Hi Jim;
This is in answer to your question: "
If there is any other info about Uncle Lee's training from Camp Utobia N.B. or Debert N.S. or even in England", from an earlier post.
In regards to training:
A 30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre - Utopia, N.B. (20 Aug to 2 Oct 1943)
-while attending this Training Centre, he would have qualified in all the elementary subjects of infantry training, ie: drill, physical training, first aid, marching, small arms training, bayonet fighting, gas training, fieldcraft, map reading and fundamental (General Military knowledge) training, or, in other words, while attending this Training Centre, he would have learned all the basic skills neccessary to be an Infantryman.
Trained Soldier Company, A 30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre - Utopia, N.B. (10 Jan to 18 Feb 1944)
- while a member of this company, he was probably employed on General Duties in support of various courses/serials that were at that time undergoing training within the Centre.
No. 1 Training Brigade Group - Debert, N.S. (19 Feb to 04 Apr 1944)
- while on strength of the Training Brigade Group, he would have been in one of the three Infantry Training Battalions that were within the Training Brigade Group. The purpose of No. 1 Training Brigade Group was to give a final four week course to reinforcements before they were sent overseas. This served to review and check their individual training and to introduce them to elementary collective training up to battalion or equivalent level. Normally, at the end of this four week course, they would be posted to a reinforcement serial (draft) and proceed overseas. (Note: No. 1 Training Brigade Group contained training units of all the arms and services except for the Canadian Armoured Corps.)
No. 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (12 to 22 Apr 1944) and No. 12 Base Reinforcement Battalion (23 Apr to 14 Jun 1944)
- while on strength of both of these units, his Infantry skills, would have been, more or less, finely tuned, so that he would be able to take his place in an 'Infantry Rifle Section', when the time came.
These are just a brief explanation of what your Uncle would have encountered while on strength of the above mentioned units. They all, more or less, took him from being a man off the street and turned/moulded him into a functional Infantryman, through the various stages of his training, starting with A 30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Utopia, N.B, and ending with his being stricken off strength of No. 12 Base Reinforcement Battalion, upon posting to The Regina Rifles in Normandy.
Hope this answers your question.
Cheers
