Canada's Contribution

So what? That's called human nature.
Guess what? It exists everywhere.

If this is true it sounds like they made an error in the first report so they corrected it in the following reports. Makes perfect sense to do so. Should they have not corrected the blatant error merely because the raid was a complete failure?

 

Does anyone have specifics battles/operations they would care to discuss.
Anybody ever hear of Operation Spring?

 

Wasn't that the one that followed up on the gains of Operation Winter?

Sorry, no, never heard of it.

 

While searching for more information about Operation Spring I found this and thought it was interesting and relevant to the topic.

If you're interested in Canada in WW II here is a link to a documentary film on that subject, made by Canadians:

http://www.valourandhorror.com/

Lots of information there.

 

Yes, very true, good one!

 

True on the first point, which is my point in my argument. I guess we just need to realize we communicate in a different fashion.

Second point, my point being it is typical American Press Hoopla to declare the USA as the saviour of the world, and the watch-dog too. That is my point that I guess you have missed; I wil be much clearer next time.

 

Roel, don't jump to conclusions. :roll:

 

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Perhaps you could also be more biased in your generalizations ..or not

 

Sorry, will try harder next time.

 

For the Canadian contribution to the 1945 advance into Germany, I suggest the Ballantine book on the Reichswald; there is an account of an advance on foot thru mud, with many soldiers getting thier legs blown off, and having to wait for help due to the mud - I must confess that as much as I have studied battles, equipment etc, I knew very little about the contribution they made, and the cost. At least most are aware of the Canadian part in the Normandy invasion due to it's fame!
I am guessing that Canada also supplied, or could have at least, much i.e. oats, wheat, leather, wool etc etc. I would be interested to know more of thier war effort as I only really am familiar with thier tank production.

Thanks!

 

Canadian First Army served as one half of the 21st Commonwealth Army Group. They advanced at the westernmost flank of the Allied armies moving northeast through France and Belgium, though 21st AG tends to get a bit mixed up during offensives and units can end up all over the place. The Northern Netherlands were liberated largely by Canadian units, supported by the British and Polish.

 

it would seem that the number of canadians in uniform in ww2 is a figure quit a bit smaller than the number of usa combat killed ,wounded and missing...mabey thats the reason for the scant attention..at least for american movie makers...i know canadian fighter pilots in 2 wars shot down enemy ac in numbers all out of porportion to their small population..

 

Canada suppplied five divisions (two armored), two armored brigades and a plethora of smaller units (including about a third of the 1st Special Service Brigade, aka the Devil's Brigade). There could have been more, but for a government decision to only send volunteers overseas (mostly a reaction to fears of Quebec's willingness to support a draft). Candian units served at Hong Kong (Dec 1941), Dieppe (Aug 1942), Sicily (July 1943), Italy (Sept 1943 - Jan 1945) and in Northwest Europe (June 1944 - May 1945), most memorably at Juno Beach, Caen, and in the Netherlands.
There was also a complete Bomber Command Wing (no. 6) and fighter units as noted. Over 15,000 aircraft (including trainers) were produced in Canada, and over 125,000 pilots and aircrew were trained as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Program.
The Navy had 365 vessels at war's end, mostly light escort vessels, and Canadian shipyards bulit over 400 merchant vessels and thousands of landing craft.

Casualities were 42,042 killed (22,917 in the army, 17,101 in the RCAF and 2,024 in the RCN). 54,414 were wounded and 8,995 taken prisoner (mostly at Hong Kong and Dieppe).

 

Long ago I modeled a Hawker Typhoon of the Royal Canadian Air Force; it was representing an example that flew in early 1945, I think from an airfield in Holland, and I assume part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force.

 

I think the invaluable Canadian contribution to WW2 is actually quite well known and appreciated in the UK - it is less well known elsewhere, though, as there is a tendancy to bundle them in with the British. This "bundling" is not really that incorrect, however, as the links between Canada & UK at that time were very close and the British and Canadian military were pretty well integrated.

Most valuable contribution - services to the vital Atlantic lifeline without which the war may well have gone badly for the allies.

 

Lonewolf I would assume its because the Diminion of Canada was part of British commenwealth. Canada did not recieve full independence till the 1970s.

 

Canada has essentially been running it's own affairs since July 1st, 1867. The British North America Act, legislation enacted by the British parliment, essentially gave Canada it's independence on that date. The BNA was patriated to Canada in 1987 when it was renamed the Constituition Act. Until that time any changes to the BNA had to be enacted by the British Parliment.

 

Canadian contributions

At the risk of being accused of flagrant self-promotion (true) and of abusing forum rules (inadvertantly, as I checked the rules and policies site) may I suggest that interested parties look at some of the books that I have either written or published?
http://www.servicepub.com is a one-man publishing firm that specializes in books on the 20th Century Canadian military experience as seen through its materiel culture.
One of the reasons that Canada's contributions remain unknown may be the lack of affordable, popular literature on the subject. We (Canadians) have a number of scholarly historians who write tons of books on the grand strategies and histories, but little to compare with the Ospreys and other mass-market publishers. Service Publications was founded by me 11 years ago because, quite frankly, I was fed up with yet more books on the damned King Tiger, the 12th SS (Hitler Youth) Division, the US Marines in the PAcific, the British Army in North Africa, etc ...
My booklist is unabashedly Canadian. Surprisingly (or maybe not considering the desire for knowledge), over 60% of my sales are outside of Canada.

 

Considering it's relevant and pertinent to the site, I can't see anyone objecting, I certainly don't!

Welcome on board, hope you hang around to contribute some more.

 

:angry: We had a beach, Gallipoli 1915... IIRC it was the 5th bloodiest battle in history and Canada wasn't there...

Don't neglect the ANZAC contribution simply because we didnt' fight on D-day; the history channel's whipping horse