Edward's Log Book

Yes I know, I haven't updated in a while. I've scanned some pages out of Edward's log book, enjoy!

Edward's last log entry

Granddad's Wedding

The wedding of Grandad and my Nana, Joan Coxwell, November 1944.

Edward Dowe: Aftermath

In the early morning hours of February 20th 1944, Edward and aircrew disappeared over Holland. News was slow reaching his family who were originally informed that he was missing in action.

 

This time was never discussed in my family so I don't know how Mildred or my Great-Grandparents dealt with this news. Maybe they did assume the worst or held out hope that Edward was a POW. From the records I've found, I know Mildred wrote letter after letter to get information about her husbands whereabouts.

In January 1945 the RCAF changed Edward's status to Presumed Dead. That was it. Given no concrete proof of Edward's death, Mildred did not stop her letting writing. In August of 1946 she and Edward's family finally learned the truth. 

While on their way back from Germany, Edward's crew was attacked by a German Night fighter. Their Lancaster plane crashed 2km N.E. of Valkenswaard. An investigation revealed a witness, Mrs. van Riemsdijk, who saw the plane explode 50 metres before the crash. Debris was scattered over a large area. She and other town members approached the aircraft to see if there were any survivors. Four bodies were removed and reported buried in Woensel Cemetary, Eindhoven. At the time of the investigation only two graves were marked, F/O Hancock, and Sgt. Gaynne. The rest were unknown. The towns people collected what ID discs they could and handed them over to the Red Cross. 

 

The unknown graves were exhumed to establish identity and to see if more than one body was buried in each grave. On March 18th 1948, Mildred received her final response from the RCAF. Edward's body had been identified and buried in Plot KK, Row 1, Grave 11 in Woensel Cemetery. 

 

For Mildred, I don't know what happened to her or if she re-married. I do know that every year on my Great-Grandmother's birthday she would send a dozen roses. For my Great-Grandparents, the carefully preserved photos and letters are proof enough. In 1949, Alma Dow received the medals Edward never got to wear. They are still in our possession today.

As Granddad wrote in the introduction to Edward's letters:

It is important that these letters be preserved because they record some of his hopes and aspirations which by his untimely death were left to be realized by others. It is also important to remind ourselves that the price, for the freedoms we enjoy, were paid for by the thousands of young men, like him, who never counted the cost.

Some Images

I scanned a few things this morning, including a letter I did not previously transcribe (from Aug 6th 1943.)

February 19/20 1944

On the night of February 19th 1944, the crew of Lancaster DS776, 426 Squadron, RCAF, suited up and as Edward liked to tell in his letters "headed east for some ops." They left RAF Linton-On-Ouse for Leipzig, Germany.

From what we know their bombing run was successful. Their job done, Edward's crew headed back to England. In the early morning hours of February 20th 1944, somewhere over Holland, Edward disappeared.

Feb 15 1944

Feb 15/44

Dear Mom-

I had a very nice letter from you today and from Nanny yesterday. I have an awful lot of writing to catch up on tonight so its going to get me bopping.

Sorry to hear Milton was so sick with a cold. I hope to goodness he is over it by now and back to school.

Things aren't going to bad ata ll except I'm grounded tonight on account of rheumatism in my shoulder but I will be okay tomorrow. The best treatment is a rub dow. I had a pretty bad cold perhaps Mildred told you about it but it's gone now.

Glad to hear that you and Daddy are both well and dandy. Keep that way-its cheaper.

I have a nice fit in our fit place and it's dandy and warm. I guess its the dampy weather over here that brought the rheumatism back. Remember I had it three years ago when I was at Domminon Wheel and Foundries. I thought I got rid of it but I guess it take this damp English weather to start things again.

Glad to hear you had a nice quiet New Years, I had it the same way. Frank and I weren't together at Xmas but I saw him two weeks ago while I was on leave and he was taken back in the hospital with the flu. He is fine and dandy now. He hasn't made it up with Marjorie and don't let anyone tell you that he has. I know that for a fact. I rather imagine he has told you the same by now.

I got robbed of 17 pounds while I was on leave some dirty individual took it out of my wallet while I was washing. It's gone now and there isn't much use worrying about it.

I guess you are just as glad its a mild winter, easier on the coal. Did you have a big tree for the kids or just a small one? Boy when Frank and I come home there will be the biggest and most heavily laden Christmas that we ever saw. Just like when Frank and I were young. We will need a big tree because the family is getting bigger you know what I mean.

Well I must close for tonight I'll write soon Mom. Love to all and God Bless you and hugs.

Your Son

Ed

New address and rank:

F/Sgt Dowe E.A.
R-188197
426 Squadron
RCAF Overseas

Another Letter to Frank

Feb 15 1944

Dear Frank-

Sorry for being as late in answering your letter of a couple of weeks ago but we have been busy at night flying and I am sure you will understand. The boys are out tonight and my crew has a spare gunner-I'm grounded for rheumatism in my shoulders and arms and believe me its plenty sore. I'll be okay in a day or so-I'll make damn sure of that.

I did wait all afternoon and evening in the Beaver Club so when you didn't show up I went back to the hotel and went to bed. Next morning I came back to camp to spend the rest of my leave here.

I got rolled for 17 quid on Thursday night- the night after the day I wrote to you up at your place. I got drunk on scotch and passed out and when I woke up all my money was gone.

I hate to ask you but if you can possibly [illegible] in the 25 bob you borrowed I would be much obliged. I guess you can appreciate the corner I'm in financially. Don't for God's sake write home and tell them I was drunk when I got rolled. I haven't had a drink since and I'm going to stay that way from now on. They don't know I drank and Mildred doesn't either so keep it quiet.

I certainly have an awful lot of letters to write to everyone. It will take me hours-so help me it will.

How are things with you? Say by the way-I think I wrote to you and explained everything about being rolled. If I did pay no attention to it now.

I have a memory like a sive. I had a letter from Mom and Dad and one from Nanny and one from Mildred a couple of days ago.

This is only a short note to tell you I am still here and will try to be that way for a long time to come.

Write soon

Your Brother
Ed

Two Letters to Frank

Jan 18/1944

Dear Frank:

Received your letter today and was rather surprised to hear so soon but I'm glad because we go on 9 days leave on or about the 25th of the month. This is not definite yet but we are pretty sure and if it is your 72 hour leave will fit in perfect for it.

Thanks for the wing, it was very nice of you to get it for me. I'll keep it and wear it on my good tunic when the other wears out. I have a wing on my battle dress as a matter of fact I put it on last night so I'll do as I said I'm doing with it-okay? Thanks a million.

Yes, I certainly shall come down when I get my leave no matter when it is. Don't forget to write and give me directions to get to the place. Do I have to go through London? I hope so I want to check up on my account at RCAF Hdqs so that may take me a day or so. You can forgive- if we leave here on the 25th on seeing me on the 27th sometime day or night.

About the boots, I'm trying but I'm afraid it might cause a little concern on some of the big boys- get what I mean? However I'll do my best nobody can do better than that okay? I'll defiantly bring the gloves. They won't be much use but I'll bring them. Don't mention about the time we had- it could and would have been better if we had have had a longer time together- oh well 9 days is pretty good.

No, we missed Brunswick or however you spell or say it. Moe didn't go himself. So I don't know when we will get [illegible.] I hope its pretty soon because I'm thoroughly frowned off waiting and doing practically SFA I want to get really started and get home. Commission looks to be closer might get it before long.

We won\t get a copy of the picture we had taken as Paul's camera broke. So long doe now and write soon but immediately with the “gem” Okay?

Bye for now and God Bless

“Your partner in crime”

Ed


Feb 6/44

Dear Frank,

Received your letter the day I arrived back from leave- I have something rather unpleasant to write about. I was rolled for 17 quid while in London so I had to head back to here on Sunday. I waited for you all afternoon and night at the Beaver Club hoping to goodness that you would show up but no luck.

Very sorry to hear you are in the hospital again. I hope you are out by now, It would [sentence illegible]

Things aren't going to bad here not doing much but getting by okay. I have been writing letters all night and my arm is really sore so this won't be a long letter. I was glad to know everything is off between you and Marjorie as you know doubt would know.

Next leave if you are not available I was going to our Engineer's house with Moe, Ace and Jack by the way they bought a car, yes a car a '36 Moris two door, four seats, it's a pretty food little car. They wanted me to have a share in it but these car cooperations never work anyway.

Well so long for now Frankie and I hope to hear from you soon. Lots of Love

Your Brother

Ed

The Return of the Air Gunner

In the skies over Afghanistan, Army Reserve soldiers selected from the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group have revived an old Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) aircrew trade: the air gunner. Flying as helicopter door gunners, these soldiers are the first Canadian air gunners to go in harm's way since 1945.

Gunners have flown as aircrew since the First World War, and rose to their greatest prominence during the Second World War with the Halifax and Lancaster heavy bombers. A Lancaster crew included two gunners, one on top of the fuselage and one at the tail, and the Halifax carried three, with a nose turret as well as the tail and mid-upper positions.

In recent times, technology has replaced the air gunner in fixed-wing aircraft. Rotary aircraft are another matter, however, and the deployment of the CH-146 Griffons and CH-147 Chinooks to Kandahar has brought gunners back as integral members of helicopter crews. Helicopters flying missions in the outback of Afghanistan need gunners to protect the aircraft and their crews and cargoes. The gunner aboard a Griffon tactical helicopter also defends the transport helicopters and road convoys the Griffon escorts.

"Normally, in Canada, we operate CH-146 Griffons with a three-person crew: the aircraft captain, the first officer and the flight engineer," explained Captain Joe Rehberg, the deputy operations officer of the Canadian Helicopter Force Afghanistan. "It is the job of the flight engineer to control and operate the machine-gun on the Griffon back in Canada. Now, we are using an actual Army gunner on the machine-gun, giving us more flexibility and the maximum protection that is required for the aircraft, crew and passengers."

The term "door-gunner" comes from the placement of two machine-guns in the doors of the Griffon, and three in the doors of the Chinook. In both types of helicopters, flight engineers handle the guns not operated by the door-gunner.

More here

December 10th 1943

December 10/43

Dear Mom-

Well today I had a pleasant surprise. I received your Christmas parcel. Boy it sure was a swell lot. Thanks a million for the contents. Everything shall be devoured with much jest and relish. I have yet to receive my wife's lot and then everything will be completed. First off thank Grandpa and Grandma for the cigarettes they shall be appreciated to no end- I enjoy Savat Caps very much so thank them for me. We were quite busy or else I would have wrote to Nanny before this. I'll try to find the time pretty soon. The cards were lovely indeed- did you receive mine yet? I hope you did. I only sent out 4 so I hope nobody is disappointed on that account. You will know who they were. I really needed a new tie and handkerchief thanks for those too.

Well things aren't going to badly. We have been moved to couple of stations since I last wrote. I hope you don't get any ideas about no news from me. Remember no news is good news and don't worry about me. I'm okay and can take care of myself. I have quite a cold at least it was. Its on the mend now so I'll be okay to fly. We have had quite a bit of flying again and the [illegible.] Perhaps you have read about the Lancaster well that is what I'm flying in now.

I hope everyone is in good health for Christmas. You won't get this until after Christmas now so I hope everyone had a real good time as far as possible. I hope nobody made themselves sick by eating to much turkey. I know that will be quite impossible for us to to do that here. Oh well cheer up Mom! Frank and I shall be back by Christmas '44 and the war will be over by then and everyone will have cause to celebrate and the families shall have a real old time re-union. As you know I can't say much about what I'm doing so don't worry. Mildred was telling me Dad looks after her every time she goes visiting. I'm glad to hear that. Tell him to keep up the good work for me until I return.

Bye for now Mom and lots of love to everyone and the best new year. Your loving son-

Ed

November 10th 1943

November 10/43

Dear Mom-

I have had 3 letters from you in the past two weeks so things are picking up. I have had one from Pat so I shall be writing to her today, one from Nanny and about 20 from Mildred in the past two and a half weeks so I have done pretty good, haven't I?

Well at last one posting has come through and I hope its definite. We are supposed to leave here on the 29th of November but now we leave this coming Sunday the 14th. It is a very good posting so I hope it turns out that we go. It wouldn't surprise me if it was canceled because we have had so many postings canceled lately it would be only natural. Oh well I'll just hope for the best and expect the worst.

The weather has been always foggy for the past two weeks and it has rained nearly everyday- Last Sunday was the nice and today has been quite nice. I hope the weather holds up so we can get going and gets some ops finished. I have one finished now so that's the first one completed.

This Battle School course which have been taking while waiting for the posting has proved to be a waste of time and thank goodness there is only 3 more days left of it or I would go eggey.

The wedding pictures turned out to be pretty good didn't they? I never take a real good picture but the one of Mildred is beautiful isn't it? I have a smaller one of Mildred and myself for my photograph album in colour, boy I really like it.

How is everyone? The latest letter from you shows everyone is in good condition and I hope everyone stays that way this winter. I hope Grandpa doesn't take sick again to be a big burden on Nanny.

I am fine and dandy I think I have put on some weight since I started this course- I hope I lose it before I get home. I should only weight around 145 but I guess I weight close to 160 now. A few weeks hard study will soon take all that off I hope.

How is the Army treating Dad? Every letter I get from you he is either down at the armouries or at Long Branch or Bolton Camp. I guess he is really taking his training in earnest. I hope he doesn't over do it because after all he isn't as young as when he was Overseas and you cannot fool yourself about that angle.

So Mr Lovich won't get out of the apartment without three months notice. Well, they can't put him out because the law-the housing law states that at least 3 months notice has to be given so he has them. But they certainly can charge him next for the [illegible] they were foolish not to charge him.

He has made plenty out of that Church believe me.

Well Mom I hope this finds everyone still in good health. I hope you quit your job pretty soon because the war is nearly over so I think you and our family have done there full share of carrying the load for our country and the draft dodgers.

Well so long for now and keep your chin up for it won't be long. God Bless you Mom

Love to all

Ed

All About Air Gunners

From the Lancaster Museum

October 30th 1943

Oct 30/43

Dear Mom-

I have been back off leave for a couple of days now and yesterday I recieved 16 letters- 12 from Mildred, 3 from home and one from Frank.

I didn't fo anything exciting this leave as I went down to London and played around the Maple Leaf Club for 4 days. I met a relative of Mildred's down there-she is working at the Club-she didn't have anything to say to me just asked me if I married Mildred Coulson, yep that's me I said.

We paid stop over visits to Manchester, Leeds and Aldershot. I am certainly glad to hear you haven't been doing very much overtime work-that is no good at all. How are you Mom, I hope you didn't get that pain in your side back again.

Grandpa is certainly keeping spray for his age and considering the state of his health he needs that work to keep his mind off his health. I hope he is still there when the war is over-that will mean 3 wars he has lived through-pretty good average.

Glad to hear Dad is keeping fine and that he got over his sore back. Climbing poles isn't so hot seeing he isn't getting any younger. He should be due for a foreman's job pretty soon. How is the army treating him? I hope he has got his third stripe. Have you heard about the 25 cent a day raise for us AG's? I believe it is back dated September 1^st. I hope it is- it will mean all the more money for Mildred and I to save.

I had a letter from Pat so tomorrow I shall drop her line. I was glad to get it from her. I hope Milton hasn't lost his hand or anything like that-tell him to get busy.

Well Mom, I guess winter is fastly coming more home. I can imagine what it's like-it will be well into November when you do get this letter. I certainly wish I could get home for Christmas but our enemies don't know what that means to us in Canada so the war goes on.

Mildred told me in one of her letters how nice you looked the night she took out wedding pictures over to show you and Daddy and the rest. She is just crazy over you, Mom, so there is what your daughter in law thinks of you.

I am fine and dandy in every way, except I do wish we could get some flying done and some bombs dropped on Jerry. We came over to fly not to hang around.

I hope Nanny is not over doing herself in the fruit season. I know she will no matter what anyone says. I hope I am spared to see you all once again. I have a feeling I will be and I am sure Frank will be-he is well on his way with his commission course and I'm pretty certain he will make out okay.

Well Mother I have shall close for now and I hope to hear from you real soon.

Love to all

Ed

All of you are always in my thoughts and prayers.

October 3rd 1943

Backtracking a bit.

Oct 3/43

Dear Mom-

Well I really must apoligize to you for not writing for quite a spell but I have been on leave. I told Mildred where I went and what I did so she will tell you after finishing my OJU quite successfully. We jave all been recommended for commissions, I and all my crew so I hope it comes through. I am moved again so I can't say to where but it's where we go East from so I hope we are on our way soon. Right now I am on 7 days more leave but I'm staying right on the station and getting all my equipment back into shape. Washing my clothes and pressing everything, etc.

Well, how are you Mom? I hope you are not working to hard. I'm glad to hear you are working for Roger's instead of being shoved all over the place, seeing as you insist on working. How is Dad? I hope he is fine and dandy, tell him to drop me a line if he has time. I would certainly like to hear from him. Have Milton and Patricia wrote to Frank or myself yet? I hope they have. I hope Milton gets through with Mrs Howe's teaching. It would certainly be a shame for him to spend another year in the same grade.

How are Grandpa and Nanny? I hope Nanny is okay and not working to hard. How is Grandpa's back. It is any better?

Well the food on this station is quite an improvement from our last one. But we will likely be shipped East before long- I expect to see going in about two weeks but that is just my guess-persoanlly I hope it is before that.

Well I'll close for now-I'm pretty tired. I have just finished writing to Mildred and all day I have had big ironing to do so I'll think to go to bed. I hope to hear from you soon. God bless you all and love to all.

Ed

October 17th 1943

Skipping some months a head now to mid October.



Sunday Oct 17/43

Dear Mom-

The last time I wrote you I was in London on a supposedly 21 days of leave but we had a recall after 6 days to return to our station and from there we were sent on a Battle Course and here I am after three days of it and I have finally found time today to drop you a line.

I had a fine time in London nothing to brag about. I visited several places of interest. Mde Toussauds Wax Museum, Westminster Abbey, London Bridge-Alleyn College of which my Bomb Aimers Great Great Great Grandfather built and went to a couple of shows.

The course we are on now will eventually end up the end of this month and then we go up to a conversion unit where we learn to fly 4 motor jobs instead of two motors. I think this course will do one the world of good in regards to getting back into a fair descent condition for flying again. I'm certainly soft after lying around for a month and a half.


I haven't heard from you for over a month now hope you haven't forgotten me. I hear Mildred has been up to see you recently. I hope she comes up regularly. It was four months ago today we were married- as you know doubt would remember the date. I certainly miss her something fierce and I miss you an awful lot too.

Oh well, I think it won't be very long now before this whole nasty business is over by the looks of the news each day it won't be long. If it ends soon there are going to be a lot of disappointed people-including myself.

How is everything going with you at [illegible] I hope you are not working too hard nor to long hours- especially working until 9 or 10 at night this is not good. How is Daddy? I hope he is well and fine- I would appreciate very much some more snaps of the whole family including Nanny and Grandpa. I hope Nanny is not working to hard around the house because I want to see her looking as young as ever when I come home. How is Grandpa's back? I don't suppose it is much better.

By the way how are the two babies- that will make Milton boil- getting on at school?

I hope to goodness they are grown up enough now to settle down and do some concentrating on studies. They are having the best time of their life right now- I didn't realize it when you needed to tell me the same thing but now I do.

I have just finished a long letter to Mildred and I had lots of time so I decided I would write to you. I shall drop Frank a line when I close this letter. He certainly must be a busy lad on that course he is taking. I'm sure he will get through okay.

I don't know what the score is in regards to my Commission. I was recommended for one when I got three “ops” done down east but seeing as no more Canadians are going down there for a while at least I'm not sure but I hope it comes through over here just the same.

Well, Mom, I should close this short note for tonight. It has been raining all day long and everything is so damn damp. I hope to hear from you soon. Love to all-Ed


["ops"-flying operations]

The Crew of Lancaster DS776 426 Squadron

F. Allyn, P. Cox and Edward




H.Hancock (Navigator) F.Allyn (Bombadier) A. Mackenzie (Pilot) E. Dowe (Air Gunner) and P.Cox (Wireless Air Gunner)

August 22nd 1943

Somewhere in England
Sunday 22 Aug 43

Dear Mom-

I haven't numbered your letters so I guess this is about 5 or 6. It is funny I got your letter dated July 11 two weeks ago and I got one dated July 27th. It sure is a mystery to me.

I shall answer July 11 and then July 27th. I am fine and dandy and have a few flying hours in now. I'll soon be finished here and then I'm going out East- I guess you know where at least.

I have seen Frank and he is fine and dandy but won't give up his girl friend- I had a letter from her the other day- I don't know why but I did.

I'm glad you didn't tell Mildred about that summons. What it was for is a mystery to me. I wish you had have opened it and found out what it was for. It has me kind of worried and mystified. Maybe I was spending a bit when I was home on leave- who cares they certainly have a lot to do when the pinch is on servicemen to send out a summons to. Is that happens again let me know and I will write the Mayor of Toronto a letter he won't forget. I believe that is the right place to write to.

You done right I guess. By sending it back and putting on it I am overseas-thanks.

It certainly was nice of them the Coulsons to have Patricia up to their cottage for a week she could use the change as could you.

I'm surprised and sorry to hear Nanny's back and head were bothering her. I would certainly like to hear from her if she has a chance to drop me a line tell her to do so and I shall do the same either today or tomorrow. I guess Grandpa's back will always bother him now. I hope to see them both in a couple of months.

Yes, Mom I hope Milton does go into 8th grade this fall. Tell him if he wants to get out of school before his family passes him he had better hurry up before his long gray beard gets so long that he trips over it. Tell them both to drop me a line or I shall be plenty mad at them and also to Frank he wanted to know all about them.

Yep, I remember poor old Mr. Dobson too bad but it comes and that's that.

I wasn't sick when I came across and I can't tell you how long it took or when or where or anything about- security reasons of course. I couldn't have seen Howard if I had of come down that is all I can say about that. Howard is certainly good to his family etc, he can well afford to be if I had his position etc. I would be generous too. Keep it under your hat.

I opened the dollar bill- I was broke when I got over here and wanted some smoothies so that was what I did.

Well I shall close for now and by the time you get this I will have had my embarkation leave and then it won't be long until I'm home after the “ops” are done.

God bless you all and love to all from your son-Ed

July 23rd 1943

Friday 23 July 43

Dear Mom and all,

I must apoligize all ready for not writing soon but seeing as we are once more back on course I am settled down to a sort of daily routine. It's very long hours from 8 in the morning until 9 at night. Of course that means getting up at 6 each morning Sunday included. No rest for the wicked as the saying goes.

Well Mom, how are the folks back home? I hope you and Daddy are in good health and happy. I do hope that you are as happy as possible. How is Nanny and Grandpa? You can tell Nanny for me that as soon as we get a day off I will write to her. I hope they are both well and the two kids how are they? I hope they are not to bothersome and not to much bother to Nanny while you are away during the day.

I am fine and dandy as possible, of course I wish I were home especially now that I am married to the best little girl in the world. I think an awful lot of her as if you didn't know but wishing never does any harm. I have a hunch I will be home sooner than anyone thinks so have your fingers crossed. It has been 3 weeks since we got her- time sure does go fast.

Well I can't say very much about what I'm doing as you know but I can say this much I am working damn hard for the RCAF and only hope they appreciate it.

I really must close for tonight as lights out has brrn blown and I'm pretty tired.

So long for now Mom and all my love to all of you back there- it won't be long before this whole war is over the way things are going down in Sicily. I hope I can get in on the invasion of Italy which is bound to come soon. I imagine the Toronto paper really gave it a write up second to none as a second front,

Bye for now

Ed

July 15th 1943

Thursday July 15/43

Dear Mom-

Well we are still here (whereever that is) We are leaving here pretty soon by the time you get this I shall be well on my O.J.T. Course. September should find us in the soup for [ineligible] I hope that is so because the soner we start the soner its finished.

How are all the folks- Milton and Patricia. I hope Milton passed because I don't want to come home and catch him in public school because if he is he wants to watch out.

I have wrote to Frank but as yet I haven't had any reply. I hope they didn't send him to fight the Wops.

Well I am fine and dandy not homesick but I miss being in Canada and being able to rush home once in a while it sure is tough getting married and then going away. I don't regret it and would do it again if I had to. Mildred stood up well at the station and so did you. The next time you go to the station I hope it's to see both Frank and I coming home for good and believe you me it will be for good. I am very anxious to see Frank but I hope it doesn't take to long to contact him.

We had a night vison test today and I'll be okay (I hope)

Well Mom, how is Daddy? Did he get [sentance illegible] How is Nanny and Grandpa? I hope they are not working to hard around the house. I'll drop Nanny a line one of these days. I mustn't forget Pat, I hope she stays on passing at school and gets a good education. How is yourself Mom, you are not working to hard?

Well so long for now Mom and I'll write again soon. Love to all

Ed

July 9th 1943

Somewhere in England

Friday July 9^th/43

Dear Mom,

This is the first opportunity I have had to drop anyone a line. I wrote to Mildred so now I shall write to you. By now you should have the cable I sent you and I know you will be happy to hear I landed okay. I know you worried I told you not to but I know you would regardless of what I said. So quit worrying about me. I haven't contacted Frank yet but I shall drop a line to him tomorrow to let him know I am here so I'll be able to write to him until I can see him. I hope we get a weeks leave so I will get a chance to see him.

How are all the folks at home. I am well and as happy as possible. But not near as happy as I would be if I was at home. I'm not homesick because I have completely got over those fits while out at MacDonald. I'm just sick of traveling so much. There is just one more trip I want to make and that is to good old Toronto and if I leave there again, once I get home, I won't travel alone again.

I can't tell you where I am or what I'm doing but I hope we are not here long.

The trip over was very good. It was nice and calm and was enjoyed by yours truly. The Red Cross gave us a crate full of cartons of cigarettes so they will last me for a while. If I see Frank I will give him a carton (that's if I don't smoke them before)

Well Mother I shall close for now and will write again in a few days. How does Dad like the camp? How is Grandpa. I hope his back is better and I hope Nanny is okay and Milton and Pat.

Well so long for now Mother and love to all.

Ed

P.S.

Excuse the short letter will try to let you have a longer letter next time.

June 28th 1943

I'm happy to tell you that Edward graduated from his Air Gunner's course and earned his wings along with a promotion to Sergeant. Like many before him, Edward is now eager to get on to England. Between the last letter and this one Edward also married his girlfriend Mildred. After a quick honeymoon Edward returned to active duty.

 

Edward and Mildred

Monday (Morning) June 28/43

Dear Mom-

Well, here we are at the Y depot in Halifax- we got here Saturday evening and [illegible] Boy of boy we sure were busy.

I'll defenatley be seeing Frank starting to-night so by the time you get his you will know just about where I will be seeing him.

Halifax is a dirty hole in every respect I would hate to live here very long. The trip down from Toronto was a short one compared with the trip out West. I have met several fellows I knew from St. Thomas so I have quite a few pals and chums.

Here is my overseas address:

R-188194

Sgt. Dowe E.A.

The squadron goes in here so put attached Royal Canadian Air Force, Overseas.

Well, my dear, I shall close for now. I feel well and I hope I will be able to recognize Frank.

Love to all

Ed

May 30th 1943

Another letter from May, Edward is just finishing up his A.G. course. Very happy news in this letter as Edward has just proposed to his long time girlfriend, Mildred.

Sunday May 30^th/43

Dear Mom-

I had your letter of Sunday but last Thursday but I decided I would wait until today when I would have lots of time to answer it. I didn't think you would be very surprised when I told you we were getting married. I know she is a very lovely girl and I'll certainly so my part to make her happy as possible and I will also be good to her and true that is most important.

I hope I am spared to come back to her but we Air Gunners have funny ideas about dying in battle and I'm not afraid. An Air Gunners job is to protect the plane and the lives of other men so I think I'll come back. The Hun are frightened. Silly to attach a bomber now- it's not like it was in the days of the outbreak of the war when we had no equipment not devices for protection it is completly changed now and is reverse so I'm sure I'll come back- if I get over.

We had another medical Wednesday and I'm glad to continue flying. I have had awful headaches and the M.D. took me off flying for 3 days until it gets a little better. It is pretty well cured now but I still can't wait.

I was up for 2 hours 5 minutes yesterday on a cross country flight it sure is okay just to sit there and take in the scenery.

You aren't losing me, Mother, so forget that part of it, you are getting a nice daughter in law. I know you think the world of her.

Mildred told me she saw Art Cousins the other night on the Danforth he isn't an A.G. yet so I guess he is not on his course yet.

Mildred told me that she and her mother are going up to the house Thursday night. How did the planning work out? I hope everything turned out okay.

I hope Frank gets his application to go through and get a commission he deserves it for the length of time he has been over there. I hope he isn't on the way back when I go over. I want to see him it has been so long since I seen him. I'll bet he wouldn't know me if I did see him. He left here as a young soldier and I was only 16 I think, 4 years ago. I think it was when I was 16.

I got the cigarettes and chocolate okay Mom and thank you very much for them. They came in handy seeing I have only 25 cents left from pay day. It's a lucky thing pay day is tomorrow.

About the Wedding Present. Don't get a silver tea service because Mildred will likely get one from the bank. A mantle radio is a nice gift but of course I'm not dropping you a hint- I just merely dropped a brick on your head as far as that goes so if you care to, well, I won't say no.

Well, Mom, I shall close for now. How is Nanny and Grandpa? I hope the will be able to come to the Wedding. I would be very disappointed if they were not there. How is Daddy? Are Milton and Pat studying hard for their exams- I guess schoo1 will be getting out for the summer pretty soon. I hope to goodness they both pass. You can tell them I will be writing my exams by the time they get this letter so their big brother who has been out of school for 3 years is still studying and writing exams.

Bye for now, love to all

Ed

May 10th 1943

The letters skip ahead a few months to May of 1943. Edward is now at RCAF Station MacDonald in Manitoba finishing his Air Gunners course at No. 3 Bomb and Gunnery School.


Monday May 10/43

Dear Mother-

Received your letter of Thursday to day and was glad to know you got it. I was disapointed also not to see you at the station the Friday night. I came though Mildred was down and we both walked around looking for you but we didn't see you anyplace. I felt kind of blue leaving the old home town to go out to a place such as this barren hole.

It has been snowing all day and there must be at least 8 inches of wet snow on the ground. I'll bet it is like this at home. Do you mean to tell me that you had to go down to the station all by yourself? Where was Dad?

How is Nanny and Grandpa? I would like to write to Nanny but I just haven't got the time to do very much writing to anybody. I have been flying and it is quite a thrill. I have also been air sick. Please ask Mr. Ottaway what to do to not be air sick. It is an awful feeling. I felt just like dropping right out of the hatch. I hope he knows what to do so don't forget to ask him. I'm confident he will know. Mind you it is not persistant I have only been sick once. Don't mention it to anybody- nobody at all keep it to yourself because I don't want it to get around. I told Mildred I was sick- I mean for you not to mention it to anyone that you are going to ask Mr. Ottaway. I don't want anybody to know I'm writing home for a remedy lots of the fellows have been sick but I don't want to spoil a good record.

I think you understand. I'm glad you sent me Frank's letter. I wrote a long letter to him just before I let St. Thomas- but I guess it went down. Mildred was telling me in her last letter that a fellow I know quite well, Stan Dean by name went down in the Atlantic only 16 were saved he was listed by Ottawa as missing at sea. I feel sorry for his mother. We go over by aircraft so you won't need to worry. Well, I shall close for now and hope to hear from you soon.

Ed

P.S.

Keep it to yourself, please

Edward's Letters

Now that I've told you about Granddad's early experiences during the War, I'm going to move onto his brother Edward. All of Edward's surviving letters (except for a few to his brother) are to his mother Alma. Each letter has been perfectly preserved and as such I have transcribed each one instead of scanning them. My Granddad wrote this introduction to the letters:

This is a book of the letters of Sergeant Edward Dowe RCAF written to his mother and a few to his older brother from the time of his enlistment in 1942 until his death on the night of 19/20 February 1944. His death came as a result of the action of German night-fighters shooting down his bomber aircraft, over the Netherlands, returning from a bombing raid over Liepzig Germany.

It is important that these letters be preserved because they record some of his hopes and aspirations which by his untimely death were left to be realized by others. It is also important to remind ourselves that the price, for the freedoms we enjoy, were paid for by the thousands of young men, like him, who never counted the cost.

-F.S. Dowe

On July 18th 1942 Edward Dowe, leaving his job as a toolmaker, followed his brother into the military and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Edward's letters begin in November 1942 while at St. Thomas (RCAF No.1)

Thursday November 12/42

Dear Mother,

I received your letter yesterday and was glad to hear from you that everyone is well.

I most certainly like it here Mom, it is nice and clean, etc, plus the fellows are nice with 1 or 2 exceptions.

Yes we have started our studies. Maths is very easy. Aircraft recognition is real hard plus Morse Code is twich as hard, so I'll have quite a bit of studying to do. I go on guard duty in a little while again, so I'll have to make this a short note, but not too short.

Don't be working to hard, gee I wish you could quit and stay at home and help Nanny. You know she isn't getting any younger.

I'll send my ration book in as soon as I come to Toronto. I don't like any place as well as Toronto and I don't think I ever will.

How is Auntie? By the way, give me Vern's address and also don't forget to put Frank's address in I have wrote him a letter but haven't mailed it, no address, so please send it.

Yes, we are very tired at night. I haven't been outside baraccks on any days off so I don't know what St. Thomas or London is like, I just stay in, no point of spending money foolishly.

Well, bye-bye for now Mother, dear, I'll be seeing you soon.

Love to all

Ed

January 1942

The unit started the New Year with a vehicle holiday. The Army Commander Lt. Gen Montgomery lectured the officers in the Brighton on 2 January. It was during this month that Lt.Col Southam left the unit as he was promoted to Brigadier and assumed command of the 6th Cdn Inf Bde.

Very early in the month I caught a severe cold which developed into pneumonia which hospitalized me for over 6 weeks. I was one of the early cases treated with the new Sulpha drug. It was used experimentally and worked quite well. I was evacuated from the unit to L cdn Ind Bde Forward dressing station and from there to the No 1 Casualty Clearing Station and from there to the No 1 Canadian General Hospital at Horsham. After being discharged from the hospital I was sent to the Infantry Holding Unit. While there I was ordered to report to London for duty at Canadian Military Headquarters where I was employed as a claim clerk with the JAG Department on 15 March 1942.

This is the end of my journal with the 48th Highlanders. Of course the war went on and I had many other experiences, but never again as a Highlander.

December 1941

[note: there are no October and November entries.]

I reported back to the unit at Avisford House located in the Littlehampton area on 21 December. The unit had moved to Littlehampton from Kingswood while I was away on course. Littlehampton was quite near Arundel Castle, the ancestral home of the Duke of Norfolk. Christmas was a little more pleasant although it was the third Christmas that most of us had spent away from Canada. Sunday routine was observed on Christmas Day and Christmas dinner was served in the company messes. The year ended with cool and cloudy weather and Major Hendrie in command.


[America enters the war this month after the attack on Pearl Harbour]

September 1941

Vehicle holiday on 1 September and a wiring party supplied to airfield at Redhill. Exercise Protector commenced 2 September and carried on till 4 September. this required several defensive moves in the Kingswood area to assume better defensive positions. Slight enemy air activity at night in the early part of the month. Unit training as laid down in the sylabii including range firing. Unit held first rehearsals for trooping of the colour which is being held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the battalion. I was not on this parade as I had been detailed for the Ab Initio Clerk's Course in London for three months.

I left London as the unit prepared for exercise Bumper, the first large scale army exercise held in the South of England and it was conducted by the famous "Monty." The course in London was held at the Balham and Tooting High School of Commerce. While on this course we were billeted in requisitioned houses on the edge of Clapham Common and each morning we went by underground to Balham Underground Station where the school was located.

I was away from the unit until the 18th of December and during the period I was away in London I qualified as a short handed typist. As I had no opportunity to practice my shorthand when I returned to the unit it was not long before I forgot most of it. The course was a concentrated course and when you are taught under those circumstances you cannot afford not to immediately practice what you have been taught. We were in the Army while we were in London but we attended a school for civilians and while in the school we had to conform to the code of conduct in the school. Our night were spent mostly visiting the local pub, "The Plough" which was a second home to most of us.

August 1941

Battalion required to resume exercise Albert which was originally started on 20 July. In the filed overnight and then returned to billets at Kingswood on 2 August. Church parade held and Brigadier E.W. Haldenby M.C. visited the unit.

Vehicle holiday on 4 August and record books MFM 1 issued to all ranks. The "hosepipe" method of AA fire with Bren guns introduced into the unit's training syllabli. Everyone required to go on 15 mile route march on 6 August and a brigade drumhead service was held on Walton Heath on 6 August at 1000hrs. We were out on exercise Roft and had to march to Witley via Pebblescombe Hill in preparation for it.

Further marches required in the Reigate area up to Up Park. GOC 1 Cdn Div held conference at Caterham on exercise Roft on 18 August. CO acting Brigade Commander for the week 16-21 August.

Canadian Corps Sport's Meet held in Aldershot on 23 August and the unit represented by the Pipe Band and 65 all ranks. I was working at BHQ and did not get a chance to attend the meet. Battalion paraded at Redhill in the rain to be inspected by the Prime Minister of Canada, W.L. Mackenzie King on 26 August. We participated in War Weapons Week held in Reigate. The unit tug a war team under RSM Jamieson won the tug a war pull. Captain Trumbull Warren left BHQ and his appointment as the Adjutant.

July 1941

Dominion Day was a holiday for all Canadians. Divisional sport's day held in Redhill. HM the King visited the Canadians at the meet and also presented new colours to the Carelton and York Regiment and the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. On 3 July the unit received word that a selected group of soldiers in the unit had been selected for a special job which was classified secret-but everyone seemed to know about it. The CO inspected this group on 4 July and then word was received at BHQ that the arrangement was canceled and the men were returned to their various companies.

The entire unit was present at Walton Hill to witness a drop by members of the Parachute Corps from aircraft. Very impressive but the impression was they were very vulnerable to small arms fire while free falling through the air. The CO confined all troops to barracks and at 1800hrs 9 July the unit set out on a forced night march of 27 miles in 9 and a half hours. We were back at barracks or billets by 1830 hrs 10 July. I was one of the men who suffered from blistering of my feet.

CO was returned from Aldershot to take temporary command of the 1 Cdn Inf Bde. Unit of exercise Albert on 20-21 July in the Petworth area. Major Speagge of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada was attached as an observer for the exercise. The butter ration on leave ration cards was cut to 1 oz. We were allowed to open up our collars of our battle dress while on leave.

Most of the church parades held during this month were on a voluntary basis. Pte. Garvis was awarded a distinguished conduct commendation for rescuing two people from a bombed house. Exercise Spruce held in London on 27 July against GPO Battalion of the Home Guard. BHQ required to submit causality returns on personnel killed and wounded, by umpires, on the exercise in order to practice causality reporting procedures. Enemy air activity almost completely ceased at night and the activity at night was confined to the RAF flying ground. I was promoted to Lance Corporal and awarded the 2 year good conduct stripe.

June 1941

The red patch insignia, made famous by the First Canadian Division in the World War, was offically authorized for wear on the upper sleeve of uniforms and greatcoats of the 1st Canadian Division CASF. All ranks were required to wear the patch on their uniforms and greatcoats.

Some companies, of the unit, acted as the enemy in conjunction with exercises held for the Corps Commanders inspection of the Seaforths and Loyal Edmonton Regiment. Pte. Doherty, of the 48th Highlanders, was one of the two Canadians to represent the Canadian Army in the British Army Boxing finals held in the Albert Hall in London on 7 June. He was not successful.

Major Ganong returned to the unit from his posting in London. The new Tomahawk aircraft flew over the battalion area for purposes of aircraft recognition and familiarization. Exercise Waterloo commenced 14 June. Unit marched to Pebblescombe Hill-Bletchingly-Newdigate and then to the area North of Rusper. Bivouaced at 0200hrs. Marching next day via Horsham to Marlpost Wood arriving at 1715hrs. Rested 1 hour and moved to the area North of Washington. Arrived at 2100hrs and bivouaced. Exercise commenced at 0400hrs 16 June and the objective at Chantonbury Ring on the South Downs was attacked. BHQ established at Green Farm east of Washington. This was an exercise held in conjunction with tanks of the Royal Tank Regiment.

Exercise ended at 1200hrs 16 June and unit returned to Kingswood by TCVs. Field General Court Martial held at BHQ on Pte's Utton, Slater and Ferguson, the charges being Absence without Leave. D Company moved to Westerham to act as the guard at the estate of the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.

Brigade Sport's Day on 26 June. We moved out on exercise Maple on 27 June and moved by transport to the start line at Godalming. Moved on 28 June to Bramshott-Winchester. BHQ established at Winchester Station. Battalion attacked 28/29 June. Exercise ended 1420 hrs 29 June and returned to our billets at Kingswood. CSM Church was awarded the Efficiency Medal and Pte D. Williams was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal.

 

The Red patch

May 1941

We were on exercise Red for the first part of the month. We returned to billets at Kingswood at 1820hrs 2 May. Church parades held as usual. Unit training being carried out during the month with the unit participating in various PAREX exercises. Large scale exercise, code named Brenda, held in the later part of May involving road moves to the Ashford area. The move was slow and confused at times. It took us 9 hrs to travel 40 miles with 31 halts of varying lengths. The unit was under command of Major B.B. King. We had no real part in the exercise and sat in reserve. Finally sent back to Kingswood area early.

An examination of the war diary reveals that May was a pretty routine month as far as the unit was concerned. Training and leave and one was finding it hard to realize that there was a war on but of course the nightly bombing brought one back to the reality of war very rapidly. The bombing of London reached crescendo on the night of 15 May. We did not realize it at the time but that night marked a turning point. There was never another raid of such intensity again and the bombing of London was over. The Germans lost that one. The invasion of Russia was delayed by the resistance in Yugoslavia and this was responsible for the change in tactics. The CO Lt. Col W.W. Southam was awarded the Efficiency Decoration this month.

April 1941

I returned to the unit of 5 Apr 1941, the day that Sgt. Groves was invested with the medal of the Order of the British Empire. This was the first decoration earned by a member of the unit in this war. A system of vehicle holidays was instituted in the Canadian Army and on these days no vehicles, except emergency vehicles could be used or moved. It was instituted to save petrol and allow preventative maintenance to be carried out on the grounded vehicles.

On exercise Hare on 9 Apr. This time there was no mix-up of transport on the roads. Thursday and Friday we were in Laughton-Alfriston-Denton area on the South Coast of England. The unit moved back to billets in Kingswood on Friday at 1600hrs. Church parade held on Sunday and march past was taken by the CO. 14 Apr was declared a holiday to make up for the holiday on Good Friday which we missed due to the exercise. We went by road transport on 16 Apr to the ranges at Ash in the Aldershot area. Left Kingswood at 0330hrs and returned 1700hrs the same day. Heavy enemy air activity reported nearly every day this month with some local bombing. On 25 Apr Pte. A. Wilson was killed in a cave-in while filling sand bags at Henley Heath. Cpl. D. Collins was also severely injured at the same time in the same incident. Pte. Wilson was buried with full military honours at Brockwood on 29 Apr. An entry was placed in Part I orders restricting entry to London on pass due to the heavy damage from the bombing. This did not affect me as I never had any intention of sticking my head into the lion's mouth and roam around London while it was being bombed.

March 1941

Reported to the Royal Army Service Corps Clerk's School at Aldershot on 3 Mar and was attached for all purposes to No. 12 Training Battalion RASC for #66 Basic Course and #22 Staff Duties Course to qualify as a Unit Orderly Room Clerk. I welcomed the break from routine around the billets and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of going back to school. It was on this course that I realized what I had missed in not applying myself when I was attending High School in Toronto. I was determined that I was not going to repeat that mistake again. We used Oliver Typewriters which had the looping key striking arrangement. We were told that these particular makes of typewriters were used in the South African War and they were indeed a very cumbersome and inefficient machine. We were also sent to the staff college at Camberley to act as Brigade and Divisional Clerks for a staff college 48 hour exercise. I still have a copy of the report that I received at the end of this course and it certainly did me no harm. As a result of the course I was promoted to Lance Corporal.

While I was absent on course Capt. J.E.F. Seagram was killed in an air raid in London and was buried with full military honours by the unit at Brookwood cemetery. Unit boxers went on to win 4 Corps Championships. When the battalion was in France we were forced to leave Pte. G. Thompson behind as he took sick. Word was received by the unit that he had returned after many adventures and landed at Gourach in Scotland on 17 Mar. The circumstances of his escape from occupied Europe were never really told to anyone in the unit.

February 1941

I was well into on the job training for the position of Orderly Room Clerk in the Battalion Orderly Room. I was not a trained clerk but there was a vacancy and I was being slotted into it. Around this time Bill El,ms became the driver for the GOC 1 Canadian Division Major-General G.R. Pearkes, VC DSO MC. Rehearsals were held early in the month for the GOCs inspection. L/Cpl A. Groves was awarded the medal of the Order of British Empire for the meritorious service in connection with the battalion transport in France in June of 1940. The battalion was given permission to wear glengarries when walking out and on leave in lieu of the balmoral. On 9 Feb the unit participated in exercise Fox and we finally moved out on 11 Feb. After reaching the assembly area the move to the advance area was a complete shambles and consequently most of the the 1st Division got lost and the unit received no food or petrol for over 24 hours. The exercise was called off and we returned to our billets at 0600hrs on Monday.

Enemy air activity was quite severe both in the daytime and at night. Every other night there was an alert and bombing in London. Battalion carried on with the training as set out in the training syllabus. Major Merry was returned to Canada this month. Exercise at Gatwick Airport canceled. Unit boxers won championships in four weight classes including heavyweight. The CO returned to the unit from the Senior Officers course.

January 1941

New years day was an official holiday and only duty personnel were required to work. The weather was cool and bright at New Years. The officers entertained the Sergeants in the officers mess at Kingswood Court. Short route marches were instituted in order to prepare the unit for the 60 mile march which was scheduled for the later part of the month. 7 day leaves were again authorized with rail warrants. Air activity on the part of the Germans was heavy again in the Kingswood area. It was on one of these early leaves that I went to Aberdeen to stay with the sister of the RMS. I cannot recall now the exact time but it was when the 7 days leave periods were started.

Church parades held each Sunday in the Company areas and the padre was kept quite busy getting around to each of them. The CO, Lt. Col W.W. Southam, was away on a Senior Officers course and his place was being taken by Major W.B. Hendrie. The weather was cold, sleet and rain for a good part of the month. The companies were still out practicing digging and revetting trenches. A report that two German airman were loose in our area was received and when we went to try to find them we failed to find any trace.

Set out on the 60 mile march on 27 Jan and left Kingswood at 0800hrs and we covered 21 and a half miles and reached Croydon where we stayed in billets of the R 22e R. The second day we marched a total of 23 and a half miles to Westerham and Godstaone and stayed the night in the billets of the PPCLI. We marched 16 and a half miles the third day from Westerham direct to Kingswood via secondary roads. The weather every day was raining, foggy and we were all thoroughly miserable. Feet mighty sore at the end of the march but I did not drop out although a total of 6 men in the unit were unable to finish the march due to foot trouble.

December 1940

[This will be the last month that Granddad summarizes week by week.]

1-7 December 1940

Battalion church parade this morning. Two daylight air raids this week. Training being carried out as laid down by the weekly training syllabus. Cleaning up the billets prior to our departure fro Brighton on the south coast. Moved out at 0830hrs on Thursday 5 Dec and arrived a Roedean School on the East side of Brighton where we relieved the PPCLI. BHQ stationed at Roedean school. Outposts being manned along the coast. Raining and foggy and all ranks confined to barracks.

8-14 December 1940

Church parade held in Roedean School Chapel. There was a nice pipe organ in the chapel and I played it for the services. It was a long time since I played even a piano and it was certainly was the first time that I had ever played a three manual church organ. Various red alerts given through the days. The body of a German airman was found 450 yards west of the main gate of the school. Recognized by remnants of uniform. Several reports of German aircraft received. One of the drummers in the band, Pte. Lou Murphy, was struck by a truck on the Main Front Rd and severely injured. He was in a coma for a long time and eventually returned to Canada but never regained the full use of his arms and legs and his speech was severely impaired. I seen him after the war and he was indeed severely handicapped. I was employed at this time as a runner at Battalion Headquarters.


15-21 December 1940

I played the organ again this Sunday for the church parade in the chapel. Company training being carried out when the troops were not on station in the various posts along the coast. We were allowed to go into Brighton if we were not required for duty and provided we had a pass. Reports of strange lights received from time to time which usually proved to be of no importance.

22-28 December 1940

Church parades held in the chapel and I played the organ again. Christmas Day was spent at the school. This was the second Christmas that we were away from home. I received a letter from Canada stating that I had been accepted as an apprentice musician with the R 22e R Band in Quebec. Needless to say I could not go back. Air raids reported in Brighton together with reports of bombs.

29-31 December 1940

We left Roedean School in the Brighton area at 1100hrs on Sunday and handed over to the RCR's. Back in Kingswood area and settling in. Short route march held on Tuesday and nothing special was planned for New Years Eve.

This ends the first full year away from Canada.

November 1940

November was cold and dreary which is typical of the weather in England this time of year. We carried on with unit training and we were kept on our toes by never knowing when the GOC would be around to have a look at us. A big effort is being put into organizing sports. We went out on an exercise on 22 Nov 40. A switchboard was installed at Battalion Headquarters which put us in direct touch with all of the companies. An air raid on November 29th was particularly bad as bombs were dropped in the BHQ area and there was quite a lot of property damage but no casualties. The raids were a constant feature of life, especially at night, but it did not interfere with my going out to the show or to a pub. You get used to anything, this does not in any way mean that you where not acutely aware of it, just that life had to go on.

[November 14th, the city of Coventry is destroyed by 500 German bombers.]

October 1940

It was fter we moved into our billets in the Kingswood area that the reporting of events, in the unit war diaries, became rather sketchy. The war diary had a minimum of explanation of the training and activities participated in by the unit. To all intents and purposes we were in a static situation similar to life in the barracks. At this time I applied for permission to be transferred to the staff of the battalion orderly room. I had to start as a permanent runner and work by way up from that position. It appeared to me, at the time, that there was absolutely no future being a member of the band. Musicians, whatever stripe, simply did not figure in fighting a war. We went on route marches which got progressively longer; medical parades to renew inoculations; sports afternoons; night and weekend passes when not on duty; leave if you were lucky and above all pub crawls. However, I still had to act as a bugler at the odd time but these occasions were getting less and less frequent. Sgt Edwards was posted to CMHQ and Wally Moore and Herb Helliker took over as the principal clerks in the Orderly Room. The weather during October was quite pleasant, according to the War Diary.

September 1940

[At this time Granddad's diary stops listing things week by week but now summarizes it by month.]

We had the usual church parades on Sunday in the company area. Lt. Col Haldenby called in to the unit to say good-bye before leaving for Canada. We went on exercise to Worth Forest on Thursday 5 Sep 40. Codeword Cromwell issued on Sunday 8 Sep 40 and we were on 4 hours notice to move. Invasion of England was imminent. All prisoners were released except those awaiting court martial. Unit of 1 hour notice to move and tents and blankets put into storage. Raining and very miserable and the blankets and tents were re-issued for comfort. Usual training being carried out after being given notice of stand down on Sat 14 Sep 40. We were warned that we would be moving to billets anytime after 18 Sep. Saturday 14 Sep was the first night we did not have an alert since the night they raided the docks at London. 15 Sep usual church parades held and afterwards the unit played the recce squadron at softball. Some passes were granted for Horsham and the remainder of the free personnel went to Newdigate. Heavy barrage heard from the direction of London. Nothing heard in the immediate area. Capt. Warren appointed Adjutant. Use of buses for recreation transport were canceled due to shortages of patrol. Company church parades held on Sunday 23 Sep. Remainder of the day and Monday 23 Sep were spent in cleaning up the area in readiness for the move to the Kingswood area. Spent all day Wednesday settling in. 7 day privilege leave opened for 5% of the unit at any one time with transportation warrants. Battalion paraded to various churches in the area around Kingswood.

[On September 7th 1940 the German Luftwaffe bombed London, the beginning of 57 straight days of bombing. It was also during this month that Hitler planned for Operation Sealion (the invasion of the UK) to take place. The operation was untimely canceled on September 17th.]

Never Was So Much....

 

August 20, 1940
House of Commons  

Almost a year has passed since the war began, and it is natural for us, I think, to pause on our journey at this milestone and survey the dark, wide field. It is also useful to compare the first year of this second war against German aggression with its forerunner a quarter of a century ago. Although this war is in fact only a continuation of the last, very great differences in its character are apparent. In the last war millions of men fought by hurling enormous masses of steel at one another. "Men and shells" was the cry, and prodigious slaughter was the consequence.

In this war nothing of this kind has yet appeared. It is a conflict of strategy, of organisation, of technical apparatus, of science, mechanics, and morale. The British casualties in the first 12 months of the Great War amounted to 365,000. In this war, I am thankful to say, British killed, wounded, prisoners, and missing, including civilians, do not exceed 92,000, and of these a large proportion are alive as prisoners of war. Looking more widely around, one may say that throughout all Europe for one man killed or wounded in the first year perhaps five were killed or wounded in 1914-15.

The slaughter is only a small fraction, but the consequences to the belligerents have been even more deadly. We have seen great countries with powerful armies dashed out of coherent existence in a few weeks. We have seen the French Republic and the renowned French Army beaten into complete and total submission with less than the casualties which they suffered in any one of half a dozen of the battles of 1914-18.

The entire body - it might almost seem at times the soul - of France has succumbed to physical effects incomparably less terrible than those which were sustained with fortitude and undaunted will power 25 years ago. Although up to the present the loss of life has been mercifully diminished, the decisions reached in the course of the struggle are even more profound upon the fate of nations than anything that has ever happened since barbaric times. Moves are made upon the scientific and strategic boards, advantages are gained by mechanical means, as a result of which scores of millions of men become incapable of further resistance, or judge themselves incapable of further resistance, and a fearful game of chess proceeds from check to mate by which the unhappy players seem to be inexorably bound.

There is another more obvious difference from 1914. The whole of the warring nations are engaged, not only soldiers, but the entire population, men, women, and children. The fronts are everywhere. The trenches are dug in the towns and streets. Every village is fortified. Every road is barred. The front line runs through the factories. The workmen are soldiers with different weapons but the same courage. These are great and distinctive changes from what many of us saw in the struggle of a quarter of a century ago.

There seems to be every reason to believe that this new kind of war is well suited to the genius and the resources of the British nation and the British Empire and that, once we get properly equipped and properly started, a war of this kind will be more favourable to us than the sombre mass slaughters of the Somme and Passchendaele. If it is a case of the whole nation fighting and suffering together, that ought to suit us, because we are the most united of all the nations, because we entered the war upon the national will and with our eyes open, and because we have been nurtured in freedom and individual responsibility and are the products, not of totalitarian uniformity but of tolerance and variety.

If all these qualities are turned, as they are being turned, to the arts of war, we may be able to show the enemy quite a lot of things that they have not thought of yet. Since the Germans drove the Jews out and lowered their technical standards, our science is definitely ahead of theirs. Our geographical position, the command of the sea, and the friendship of the United States enable us to draw resources from the whole world and to manufacture weapons of war of every kind, but especially of the superfine kinds, on a scale hitherto practised only by Nazi Germany.

Hitler is now sprawled over Europe. Our offensive springs are being slowly compressed, and we must resolutely and methodically prepare ourselves for the campaigns of 1941 and 1942. Two or three years are not a long time, even in our short, precarious lives. They are nothing in the history of the nation, and when we are doing the finest thing in the world, and have the honour to be the sole champion of the liberties of all Europe, we must not grudge these years of weary as we toil and struggle through them. It does not follow that our energies in future years will be exclusively confined to defending ourselves and our possessions. Many opportunities may lie open to amphibious power, and we must be ready to take advantage of them.

One of the ways to bring this war to a speedy end is to convince the enemy, not by words, but by deeds, that we have both the will and the means, not only to go on indefinitely but to strike heavy and unexpected blows. The road to victory may not be so long as we expect. But we have no right to count upon this. Be it long or short, rough or smooth, we mean to reach our journey's end.

It is our intention to maintain and enforce a strict blockade not only of Germany but of Italy, France, and all the other countries that have fallen into the German power. I read in the papers that Herr Hitler has also proclaimed a strict blockade of the British Islands. No one can complain of that. I remember the Kaiser doing it in the last war. What indeed would be a matter of general complaint would be if we were to prolong the agony of all Europe by allowing food to come in to nourish the Nazis and aid their war effort, or to allow food to go in to the subjugated peoples, which certainly would be pillaged off them by their Nazi conquerors.

There have been many proposals, founded on the highest motives, that food should be allowed to pass the blockade for the relief of these populations. I regret that we must refuse these requests. The Nazis declare that they have created a new unified economy in Europe. They have repeatedly stated that they possess ample reserves of food and that they can feed their captive peoples.

In a German broadcast of 27th June it was said that while Mr. Hoover's plan for relieving France, Belgium, and Holland deserved commendation, the German forces had already taken the necessary steps. We know that in Norway when the German troops went in, there were food supplies to last for a year. We know that Poland, though not a rich country, usually produces sufficient food for her people. Moreover, the other countries which Herr Hitler has invaded all held considerable stocks when the Germans entered and are themselves, in many cases, very substantial food producers. If all this food is not available now, it can only be because it has been removed to feed the people of Germany and to give them increased rations - for a change - during the last few months.

At this season of the year and for some months to come, there is the least chance of scarcity as the harvest has just been gathered in. The only agencies which can create famine in any part of Europe now and during the coming winter, will be German exactions or German failure to distribute the supplies which they command.

There is another aspect. Many of the most valuable foods are essential to the manufacture of vital war material. Fats are used to make explosives. Potatoes make the alcohol for motor spirit. The plastic materials now so largely used in the construction of aircraft are made of milk. If the Germans use these commodities to help them to bomb our women and children, rather than to feed the populations who produce them, we may be sure that imported foods would go the same way, directly or indirectly, or be employed to relieve the enemy of the responsibilities he has so wantonly assumed.

Let Hitler bear his responsibilities to the full and let the peoples of Europe who groan beneath his yoke aid in every way the coming of the day when that yoke will be broken. Meanwhile, we can and we will arrange in advance for the speedy entry of food into any part of the enslaved area, when this part has been wholly cleared of German forces, and has genuinely regained its freedom. We shall do our best to encourage the building up of reserves of food all over the world, so that there will always be held up before the eyes of the peoples of Europe, including - I say deliberately - the German and Austrian peoples, the certainty that the shattering of the Nazi power will bring to them all immediate food, freedom and peace.

Rather more than a quarter of a year has passed since the new Government came into power in this country. What a cataract of disaster has poured out upon us since then. The trustful Dutch overwhelmed; their beloved and respected Sovereign driven into exile; the peaceful city of Rotterdam the scene of a massacre as hideous and brutal as anything in the Thirty Years' War. Belgium invaded and beaten down; our own fine Expeditionary Force, which King Leopold called to his rescue, cut off and almost captured, escaping as it seemed only by a miracle and with the loss of all its equipment; our Ally, France, out; Italy in against us; all France in the power of the enemy, all its arsenals and vast masses of military material converted or convertible to the enemy's use; a puppet Government set up at Vichy which may at any moment be forced to become our foe; the whole Western seaboard of Europe from the North Cape to the Spanish frontier in German hands; all the ports, all the air-fields on this immense front, employed against us as potential springboards of invasion.  Moreover, the German air power, numerically so far outstripping ours, has been brought so close to our Island that what we used to dread greatly has come to pass and the hostile bombers not only reach our shores in a few minutes and from many directions, but can be escorted by their fighting aircraft.

Why, Sir, if we had been confronted at the beginning of May with such a prospect, it would have seemed incredible that at the end of a period of horror and disaster, or at this point in a period of horror and disaster, we should stand erect, sure of ourselves, masters of our fate and with the conviction of final victory burning unquenchable in our hearts. Few would have believed we could survive; none would have believed that we should to-day not only feel stronger but should actually be stronger than we have ever been before.

Let us see what has happened on the other side of the scales. The British nation and the British Empire finding themselves alone, stood undismayed against disaster. No one flinched or wavered; nay, some who formerly thought of peace, now think only of war. Our people are united and resolved, as they have never been before. Death and ruin have become small things compared with the shame of defeat or failure in duty.

We cannot tell what lies ahead. It may be that even greater ordeals lie before us. We shall face whatever is coming to us. We are sure of ourselves and of our cause and that is the supreme fact which has emerged in these months of trial.

Meanwhile, we have not only fortified our hearts but our Island. We have rearmed and rebuilt our armies in a degree which would have been deemed impossible a few months ago. We have ferried across the Atlantic, in the month of July, thanks to our friends over there, an immense mass of munitions of all kinds, cannon, rifles, machine-guns, cartridges, and shell, all safely landed without the loss of a gun or a round. The output of our own factories, working as they have never worked before, has poured forth to the troops. The whole British Army is at home. More than 2,000,000 determined men have rifles and bayonets in their hands to-night and three-quarters of them are in regular military formations. We have never had armies like this in our Island in time of war. The whole Island bristles against invaders, from the sea or from the air.

As I explained to the House in the middle of June, the stronger our Army at home, the larger must the invading expedition be, and the larger the invading expedition, the less difficult will be the task of the Navy in detecting its assembly and in intercepting and destroying it on passage; and the greater also would be the difficulty of feeding and supplying the invaders if ever they landed, in the teeth of continuous naval and air attack on their communications. All this is classical and venerable doctrine. As in Nelson's day, the maxim holds, "Our first line of defence is the enemy's ports." Now air reconnaissance and photography have brought to an old principle a new and potent aid.

Our Navy is far stronger than it was at the beginning of the war. The great flow of new construction set on foot at the outbreak is now beginning to come in. We hope our friends across the ocean will send us a timely reinforcement to bridge the gap between the peace flotillas of 1939 and the war flotillas of 1941. There is no difficulty in sending such aid. The seas and oceans are open. The U-boats are contained. The magnetic mine is, up to the present time, effectively mastered. The merchant tonnage under the British flag, after a year of unlimited U-boat war, after eight months of intensive mining attack, is larger than when we began. We have, in addition, under our control at least 4,000,000 tons of shipping from the captive countries which has taken refuge here or in the harbours of the Empire. Our stocks of food of all kinds are far more abundant than in the days of peace and a large and growing programme of food production is on foot.

Why do I say all this? Not assuredly to boast; not assuredly to give the slightest countenance to complacency. The dangers we face are still enormous, but so are our advantages and resources.

I recount them because the people have a right to know that there are solid grounds for the confidence which we feel, and that we have good reason to believe ourselves capable, as I said in a very dark hour two months ago, of continuing the war "if necessary alone, if necessary for years." I say it also because the fact that the British Empire stands invincible, and that Nazidom is still being resisted, will kindle again the spark of hope in the breasts of hundreds of millions of downtrodden or despairing men and women throughout Europe, and far beyond its bounds, and that from these sparks there will presently come cleansing and devouring flame.

The great air battle which has been in progress over this Island for the last few weeks has recently attained a high intensity. It is too soon to attempt to assign limits either to its scale or to its duration. We must certainly expect that greater efforts will be made by the enemy than any he has so far put forth. Hostile air fields are still being developed in France and the Low Countries, and the movement of squadrons and material for attacking us is still proceeding.

It is quite plain that Herr Hitler could not admit defeat in his air attack on Great Britain without sustaining most serious injury. If, after all his boastings and blood-curdling threats and lurid accounts trumpeted round the world of the damage he has inflicted, of the vast numbers of our Air Force he has shot down, so he says, with so little loss to himself; if after tales of the panic-stricken British crushed in their holes cursing the plutocratic Parliament which has led them to such a plight; if after all this his whole air onslaught were forced after a while tamely to peter out, the Fuehrer's reputation for veracity of statement might be seriously impugned. We may be sure, therefore, that he will continue as long as he has the strength to do so, and as long as any preoccupations he may have in respect of the Russian Air Force allow him to do so.

On the other hand, the conditions and course of the fighting have so far been favourable to us. I told the House two months ago that whereas in France our fighter aircraft were wont to inflict a loss of two or three to one upon the Germans, and in the fighting at Dunkirk, which was a kind of no-man's-land, a loss of about three or four to one, we expected that in an attack on this Island we should achieve a larger ratio. This has certainly come true. It must also be remembered that all the enemy machines and pilots which are shot down over our Island, or over the seas which surround it, are either destroyed or captured; whereas a considerable proportion of our machines, and also of our pilots, are saved, and soon again in many cases come into action.

A vast and admirable system of salvage, directed by the Ministry of Aircraft Production, ensures the speediest return to the fighting line of damaged machines, and the most provident and speedy use of all the spare parts and material. At the same time the splendid, nay, astounding increase in the output and repair of British aircraft and engines which Lord Beaverbrook has achieved by a genius of organisation and drive, which looks like magic, has given us overflowing reserves of every type of aircraft, and an ever-mounting stream of production both in quantity and quality.

The enemy is, of course, far more numerous than we are. But our new production already, as I am advised, largely exceeds his, and the American production is only just beginning to flow in. It is a fact, as I see from my daily returns, that our bomber and fighter strength now, after all this fighting, are larger than they have ever been. We believe that we shall be able to continue the air struggle indefinitely and as long as the enemy pleases, and the longer it continues the more rapid will be our approach, first towards that parity, and then into that superiority in the air, upon which in a large measure the decision of the war depends.

The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the world war by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.

All hearts go out to the fighter pilots, whose brilliant actions we see with our own eyes day after day; but we must never forget that all the time, night after night, month after month, our bomber squadrons travel far into Germany, find their targets in the darkness by the highest navigational skill, aim their attacks, often under the heaviest fire, often with serious loss, with deliberate careful discrimination, and inflict shattering blows upon the whole of the technical and war-making structure of the Nazi power. On no part of the Royal Air Force does the weight of the war fall more heavily than on the daylight bombers who will play an invaluable part in the case of invasion and whose unflinching zeal it has been necessary in the meanwhile on numerous occasions to restrain.

We are able to verify the results of bombing military targets in Germany, not only by reports which reach us through many sources, but also, of course, by photography. I have no hesitation in saying that this process of bombing the military industries and communications of Germany and the air bases and storage depots from which we are attacked, which process will continue upon an ever-increasing scale until the end of the war, and may in another year attain dimensions hitherto undreamed of, affords one at least of the most certain, if not the shortest of all the roads to victory. Even if the Nazi legions stood triumphant on the Black Sea, or indeed upon the Caspian, even if Hitler was at the gates of India, it would profit him nothing if at the same time the entire economic and scientific apparatus of German war power lay shattered and pulverised at home.

The fact that the invasion of this Island upon a large scale has become a far more difficult operation with every week that has passed since we saved our Army at Dunkirk, and our very great preponderance of sea-power enable us to turn our eyes and to turn our strength increasingly towards the Mediterranean and against that other enemy who, without the slightest provocation, coldly and deliberately, for greed and gain, stabbed France in the back in the moment of her agony, and is now marching against us in Africa.

The defection of France has, of course, been deeply damaging to our position in what is called, somewhat oddly, the Middle East. In the defence of Somaliland, for instance, we had counted upon strong French forces attacking the Italians from Jibuti. We had counted also upon the use of the French naval and air bases in the Mediterranean, and particularly upon the North African shore. We had counted upon the French Fleet. Even though metropolitan France was temporarily overrun, there was no reason why the French Navy, substantial parts of the French Army, the French Air Force and the French Empire overseas should not have continued the struggle at our side.

Shielded by overwhelming sea-power, possessed of invaluable strategic bases and of ample funds, France might have remained one of the great combatants in the struggle. By so doing, France would have preserved the continuity of her life, and the French Empire might have advanced with the British Empire to the rescue of the independence and integrity of the French Motherland.

In our own case, if we had been put in the terrible position of France, a contingency now happily impossible, although, of course, it would have been the duty of all war leaders to fight on here to the end, it would also have been their duty, as I indicated in my speech of 4th June, to provide as far as possible for the Naval security of Canada and our Dominions and to make sure they had the means to carry the struggle from beyond the oceans. Most of the other countries that have been overrun by Germany for the time being have preserved valiantly and faithfully. The Czechs, the Poles, the Norwegians, the Dutch, the Belgians are still in the field, sword in hand, recognised by Great Britain and the United States as the sole representative authorities and lawful Governments of their respective States.

That France alone should lie prostrate at this moment, is the crime, not of a great and noble nation, but of what are called "the men of Vichy." We have profound sympathy with the French people. Our old comradeship with France is not dead. In General de Gaulle and his gallant band, that comradeship takes an effective form. These free Frenchmen have been condemned to death by Vichy, but the day will come, as surely as the sun will rise to-morrow, when their names will be held in honour, and their names will be graven in stone in the streets and villages of a France restored in a liberated Europe to its full freedom and its ancient fame.

But this conviction which I feel of the future cannot affect the immediate problems which confront us in the Mediterranean and in Africa. It had been decided some time before the beginning of the war not to defend the Protectorate of Somaliland. That policy was changed when the French gave in, and when our small forces there, a few battalions, a few guns, were attacked by all the Italian troops, nearly two divisions, which had formerly faced the French at Jibuti, it was right to withdraw our detachments, virtually intact, for action elsewhere. Far larger operations no doubt impend in the Middle East theatre, and I shall certainly not attempt to discuss or prophesy about their probable course. We have large armies and many means of reinforcing them. We have the complete sea command of the Eastern Mediterranean. We intend to do our best to give a good account of ourselves, and to discharge faithfully and resolutely all our obligations and duties in that quarter of the world. More than that I do not think the House would wish me to say at the present time.

A good many people have written to me to ask me to make on this occasion a fuller statement of our war aims, and of the kind of peace we wish to make after the war, than is contained in the very considerable declaration which was made early in the Autumn. Since then we have made common cause with Norway, Holland, and Belgium. We have recognised the Czech Government of Dr. Benes, and we have told General de Gaulle that our success will carry with it the restoration of France.

I do not think it would be wise at this moment, while the battle rages and the war is still perhaps only in its earlier stage, to embark upon elaborate speculations about the future shape which should be given to Europe or the new securities which must be arranged to spare mankind the miseries of a third World War. The ground is not new, it has been frequently traversed and explored, and many ideas are held about it in common by all good men, and all free men. But before we can undertake the task of rebuilding we have not only to be convinced ourselves, but we have to convince all other countries that the Nazi tyranny is going to be finally broken.

The right to guide the course of world history is the noblest prize of victory. We are still toiling up the hill; we have not yet reached the crest-line of it; we cannot survey the landscape or even imagine what its condition will be when that longed-for morning comes. The task which lies before us immediately is at once more practical, more simple and more stern. I hope - indeed I pray - that we shall not be found unworthy of our victory if after toil and tribulation it is granted to us. For the rest, we have to gain the victory. That is our task.

There is, however, one direction in which we can see a little more clearly ahead. We have to think not only for ourselves but for the lasting security of the cause and principles for which we are fighting and of the long future of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Some months ago we came to the conclusion that the interests of the United States and of the British Empire both required that the United States should have facilities for the naval and air defence of the Western hemisphere against the attack of a Nazi power which might have acquired temporary but lengthy control of a large part of Western Europe and its formidable resources.

We had therefore decided spontaneously, and without being asked or offered any inducement, to inform the Government of the United States that we would be glad to place such defence facilities at their disposal by leasing suitable sites in our Transatlantic possessions for their greater security against the unmeasured dangers of the future.

The principle of association of interests for common purposes between Great Britain and the United States had developed even before the war. Various agreements had been reached about certain small islands in the Pacific Ocean which had become important as air fuelling points. In all this line of thought we found ourselves in very close harmony with the Government of Canada.

Presently we learned that anxiety was also felt in the United States about the air and naval defence of their Atlantic seaboard, and President Roosevelt has recently made it clear that he would like to discuss with us, and with the Dominion of Canada and with Newfoundland, the development of American naval and air facilities in Newfoundland and in the West Indies. There is, of course, no question of any transference of sovereignty - that has never been suggested - or of any action being taken, without the consent or against the wishes of the various Colonies concerned, but for our part, His Majesty's Government are entirely willing to accord defence facilities to the United States on a 99 years' leasehold basis, and we feel sure that our interests no less than theirs, and the interests of the Colonies themselves and of Canada and Newfoundland will be served thereby.

These are important steps. Undoubtedly this process means that these two great organisations of the English-speaking democracies, the British Empire and the United States, will have to be somewhat mixed up together in some of their affairs for mutual and general advantage.

For my own part, looking out upon the future, I do not view the process with any misgivings. I could not stop it if I wished; no one can stop it. Like the Mississippi, it just keeps rolling along. Let it roll. Let it roll on full flood, inexorable, irresistible, benignant, to broader lands and better days.

   

The Churchill Centre