Dad's Navy Days: December 6, 1943 - Home, but not to stay (20)

"I had a wonderful Christmas at home with
Mother and family. It was sure nice to walk
down Main Street and meet the people."

Leading Seaman Coxswain Doug Harrison,
December, 1943

[Navy boys back in Canada; Buryl (top), Chuck, Doug]

My father spent November, 1943 at a navy base in Lowestoffe, east of London, England, a place that was familiar to him, likely doing things that were familiar as well: Letter writing, sneaking off base to local pubs, and discussing what he and his friends had been through in Dieppe, North Africa, Sicily and Italy, and what the future might hold for them.

He writes:

     We spent a month there, then went by train to Niobe
     (i.e., a navy base in Scotland, the one he had first arrived at
     after leaving Halifax in 1941), received two new uniforms
     and a ticket aboard the Aquitania, arriving safely at Halifax
     on December 6th, 1943. [pg. 119, "DAD, WELL DONE"]

["Link to photo and history of the Aquitania"]

How he felt about his safe landing in Halifax, seventy years ago today, I can only guess. Likely he felt huge relief and happiness when he disembarked from a lovely ship, walked down a gangplank and planted his feet on Canadian soil again. I do know a much-anticipated reunion with his mother was only a few days away, either at his sister Myrtle's house in Brantford or at home in Norwich, Ontario. He and his shipmates had likely sung many songs about their mothers while crossing the Atlantic and now the time to rejoin them was near at hand.

I also know he had a lengthy and well-earned leave coming and he loved his leaves.

["Halifax: Seventy years ago, back on Canadian soil"]

About those days he says:

     "What can I say about fifty-two days leave at home?
     Draw it out... or say it was mostly wine, women and song?
     I guess that covers it without revealing too much."

Though he tries to leave most details about his time at home to our imaginations, I am surely correct in saying that very close to the day he arrived home he also decided, along with several of his closest mates, to leave home again, for two more years with the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. (In January he was aboard a train bound for Vancouver Island and a Combined Operations training program. He took on, in part, duties related to instructing new recruits.)

I suggest the boys likely volunteered for more work and action because they were very much aware there was still a war on, and though some of the struggles on the wide war front had finally turned in the Allies' favour, many were still dire. For example, during their ocean crossing the young men would surely have discussed, and appreciated, how the Allies were finally winning the battle against German U-boats, while realizing the action in Russia and the Pacific (among other places) was still very, very hot. And during their brief stay in Halifax, before entraining to Ontario, they would not have escaped noticing Canada's contribution to the war effort was massive.

["January, 1944; Father arrived on Vancouver Island"]

Seventy years ago, with feet on solid ground again, it would have been hard for young men, even those awaiting leave at home, not to volunteer for another two years service.

More to follow.

Photos by GH

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Please click here to read Dad's Navy Days: October 1943 - Homeward Bound (19)