Salt Spring Island Archives
| Accession Number | |||
| Date | 2010 | ||
| Media | digital recording | Audio | mp3 √ |
| duration | 47 minutes |
334_Kennedy_Canadian-Scottish-Regiment_2010.mp3
otter.ai
8.02.2024
no
Outline
Speaker 1 0:35
Good morning. Welcome to the Salt Spring Island Historical Society's archive presentation. My name is Stacy Kennedy and I'm a new volunteer at the Salt Spring archives. My family's from Scotland and I recently became interested in the Canadian Scottish regiment. Today we would like to present some of the history of this regiment and the role that the Gulf Islands played in that history. But before we begin, we wish to give credit to the Canadian Scottish Archives website and the Saltspring Archives website. The Canadian Scottish regiment, Princess Mary's has a distinguished part in Canadian history, and the Gulf Islands played a significant role in making that history so distinguished. In 1913, there was a large and very powerful pro Scottish citizenry in Victoria, and they appealed for the formation of a Highland Regiment, which would augment the 88th regiment known as the Victoria Fusiliers. It had been formed in 1912. So on August 13, of 1913, the 50th regiment, which was also known as the Gordon Highlanders, was authorized. The Victorians of Scottish heritage immediately purchased equipment and uniforms to fully outfit the 500 men in the regiment. The 88th Regiment and the 58th regiment were then placed on local protective duty on August 10, of 1914. On the 16th battalion that Canadian Scottish was formed from four companies of unrelated Highland regiments. The companies were from the Seaforth Highlanders of Vancouver, and the 58th regiment of Victoria, the Cameron Highlanders and the Canadian Highlanders of Hamilton, Ontario. And although they now formed the 16th battalion, on the sea voyage to England, the battalion was still dressed in four different styles of tartans and badges depending upon which company they had originally been a part of. The first Canadian contingent sale for England on October 3 of 1914 and the 16th battalion was part of the Third Infantry Brigade, the first Canadian Division. There Gaelic model, meaning ready for the fray was adopted on the third day of their voyage. And then it was on December 16 of 1914 on Salisbury Plain that the battalion was subtitled that Canadian Scottish they sail from England for France on February 12 of 1915. Between February 17 and march 2, the Canadian brigade was attached to a British division for indoctrination into trench warfare. Now, the French defensive policy in the event of an enemy attack was for the frontline troops to fall back and let the artillery deal with the attackers. British Paul policy which was reflected in the course the Canadian orders, was to hold the trenches at all costs. So the Canadians first task was to develop forward defenses. At 1600 hours on April 22 of that year, the French colonial troops on their left came under very heavy bombardment, and it was followed an hour later by the first gas attack in the history of warfare. This was the very first time ever in world history that chemical weapons were used. And to the Allies. It came as a total surprise and shock They had no gas masks or any real protection at all. The French at longer mark and pilgrim were overrun by the enemy. And the Germans were marching on very quickly toward Eeep. But they stopped in Kitchener woods for the night. In the meantime, Allied reserve troops were alarmed, and summoned to stop the German attack. One of the first reinforcements that reached mousetrap farm was the Canadian Scottish. So close to midnight, they tried to get to kitchen there's wood through the fields. And just before they reach the wood, they were under heavy machine gun fire. Despite a huge loss of man, they succeeded in re conquering the wood. Now, this counter attack and just the sheer determination of the Canadians had safeguarded not only Eve, but also it had prevented the Germans from getting to the French coast, and cutting off all supplies and logistics of the allies. Consequently, that the battle that took place there was one of the most important of the First World War to commemorate that first night counter attack on Kitchener would at EAB. The reserve units perpetuating the Canadian Scottish and the Calgary Highlanders were an emblem of an acorn and an oak leaf on their shoulders. The war costs the 16th battalion, 5491 casualties, of which 1412 were fatal. Of the Victoria Crosses that were awarded to Canadians during World War One, four of them were given to members of the Canadian Scottish regiment and the man who received them or Kirtle sigh pack Piper, James Richardson, Private William Milne and Colonel William Metcalf. Now, during the First World War, Pipers were used as a psychological weapon to inspire the troops and instill fear in the enemy. Piper's volunteered for the honor of leading the charges from the trenches. And they regularly played the troops over the top as it was said. So as you can imagine, the casualty rate among Piper's was truly horrific. Piper James Richardson of the 16th battalion, won the Victoria Cross for his bravery in playing the bagpipes above the trenches in the Battle of the Somme. It said that he was exposed to intense enemy fire for an estimated 20 minutes. Piper Richardson is the only Canadian Piper to have won the Victoria Cross, which of course is the highest of all the British and Canadian military decorations. A quote from the letter of the grandfather of one of the archives members says of that war. I was in the Battle of Fluss, fester, bear and Eve and got finished along with my whole company in a sacrifice charge. It was eight o'clock in the morning with a bright sun in our faces. On June 3 of 1916, the King's birthday. I was in charge of two junior officers with a major they call it the transport lines who was court martialed. Out of the one and a half company of men, seven of us lived. My mother was notified that I was killed in action. Also the paper had the news. But on the fifth day, the Canadian Scottish found me in no man's land. What a country getting underground. Digging mine pits, what alive. We could never get up to strength. My company 250 was never up to 100 including cooks and Batmen. We had about 90 counter charging What a horrible life. The 16th battalion returned on the Empress of Britain on May 4 of 1919 to find that, like most Canadian Expeditionary Force battalions, it had no regimental home. So on May 7, it was demobilized in Winnipeg. Big. Then General Order Number 30 reorganize Victoria's 88 and 50th regiments into the Canadian Scottish regiment in 1920. And then in 1927, the regiment became allied to the Royal Scots. Her Royal Highness Princess Mary became the colonel in chief on April 24 of 1930.
Speaker 1 10:31
Those first years of the regiments life there were severe financial problems. In 1922, the CEO actually had to borrow clothing from the Seaforth Highlanders in Vancouver to properly equip a bodyguard for the Governor General's visit to Victoria. But their fortunes changed and public support increased. The year was 1927 and the Japanese were becoming more aggressive. And so a second battalion was added now, this was very unusual because at that time, there were only two regiments in Canada was to battalions. In 1931, Her Royal Highness Princess Mary authorized the wearing of the hunting steward as their tartan and with it came a uniformity of dress with the Royal Scots. The distinctive oak leaf and acorn of the Canadian Scottish uniform was specially authorized in 1934 for the first battalion, as an as an honorary distinction to commemorate the Battle of kitchenwares wood. And on October 12 1938, especial regimental Memorial Vinnie Cross was consecrated in Pioneer Square in Victoria. And that was the first occasion that the battalion wore the kitchen there's wood emblem for the first time. Now, in January of 1931, headquarters became Ganges and the drill Hall was Mahan Hall. The young men of Salt Spring Island were able to see the best sides of the older man under healthy conditions during that time. And that time brought together many isolated geographical areas of the island and it fostered a great sense of pride in the island. And it was often noted that Saltspring was able to show a greater strength and sufficiency than other units. D company was particularly strong detail of the regiment were placed on active duty on September 1 of 1939. And then in 1940, it was mobilized as the first battalion that Canadian Scottish regiment. Both battalions of the regiment were represented in the formation of this unit, but more than half of its first 750 members were recruits. There was a particularly interesting recruit who enlisted and he gave a real boost to morale. He was a St Bernard dog named Wallace who became the regiment's mascot. Today the regiment has a Wallace the sixth through lives in Victoria. By 1939, both regiments were on high alert. Saltspring men marched on the side pack, and they were bewildered at first but they pulled together and they prepared for battle. And then training began at McCauley point barracks on Vancouver Island, and it continued later at debrief Nova Scotia. In a drizzling rain on October 4 of 1940, the first battalion marched along Government Street. They boarded the steamship Princess Elaine, as the pipe band played sky Boat Song. It was an unforgettable moment and five long years would pass before the whole battalion came home. On August 24 of 1941 after training and de verte, Nova Scotia, the first battalion border to ship for England and they docked at Glasgow at the beginning of September. Her Royal Highness Princess Mary inspected the battalion in September and many friendships were struck up with Royal Scots who adopted and actually kept Wallace, the St. Bernard dog in Edinburgh Castle for the duration of the war. Two years and nine months of training in southern England would follow before it would be able to take part in the liberation of Northwest Europe. On June 2 in 1944, the Canadian Scottish were in Southampton when they were ready to be deployed to France. They boarded assault ships on June 4 in 1944. The third Canadian infantry division would be in the center of the assault from the see. See company under Desmond Croft and of Salt Spring Island would land under the Winnipeg command with the intention of capturing enemy position. The other company would follow along later to clean up enemy post. C Company then proceeded to St. Croix and the remainder of the company landed on the beaches.
Speaker 2 16:08
about 600 hours on D Day, David Croft and as the company we're sending to take the Normandy beach and go with Winnebago rifles. They were in a dance party, and their job was to clear the beach of snipers, machine gunners, wire and other obstacles to scout out exit points, and the guide the main body of the forth across the beach when they arrive about two hours later. On landing, some of the man in the advanced group did not get more than 10 feet from the landing before they were killed or who did. The open beach made an excellent killing. A major objective after landing was to capture the shadow goo. It's an offered plenty of cover for machine gunners and snipers, as well as ad machine guns. The millimeter guns hidden in haystacks, their objective was soon achieved. Here is major crop description of the capture. The man had number 50 to do with much older status, Catherine some killing some in our casualties were fairly heavy. However, we managed to get in and surround the shadow below. And we have plainclothes ravens used to set fire to the place if there's too much opposition in the building. However, after throwing a couple of grenades in the doorway, the enemy MBDA and as soon as the capture was completed, the urgent need was to press on inland and take out further into the opposition. The next few characters were sharpness and sozzled. Namely, same problem here. And then this was the headquarters area of the second battalion of the enemy's 76th regiment, which held several platoons of experienced well trained soldiers with carefully concealed armored positions. As made across an esteemed company approach these objectors they ran into heavy opposition. Here's how the action is described in the history of the regimen by Dr. Roy University of Victoria. major crops his company was having a sticky time of it. The company had scarcely gone to the southern tip of the woods, about 800 yards from the shadow hall with a hail of rifle machine gun in order for her to slow down his progress. As the platoons came into the open fields in front of me and the company commander seemed to be everywhere encouraging was man, all ranks felt like metrics recorded patient after battle. And about eight out to about 8pm. On D Day, the Canadian Scottish had cut its way six miles inland from the sea of all the infantry battalions of its sovereign grace. In the British sector that day, the Canadian Scottish have gotten the most violent kind of fighters to enemy defenses. Kotak Roy, it was a remarkable achievement, and said a great deal for the aggressive leadership of the officers as well as a splendid spirit of casualties were heavy. However, one platoon its economy, for example, lost more than half of the game when it lands on the beach in 45 minutes 12 hours, only 90. The following days, fighting was even more severe, because the Germans realized that the only way they could defeat the Invaders was to drive them back to see as soon as possible. It was around this time, the major problem is older the Jeep with a driver went roaring on the frontlines when they firing a machine and throwing grenades wildly, to give the enemy the impression. They were in a strongly held area. Fierce fighting to pinion without rest for the Scottish for nearly four months as they push their way through no care. Now they declare the Callaghan on their arrival and Kelly in late September, major crop was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel It was a follow up County on October the first. Although exhausted from their fighting, the Canadians had to push on without delay to capture the greatest prize of all beyond damage port of Antwerp. Its capture was vital in order to shorten supply lines from England to New York. To reach it, the Leopold Canal had to be crossed first, and any resistance to the Canadians attack on the canal was fierce with hand to hand fighting often take place, but it came under Canadian control. Then the Scottish had to push push. Then the Scottish had to push west to capture coastal defences on the shelf estuary, in particularly the town of Kazakh, which contained the enemy's divisional headquarters for that area. Finally, on November the second Garrison there surrendered. Here is the center colonels proper, proper description of the event.
Speaker 3 20:55
The German officer came out of one of the forts holding a white flag. He had to advance about 700 yards direct to the Scottish headquarters. I met him and we made use of a party demolished House to talk to her. I told him the term for unconditional surrender, and send them back with the message to us commander. It was not long before more like flies appeared. I went forward to the main port to receive the surrender of the garrison. The German commander had a nice look of pistol and token of surrender for themselves and his man.
Speaker 2 21:30
With this surrender the Scottish and other Canadian units within a day a few days seizure within a few days sees the last German pocket on the shelf. The way to ackward was now clear for this advanced to thinner, general guy since the commander of the Canadian Forces sent a message congratulate the troops for their long period fit under the most appalling conditions of grounded weather. One Canadian military historian and more of us to describe the conditions the Canadians had to fight under during the battles on the shelf as follows.
Speaker 3 22:04
The mid memory is on gray skies gray log on Julian dantas boots novel this blanket soaking wet, cold food, not just like the soldiers weariness that is as much fear as lack of sleep, and everywhere, but important.
Speaker 1 22:24
From the day until August 21. The Canadian Scottish suffered 627 casualties, of which 198 were officers and men killed in action. On September 27, they captured Calais now since de de Desmond Croft and had been noted for his aggressiveness and his desire to be as close to the forward positions as possible. He was later wounded at Neil Germany in 1945. But Desmond Crafton was there to meet the commanding officer of Calais to accept the German surrender of the harbor force. And with that surrender, all the German guns that had been shelling southern England were now silenced. The abiding memory of many of the men was a cold food matches that wouldn't light gray skies, gray fog, bone chilling coldness and as much fear as lack of sleep. A mother's memory can be heard in the heartfelt comments made when Desmond Croft and his mother met her returning son.
Speaker 3 23:44
My brother and sister and I left the hospital train arrived in Vancouver. Like the show, it was a terrible experience to see the hundreds of shattered, heavily bandaged young men coming from the train on crutches, and wheelchairs and on stretches. My father managed to walk with some others, but he soon had to write up a letter to his sister in London. My mother described how he looked. The change in him wanted appearance is beyond description. The quick and ready smile God, the cloud and look of suffering in his eyes, not only for his own, but even more for the suffering to see. She concluded her letter by saying, Every man, woman and child should be made to visit military hospitals at least four times a year in every country in the world, and they couldn't possibly be any more. All these young athletic bodies broken are paralyzed for months and years as a young lives matter. These places the stricken look in their faces to some will never fade. Although To get the site on the Ganges water when my father first arrived back and so it's been too big and Shaughnessy hospital for full time. It was a Sunday June day, and the last is crowded with people who had come to welcome him home. As the appropriately named Princess Mary began to dawn, there was a hushed silence that a huge cheer broke out when he appeared. My father was very strict. His right arm and a big task is obviously during the day
Speaker 1 25:34
to day, the unit remains spread across Vancouver Island with the battalion headquarters, a company administration company and the Pipes and Drums in Victoria at the Bay Street armory. M B Company consists of a platoon in Nanaimo and then one in Courtney at seal Bay. The Canadian Scottish regiment is is the largest unit in British Columbia and it's one of the few units in Canada that is authorized to have two companies as mission elements under the total Army establishment. A trip to the Ganges cenotaph will show you the names of all those who died under the coat of arms of the Canadian Scottish regiment. Princess Mary's May they rest in peace? And may we never forget their sacrifice
