Fusiliers Mont-Royal Les

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Dianne
On one of my dad's letters he wrote D Coy, so does that mean he was with D Company?

Hi Dianne;

Yes, at the time (date) he wrote the letter, he would have been with "D" Company.

Regarding his rehab in Scotland, 15-31 May 45, this is the entry on his Record of Service which you supplied earlier:

"1CDN Recep Depot gtd ? 16 days SPL with mailr 15 to 31 May UK 15 May CPL 201| 7 aug 45"

to which I had replied:

"this says: he was granted special leave (from No. 1 Canadian Reception Depot) within the UK from 15 to 31 May 45"

He was on his own during the period 15 to 31 May, 1945, having been granted 'special leave', so he was free to go where he pleased within the UK, which from what you've posted, he ended up in Scotland.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Originally posted by Dianne
And this is for Karmen....I am very grateful my dad returned from the war cause if he didn't I wouldn't be here today bugging you gus for info!!! LOL!!!

Dianne

Hi Diane,

.... I get your drift

For myself, hearing the stories about people who served is a real education, and I love every time that people care enough to go the step of researching for more information ... and passing it on to family and others who don't know. I've passed on a lot of stories I've learned about relatives to family ... especially my daughters ... the grandkids are a little young still to "get it" though The oldest grandkid is in kindergarten

Karmen

[Keith Webb]

The Athlone Castle was built in 1934 and scrapped in 1965.

Source

"Union-Castle Line's 25,550-ton Athlone Castle was one of the fast new ships of the 1930s.

She and a sister liner, Sterling Castle, had diesel engines driving twin propellers and were capable of around 21 knots, compared to 15 knots of the earlier mail liners.

This enabled them to cut more than a day off the time for the 6,000 mile Southampton to Cape Town passage and establish a new speed record for the first time in over 40 years.

The faster service had barely got into its stride before the Second World War broke out and the vessel was called up for service.

Athlone Castle successfully completed several long-distance trooping voyages and was then allocated to the North Atlantic to help in transporting American troops for the D-Day build-up.

During the war the liner sailed more than 500,000 miles, carrying nearly 150,000 troops and vast quantities of stores.

Athlone Castle returned to commercial service in 1947 at a time when demand for passage by sea to South Africa was enormous.

On departure days people who had been unable to book waited for hours on the quayside hoping to be taken on board if a passenger failed to turn up. Occasionally one or two were lucky, but the majority waited in vain.

A Harland and Wolff ship, Athlone Castle was launched in 1935 by Alice Countess of Athlone. On her way up channel for the first time a year later the vessel exchanged signals with another new liner out on a pleasure cruise, the 81,000-ton Queen Mary.

In 1965 the liner was withdrawn to make way for the new faster ships, and was broken up in Taiwan."

[Garry Shipton (RIP)]

I use to pass the FMR armory often when I was an air cadet.It's built of beige sand stone with turrets at four places on the roof,with a large door in the middle.If you ever get to Montreal,you'll have to see it.Apparantly,their museun is also quite interesting.
Best regards

[Dianne]

Hi Keith:

Thanks for the picture and info on the Athlone Castle. The only thing my dad had to say about the voyage to the UK was that he didn't get seasick and that the porpoises swam along side the ship. Must have been quite something to see. When dad left Canada in Sept 42 he told my mother he wouldn't be gone for very long! They were just married on Aug 29, 1942. Little did they know just how long he'd be gone!

Cheers....Dianne

[Dianne]

Hi Garry:

I hope to be in Montreal later this Fall and the FMR museum is on my list. I wrote to the Regiment last June and still have not received a reply.

Cheers...Dianne

[luc désormeaux]

Hi Dianne,
I was a member of the FMR in the late 80's and at that time the museum was open on wednesday evening and on appointment if my memory is good. Don't know if you have read it already, but there is a book dedicated to the history of the FMR called "Cent ans d'histoire d'un régiment canadien-francais:Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal" which i can translate by" A hundred years history of a french-canadian regiment:Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal" This book is long out of print, but i know my public library has a copy of it. Maybe I can try to find information on the location you are looking for?

[Dianne]

Hi Luc:

Back in June I wrote to the FMR requesting info and I have not heard back from them.

Next time I'm in Mtl I hope to have time to visit the FMR Museum. I have heard about the book re: Hundred Year History of the FMR. My dad landed in UK in Sept 42 after the Dieppe Raid, there is a lot on the raid but not much info regarding their other battles in France. Dad landed in France in July 44. So if you can get any info that might pertain to my dad that would be terrific. I am going to see about getting the regimental diaries one of these days......
I am hoping to find out where he was posted in UK as I am planning to visit UK next year and would like to visit the place where he spent 2 years preparing for the invasion of France.
Any info you can send me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks....Dianne

[FMR]

Im a bit confused about all the answers you received and the original question.. What do you actually want to know? I am actually serving in the FMR and I am pretty sure I can get you the infos you need. We still have the museum and it is run by some veteran who have possibly known your father. If you can give me your father names Ill try to find as much infos as possible. The old archives are still papers so it might be difficult to find something but I can give a try.

ocdt Desautels
Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal
NUNQUAM RETRORSUM

[Dianne]

Hi ocdt Desautels:

My father was Cpl Joseph Georges Rollin D51353

My original question was where did my father train in East Sussex, UK from Sept 1942 until July 1944.

My father landed in Normandy July 8th, 1944, one month and 2 days after D Day.

Also, he was a POW, captured on the Caen/Falaise road sometime around Aug8th 1944 and was in Stalag 357 in Follinbostel, Germany. I would like to hear from anyone who may have been with my father either trained with him or was in the POW camp with him.

I did write to the FMR Museum but did not get a reply.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading all the messages and posts. I usually read them once a week or so and was happy to see that you posted a reply.

I look forward to hearing from you again.

Dianne Nowlan