of Service Corporation International (Canada) ULC. | 1835 East Hastings St. | Vancouver, BC V5L 1T3 We’re dedicated to serving the brave men and women who have served this country. In honour of and appreciation for our Canadian heroes, your Dignity Memorial® providers are proud to offer a special Veteran’s Package including the following complimentary benefits: > Relocation Protection > Lifetime Flexibility > Purchase Protection Plan > Family First Cost Protection > Compassion Helpline > 100% Service Guarantee > Free Online Obituary > Bereavement Travel Assistance
1 Contents In the Service of Canada Introduction ............................................................................. 3 Messages Message from the Minister of National Defence............7 Message from the Minister of Veterans Affairs............. 11 Message from the Lieutenant Governor of BC ............. 13 Message from the Premier BC........................................... 15 Message from the Commissioner of the Yukon............ 17 Message from the Commissioner RCMP ...................... 19 Message from the Command President .......................... 21 About the Legion A Note to the Reader ........................................................... 23 Open to Everyone................................................................. 25 Did You Know........................................................................ 27 Legion Foundation ............................................................... 29 Youth Contest ...................................................................... 203 LiteraryWinners ..................................................................207 Poster Winners .....................................................................253 Features In Spite of All Obstacles .................................................... 31 With a Few Guns .................................................................69 Life in Aviation......................................................................81 Liberation Timeline ............................................................89 V is for Victory .....................................................................107 “Need is Urgent” Wartime Quilts....................................111 FamilyWartime Story: Cpt. Crowdy ..............................139 FamilyWartime Story: Charles. Crowdy.......................155 FamilyWartime Story: My Parents Navy Days ...........179 Honouring Veterans Military Biographies ............................................................305 Advertisers’ Index ..............................................................338 How to Submit a Biography ..............................................343 Submission Form.................................................................344
Military Service Recognition Book 2 We are proud to support and honour our Veterans for their service and sacrifice to protect our country and our freedom.
3 In the Service of Canada Introduction Lest we Forget John Goheen and Markus Fahrner A message to our readers from author and editor, John Goheen and Markus Fahrner graphics and layout designer. The 2025 edition of the British Columbia/Yukon Command annual volume, In the Service of Canada is the first exclusively digital version we have produced since our initial involvement in 2014. Regardless of format, In the Service of Canada continues to share the stories of service by Canadian men and women, at home and abroad, in peace and in war. This year marks eighty years since the end of the Second World War. With more than a million Canadian men and women in uniform, roughly ten percent of the population, and almost as many working in war related industries, Canada’s contribution to the final victory in 1945 was enormous. In these electronic pages, readers will encounter stories from that bittersweet final year of war where more Canadian soldiers died in the war’s final three weeks, more than in Korea, Peacekeeping, and Afghanistan combined. From Thomas Big Canoe’s first and last action in Operation Blockbuster, to noted historian Mark’s Zeuhlke’s new history of Canadian Gunners in Afghanistan, to how the humble Canadian five cent coin once contributed to the war effort, to British Columbian Jim Barrett-Lennard’s recounting of his family’s proud military service to Canada, readers should find something that makes them recognize, honour, respect, and remember the men and women who served our nation.
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Military Service Recognition Book 6 The Officers and Members of the International Union of Elevator Constructors, Local 82 (BC & Yukon), say thank you to the Men and Women who served in Canada’s Armed Forces.
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Military Service Recognition Book 14 28268 Huntingdon Road, Abbotsford, BC V4X 1A3 604-857-7707 northsidetransport.com Proud to Support our Veterans We Will Never Forget Them
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Military Service Recognition Book 16 Developing Marijuana Breathalyzer Technology for Law Enforcement www.cannabixtechnologies.com Remembering the Fallen
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Military Service Recognition Book 18 The Visscher Group of Companies sincerely thanks all those who bravely fought for our country. Lest We Forget www.visscher.ca
19 Commissioner, RCMP Message for the 2025 “In Service of Canada” Publication For a century and a half, the RCMP has proudly served Canada at home and abroad, contributing to peace, security, and freedom. From our role in the Second World War with No. 1 Provost Corps to our participation in North West Canada (1885), South Africa (1900–1902), and the war in Afghanistan (2003-2014)— to name a few operational honours inscribed on our Guidon— RCMP members have stood alongside our Canadian Armed Forces members and other allies to uphold our shared values. These campaigns re昀ect our enduring commitment to service in times of con昀ict and global e昀orts to protect and revitalize democracy in support of the implementation of sustainable development goals so that no one is left behind. Since 1989, our members have also contributed to this legacy through contributions to peacekeeping and international policing missions, helping build safer communities around the world. We honour the service of all RCMP employees and the families who support them— especially those who have endured the loss of loved ones. We are deeply grateful to The Royal Canadian Legion for its continued support of current and former RCMP members and their families. Your advocacy not only preserves their legacy but also plays a vital role in supporting their wellness and resilience, and fostering a sense of community. The service and sacri昀ce of all Canadians who have contributed to making the world a better place through initiatives aimed at reducing human su昀ering, and building a more peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future for all shall never be forgotten. Mike Duheme
Military Service Recognition Book 20 10%*† savings on arrangements made in advance 5%† savings on arrangements made at time of need PLUS! FREE professional guidance and planning tools As a Legion member, you and your immediate family members are entitled to receive special pricing on essential funeral and cemetery arrangements: Legion and Arbor Alliance Remembering our veterans with respect and dignity For more information about funeral and cemetery planning, call a location nearest you today: Arbor Memorial Inc. Avalon Surrey Funeral Home 13288 - 108 Avenue Surrey, BC 604-581-4401 avalonsurrey.com Cedar Valley Memorial Gardens 2347 Cedar Road Cedar, BC 250-722-2244 cedarvalleymemorial.ca Delta Funeral Home & Cremation Centre 5329 Ladner Trunk Road Delta, BC 604-946-6040 deltafuneral.ca Hatley Memorial Gardens 2050 Sooke Road Victoria, BC 250-478-1754 hatleymemorial.ca Richmond Funeral Home 8420 Cambie Road Richmond, BC 604-273-3748 richmondfuneral.ca Sands Eco-Cremation Centre 2355 James White Blvd Sidney, BC 250-391-6294 victoriacremations.ca Sands Funeral Chapel Cremation and Reception Centre (Colwood) 317 GoldstreamAvenue Victoria, BC 250-478-3821 sandscolwood.ca Sands Funeral Chapel Cremation and Reception Centre (Duncan) 187 Trunk Road Duncan, BC 250-746-5212 sandsduncan.ca Sands Funeral Chapel Cremation and Reception Centre (Nanaimo) 1 Newcastle Avenue Nanaimo, BC 250-753-2032 sandsnanaimo.ca Sands Funeral Chapel Cremation and Reception Centre (Victoria) 1803 Quadra Street Victoria, BC 250-388-5155 sandsvictoria.ca Valley View Funeral Home & Cemetery 14644 - 72nd Avenue Surrey, BC 604-596-7196 valleyviewsurrey.ca * 10% savings on final arrangements made in advance, excluding crypts which are offered at 5% savings if purchased in advance. † For purchases made in Ontario: 4% savings for cemetery lots, niches and other interment rights and excludes above ground crypts. 10% savings on all other cemetery products and services. Arbor Memorial Inc. Alliance by Arbor Memorial arboralliance.ca
21 As members of the Royal Canadian Legion, we take pride in our duty to promote remembrance. In doing so, we look to our younger generations to never forget the sacrifices made by the men and women who have served, and those who are currently acting in service to our great country. Since 1926, The Royal Canadian Legion has been serving Veterans and their families. Every year, our thousands of volunteers give freely of their time with unmatched commitment and spirit, enabling us to continue to fulfill our mandate in the context of community. The publication of this history book makes a significant contribution towards the perpetuation of remembrance and raises awareness of the sacrifices of our ex-service personnel, by sharing our Veterans’ stories with all generations. Our nation’s heroes are documented in this book, and I extend my sincere thanks to those who have made the publication a reality either through financial support, or by the contribution of individual experiences. BC/Yukon Command of the Royal Canadian Legion is committed to ensuring that those who have served our country experience a welcome and hospitable return to civilian life. To this end, we offer funding to programs such as post-traumatic stress disorder clinics, service/compassion dog training, and housing for Veterans in need. We have also partnered with BCIT on their Military Skills Conversion Program, which is designed to assist ex-service personnel as they transition to civilian life. As President of BC/Yukon Command, it is my distinct privilege to acknowledge those who have bravely acted in service to our country and who have chosen to share a personal glance into their military lives. As we pause on November 11th this year, we will reflect on the significance of the poppy as a national symbol of remembrance. In 2026, we will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion. Many events will be held to commemorate this milestone in our history. May we never forget the sacrifices of so many. We will remember them. We are eternally grateful. In comradeship, Robert Underhill BC/Yukon Command President
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25 OPEN TO EVERYONE Legion membership is open to anyone over 18 years of age. Becoming a member of The Royal Canadian Legion is a meaningful way to serve the community in a social setting with a respected non-pro昀t organization. Steeped in history, the Legion has a long and distinguished presence in the community. Be part of this exciting organization and enjoy being involved with: community charitable work; social activities; sports tournaments; and leadership opportunities. “The Royal Canadian Legion is mandated to serve Veterans and their dependents, promote Remembrance and to act in the service of Canada and its communities.” BC/Yukon Command has a membership of over 50,000, serving 146 Branches, with two Holding Branches and 33 Ladies Auxiliaries. The annual Poppy Campaign raises approximately $4 million in BC and the Yukon alone, with proceeds going to support Veterans, Canadian Forces, ex-service personnel, and their families. Legions do fantastic things for the communities they serve. Here are some great things our members do: Service to Veterans past and present • Health and longevity programs • Education and mental wellness programs • Assistance from Provincial Service Of昀cers • Affordable housing and assisted living Educational Outreach to Youth • History and heritage learning materials • Youth multimedia contests • Bursaries and scholarships • Competitive youth athletics Recreational Activities • Competitive sporting tournaments • Sponsorship of community youth clubs Community Partnerships • Sponsorship of local community programs Leadership Opportunities • Opportunities to lead at the community, regional, provincial, and national levels Member Bene昀ts • Special rates from a diverse range of corporate partners Do you have a passion for helping Veterans and ex-service personnel while making a meaningful difference in our communities? If so, join us! Visit legionbcyukon.ca or call BC/Yukon Command toll free at 1.888.261.2211
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27 LADIES AUXILIARIES 33 NO. OF BRANCHES 146 MEMBERSHIP 50,000 over We support the BC/Yukon Athletics Team that participates at the annual National Youth Track and Field Championships. We support over 300 youth groups including Cadets and other boys & girls organizations. We contribute to innovative and modern methods for treating PTSD. We contribute in excess of $400,000 annually for medical research and special medical equipment throughout health care facilities. The Royal Canadian Legion, was founded in 1926 as Canada's largest non-governmental service organization open to membership for all Canadians, sharing in the commitment of "Remembrance" and a strong, united Canada. BC/Yukon Command has a membership of over 50,000 members, serving 146 Branches with two Holding Branches and 33 active Ladies Auxiliaries. Through annual fundraising and the Poppy Campaign, approximately $4.5 million annually has been contributed to communities, supporting programs, and improving the quality of life for all citizens. Is one of the critical points of contact in many communities for emergency preparedness and response. BC/Yukon Command branches award annual bursaries to students across BC and the Yukon to further their education. Our volunteers dedicate over 600,000 hours in communities supporting health, social, educational and athletic programs. THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION CONTRIBUTES TO YOUR COMMUNITY We raise almost $4 million annually with the Poppy Campaign that supports Veterans and their families in local communities in BC and the Yukon. DID YOU KNOW?
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29 LEGION FOUNDATION Established in 1997, the Legion Foundation is the charitable arm of the BC/Yukon Command of the Royal Canadian Legion. As a registered charitable organization, our mission is to care for Veterans, 昀rst responders and their families; and seniors in local communities. Through the generous donations of individuals and Legion Branches, the Legion Foundation runs or provides funding directly to the following initiatives: Support for Veterans experiencing homelessness • Leave the Streets Behind: Comfort bags provide provisions while a Veteran is awaiting house. Apartment kits provide basic household goods once permanent housing is located. • Veterans House Victoria: Supportive transitional housing and connections to services to help Veterans get back on their feet again. • Veteran Homelessness Program: Rent supplements, utility payments, assistance with rental arrears & deposits for low-income Veterans. Support for Veterans transitioning to civilian life • Career transition services: Veterans are able to fast-track their career options by gaining university credit for skills acquired while serving. • Mental health: Small-group counselling provided by speci昀cally trained psychologists with peer support from other Veterans. • Service Dogs: ADI accredited and trained dogs help provide a lifeline for their Veteran. Other support for Veterans • Research in trauma & PTSD: Funding research projects and programs that investigate solutions and treatments to the unique struggles of Veterans. • Medical supports: Medical services & equipment to help Veterans recover from injury. Some of the ways you can help: • Make a one-time donation in memory of a loved one • Commit to a monthly donation • Remember the Legion Foundation in your Will • Support our Key Tag program this fall Initiatives like these would not be possible without the kindness of those who have donated. Thank you! We are grateful for the support we have received. For more information, visit our website at www.legionbcyukonfoundation.ca
Military Service Recognition Book 30 HONOURING 100 YEARS OF SERVICE WWW. LANGLEYLODGE .ORG Langley Lodge is proud to recognize the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion. For a century, Canada’s military members and Veterans have shaped our communities through courage, service, and sacrifice. We are honoured to support and care for the seniors who helped build our future.
31 in spite of all obstacles It is only by standing on these hallowed grounds that you can truly understand the extent of the sacrifice of the Canadians soldiers as they fought their way through German lines: the courage, determination and sheer will required of these young men to push forward in spite of all obstacles.1
Military Service Recognition Book 32 604.940.4504 - 1.877.940.4504 bcandalbertaguidedogs.com info@bcandalbertaguidedogs.com 7061 Ladner Trunk Road, Delta, BC, V4K 3N3 BC & ALBERTA GUIDE DOGS BC & Alberta Guide Dogs’ OSI-PTSD Service Dog Program endeavours to help Veterans with Operational Stress Injuries (OSI), such as Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD). We match recipients with a fully qualified OSI-PTSD Service Dog that meets all the Assistance Dogs International (ADI) standards and has specific additional traits demonstrating suitability for the work at no charge to the handler. Together, they embark on a comprehensive program for Service Dog handlers designed to help the Veteran to use the support of their Service Dog to reintegrate into their communities and reengage with their lives. THE OSI-PTSD SERVICE DOG PROGRAM OSI-PTSD SERVICE DOGS SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED BC & ALBERTA GUIDE DOGS The exceptional support and compassion from the Royal Canadian Legion branches in BC, along with BC/Yukon Command, and the BC/Yukon Command Legion Foundation enables our professional team to implement innovative approaches that effectiely alleviate OSI-PTSD symptoms and improve Veterans’ mental health. Our program provides ongoing training and support, equipping clients with the confidence to rentegrate into society and, most importantly, interact in healthy ways with their family, friends, and community. As a direct result of the incredible support from the Royal Canadian Legion branches in BC and the BC/Yukon Command Legion Foundation we had a record-breaking year for our program. Ww are proud to share that we placed our 150th OSI-PTSD Service Dog this year, marking a significant milestone in our mission. Additionally, your generous contributions have allowed us to secure a new Apprentice OSI-PTSD Service Dog Instructor in BC. This expansion strengthens our program, enabling us to serve more Veterans each year and continue making a meaningful impact in their lives. It is also important to note that OSI-PTSD Service Dogs (BC & Alberta Guide Dogs/VICD) is pre-approved for use of Poppy funds through a Special Use Expenditure (SUE). Legion branches can allocate Poppy funds to our program by designating funds go to BC& Alberta Guide Dogs under the OSI Service Dogs catagory.
33 Nineteen-year-old Thomas Big Canoe was a long way from Lake Simcoe and his Georgina Isle home on the morning of 8 March 1945. His battalion, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, the Riley’s, was poised to assault Xanten just across the German border that morning. Established by the Romans centuries before, Xanten was a key position in what was known as the Wesel Pocket, the last remaining bastion of German resistance on the west bank of the Rhine. A set-piece attack on the town involving the Riley’s was part of a larger overall operation to clear the pocket, conducted during Operation Blockbuster. Thomas Big Canoe had only joined the battalion three weeks before. Enlisted in June 1944, he was one of the First Nation servicemen who volunteered to join the Canadian war effort in Europe. Xanten was the young Ojibwa By John Goheen Private Thomas Beresford Big Canoe. Library and Archives Canada/RG24, Vol. 25455/Item 2710 Top of page. A Sherman Vc Firefly tank of the Fort Garry Horse near the Beveland Canal, Netherlands, ca. 29 October 1944. LAC-PA 3228088 in spite of all obstacles Canada’s Liberation Campaign in Northwest Europe
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35 The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division parades into Dieppe. Library and Archives Canada/ Department of National Defence fonds/PA-131233 rifleman’s first major action; it was also his last. He and thirtyseven Riley’s were killed that day. Xanten would prove to be one of many bitter and costly engagements fought by the First Canadian Army on their long road to Liberation in the war’s final months. This oftenforgotten battle illustrates the sacrifice required, even until the last day of the war, to eliminate an enemy that could no longer win but wound not surrender either. More than 3100 Canadian soldiers were killed in the Netherlands and Germany between January and May 1945. Another 1500 Canadian airmen were killed during the same period in RAF Bomber Command operations over Germany or in RAF Second Tactical Air Force’s support of Allied ground operations. Canadian soldiers killed in the war’s final months are buried or commemorated in the Netherlands. Those killed in action in Germany, like Thomas Big Canoe, were brought back to Dutch territory for final burial. General Harry Crear, commander of First Canadian Army, would not permit his soldiers to be buried in Germany. Most are buried or commemorated at the Canadian War Cemetery Groesbeek, just a few kilometers southeast of Nijmegen. Each name etched in stone marks an individual story of loss and sadness for families in Canada. Thomas Big Canoe killed at Xanten, is joined by more than 2300 other Canadian soldiers and airmen. the maple leaf route The headstones at Groesbeek are just one part of the Canadian story of determination and sacrifice to liberate western Europe, which unfolded over eleven arduous months. The Maple Leaf Route that began in Normandy in June 1944 and ended in northern Holland and Germany in May 1945 was marked by intense combat and alternating waves of hope and despair. The campaign in Northwest Europe saw an unprecedented concentration of armour, artillery, and air power under Canadian command. Yet it was the infantry—“the poor bloody infantry” as they described themselves—including men like Thomas Big Canoe, who bore the greatest burden of the conflict. Years before, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill offered this message of hope to the millions of French, Belgian, and Dutch living under Nazi occupation: “Good night then: sleep to gather strength for the morning. For the morning will come.”2 That morning took four years to be realized and finally came on June 1944, when US, British, and Canadian armies landed in Normandy.
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37 Honorary Major John W. Forth, Padre of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (M.G) attends to a wounded soldier near Caen, France, 15 July 1944. Library and Archives Canada/Department of National Defence fonds/a133244
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39 Lieutenant M.G. Aubut and Private C.D. Walker of the North Shore Regiment examining a German cross-Channel gun, Sangatte, France, 26 September 1944. Library and Archives Canada/Department of National Defence fonds/PA-131243 While Big Canoe adjusted to army life and underwent initial training in Canada that summer of 1944, the Canadian army was involved in twelve weeks of bitter fighting in Normandy. By the end of August, the Germans were seemingly routed and retreating north across the Seine. The campaign in Normandy and the subsequent breakout battles resulted in high casualties for both sides. For the Canadians, this initial liberation campaign cost 18,444 casualties including 5021 killed. The 2nd and 3rd Canadian Infantry Divisions suffered the highest casualty rate of all Allied formations.3 Despite the heavy losses, the resounding and rapid Allied victory in Normandy created a general mood of confidence and high expectation among senior commanders. This optimism was only elevated in the weeks to follow. Paris was liberated on 25 August, followed by the remarkable British advance northward including a 120-kilometer thrust in a single day. How could one not be optimistic? It would have been reasonable to think that with one last push, the war would soon be over. As one headquarters’ intelligence summary stated, “The August battles have done it and the war in the West has had it. Two and a half months of bitter fighting have brought the end of the war in Europe within sight, almost within reach.”4 This was the atmosphere of late August in which senior Allied commanders made their decisions. As a result of their rapid northward drive, units of British Second Army arrived at Brussels on 3 September and entered the port city of Antwerp the following day. On the left flank of the Allied advance, Canadian forces crossed the Seine on 30 August and pushed into Rouen. The next day, Canadian units entered Dieppe, where the Germans had already fled. The port city held deep emotional significance because of the tragic Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942, in which Canadian forces had attempted a seaborne assault, resulting in 900 Canadians killed and nearly 2,000 captured. This time, the 2nd Division paraded triumphantly through the same streets that the survivors of the disastrous raid in August 1942 were marched off to captivity. By 3 September, the First Canadian Army crossed the Somme and advanced towards Boulogne. The Allies had burst out of Normandy “like a star-shell, four armies going in different directions with the distances between them getting even larger.”5 While rapid advances in the British and American sectors caught the headlines in early September, the First Canadian Army got on with the less glamorous and more tedious task of clearing the Channel ports. Dieppe was taken without a fight, but Hitler had declared the remaining Channel ports as “fortresses” to be defended to the last man. Boulogne was next. It was hoped that the capture of the city and its harbour could alleviate some of the supply issues facing the Allied advance. Codenamed Operation Wellhit, the set-piece assault began on 17 September. Hitler’s fortress order held true this time; the defences at Boulogne were formidable. Ringed by high hills turned into strongpoints by the Germans, the city’s 10,000 defenders had no shortage of fire power from coastal guns, 88mm cannons, 15cm howitzers, and anti-tank guns. While the Canadian attack was well planned and executed, it took the six days and 634 casualties, most caused by Germany artillery, to the take the city. Unfortunately, the port facilities were heavily damaged and remained unusable for months.
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41 Parachutes open overhead as waves of paratroops land in Holland during operations by the 1st Allied Airborne Army., Wiki Commons. operation market garden It was at this time that new priorities by the Allied high command would have profound implications for Canadian ground operations that fall and, indeed, until the end of the war. On the same day the Canadians assaulted Boulogne, Operation Market Garden was launched. This bold plan reflected the prevailing optimism that the war could be concluded rapidly. The operation called for British and US airborne forces to drop into German-occupied territory and seize nine bridge crossings over six major water obstacles between Eindhoven and Arnhem in the Netherlands. The objective of these Airborne operations was to establish a 100-kilometer corridor, or salient, deep into Germanoccupied territory in the Netherlands, to be followed up by a rapid advance by armour and infantry of the British Second Army. The strategic goal of Market Garden was to outflank the enemy’s primary defensive line in the west—the Siegfried line or West Wall—and thereby open an easier invasion route into northern Germany’s industrial heartland, the Ruhr. Conceived in the optimistic aftermath of Normandy, Market Garden was a daring and ambitious plan that remains the subject of debate to this day. Bypassing the formidableWest Wall was a logical strategy, particularly in September 1944, when the prospect of a rapid end to the war seemed within reach. The situation became more urgent in early September, when the Germans launched their new “Vengeance” weapon, the V-2 rocket—the world’s first long-range guided ballistic missile—against targets in Belgium and the United Kingdom. However, a week later 17,000 British, Polish, and American airborne soldiers were dead, wounded, or missing with another 6500 captured. About 500 Dutch civilians were killed. British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, as the commander of the 21st Army Group responsible for the operation, intended Market Garden to be “one powerful and full-blooded thrust towards Berlin.”6 But how circumstances changed when the operation fell short of its objective due, in part, to stiffened and renewed German resistance. There would be no easy way to “bounce the Rhine” and go through Germany’s backdoor. The West Wall would have to be breached. Prospects for a rapid end to the war faded.
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43 Personnel of the Toronto Scottish Regiment (M.G.) aboard a motorboat en route from Beveland to North Beveland, Netherlands, 1 November 1944. LAC-PA 3199687.
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45 Private W.R. Van Herne of the Calgary Highlanders being treated for a wound near the causeway between Beveland and Walcheren, 1 November 1944. Library and Archives Canada/Department of National Defence fonds/PA-131260 the battle of the scheldt The failure of Market Garden meant the Allies could not win the war militarily before the spring of 1945. Their front had quadrupled since Normandy and their supply lines had increased ten-fold. The “Allies were faced with the necessity of building up for another major offensive and having an absolutely secure supply line.” This made the operational readiness of Antwerp critical, as the port was needed to deliver everything from gasoline to boots.7 Antwerp, with the second-largest seaport in Europe, had been in Allied hands since early September. However, the port could not be used because both sides of the eightykilometer waterway—the Scheldt Estuary—leading from the sea to the city remained under enemy control. As Churchill later emphasized, until the Scheldt was cleared “making use of the Port of Antwerp [is] impossible. We shall not be able to cross the Rhine and attack into Germany until the port is operational, and we do not know when that will be.”8 The Canadians were assigned with clearing the Scheldt as early as 13 September, but few senior Allied commanders believed opening the port “had sufficient priority to interfere with the execution of other plans.”9 Because those other plans chiefly focused on Market Garden, the Canadians were given limited resources for the Scheldt in what was considered a low priority side show. Those priorities instantly changed after the failure of Market Garden. In a letter to Montgomery, Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower stated: Unless we have Antwerp producing by the middle of November our entire operation will come to a standstill. I must emphasize that of all our operations on our entire front from Switzerland to the Channel, I consider Antwerp of first importance, and I believe that operations designed to clear up the entrance require your personal attention.10 Top priority or not, the approaches to the Scheldt still had to be cleared and doing so would prove to be one of the most difficult and costly operations conducted by the Canadian army in the war. Five weeks of bitter fighting in some of the most appallingly wet and dismal conditions resulted in daily casualty figures comparable to, and sometimes exceeding, those experienced by Canadian battalions during the First World War. The weather October 1944 was so poor that Allied air support was cancelled on twelve out of twenty-seven days that month.11 Heavy rains and deliberate flooding by the Germans of low-lying areas added to the misery and restricted movement and resupply. Vehicle traffic off the few sodden roads and causeways was almost impossible. Soldiers living in the open in these elements remained wet and cold for days on end. Soggy food, soggy clothing, even soggy matches denied the welcome comfort of a cigarette or a warm drink. Living in such harsh conditions reduced the effectiveness of the soldiers and soon resulted in increased
Military Service Recognition Book 46 MAGNOLIA GARDENS Independent Senior Living and Long-term Care Centre 604.514.1210 5840 Glover Road, Langley, BC THE WATERFORD Independent Senior Living and Long-term Care Centre 604.943.5954 1345 – 56th Street Tsawwassen, BC SUNRIDGE GARDENS Independent Senior Living 604.510.5091 22301 Fraser Highway Langley, BC THE WEXFORD Independent Senior Living 604.948.4477 1737 – 56th Street Tsawwassen, BC BriaCommunities.ca Thank You for Your Service We are proud to be home to many veterans who have served with courage and honour. Pictured here top row (L-R): John Cairns, Joe Martin, Margo Mayo, Jeremy Davenport Bottom row (L-R): Brenda Swinton, Les Nelson, Gord Polson, Eric Pallitt
47 A canoe party, as the Lincoln and Welland Regiment rehearses in late January 1945 for the Kapelsche Veer assault. Library and Archives Canada/Department of National Defence fonds/ PA-114067 rates of battle fatigue especially in the 3rd Canadian Division. That division had landed on D-Day on 6 June 1944 and had fought, more or less continuously, ever since. A psychiatric report from October 1944 stated that 90 percent of battle exhaustion cases were men who had been in action for three months or longer.12 The experience of the 3rd Division in the Battle of the Scheldt was particularly difficult during the campaign’s initial phase, Operation Switchback. The War Diary of the Canadian Scottish Regiment captured the bleakness endured by the infantry that cold and wet October. Dug in on the north bank of the Leopold Canal in early October, the Canadian Scottish diarist recalled: Water and soil make mud. Mud sticks to everything. Boots weigh pounds more. Rifles and Brens operate sluggishly. Ammunition becomes wet. Slit trenches allow one to get below the ground, but also contain several inches of thick water. Matches and cigarettes are unusable. So almost everyone looks for a house. A good house is one which only has a few holes in the walls and not more than half the roof dismantled. These are hard to find after our arty (artillery) has lifted its range and after the enemy arty has found its range. So the soldier shakes his head, cleans his rifle, swears a good deal and dreams of what he’ll do when he gets leave.13 Clearing the Scheldt cost the multi-national First Canadian Army 20,873 casualties, including 6,367 Canadians. Their efforts gave the Allies their port capable of handling 40,000 tons of cargo per day. It was desperately needed. Allied materiel losses were so severe that autumn, that Eisenhower estimated Allied requirements to be a staggering “six million rounds of artillery and two million rounds of mortar ammunition per month, the non-repairable losses at 400 tanks, 1500 jeeps, 150,000 tires per month.” The list was exhaustive and included a reminder that 340 full-loaded Liberty would be needed to deliver the food required for the winter.14 With Antwerp fully operational by the end of November, the buildup of supplies and manpower began. Depleted battalions after the Scheldt, desperately awaited replacements from Canada. Thomas Big Canoe was one of those who sailed for the United Kingdom in late December to be part of the Allies’ final push in the spring.
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49 Vehicles from the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division negotiate a flooded road near Cleve, Germany, in February 1945. Library and Archives Canada/ Department of National Defence fonds/PA-143946 operation veritable After the Scheldt, The Canadians experienced a static threemonth period in the Nijmegen-Arnhem Salient, the tenuous and vulnerable bridgehead extending into German-occupied Netherlands that resulted from the failure of Market Garden. Holding roughly 200 kilometers of front along the Maas River, the First Canadian Army spent the winter rebuilding their depleted infantry battalions and planning for the spring offensive. The main fighting occurred at Kapelsche Veer, a German fortified bridgehead on an island at the south bank of the river Maas, which Polish troops, supported by British and Norwegian commando’s had failed to capture. On 31 January Canadian troops finally eliminated the German stronghold, at a price of 450 casualties. Apart from this operation, the Canadian army conducted no further offensive actions that winter. For the infantry, the “watch on the Maas” amounted to endless patrolling and sometimes even forays across the river onto the German side. Despite the relatively static nature of the war, First Canadian Army still suffered 400 fatal casualties. By early February, Thomas Big Canoe was in the Netherlands and took on strength with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. Thomas’ arrival was part of the buildup of men and materiel in all the Allied armies for the next big push. By this time, First Canadian Army’s numbers approached 450,000 men and included British and Polish divisions, as well as contingents of Dutch, Belgian, and Czech soldiers. Just under 40 percent of the First Canadian Army was Canadian with nine British divisions under its command. It was, and remains, the largest field army under Canadian command. This accumulation of manpower would be needed for the First CanadianArmy’s part in the upcoming Allied offensive. A pincer movement involving the First Canadian Army and the US Ninth Army was planned to eliminate the Germans in the area between the Maas and Rhine rivers. The aim of that manoeuvre was to secure a foothold on the west bank of the Rhine in preparation for the subsequent crossing of the river into Germany. Breaking out of their winter positions in Nijmegen Salient, the First Canadian Army would provide the northern arm of this pincer in an operation called Veritable. The Americans would provide the southern arm of the pincer and mount Operation Grenade. After months of planning and building up resources, Operation Veritable was set to begin on 8 February 1945. But clearing out a stubborn enemy now fighting on their own homeland would not be easy. As Veritable veteran and historian Denis Whittaker states:
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51 First Canadian Army engineers on 8 February 1944 unload stone to cover the corduroy base they made with logs to create a usable approach to the Veritable start line. Library and Archives Canada/Department of National Defence fonds/PA-145765
Military Service Recognition Book 52 Last Post Fund Serving Veterans Since 1909 For over 100 years, the Last Post Fund has ensured that no eligible Veteran is deprived of a dignified funeral and burial for lack of financial resources. The Royal Canadian Legion has played a key role in the promotion of the Last Post Fund’s mission to deliver the Funeral and Burial Program on behalf of Veterans Affairs Canada. For more information regarding this Program please call 1-800-465-7113. Fonds du Souvenir Au service des anciens combattants depuis 1909 Depuis plus de 100 ans, le Fonds du Souvenir veille à ce qu’aucun ancien combattant admissible ne soit privé d’un service funéraire et d’inhumation par manque de ressources financières. La Légion royale canadienne a joué un rôle clé dans la promotion de la mission du Fonds du Souvenir d’assurer l’administration du Programme de funérailles et d’inhumation au nom d’Anciens Combattants Canada. Pour plus d’information sur ce Programme, veuillez composer le 1-800-465-7113. lastpostfund.ca | fondsdusouvenir.ca On November 11th The Tumbler Ridge Firefighters Are Proud to Honour Our Veterans Thank You For Your Service
53 There is strong evidence, borne out by the testimony of many Allied and German commanders, that (the) no-compromise approach (of unconditional surrender) merely stiffened the German will to fight and prolonged the war. Hitler managed to convince even the most reasoned and influential anti-Nazis that because of the Allied insistence upon unconditional surrender, there could be no alternative to stubborn resistance, no thought of a negotiated peace.15 Added to German resolve, First Canadian Army’s area of operations between the Maas and Rhine rivers was far from ideal, especially in the cold and wet of late winter. As one historian notes, the whole West Wall is just a horror story from the attackers’ point of view […] it doesn’t matter which way you look at it, it’s awful […] there’s mountains, there’s woods, there’s forests, there’s rivers, there’s dams, lakes […] you get through one horrible river and there’s another one […] the whole border is full of dense forest.16 The Germans established three main lines of defence between the Maas and the Rhine. Each of these defensive lines, each from 500 meters to one kilometer wide in some places, included an array of antitank obstacles, trench lines, Tobruks, and pillboxes. Even farmhouses were turned into fortified strongholds. Despite the Germany’s dwindling reserves and resources, the enemy could still count of formidable artillery firepower. These defences, combined with the challenging Rhineland terrain, were ideal for the defender. Elite troops or large numbers were not necessary to man a mortar or machine gun in a fortified position. Even a small force could make the attacker pay for every meter. Dense forested areas, particularly the Reichswald and Hochwald, also dominated First Canadian Army’s area of operations. The entire area is a glacial remnant that, when wet, turns into a muddy morass. By February, the ground had thawed and was largely unsuitable for wheeled and tracked vehicles. These conditions restricted movement and caused tanks and vehicles to breakdowns. For the modern, highly technical, and mechanized force that the First Canadian Army had become, the advantages of seemingly unlimited airpower, mobile armoured formations, and artillery were much reduced, and, at times, even negated by the terrain. The conditions were made even worse by the deliberate flooding of the low-lying areas by the German defenders. For all their advantages, Veritable would depend on the “the PBI”, the poor bloody infantry, just as in the Scheldt. The plan for Veritable involved the massive application of ground forces to a constricted battlefield area. Preparations for Veritable were substantial. Eighty-two Field Engineer Companies built over one hundred kilometers of roadway and four new railway lines. Over 1900 tons of bridging equipment and 10,000 smoke generators were brought forward. The buildup of materiel included amassing over 3400 tanks and 1034 artillery pieces and several hundred more mortars. Half a million areal photographs were taken, and more than 750,000 maps were distributed to the soldiers. The movement of troops and supplies into position prior the attack required 35,000 vehicles travelling an average 200 kilometers each and using approximately 5 million liters of petrol.17 Veritable began at 0500 hours with the largest artillery bombardment on theWestern Front to date. Some 1850 guns and mortars, seventeen guns for every 100 metes, fired for hours into the German positions. At 1000 hours, five divisions including the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, that earned the nickname “Water Rats” during the Scheldt operation, attacked on the flooded left flank. It was hoped that all this firepower would destroy the German defences throughout the Reichswald and weaken the defenders’ will to fight. In this land of flood and forests things soon bogged down. With so many units operating in such a confined area with limited usable roads “one of the worst traffic jams of the war” developed.18 Conditions only worsened when the Germans opened the sluices of the upstream Rur Dam, sending water surging down the valley. The river rose sixty centimeters in one hour and the valley downstream to the Maas stayed flooded for weeks. 3rd Canadian division used amphibious vehicles, the Buffalos, to navigate this terrain but within days many of these had broken down. As one historian summarizes the dire situation, “the whole water-borne operation was in danger of collapsing” By 13 February, Veritable had come to a stuttering halt. After five days of brutal combat, described by some veterans as worse than Normandy, a pause to rest and re-organize was necessary. Stubborn German resistance from Moyland Wood near the village town of Bedburg-Hau needed to be overcome before the general advance could be renewed. The Canadian 2nd Infantry Division faced intense resistance fighting in this dark forest “right out of Grimm’s Fairy Tales.”20 The fighting for Moyland Wood lasted six days, resulting in another 485 casualties. This victory was crucial, however, in securing the left flank for the renewed advance. After two weeks, Veritable had cost over 8500 British and Canadian casualties with another 1200 soldiers evacuated due to battle exhaustion. The battle was a slogging match as the Germans made first Canadian Army pay for every meter. Veritable had not gone as planned, but the enemy’s capability to defend the Rhineland had been reduced. Things began to change however, when the US First Army was finally able to launch Operation Grenade from the south. Clearing the west bank of the Rhine was now a matter of time with participation of ten American divisions in the battle. But more fighting and dying lay ahead.
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55 Moving supplies forward and evacuating wounded became acute problems in the Rhine flood plain. On 13 February this supply column carefully inched along a flooded road as men watched for hazards hidden beneath the water. Library and Archives Canada/ Department of National Defence fonds/PA-143946 Royal Winnipeg Rifles in the ruined city of Cleve. Library and Archives Canada/Department of National Defence fonds/PA-145772
Military Service Recognition Book 56 250-632-1263 1940 Kitamaat Village Road Kitimat, BC V8C 2P4 Email: maltventures@telus.net maltventures.ca
57 This heavily defended trench snaked across the front of the Hochwald just inside the tree line where the Essex Scottish attacked on 1 March 1945. Library and Archives Canada/ Department of National Defence fonds/ a137036 operation blockbuster Operation Blockbuster, launched on February 26 was the continuation of Operation Veritable and now included the additional resources of II Canadian Corps. The offensive began with a massive artillery bombardment with the main thrust directed at the heavily fortified Hochwald Forest. The terrain and weather conditions continued to make movement challenging. The Hochwald Forest near Kleve was dense and muddy, making it difficult for tanks and infantry to maneuver. Despite the obstacles, steady progress was made. By 3 March 1945, the Hochwald was secured by the First Canadian Army and linked up with the Ninth US Army at Berendonk, between Kevelaer and Geldern. The German defenders, with their backs to the Rhine, withdrew to a new defensive line known as theWesel Pocket. The end was in sight, but the fight to clear the pocket would take another week and cost 300 more Canadian dead, including Thomas Big Canoe in his last action at Xanten on 8 March. Later that month, General Eisenhower sent a congratulatory message to General Crear to express his “admiration for the way you conducted the attack, by your Army, beginning February 8 and ending when the enemy had evacuated his last bridgehead at Wesel. Probably no assault in this war has been conducted under more appalling conditions of terrain than was that one.”21 Just over 1300 Canadians paid the ultimate price to clear the west bank of the Rhine. It was a necessary victory. The defeat of German formations in the Rhineland, in addition to the staggering losses incurred on the eastern front, marked the beginning of the end. Plans to cross the Rhine into Germany in late March in the works for some time. But during the closing days of Blockbuster, the US First Army seized an intact bridge at Remagen and established a bridgehead on east bank of the Rhine. While the bridgehead was not fully expanded, it drew German reserves away from the AngloCanadian sector further north.
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