Canucks by the Sea … (Book launched … thank you)

[Michael Ockenden]

The Court Room at Eastbourne Town Hall was full to overflowing on 7 November for the launch of Eastbourne Local History Society’s book, "Canucks by the Sea - The Canadian Army in Eastbourne during the Second World War".

Publication coincided with Canadian Veterans’ Week, whose theme this year is “Share a Story”, a project intended to pass on the experiences of war veterans to pupils in Canadian schools. The Mayor of Eastbourne, Councillor Colin Belsey, welcomed Commander David Coffey, Assistant Naval Advisor at the Canadian High Commission, who read a message from The Honourable Greg Thompson, P.C., M.P, Canadian Minister of Veterans Affairs. The Minister commended the book as a good example of telling and retelling the stories of the Second World War before those who experienced them are no longer with us.

Also at the launch was Patrick Eugene Dempsey, formerly of the RCAF, who had made a special trip across the Atlantic. His brother, Lawrence, a young soldier in Eastbourne with 2 Fd Regt RCA had been “adopted” by the author’s grandparents. Contact was broken when their home was bombed on 7 March 1943, and thank-you letters from the parents were lost. Lawrence was accidentally killed by his best friend one month later during a training exercise on Salisbury Plain. With the aid of War Diaries, Brookwood Cemetery and assistance from this forum, the family was finally traced. Patrick had flown over to express his thanks to the descendants of the Eastbourne couple for the kindness shown to his brother more than 60 years previously.

From the recollections of veterans, local residents, war brides, regimental histories and War Diaries the following units are referred to, some at length and others more briefly. 1 Cdn School of Artillery (O’seas) RCA, 1, 2 Special Wireless Units RCCS, 1, 2, 6, 11 LAA Regts RCA, 2 Anti Tank Bde, 2, 4, 5, 8, 19, 23 Fd Regts RCA, 3, 7 Fd Coys RCE, 4 Arm Div Sigs, 9 Fd Amb RCAMC, Calgaries, Chaudières, Concert Parties: Bandoliers, Forage Caps, Kit Bags, Tin Hats, Edmontons, Essex Scottish, Hastings & PER, Irish Regt, Maisonneuves, North Shore NB Regt, Perths, PPCLI, QOR, Queens Own Camerons, Royal Canadian Regt, Royal Highland Regt (Black Watch of Canada), Royal Montreal Regt, Royal Regt of Canada, Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Saskatoon LI, Seaforths, Toronto Scottish, Westminster Regt.

Research for the book extended to Germany. On 26 Aug 1942, a Bren-gunner of the Seaforths shot down a FW-190 over Eastbourne. The other raider escaped, but the pilot was tracked down and interviewed in Hanover. Another discovery was made in the BBC Archives in the form of the translated transcript of a broadcast on 8 March 1943 on the German Home Service. Pilots who took part in the raid on Eastbourne the previous day had given vivid eyewitness accounts of the effect of their bombs on buildings, including the one which destroyed the home of Lawrence’s friends. Another bomb of the same raid hit billets of 2 Fd Regt nearby: fortunately the men were away on an exercise.

The friendly ‘occupation’ of Eastbourne by the Canadian Army got into full swing in July 1941, and lasted until the run-up to D-Day. The Society’s book is the first to systematically record the events, and we are keen to gather further material for a possible revised or second edition. It would be appreciated if anyone with relevant information could contact us via this forum.

‘Canucks by the Sea’ by Michael Ockenden has 187 pp with 75 illustrations, some in colour. It is available with payment in Canadian dollars via credit cards (£7.99 + £4.25 airmail) from Harpers Bookshop on line at www.harpersbookshop.co.uk.

Eastbourne Local History Society is grateful to all those who have helped us to tell the story of the Canadian Army in our town during WW2.

Excellent news to hear about the launch Mike. Thank you for posting about it!

Karmen.

[Michael Ockenden]

Yesterday I called at Harpers Bookshop in Eastbourne.

They are receiving and processing credit card orders for ‘Canucks by the Sea’ via their website (www.harpersbookshop.co.uk) but there is a problem with the ‘Contact Us’ link. As I say, the book-order function is working fine, but they are at present unable to receive e-mails.

However, the shop is just down the road from where I live. Until the snag is sorted, pse e-mail me via this Forum and I will be happy to assist if there are any queries.

(Thank you Karmen for your good wishes.)

Michael Ockenden
Eastbourne Local History Society

[Murray]

Received my copy a couple of days ago and finished it that night. Well worth the read.

[Michael Ockenden]

Eastbourne Local History Society has just brought out a new edition of 'Canucks by the Sea - The Canadian Army in Eastbourne during the Second World War', incorporating fresh information and pictures which came to light since the original publication in November 2006.

The friendly ‘occupation’ of this south coast town by the Canadian Army got into full swing in July 1941, and continued until the run-up to D-Day in 1944. The situation in Eastbourne – training, collateral damage, strafing by the Luftwaffe, exercises with the Home Guard, billets, brawls, pubs, dances, girl friends, war brides, family friends, concert parties, NAAFI, cafés, air raids, accidents, suicides – was echoed in many other towns along the south coast. Canadians today can thus get a flavour of what life was like in Britain for their fathers, uncles and grandfathers.

The following units are referred to, some at length and others more briefly:
1 Cdn School of Artillery (O’seas) RCA, 1, 2 Special Wireless Units RCCS, 1, 2, 6, 11 LAA Regts RCA, 2 Anti Tank Bde, 2, 4, 5, 8, 19, 23 Fd Regts RCA, 3, 7 Fd Coys RCE, 4 Arm Div Sigs, 9 Fd Amb RCAMC, Calgaries, Chaudières, Concert Parties: Bandoliers, Forage Caps, Kit Bags, Tin Hats, Edmontons, Essex Scottish, Hastings & PER, Irish Regt, Maisonneuves, North Shore NB Regt, Perths, PPCLI, QOR, Queens Own Camerons, Royal Canadian Regt, Royal Highland Regt (Black Watch of Canada), Royal Montreal Regt, Royal Regt of Canada, Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Saskatoon LI, Seaforths, Toronto Scottish, Westminster Regt.

Compiled from the recollections of veterans, local residents, war brides, regimental histories and official War Diaries, ‘Canucks by the Sea’, ISBN 978-0-95476474-6, by Michael Ockenden, has 187 pp with 79 illustrations, some in colour. See the ‘local books’ section for purchases from Canada, which can be made via credit card from http://www.meadsbooks.com. (Incidentally, this bookshop, at 24 Meads Street, is at the heart of a district of Eastbourne which was ‘home from home’ for hundreds, if not thousands, of Canadian soldiers during WW2.)

[Barry Churcher]

Thanks Mike, I just placed an order for my Christmas present to myself.
Barry

[Michael Ockenden]

Fine, Barry.

If there are queries or if you need additional information about things which you read in the book, you can always reach me via the forum with a PM.

M