Hit the Dirt

Boys in “C” Squadron Hit
the Dirt Fast When Bombing
Started on Normandy Beach

By Major F.O. Lewis, M.B.E.,
Commanding “C” Squadron, Elgin Regiment

Just prior to the invasion, “C” Squadron of the Elgins was stationed at Gosport on the southern coast of England. The men had been warned of air raids and told to dig slit trenches, as learned in previous training. But they had not done so. The second night the squadron was there, the German Air Force carried out a heavy raid on Portsmouth and Gosport and several bombs were dropped nearby. Don McLachlin, Charlie Raven and I went to get into our slit trench but found it was already occupied. The next morning there was dirt flying in all directions as the men dug deep into old Mother Earth.

When we landed in Normandy it was funny to see big fellows like Bill Taylor, Squadron Quartermaster George Martyn, Machinist-Sergeant Jim Chapman; the Corporal cook, Bill Couse; the Squadron Clerk, Corporal George Gilbert; the Glaab brothers, tank electricians; Jim Wilson, a mechanic, and Corporal Norm Darnforth hit the ground running with a shovel, even before the trucks stopped when we pulled into our camp area. Bill Taylor said he never would pay 50 cents to see fireworks again.

While still in Normandy, the squadron held a weapon inspection and a few rifles and Sten guns were found in bad condition. The owners were up for squadron office and punishment was handed out. The next morning a sign in front of the postal tent bearing instructions in mailing was signed: “Ex-Lance Corporal Rodgers, postal orderly.”

In Normandy, the demand for vehicles, especially jeeps, was greater than the available supply. The mechanical staff of “C” Squadron, consisting of George Martyn, Sergeant McLean, Corporal Charlie Carrico, Lance-Corporal George Johnson, and Troopers Sid Smith, Lawrence Hurd and Rose decided to do something about it.
 
There were many wrecked German and Canadian vehicles in the ditches. Some German vehicles soon appeared in the squadron area but army orders made it taboo to drive them because so many break-downs held up traffic. Then jeep parts arrived after every trip made by any of the above-mentioned mechanics. First, a chassis, then a wheel, then another wheel next a windshield, a radiator, a top, etc.- all scrounged from knocked-out vehicles along the roads.
 
This pile of junk had to be toted along from place to place when we moved, hidden in the trucks. When the wheels were on, it was towed. Finally the jeep was completely assembled and given a coat of paint, including the squadron signs.
 
The officers were watching the progress of the work with interest. This changed to consternation as later it was learned that the new jeep bore the same number as one of the squadron jeeps and indents for parts had been made out and signed by an officer.

The Regimental Headquarters had moved to Antwerp and here enjoyed a bit of luxury as we had taken over some furnished houses used by the German Gestapo and collaborators. This was fine until a German rocket bomb landed 75 yards away from the officers quarters and blew out nearly all of the windows, knocked down the plaster and tore the tiles off the roof. A group of men, including: Bob Thomas, Sergeant Fred Jones, Lance-Corporal Potticary, Jack Ferguson, Roy Burford, Lloyd Elliot and Bob Douglas, under Sergeant-Major Bill Stollery, was rounded up to nail roofing over the windows. Some officers, taking a look at the repair work under progress, overheard one of the boys say: “Why can’t the officers fix their own d___ windows? We have our own to do."

About two o’clock in the morning on a very dark, rainy night, the squadron pulled into a new area. All the trucks got stuck in the mud, one behind the other. The boys climbed out and looked the situation over. The ground was wet and water lay everywhere. There was considerable grousing among the boys with Ted Baldwin of Woodstock, Charlie Hall, Murray McNea, Benny Benoit, Harold Spruce and Jack Manarey doing quite a lot of it when someone wise-cracked: What do you think the poor people are doing?’