Searching for details about the Canadian base at Eastbourne

[Phil Bristow]

Thanks for your replies David & Darrell,
I'll follow through with the link to the Eastbourne Historic Society.
Dad mentioned being stationed at Nutfield Abbey in his letter.
He doesn't give the exact date of his deployment to Eastbourne, except that he was there when the raid occurred.
After my post yesterday, I discovered that a book was written in 2006 about Canadians in Eastbourne during WWII. That may be helpful as well.

I understand that Canadian military records are locked for 75 years after the war. That makes it 2020 before I can see my father's file and finally fill in the gaps he only refers to in his letter.

Phil

[David Dunlop]

Phil. The 75 year rule only applies to general public release of the records.

You can apply for a copy of your Father's Army Service Records at any time, for a fee, since you are his Son. They keep dinking around with the rules, so I would suggest having a copy of your Father's Death Certificate, in case you are asked, and his Service Number will speed up the search immensely. You should be able to find all the current requirements on line.

David

[Phil Bristow]

Thank You for your good information David.
I've found the address on the Gov't of Canada website.
I've also found an updated copy of Canucks by the Sea through the excellent Eastbourne Historical Society.
I'll let you know how things turn out.
Phil

[Lauren Child]

Funnily enough I grew up in Eastbourne. Your best bet is to contact (and visit) the Redoubt fortress military museum on the seafront. The museum covers local military history from the napoleonic era through to modern day, so they should be able to help.

It's also a fantastic museum, and napoleonic era fortress, to visit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastbourne_Redoubt

http://www.eastbournemuseums.co.uk

If you are in the area, Newhaven fort is a short drive and also well worth a visit.

http://www.newhavenfort.org.uk

Further away there's also Dover castle, including an underground hospital and the bunkers where the Dunkirk evacuation was planned and commanded.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/v.../things-to-do/

[Tim Bell]

Canadian HQ was at Sheffield Park... not that far away.

I have photos of the Canadians at Sheffield Park, Brighton and other places along that coast... no idea if any are Eastbourne though.

Tim

[Lauren Child]

The local paper (the Herald) has this more modern story:
http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/ne...-war-1-5821503

This indicates a date of August 11 1942 at 1am and either the newspaper may be able to look in the archives, or you may be able to find a copy of the original report in Eastbourne library.

[Richard Farrant]

The Command HQ of 2nd Canadian Division, 1st Canadian Army, was located at Hawkhurst Court, Wisborough Green, near Billingshurst in West Sussex.
When taking my military vehicles down to Portsmouth over the years, I stop for a break on the village green there. Once, one of the locals came up and told me the story, explaining why the Canadian flag was flying on the green.

[Phil Bristow]

Originally Posted by Lauren Child

The local paper (the Herald) has this more modern story:
http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/ne...-war-1-5821503

This indicates a date of August 11 1942 at 1am and either the newspaper may be able to look in the archives, or you may be able to find a copy of the original report in Eastbourne library.

LAUREN,
I just found the article you refer to with a paragraph giving a detailed account of the Aug 11/42 raid. It ends with "...it is amazing that casualties were so light - apart from the eight Canadian soldiers killed in a shelter."
That is indeed the raid my father was in. He wrote that 8 of 11 men died when they jammed together in the dark at the steps leading down to the shelter. He was at the back of the group and seconds before the bomb hit, he got a strange feeling and dove against a shed 10-12 feet away. He miraculously survived with only a leg wound. It's moving to read the account so many years later.