Fragments of War. Joyce Hibbert

no alternative but to stand by until someone came to assist them. Our Old Man decided to sink the lot by gunfire, after salvaging what could be removed. Sent a small boat away, but it was found that of all the valuable gear stowed on top of the whales (small landing craft, coils of wire cable, miscellaneous Army equipment) most was too heavy to move. The tug captains assured our CO that the bouyant tanks were filled with petrol, so we stood well off before opening fire. The first hit released only air, so we closed in and used all our guns. It took nearly three hours to sink the thing – which could be a tribute to the builders or a reflection on our gunners. Hardly the latter, as many direct hits were scored with little effect. Difficult target to hit, low in the water, rising and falling in the slight sea, and many shots just glanced off the tanks.... During this bit of war effort two R.N. destroyers passed us at high speed, bound for far shore. They asked us by light what we were doing, and on being told, asked us to hold our fire until they were past. (Later found out that one had aboard Winston Churchill, on his way to visit the beach area.) Today forenoon we passed five bodies floating on the surface – two airmen and three seamen. One of the former was sitting bolt upright as if in a chair, held so by his lifejacket, head and shoulders out of the water. An occasional wave now and then washed over him, smoothing back his hair as if with a comb. This gruesome sight seemed to fascinate some of the newer members of the crew, to whom a casualty was something one read about in the papers. It brought home to them rather abruptly the fact that war is more than bands and uniforms, seeing the world and being a hero in the home town. For a few it also emphasized the fact – more than our officers had been able to do – that it might be smart to stay wide awake on watch. Easy now too, to enforce the standing orders regarding wearing or carrying of life-jackets. Some criticism of the Old Man for not stopping to recover, attempt to identify, and properly bury the dead, as we know one other Canadian CO has done. However, our Skipper is wise; aside from the fact that the Germans have been known to attach mines to floating bodies, submarines are becoming active in the Channel, and a ship hove to would be an easy target. Passed much fresh wreckage, and two lifeboats which we took alongside and stripped of equipment. Weather better and getting warmer. In forenoon met tug Growler with Mulberry tow, and escorted her to end of Channel 56. About 1600 we were ordered by signal to return to Portsmouth. Had been about two hours on way when we received another W/T signal to meet and escort two more tugs with Mulberry tows for far shore, speed four knots. Met them about 1830, and were joined by Baddeck and Louisburg. Just after dark starshell began to go up all around us, some much too close for comfort since it illuminated us. We learn by signal that there are about eight E-boats in our vicinity. About 2230 there was a tremendous barrage of A/A fire along the French coast, and we saw many bombs exploding, lighting up the sky; the detonations can be felt aboard us, though we are about 15 miles off shore. The attack kept up all night, and the noise was added to by gunfire from our big ships at the beach area – they have some target not very far inland. Some very colourful tracer shell displays in our vicinity, but as usual we do not know who is firing.

      “13 June: A few minutes after midnight Louisburg, on our starboard quarter, got a radar contact; she reported it to us, and illuminated with starshell. The latter were laid accurately over two E-boats making for our little convoy. Owing to their speed and evasive action she soon lost them, but we picked them up a few seconds later by radar and also illuminated them with starshell, some distance from the first position. Got away a few rounds of 4 inch and a lot of Oerlikon, and appeared to score more hits with latter, the range being close at times. Lost target when starshell burned out, and tried again with illuminating rockets; found target again, and opened fire, but this time they were going all out, half hidden in spray from their bows, and they were soon out of range and sight. The enemy hereabouts seems disinclined to take risks, and our two did not even return our fire. They might have done us some damage, as they have much greater speed and are armed with 40 mm guns. We investigated several radar and asdic contacts later, but nothing developed. Just before dawn a ship in another convoy near us was sunk, but we did not learn how, nor who she was. Made very poor time all day as the tow is very hard to handle. Nothing of interest during daylight; dark hours same as before....”

      Editor’s Note: The Royal Canadian Navy grew from thirteen vessels and 3,600 personnel at the outbreak of war to a force of 93,000 personnel and 939 vessels (373 categorized fighting ships). The RCN contributed 110 ships and 10,000 men to the Normandy landing operation.

      Naval vessels built in Canada in the war period; 487 escort ships and minesweepers, 391 cargo vessels, 254 tugs and auxiliary vessels, 3,300 special purpose craft.

      At the war’s end Iver Gillen transferred to the Merchant Service and eventually joined the Canadian Customs and Immigration Department. Upon his retirement in 1972, he and his wife Anne, went to live on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia where he died suddenly in October 1981.

      Iver J. Gillen is on the far right of his four shipmates from across Canada.

      LAND

      On 5-7 November 1943. Black Watch on Assault Training.

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      Acceptance

      Outside Greyshott, England, in September 1941, Canadian Army Chaplain Waldo Smith studied his map before his rounds. Recently in 1980 Waldo Smith had this comment on one consequence of the Second World War.

      “My personal jeep had been ‘modified’ to serve as an ambulance if necessary. The ordnance section built a projection in the rear to support angle irons which would be the tracks to take stretchers. I had a canvas cover with a large red cross painted on each side. When the enemy saw this symbol they did not shoot at me.

      For a girl to marry a serviceman from overseas was a high risk gamble. She was too willing to believe the best of men who set themselves out to please. And in war’s hazards the uniform did something to women. Many a man looked smart only because the provost sergeant had not let him out otherwise.”

      Close to 50,000 young women, the majority from Britain and Holland, took that gamble and married Canadian servicemen. For most of them, it was a happy choice.

      Reverend W.E.L. Smith relayed the following poignant story connected with one such venture.

      “A farm, a few miles north of Cobourg, Ontario was the destination of an English war bride and her infant son. Her husband, a farmer’s son had arrived home ahead of her and was working with his father.

      “Unfortunately, the mother bitterly resented the marriage and received the daughter-in-law unkindly. The poor girl had an unhappy time that winter. In spring she went into hospital for the birth of a second child.

      “Grandmother was left in charge of the little boy, by then a toddler. One day she suddenly noticed that he was no longer with her. She hurried outside to look for and call him, but could find no trace. During the lapse of supervision he had found his way to a pond and drowned.

      “The young war bride was told of the tragedy and prepared herself for the return to her husband’s home. Carrying the newborn child she went into the farmhouse and greeted her mother-in-law with a warm smile. The older woman broke down, all bitterness gone.”

      Honourary Major Waldo E. L. Smith M.C. served overseas 1941-45 as chaplain with the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, the Canadian Army Service Corps and later with infantry as they attacked the Gothic Line. His book, What Time The Tempest, an account of his wartime experiences, was published by Ryerson Press in 1952. Rev W.E.L. Smith is a retired minister of the United Church living in Kingston, Ontario.

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      Here