By: CTVNews Staff Writer(s)
A tiny French village unveiled a long overdue memorial to the men once dubbed Canada’s best kept military secret - the No. 2 Construction Battalion of the CEF's Forestry Corps; who fought for their right to fight for King and Country during the First World War.
The first and only black battalion in Canadian military history is being honoured in the Supt, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region of eastern France, on September 29, 2018.
Douglas Ruck, chair of the board of governors for the University of King's College in Halifax, N.S, is son of the late Senator Calvin W. Ruck who wrote the book Canada’s Best Kept Military Secret – The No. 2 Construction Battalion C.E.F.
He told CTV News that after war erupted in Europe, Canada was brought into the conflict as part of the British Empire.
“While the white individuals were treated with great joy and taken into the fold, the black soldiers were rejected,” he said.
“Not because of any physical impairment, but because of the color of their skin and the perception that they were inferior and would not make good soldiers.”
From 1914 to 1916 the black soldiers fought for the right to fight through protests, petitions and bringing pressure to bear, Ruck says.
In 1916 they were granted permission to join the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, but in a segregated unarmed unit, going to war with pick-axes and shovels.
As part of the forestry corps near the frontlines, the soldiers cut trees for lumber, trenches, boardwalks and other requirements.
They were also involved with moving the dead and wounded off the battlefield.
In France, the segregation continued and the soldiers received inferior treatment, being the last to receive supplies and were often denied basics like underwear and socks.
Ruck told CTV News: “They were relegated to that role, not what they wanted to do, but that was the only choice they had.”
The memorial to the 3,000 Canadian forestry engineers will now bear the names of the 29 forestry engineers who were buried in that town and other nearby towns.
Of the 29, 10 were black men who were part of the 600-member No. 2 Construction Battalion, stationed near Supt, population 115.
It is thought to be the first memorial on French soil that recognizes the black men.
A memorial to the ‘Black Battalion’ already exists in Pictou, N.S, one of two bases in the province where soldiers were mustered before shipping out to Europe.
It is hoped the French monument will help preserve the memory of the brave men that made up the battalion.
Supt Mayor Evelyne Comte spearheaded the campaign to create the tribute after becoming aware of the Canadian contribution when she saw the graves at the cemetery.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended of the Great War.
Showing posts with label World War One. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World War One. Show all posts
Friday, October 19, 2018
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Lord Strathcona’s Horse return to Moreuil Wood for 100th Anniversary
By Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs
Moreuil, France — Current members of Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) are returning to France to mark the centenary of a First World War battle in which one of their number earned a posthumous Victoria Cross (VC).
The commemoration begins March 30, 2018 when the Strathconas, as they are also known, will parade and re-enact the battle.
Additionally, the Town of Moreuil will grant the unit Freedom of the City on March 31. Freedom of the City is a tradition dating back to the Wars of the Roses, a 13th century conflict that pitted powerful British families against one another for the throne. Municipal officials of the time would meet with the commanding officers of units seeking entry and, once their intentions were determined to be friendly, the units would be invited to march through the city streets.
The unit more than lived up to its motto, ‘Perseverance,’ at Moreuil Wood where they and the other troops that made up Canadian Cavalry Brigade (CCB) faced a German offensive on March 30, 1918.
With British units in withdrawal, the CCB was called upon to face the enemy near the French town of Moreuil. With the rest of the CCB engaged with the Germans in the wood, a squadron led by Strathcona Lieutenant Gordon Muriel Flowerdew moved to the northwest corner of the battlefield to stop enemy reinforcements from entering the battle.
The 100-strong squadron discovered a German force of 300 bolstered by machine guns. Despite the overwhelming firepower, Lt Flowerdew led the squadron in a charge, reputedly shouting, “It’s a charge, boys, it’s a charge!”
He led two charges that caused the Germans to withdraw. The squadron suffered 70 per cent casualties and LtFlowerdew sustained wounds that would kill him the next day. “There can be no doubt that this officer’s great valour was the prime factor in the capture of the position,” his VC citation reads.
The action is also notable historically for being one of the last documented horse-mounted charges, which were falling out of style with military tacticians by the early 20th century.
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| "Charge of Flowerdew's Squadron" by Sir Alfred Munnings, 1918. Canadian War Museum - 19710261-0443 |
The commemoration begins March 30, 2018 when the Strathconas, as they are also known, will parade and re-enact the battle.
Additionally, the Town of Moreuil will grant the unit Freedom of the City on March 31. Freedom of the City is a tradition dating back to the Wars of the Roses, a 13th century conflict that pitted powerful British families against one another for the throne. Municipal officials of the time would meet with the commanding officers of units seeking entry and, once their intentions were determined to be friendly, the units would be invited to march through the city streets.
The unit more than lived up to its motto, ‘Perseverance,’ at Moreuil Wood where they and the other troops that made up Canadian Cavalry Brigade (CCB) faced a German offensive on March 30, 1918.
With British units in withdrawal, the CCB was called upon to face the enemy near the French town of Moreuil. With the rest of the CCB engaged with the Germans in the wood, a squadron led by Strathcona Lieutenant Gordon Muriel Flowerdew moved to the northwest corner of the battlefield to stop enemy reinforcements from entering the battle.
The 100-strong squadron discovered a German force of 300 bolstered by machine guns. Despite the overwhelming firepower, Lt Flowerdew led the squadron in a charge, reputedly shouting, “It’s a charge, boys, it’s a charge!”
He led two charges that caused the Germans to withdraw. The squadron suffered 70 per cent casualties and LtFlowerdew sustained wounds that would kill him the next day. “There can be no doubt that this officer’s great valour was the prime factor in the capture of the position,” his VC citation reads.
The action is also notable historically for being one of the last documented horse-mounted charges, which were falling out of style with military tacticians by the early 20th century.
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Canadian Army to Honour 100th Anniversary of Vimy Ridge
DND Press Release
The Canadian Army will honour the sacrifices of Canadians made a century ago at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and throughout the First World War, during a number of events throughout Canada between the 8th and 9th of April, 2017.
Apart from the Government of Canada events led by Veterans Affairs Canada, the Canadian Army will also take part in public events, parades and ceremonies held across the country. Locations include Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Petawawa, Quebec City, Regina and Winnipeg.
The Canadian Army contributed soldiers to the Canadian Armed Forces contingent that is currently in France participating in several Commemoration events. These include a military concert in Arras; a ceremony for the Hill 70 Monument in Loos-en-Gohelle; several sunset and sunrise ceremonies; and a signature ceremony at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in Vimy, France.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge is considered a significant milestone in Canadian military history, as it was the first time all four Divisions of the Canadian Corps fought side-by-side, securing victory for the Allies. This achievement, won at a high cost, has become an integral element in the rich, complex historical narrative of Canada.
For more information on the Canadian Army commemoration events taking place across Canada, please refer to the Canadian Army website.
More than 650 000 Canadians served in the First World War from 1914 to 1918. Our soldiers fought along the Western Front in France and Belgium; however, the Battle of Vimy Ridge became the most iconic Canadian action of the entire conflict.
By the spring of 1917, Europe had been at war for more than two-and-a-half years, with neither side able to make a significant breakthrough. As part of an Allied offensive, a major attack was planned for April in the area of Arras, France. In this attack, the Canadians would be tasked with capturing Vimy Ridge.
The Canadian achievement in capturing Vimy Ridge owed its success to a range of technical and tactical innovations, very powerful artillery bombardments, meticulous planning, and thorough preparation.
After Vimy, the Canadian military went from one success to another, their achievements to be crowned by the “advance to victory” in 1918. This record won for Canada a separate signature on the Versailles Peace Treaty ending the War.
The Canadian Army will honour the sacrifices of Canadians made a century ago at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and throughout the First World War, during a number of events throughout Canada between the 8th and 9th of April, 2017.
Apart from the Government of Canada events led by Veterans Affairs Canada, the Canadian Army will also take part in public events, parades and ceremonies held across the country. Locations include Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Petawawa, Quebec City, Regina and Winnipeg.
The Canadian Army contributed soldiers to the Canadian Armed Forces contingent that is currently in France participating in several Commemoration events. These include a military concert in Arras; a ceremony for the Hill 70 Monument in Loos-en-Gohelle; several sunset and sunrise ceremonies; and a signature ceremony at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in Vimy, France.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge is considered a significant milestone in Canadian military history, as it was the first time all four Divisions of the Canadian Corps fought side-by-side, securing victory for the Allies. This achievement, won at a high cost, has become an integral element in the rich, complex historical narrative of Canada.
For more information on the Canadian Army commemoration events taking place across Canada, please refer to the Canadian Army website.
More than 650 000 Canadians served in the First World War from 1914 to 1918. Our soldiers fought along the Western Front in France and Belgium; however, the Battle of Vimy Ridge became the most iconic Canadian action of the entire conflict.
By the spring of 1917, Europe had been at war for more than two-and-a-half years, with neither side able to make a significant breakthrough. As part of an Allied offensive, a major attack was planned for April in the area of Arras, France. In this attack, the Canadians would be tasked with capturing Vimy Ridge.
The Canadian achievement in capturing Vimy Ridge owed its success to a range of technical and tactical innovations, very powerful artillery bombardments, meticulous planning, and thorough preparation.
After Vimy, the Canadian military went from one success to another, their achievements to be crowned by the “advance to victory” in 1918. This record won for Canada a separate signature on the Versailles Peace Treaty ending the War.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
RCN Divers Survey HMCS Thiepval for Unexploded Ordinance
Originally Published by: David Pugliese, Defence WatchAdditional details by: Daniel Maillet, CAF Dispatch Moderator
Divers from Maritime Forces Pacific’s Fleet Diving Unit are working on the wreck of HMCS Thiepval off the Broken Island Chain of British Columbia. The diving unit is conducting a reconnaissance survey for any unexploded ordnance on the site.
HMCS Thiepval was a 44 meter-long Battle class trawler, built in Kingston, Ontario in 1917 and commissioned into the Navy in the final months of the First World War, according to the Royal Canadian Navy. It was transferred to Esquimalt in 1919 and was engaged in a variety of patrol activities throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Divers from Maritime Forces Pacific’s Fleet Diving Unit are working on the wreck of HMCS Thiepval off the Broken Island Chain of British Columbia. The diving unit is conducting a reconnaissance survey for any unexploded ordnance on the site.
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| Updated Photo of HMCS Thiepval (DND - Public Domain) |
Following the war, the vessel was decommissioned and transferred to the Department of Marine and Fisheries. It was reacquired by the RCN in April 1924, and went on a Trans-Pacific Voyage to Japan and the Soviet Union, becoming the first Canadian Warship to visit both countries. During this voyage, The government had also given Thiepval the secret assignment of investigating American and Japanese territories in the North Pacific to see if they were being fortified in contravention of the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty; it turned out that they were not.
The Thiepval returned to its regular patrol duties in 1925. The ship sank on February 27, 1930 after it struck an uncharted rock during a patrol in Barkley Sound, between Turret and Turtle Islands (part of the Broken Islands group) off the coast of B.C., according to the RCN.
The wreck of HMCS Thiepval has been under the management of Parks Canada’s Pacific Rim National Park since 1970 and is considered a ‘Shipwreck of National Historical Significance’.
The wreck is at a depth of approximately 45 to 55 feet (12 m to 17 m), according to the RCN.
The dive activities, which started Monday, are expected to go until Thursday.
Following the survey, the dive unit will return to the wreck of HMCS Thiepval during the summer to complete the removal of ordnance and dispose of it safely.
The Thiepval returned to its regular patrol duties in 1925. The ship sank on February 27, 1930 after it struck an uncharted rock during a patrol in Barkley Sound, between Turret and Turtle Islands (part of the Broken Islands group) off the coast of B.C., according to the RCN.
The wreck of HMCS Thiepval has been under the management of Parks Canada’s Pacific Rim National Park since 1970 and is considered a ‘Shipwreck of National Historical Significance’.
The wreck is at a depth of approximately 45 to 55 feet (12 m to 17 m), according to the RCN.
The dive activities, which started Monday, are expected to go until Thursday.
Following the survey, the dive unit will return to the wreck of HMCS Thiepval during the summer to complete the removal of ordnance and dispose of it safely.
Friday, November 11, 2016
On November 11 - Take Time to Remember
By: Geoffrey Johnson, Kingston Whig-Standard
In our fast-paced, technologically driven age, we have a world of knowledge available to us in our smartphones, tablets and computers. And yet many of us know little of Canada's proud military history and the sacrifices made by those Canadians in uniform who defended freedom and democracy.
Remembrance Day is a time to remember and honour those sacrifices and to learn about the military campaigns that helped to shape Canada and sometimes even the world. Of course, it is impossible to do justice to the accomplishments of the Canadian military in a few paragraphs, but we can at least acknowledge some of the pivotal moments in our history.
First World War and the Battle at Vimy Ridge
"There is no question that Vimy Ridge was an unmitigated Canadian military success," University of Calgary military historian Prof. David J. Bercuson said in a telephone interview. "It was the first time that all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought together to achieve an objective.
"It wasn't a war-winning battle," continued Bercuson, who leads the university's Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies. "We didn't change the course of the First World War by winning the Battle of Vimy Ridge. I think we more proved that we were becoming a capable fighting force as a result of the Battle of Vimy Ridge."
According to the Veterans Affairs Canada's website, 100,000 Canadians fought in the battle. There were approximately 11,000 Canadian casualties, of which nearly 3,600 were fatal.
"By the end of the First World War, Canada, a country of less than eight million citizens, would have more than 650,000 servicemen," notes the website. "The conflict took a huge toll with more than 66,000 Canadians losing their lives and 170,000 being wounded."
Canada was recognized by the United Kingdom "as being a major contributor" to the U.K.'s forces in Europe and was permitted to sign the Treaty of Versailles at the conclusion of the First World War, stated Bercuson. In addition, Canada's contribution to the war effort spurred London to enter into talks with Ottawa, which "eventually led to complete independent Dominion status for Canada in 1931."
Second World War and the Italian campaign
"Our importance to the British and the Americans in helping to win that war, led to their considering us a considerably important nation in the post-war period," Bercuson said of Canada's role in the Second World War. For example, Canada was included in the "very earliest discussions" that gave rise to the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949.
Canadians distinguished themselves during the Italian operations, their first sustained ground campaign of the Second World War. In the summer of 1943, Canadian forces took part in the Allied capture of Sicily, before moving on to the Italian mainland.
"The Italian campaign was a very difficult campaign," said Bercuson, noting that the terrain was hilly and mountainous with many river valleys. Given the easily defendable terrain, the Germans "fought a defensive battle from the very beginning." In December 1943, after intense house-to-house combat, the Canadians captured Ortona, a key Adriatic port.
The Germans blew up bridges and tunnels and culverts, and dug in around those positions. And that made taking those positions "very difficult," Bercuson said. "So every time the Canadians come to another river, they've got to fan out; they've got to bridge the river; they've got to cross under enemy fire." As a result, Canadian forces "took a lot of casualties in the Italian campaign." More than 26,000 Canadians were wounded and nearly 6,000 died.
Historians argue about the importance of the Italian campaign. One thing is for certain, said Bercuson, the Canadian offensive "drew off a number of German divisions that would've fought on the eastern front or faced us in France when we invaded in June of 1944."
Liberation of the Netherlands
Canada played a big role in the liberation of the Netherlands, sacrificing more than 7,600 Canadian soldiers in combat, including the Battle of the Scheldt and house-to-house fighting. "I think the Scheldt estuary battle was probably the most important Canadian victory of the war," Bercuson declared.
"The Battle of the Scheldt was a military operation in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands that took place during the Second World War," states a Veterans Affairs Canada report, which is part of its online Remembrance Series. "On September 12, 1944, the First Canadian Army was given the task of clearing the Scheldt of German occupiers."
To put the importance of the Battle of the Scheldt in proper context, Bercuson compared it to the Vimy Ridge victory of the First World War. "It was far more important in comparison to Vimy Ridge, had a much greater impact on the outcome of the war in the west [of Europe] than did Vimy Ridge," he asserted.
The Scheldt estuary (tidal river) was the route to the strategic sea port of Antwerp, which was the second-largest port in northwest Europe at that time, explained Bercuson. After the D-Day Invasion in June 1944, the Allies advanced through Nazi-occupied France, Belgium and the Netherlands. "Access to this port was essential to supply the Allied armies as they continued their push towards Germany to defeat Adolf Hitler's forces and free Western Europe from four years of Nazi occupation which had begun in April 1940," notes the Veterans Affairs Canada document.
The British captured the port of Antwerp in September 1944. However, said Bercuson, the Germans controlled areas along the Scheldt, giving them plenty of room to wage a defensive campaign.
"The Germans had mined the river, and they had fortified both sides of the river," Bercuson continued. "So it was impossible for the Allies to get supplies up the river into the port of Antwerp. The job was given to the Canadian Army to liberate the approaches to the port of Antwerp. And it was a long and very costly battle."
The fighting along the Scheldt finally concluded near the end of November 1944, just two weeks before the Germans launched their largest counteroffensive of the Second World War in Belgium, called the Battle of the Bulge. Because the port of Antwerp had been liberated and the Scheldt had been secured, "the Allies are able to pour reinforcements of troops and materiel into Antwerp to help beat the Germans back," Bercuson said.
Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic was "one of the most important battles in the war," stated Bercuson of the Allies' struggle to keep shipping lanes open between Great Britain and North America. Were it not for the supplies and fuel shipped from Canada and the United States, the United Kingdom would likely not have survived.
In addition, Bercuson said, the Allies needed to ship millions of soldiers and thousands of tanks and trucks and aircraft across the Atlantic in preparation for the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. "If the Germans were able to choke off the sea routes to the United Kingdom, it would have been very, very difficult for the Allies to win the war in the west," Bercuson said.
German U-boats or submarines mercilessly attacked merchant marine ships carrying supplies bound for the U.K., threatening to cut off the Brits lifeline to North America. "The Royal Canadian Navy played a significant role in keeping the sea lanes open by helping to escort convoys and by also helping to destroy U-boats," Bercuson said.
According to Veteran Affairs Canada, more than 1,600 Merchant Navy personnel from Canada and Newfoundland lost their lives in the Battle of the Atlantic. It is also important to remember the sacrifices of the brave men of both the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force. "Most of the 2,000 RCN officers and men who died during the war were killed during the Battle of the Atlantic, as were 752 members of the RCAF," according to Veterans Affairs Canada.
Korea and Afghanistan
The Korean Conflict is often ignored by ordinary Canadians. "If the United Nations had not intervened with armed forces, including Canadians, to help South Korea fight off the invasion of North Korea, which occurred in June of 1950, if the North Koreans had conquered the Korean Peninsula, South Korea as we know it today wouldn't exist," Bercuson said.
After decades of development, South Korea has "become pretty well as free a society as anywhere on earth," he continued. "That never would have happened under Communist leadership."
Similarly, Canada tried to bring stability to Afghanistan. "I think people have to remember what our mission was in Kandahar Province," Bercuson said of Canada's role in the Afghan war launched after the jihadist strikes on the United States of Sept. 11, 2001. "Our primary mission was to take over from the United States under the auspices of NATO, to basically allow the Americans to shift more forces to Iraq."
Canada was largely successful in that mission. Bercuson pointed out that Canadian forces kept "most important parts of Kandahar Province free from the Taliban."
However, he acknowledged that we won't know for "a long time" how successful the Canadian and NATO mission has been in Afghanistan. After all, South Korea was a military dictatorship in the decades after the Korean Conflict, but it eventually evolved into a liberal democracy. "We can't really tell what the end result is going to be in Afghanistan at this stage of the game, because the war is still ongoing," Bercuson said.
Canadian contributions to the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean Conflict, and the Afghan campaign "weren't the largest by any means," Bercuson stated. "But I don't think that's important. The important thing is that those wars demanded that allied countries that share a common view of the world stepped up to the aggressor and said: 'You're not going to get away with this.'"
By fighting in those conflicts, said the history professor, Canada demonstrated that it was becoming a "mature and independent" nation. "As a mature and independent nation, as we are today, we have responsibilities that go beyond our own borders."
Does Bercuson have a message for Canadians about Remembrance Day?
"Yeah. Go to a ceremony."
Follow Geoffrey P. Johnston on Twitter @GeoffyPJohnston.
The Kingston Whig-Standard 2016 ©
In our fast-paced, technologically driven age, we have a world of knowledge available to us in our smartphones, tablets and computers. And yet many of us know little of Canada's proud military history and the sacrifices made by those Canadians in uniform who defended freedom and democracy.
Remembrance Day is a time to remember and honour those sacrifices and to learn about the military campaigns that helped to shape Canada and sometimes even the world. Of course, it is impossible to do justice to the accomplishments of the Canadian military in a few paragraphs, but we can at least acknowledge some of the pivotal moments in our history.
First World War and the Battle at Vimy Ridge
"There is no question that Vimy Ridge was an unmitigated Canadian military success," University of Calgary military historian Prof. David J. Bercuson said in a telephone interview. "It was the first time that all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought together to achieve an objective.
"It wasn't a war-winning battle," continued Bercuson, who leads the university's Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies. "We didn't change the course of the First World War by winning the Battle of Vimy Ridge. I think we more proved that we were becoming a capable fighting force as a result of the Battle of Vimy Ridge."
According to the Veterans Affairs Canada's website, 100,000 Canadians fought in the battle. There were approximately 11,000 Canadian casualties, of which nearly 3,600 were fatal.
"By the end of the First World War, Canada, a country of less than eight million citizens, would have more than 650,000 servicemen," notes the website. "The conflict took a huge toll with more than 66,000 Canadians losing their lives and 170,000 being wounded."
Canada was recognized by the United Kingdom "as being a major contributor" to the U.K.'s forces in Europe and was permitted to sign the Treaty of Versailles at the conclusion of the First World War, stated Bercuson. In addition, Canada's contribution to the war effort spurred London to enter into talks with Ottawa, which "eventually led to complete independent Dominion status for Canada in 1931."
Second World War and the Italian campaign
"Our importance to the British and the Americans in helping to win that war, led to their considering us a considerably important nation in the post-war period," Bercuson said of Canada's role in the Second World War. For example, Canada was included in the "very earliest discussions" that gave rise to the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949.
Canadians distinguished themselves during the Italian operations, their first sustained ground campaign of the Second World War. In the summer of 1943, Canadian forces took part in the Allied capture of Sicily, before moving on to the Italian mainland.
"The Italian campaign was a very difficult campaign," said Bercuson, noting that the terrain was hilly and mountainous with many river valleys. Given the easily defendable terrain, the Germans "fought a defensive battle from the very beginning." In December 1943, after intense house-to-house combat, the Canadians captured Ortona, a key Adriatic port.
The Germans blew up bridges and tunnels and culverts, and dug in around those positions. And that made taking those positions "very difficult," Bercuson said. "So every time the Canadians come to another river, they've got to fan out; they've got to bridge the river; they've got to cross under enemy fire." As a result, Canadian forces "took a lot of casualties in the Italian campaign." More than 26,000 Canadians were wounded and nearly 6,000 died.
Historians argue about the importance of the Italian campaign. One thing is for certain, said Bercuson, the Canadian offensive "drew off a number of German divisions that would've fought on the eastern front or faced us in France when we invaded in June of 1944."
Liberation of the Netherlands
Canada played a big role in the liberation of the Netherlands, sacrificing more than 7,600 Canadian soldiers in combat, including the Battle of the Scheldt and house-to-house fighting. "I think the Scheldt estuary battle was probably the most important Canadian victory of the war," Bercuson declared.
"The Battle of the Scheldt was a military operation in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands that took place during the Second World War," states a Veterans Affairs Canada report, which is part of its online Remembrance Series. "On September 12, 1944, the First Canadian Army was given the task of clearing the Scheldt of German occupiers."
To put the importance of the Battle of the Scheldt in proper context, Bercuson compared it to the Vimy Ridge victory of the First World War. "It was far more important in comparison to Vimy Ridge, had a much greater impact on the outcome of the war in the west [of Europe] than did Vimy Ridge," he asserted.
The Scheldt estuary (tidal river) was the route to the strategic sea port of Antwerp, which was the second-largest port in northwest Europe at that time, explained Bercuson. After the D-Day Invasion in June 1944, the Allies advanced through Nazi-occupied France, Belgium and the Netherlands. "Access to this port was essential to supply the Allied armies as they continued their push towards Germany to defeat Adolf Hitler's forces and free Western Europe from four years of Nazi occupation which had begun in April 1940," notes the Veterans Affairs Canada document.
The British captured the port of Antwerp in September 1944. However, said Bercuson, the Germans controlled areas along the Scheldt, giving them plenty of room to wage a defensive campaign.
"The Germans had mined the river, and they had fortified both sides of the river," Bercuson continued. "So it was impossible for the Allies to get supplies up the river into the port of Antwerp. The job was given to the Canadian Army to liberate the approaches to the port of Antwerp. And it was a long and very costly battle."
The fighting along the Scheldt finally concluded near the end of November 1944, just two weeks before the Germans launched their largest counteroffensive of the Second World War in Belgium, called the Battle of the Bulge. Because the port of Antwerp had been liberated and the Scheldt had been secured, "the Allies are able to pour reinforcements of troops and materiel into Antwerp to help beat the Germans back," Bercuson said.
Battle of the Atlantic
The Battle of the Atlantic was "one of the most important battles in the war," stated Bercuson of the Allies' struggle to keep shipping lanes open between Great Britain and North America. Were it not for the supplies and fuel shipped from Canada and the United States, the United Kingdom would likely not have survived.
In addition, Bercuson said, the Allies needed to ship millions of soldiers and thousands of tanks and trucks and aircraft across the Atlantic in preparation for the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. "If the Germans were able to choke off the sea routes to the United Kingdom, it would have been very, very difficult for the Allies to win the war in the west," Bercuson said.
German U-boats or submarines mercilessly attacked merchant marine ships carrying supplies bound for the U.K., threatening to cut off the Brits lifeline to North America. "The Royal Canadian Navy played a significant role in keeping the sea lanes open by helping to escort convoys and by also helping to destroy U-boats," Bercuson said.
According to Veteran Affairs Canada, more than 1,600 Merchant Navy personnel from Canada and Newfoundland lost their lives in the Battle of the Atlantic. It is also important to remember the sacrifices of the brave men of both the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force. "Most of the 2,000 RCN officers and men who died during the war were killed during the Battle of the Atlantic, as were 752 members of the RCAF," according to Veterans Affairs Canada.
Korea and Afghanistan
The Korean Conflict is often ignored by ordinary Canadians. "If the United Nations had not intervened with armed forces, including Canadians, to help South Korea fight off the invasion of North Korea, which occurred in June of 1950, if the North Koreans had conquered the Korean Peninsula, South Korea as we know it today wouldn't exist," Bercuson said.
After decades of development, South Korea has "become pretty well as free a society as anywhere on earth," he continued. "That never would have happened under Communist leadership."
Similarly, Canada tried to bring stability to Afghanistan. "I think people have to remember what our mission was in Kandahar Province," Bercuson said of Canada's role in the Afghan war launched after the jihadist strikes on the United States of Sept. 11, 2001. "Our primary mission was to take over from the United States under the auspices of NATO, to basically allow the Americans to shift more forces to Iraq."
Canada was largely successful in that mission. Bercuson pointed out that Canadian forces kept "most important parts of Kandahar Province free from the Taliban."
However, he acknowledged that we won't know for "a long time" how successful the Canadian and NATO mission has been in Afghanistan. After all, South Korea was a military dictatorship in the decades after the Korean Conflict, but it eventually evolved into a liberal democracy. "We can't really tell what the end result is going to be in Afghanistan at this stage of the game, because the war is still ongoing," Bercuson said.
Canadian contributions to the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean Conflict, and the Afghan campaign "weren't the largest by any means," Bercuson stated. "But I don't think that's important. The important thing is that those wars demanded that allied countries that share a common view of the world stepped up to the aggressor and said: 'You're not going to get away with this.'"
By fighting in those conflicts, said the history professor, Canada demonstrated that it was becoming a "mature and independent" nation. "As a mature and independent nation, as we are today, we have responsibilities that go beyond our own borders."
Does Bercuson have a message for Canadians about Remembrance Day?
"Yeah. Go to a ceremony."
Follow Geoffrey P. Johnston on Twitter @GeoffyPJohnston.
The Kingston Whig-Standard 2016 ©
Monday, July 4, 2016
Looking back on Beaumont-Hamel, 100 Years Later
By Bryan Mackay, Army Public Affairs
Article / Project number: 16-102
Ottawa —For Newfoundlanders, July 1, 2016 marks not just Canada Day, but also the 100th anniversary of the ill-fated Battle of Beaumont-Hamel, part of the first day of the Battle of the Somme in France during the First World War.
The 1st Newfoundland Regiment was formed in 1914, after Newfoundland joined the war alongside Britain. After assembling and training a small battalion, the Regiment fought at the Gallipoli peninsula, as part of the campaign against Turkey. When that campaign finished in early 1916, they were then moved to the 88th Brigade in the Western Front.
After two months, they were notified that they were to participate in the Somme Offensive in France.
The Battle of the Somme began on July 1, 1916 with British artillery hammering the German trenches for a week, in an attempt to weaken their defences. The artillery barrages concluded with a massive explosion beneath Hawthorne Ridge 10 minutes before the assault.
Unfortunately, this gave the German forces a heads-up that the real attack was about to start, and enough time to ready their defences. Furthermore, the German defences were not crippled by the artillery fire as British strategists had anticipated; their barbed wire was still mostly intact.
It was in these conditions that the 86th and 87th Brigades would be sent into battle, at 7:30 a.m.
Most of the initial wave of soldiers perished in No Man’s Land and on the uncut wire that lay before the German trenches. However, due to conflicting and confusing information, it was believed that some of the soldiers sent out had in fact managed to breach the German defences. Thus, Major-General Beauvoir De Lisle ordered the 88th Brigade to join the attack near Beaumont-Hamel at 9:15 a.m.
Like the Brigades that advanced before them, a lack of cover made them easy targets for German artillery. At 9:45 a.m., 30 minutes after the Newfoundlanders began their charge, British officials called off the attack. The rest of the day would be dedicated to slowly recovering what survivors there were.
Out of the 800 members of the 1st Newfoundland Regiment, only 68 were available at roll-call. The exact numbers of casualties in the Regiment varies from account to account; however, it is generally agreed upon that around 700 men were killed or wounded.
Despite the Regiment’s destruction, they rebuilt and continued to serve.
Over the course of the First World War, 6,200 Newfoundlanders would serve in the Regiment’s ranks; 1,300 of those would die, and 2,500 would be wounded or taken prisoner. The 1st Newfoundland Regiment would fight at Flanders, at Somme once again, and at Passchendaele.
The Regiment began to become recognized as a competent and deadly fighting force among the Commonwealth forces, culminating in the Regiment being rechristened as the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. It was the only Regiment during the First World War to receive the honor.
While the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel was seen as a failure, initial reception was not all doom and gloom. Officials at the time were quick to interpret and present the bloodshed as positively as they could.
Walter Edward Davidson, Newfoundland’s Governor, wrote, "These brave dead were among the best in our land. It is a national loss. Their places will never be filled, but their memory will never fade. God rest their heroic souls!”
Newfoundlanders touted the event as a stunning example of bravery and romantic self-sacrifice, a triumphant moment in the country’s history that showed to the world the capability of their nation.
This would change following the First World War, when Newfoundland found itself faced with immense economic and political turmoil. After the province joined with Canada in 1949, Beaumont-Hamel began to be seen more as a tragic and pointless event. Many believed a generation of talented young men that could have improved Newfoundland’s post-war standing and preserved its independence had been lost for no good reason.
Following the war, Newfoundland’s Great War Veterans Association pushed for the funding and creation of memorials. The National War Memorial at St. John’s was officially unveiled on July 1, 1924 and was followed by the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, at the site of the battle itself, in 1925. Both were officially unveiled by Sir Douglas Haig, commander of the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the war’s end in 1918. Today, they stand as memorials to all Newfoundlanders who have fought and fallen in battle.
For the 100th anniversary in particular, several special events are being planned. In addition to the usual ceremonies at the memorials, soil at Beaumont-Hamel will be patriated, and brought back to Newfoundland and Labrador for ceremony.
Regardless of the changes in the way Beaumont-Hamel has been interpreted since that fateful day, July 1 will remain a day to remember and honor those that died.
Article / Project number: 16-102
Ottawa —For Newfoundlanders, July 1, 2016 marks not just Canada Day, but also the 100th anniversary of the ill-fated Battle of Beaumont-Hamel, part of the first day of the Battle of the Somme in France during the First World War.
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| Newfoundland soldiers in St. John's Road support trench on July 1, 1916. Courtesy of The Rooms Provincial Archives Division (NA 3105), St. John's, NL |
After two months, they were notified that they were to participate in the Somme Offensive in France.
The Battle of the Somme began on July 1, 1916 with British artillery hammering the German trenches for a week, in an attempt to weaken their defences. The artillery barrages concluded with a massive explosion beneath Hawthorne Ridge 10 minutes before the assault.
Unfortunately, this gave the German forces a heads-up that the real attack was about to start, and enough time to ready their defences. Furthermore, the German defences were not crippled by the artillery fire as British strategists had anticipated; their barbed wire was still mostly intact.
It was in these conditions that the 86th and 87th Brigades would be sent into battle, at 7:30 a.m.
Most of the initial wave of soldiers perished in No Man’s Land and on the uncut wire that lay before the German trenches. However, due to conflicting and confusing information, it was believed that some of the soldiers sent out had in fact managed to breach the German defences. Thus, Major-General Beauvoir De Lisle ordered the 88th Brigade to join the attack near Beaumont-Hamel at 9:15 a.m.
Like the Brigades that advanced before them, a lack of cover made them easy targets for German artillery. At 9:45 a.m., 30 minutes after the Newfoundlanders began their charge, British officials called off the attack. The rest of the day would be dedicated to slowly recovering what survivors there were.
Out of the 800 members of the 1st Newfoundland Regiment, only 68 were available at roll-call. The exact numbers of casualties in the Regiment varies from account to account; however, it is generally agreed upon that around 700 men were killed or wounded.
Despite the Regiment’s destruction, they rebuilt and continued to serve.
Over the course of the First World War, 6,200 Newfoundlanders would serve in the Regiment’s ranks; 1,300 of those would die, and 2,500 would be wounded or taken prisoner. The 1st Newfoundland Regiment would fight at Flanders, at Somme once again, and at Passchendaele.
The Regiment began to become recognized as a competent and deadly fighting force among the Commonwealth forces, culminating in the Regiment being rechristened as the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. It was the only Regiment during the First World War to receive the honor.
While the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel was seen as a failure, initial reception was not all doom and gloom. Officials at the time were quick to interpret and present the bloodshed as positively as they could.
Walter Edward Davidson, Newfoundland’s Governor, wrote, "These brave dead were among the best in our land. It is a national loss. Their places will never be filled, but their memory will never fade. God rest their heroic souls!”
Newfoundlanders touted the event as a stunning example of bravery and romantic self-sacrifice, a triumphant moment in the country’s history that showed to the world the capability of their nation.
This would change following the First World War, when Newfoundland found itself faced with immense economic and political turmoil. After the province joined with Canada in 1949, Beaumont-Hamel began to be seen more as a tragic and pointless event. Many believed a generation of talented young men that could have improved Newfoundland’s post-war standing and preserved its independence had been lost for no good reason.
Following the war, Newfoundland’s Great War Veterans Association pushed for the funding and creation of memorials. The National War Memorial at St. John’s was officially unveiled on July 1, 1924 and was followed by the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, at the site of the battle itself, in 1925. Both were officially unveiled by Sir Douglas Haig, commander of the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the war’s end in 1918. Today, they stand as memorials to all Newfoundlanders who have fought and fallen in battle.
For the 100th anniversary in particular, several special events are being planned. In addition to the usual ceremonies at the memorials, soil at Beaumont-Hamel will be patriated, and brought back to Newfoundland and Labrador for ceremony.
Regardless of the changes in the way Beaumont-Hamel has been interpreted since that fateful day, July 1 will remain a day to remember and honor those that died.
Monday, May 16, 2016
CAF Divers Helping Clear WW1 & WW2 Explosives from Baltic Sea
Eleven Canadian Forces clearance divers and support personnel began participation in OP OPEN SPIRIT 2016 on May 13 in Lithuania.
These members of Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) from Halifax, Nova Scotia, will work alongside personnel from the Lithuanian Naval Flotilla and 12 other partner nations until May 27 in order to clear explosive remnants of the First and Second World Wars in the Baltic Sea, according to the Canadian Forces news release.
Operation OPEN SPIRIT is a multinational naval mine clearance and ordnance disposal operation conducted on an annual basis since 1997. This mission aims to reduce the threat of unexploded ordnance throughout the Baltic Sea region, including seabed communications lines, international shipping routes, and fishing areas.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
CAF Divers in Estonia clearing WW1 & WW2 Ordnance
Last week DND released its information with regards to OP OPEN SPIRIT 2015 - where Canadian Armed Forces Divers are joining Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the US in Baltic waters - searching for and clearing unexploded ordnance from the world wars. The Operation started May 15, 2015 and runs to May 28 2015.
The CAF have sent 14 clearance divers and support personnel based out of Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) from CFB Halifax.
OP OPEN SPIRIT 2015's aims are to reduce the threat of unexploded ordnance throughout the Baltic Sea region. The region saw heavy fighting during both the First and Second World war, which included air bombardment, naval battles, mine-laying, and submarine warfare. As a result there are remaining ordnance which failed to detonate - causing a danger to maritime shipping and fisheries in the area.
The CAF have sent 14 clearance divers and support personnel based out of Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) from CFB Halifax.
OP OPEN SPIRIT 2015's aims are to reduce the threat of unexploded ordnance throughout the Baltic Sea region. The region saw heavy fighting during both the First and Second World war, which included air bombardment, naval battles, mine-laying, and submarine warfare. As a result there are remaining ordnance which failed to detonate - causing a danger to maritime shipping and fisheries in the area.
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