Photographs: Combined Operations Training, November 1942 (2)

 The Black Watch (and a Few Canadian Sailors in Comb. Ops)

Learning the Ropes re Landing Crafts, in Scotland, 1942

IWM (H 25386) Black Watch landing after "touching down.”

6th Ben. Black Watch (at HMS Quebec, Scotland) Nov. 1942

Introduction:

It has been reported that thousands upon thousands of British, Commonwealth, Polish, etc., soldiers underwent training aboard landing crafts at the No. 1 Training Camp for Combined Operations situated about 1 or 2 miles south of Inveraray, Scotland, on the western shores of Loch Fyne. 

Inveraray, located in NW Scotland, is well out of range of most German aircraft so was safe from bombings. And the lochs and terrain in the area were perfect for putting all kinds of craft (and the crews to man them) through their paces. 

The first two drafts of members from the RCNVR who volunteered for Combined Operations in December, 1941 (about 100 sailors, including my father Gordon 'Douglas' Harrison, Norwich, Ontario) passed through Inveraray in the spring - summer of 1942. So, when the photos shared below were originally taken - November 17, 1942 - many of those earliest of Canadian recruits would have been serving upon British (or possibly U.S.) landing crafts (sprinkled among the crews) on the shores of North Africa as part of Operation TORCH which began in early November, 1942.

A12647 American troops manning their landing craft assault from a doorway

in the side of the liner REINA DEL PACIFICO. Two of the landing craft

are numbered LCA 428 and LCA 447. (Hudson, F A (Lt))

(Doug Harrison, second left, about to grab a rope)

A12671 Troops and ammunition for light guns being brought ashore from

a landing craft assault (ramped) (LCA 428) on Arzeu beach, Algeria, N. Africa,

whilst another LCA (LCA 287) approaches the beach. Lt. F.A. Hudson

(Doug Harrison, RCNVR/Comb. Ops, center, welcomes U.S. troops!)

Please click here to read more about Doug's adventures while training in Scotland.

The hired transport Ettrick, at Inveraray: Photo credit - link to combined ops.com

Please click here for more adventures related to 'early days of training' for Combined Operations.

Badge re HMS Quebec, No.1 Comb. Ops. Training Centre

Art Warrick, RCNVR/Comb.Ops., first draft at HMS Quebec, 1942

More photographs now follow taken by Walter Thomas Lockeyear, War Office Official Photographer, from his very lengthy collection of 3853 photos:

(Editor's note - When I first saw the photo below, a few years ago, I immediately thought that the sailor hanging onto the top of the right side of the LCA (landing craft, assault) was my father. "He's built like my dad, and he wears his hat on the back of his head - like dad." Then I noticed the date on the picture, i.e., Nov. 17, 1942. "Dad participated in TORCH, was in the Med. as of Nov. 8, said he was there 9 - 10 days, almost starved to death except for stealing some grapefruit juice from the Yanks, he said. Can't be him!")

IWM (H 25391) (1/4) Men of 6th Battalion, the Black Watch crouch down

in a landing craft as it approaches the shore, during combined operations

training in Scotland, 17 November 1942.

IWM (H 25391) (3/4) Same caption as above but with poorer quality photograph.

("Unfortunately, the better quality photos are not always available," says GH)

IWM (H 25391) (4/4) Slightly different caption appears on the back of the

photograph. 'Combined Operations Training' (in Scotland), 17 Nov. 1942

IWM (H 25392) 6th Black Watch running ashore on touching down.

IWM (H 25393) (1/2) Original wartime caption: 6th Black Watch negotiating

beach wire defences. Creator War Office official photographers (Photographer)

Lockeyear, Walter Thomas (Undefined) Production date 1942-11-17

IWM (H 25393) (2/2) Original wartime caption: 6th Black Watch

negotiating beach wire defences.

IWM (H 25394) Besides infantry troops, gunners are trained to land guns.

Photograph shows Bofors guns of a Light A.A. Battery landing from a

Tank Landing craft. 91st Light A.A. Battery.

IWM (H 25395) (1/2) A 40mm Bofors gun of 91st Light Anti-Aircraft

Regiment is hauled into a landing craft during combined operations

training in Scotland, 17 November 1942.

IWM (H 25395) (2/2) A modified caption appears on the back of the photograph.

IWM (H 25396) Silhouetted against the first morning light, 25-pounder Field

guns of 77th Field Regiment, R.A. landing from a Tank Landing craft (LCT).

IWM (H 25397) After landing, the 25-pdr. Battery goes into action.

IWM (H 25398) Man-handling 6-pdr. anti-tank guns from a

tank landing craft on to the beach.

Some photos in this series from H25383 - H25398 are filed under the heading “The British Army in the United Kingdom 1939 - 45”

More timely photographs taken by Lt. Walter Thomas Lockeyear will soon follow, taken in December, 1942, a few weeks after the above set were taken. I think after filing the photos from mid-November, 1942, Walter got a shave and a haircut (cost only two bits!) and went right back to work.

Please click here to view Photographs: Combined Operations Training, November 1942 (1)

Unattributed Photos GH

Photographs: Combined Operations Training, November 1942 (1)

 At the No. 1 Combined Operations Training Camp, The Royal

Kents and More Canadian Sailors are Put Through Their Paces

The 1st Royal Kents "are given a wet landing," as they wade

ashore at HMS Quebec, the No. 1 Combined Operations Training

Camp just south of Inveraray, Scotland. November, 1942.

Photo Credit - Walter Thomas Lockeyear, H25389 IWM

Introduction:

While collecting and sharing photographs re "Training for Combined Operations" by particular official war photographers Lts. Lockeyear and Tanner, I came across a way to collect and share a wider range of photos by both men, first off by searching for them under a slightly different heading, i.e., "Combined Operations Training." Yes, it was that easy to get more than a dozen of photos, most of which I'd never seen before. 

(Just as easy was getting more of the headings the mens' work was organized under, e.g., "Combined Operations Exercise." More and more pics soon to follow out of the 5,000 (approx.) organized under their names at Imperial War Museum).

The production date of November 17, 1942 is written or stamped on the back of several of the photos. It is known that several Canadians in Combined Ops - including my father Doug Harrison and his close friend Buryl McIntyre from Norwich, Ontario, Canada, were participating in the invasion of North Africa (i.e., Operation Torch) on that date. However, a few hundred other members of RCNVR had volunteered for Combined Operations after the first two drafts of Canadian sailors (about 100 in all; Doug and Buryl were a part of the first draft of about 50 men) had been shipped from Halifax to the U.K. in January, 1942.

So, it is likely Canadian members of the later drafts participated in training in November, 1942 at some of the Comb. Ops. locations scattered throughout the U.K., including at Inveraray (as seen below in the 1st photograph), home to the No. 1 Combined Operations Training camp.

Please click here to learn more about the training experienced by early Canadian volunteers to Combined Operations, e.g., at Inveraray and elsewhere. 

Shared below are photographs from Lt. Lockeyear's collection:

IWM (H 25383) (1/2) Original wartime caption: The Royal Fusiliers embarking

into American assault craft used for training purposes. Photo Credit:

Lockeyear, Walter Thomas  Production date 1942-11-17

IWM - Imperial War Museum, England

Please click here to learn more about WWII photographers - War Office official photographers 

Click here for more about the WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION

More information about the training purposes at the No. 1 Combined Operations Training Camp (about 2 miles south of Inveraray, Scotland) was included on the back of the above photo by W. Lockeyear:

IWM (H 25383) (2/2) Original wartime caption: The Royal Fusiliers

embarking into American assault craft used for training purposes.

IWM (H 25384) Royal Fusiliers leaping from their craft on to

the beach during a landing. Production date 1942-11-17

IWM (H 25385) Royal Fusiliers attacking "enemy" positions after landing.

IWM (H 25386) Black Watch landing after "touching down.”

6th Ben. Black Watch

IWM (H 25387) General view of the 1st Royal West Kents, landing.

1st Royal West Kents

Two photographs of my own, taken a dozen or so years ago during my first trip to Scotland (for research purposes in part), show somewhat the same perspective as the above pic:

Lt. Lockeyear's photos continue:

IWM (H 25388) After landing, the 1st Royal West Kents

scale a sea wall to attack "enemy" coast positions.

Please click here to learn more about the early experiences of Canadians in Combined Operations while at HMS Quebec (No. 1 Comb. Ops. training camp) in 1942.

IWM (H 25389) (1/3) (under the heading “The British Army in

the United Kingdom 1939 - 45” ) Caption - Men of the 1st Battalion,

Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment wade ashore from landing craft

during combined operations training in Scotland, 17 November 1942.

IWM (H 25389) (3/3) (also under the heading “The British Army

in the United Kingdom 1939 - 45” ) Similar caption as photo above

this one but with more details provided.

Another WWII photographer, another "wet landing" in almost the same location:

Photo credit - Official war photographer Major W. G. Horton at Inveraray

H 11185 Imperial War Museum

IWM (H 25390) The 6th Black Watch encounter beach wire defences.

Another photo by a rank amateur, but from a similar POV:

H.M.S Quebec, now a caravan or trailer park. GH 2014

More of the 'Lockeyear collection' soon to follow.

Please click here to view more very relevant 'Photographs: Training For Combined Operations, July 1942 (4)'

 
Unattributed Photos GH

Photographs: Training For Combined Operations, July 1942 (4)

Exercise Yukon: An Exercise in July in Preparation

for the Dieppe Raid in August 1942  

IWM (H 21727) Canadian troops embarking in landing craft for the exercise.

All photographs, from H21727 to H21737, are from Imperial War Museum

Introduction:

After a little searching around Googleland and a few items I had on hand (including a paragraph or two from AI), I discovered information about exercises and rehearsals for combined operations that were scheduled for June and July, i.e. related to Operation Rutter (which was cancelled before it went into full swing in early July), as well as Operation Jubilee, the raid on Dieppe, August 19, 1942.

AI revealed the following:

Major Rehearsals for the Dieppe Raid [1]

Most large-scale maneuvers in July were direct rehearsals for Operation Rutter, the original plan for the raid on Dieppe (later executed in August as Operation Jubilee). [1]

Operation Rutter Rehearsals: Throughout early July, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division and various British Commando units were stationed on the Isle of Wight. They conducted intensive amphibious landing drills and live-fire exercises in the English Channel.

Exercise Yukon (late June - early July): A series of rehearsals specifically for Canadian units (including the South Saskatchewan Regiment and the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders) held at Isle of Wight to practice scaling cliffs and clearing coastal defenses.

My father and Lloyd Evans, one of his mates in RCNVR and Combined Operations, both say a few words in memoirs about incidents that took place in southern England, and near the Isle of Wight, that fit into the time period mentioned above, i.e., "late June - early July." Wouldn't it be nice if either or both of them pop up in one of the following photos that depict activities in July.

About that time my father writes:

CHAPTER FOUR. A TASTE OF DIEPPE, 1942

It is very difficult to put a finger on where I was and when I was there because I have only my service sheet and memory to go by and neither seem to be up-to-date. However, I believe we went from Irvine to H.M.S. Quebec, then to H.M.S. Niobe and then aboard the oil tanker Ennerdale at Greenock in late April, 1942. Our barges were loaded on the ship too, by use of booms and winches. I do recall that before leaving Greenock one of the ship’s crew said to me, “I wish we weren’t going on this trip, matey.” When I asked why he said, “‘Cause we got a bloody basinful last time!” We got our basinful this time too.


During the trip down the west coast of England (unfortunately, my father does not include a departure date from Greenock) it seems we pulled into an Irish seaport one night; however, farther down the coast of England we headed south past Milford Haven, Wales, and all was serene.

We usually had a single or maybe two Spitfires for company. There were eight ships in the convoy; we were the largest, the rest were trawlers. Of course, the Spitfires only stayed until early dusk, then waggled their wings and headed home.

On June 22, 1942, my mother’s birthday, O/D Seaman Jack Rimmer of Montreal and I were reminiscing on deck. We must remember there was daylight saving time and war time, and to go by the sun setting one never knew what time it was. Jack and I were feeling just a little homesick - not like at first - and it was a terribly hard feeling to describe then.

Our Spitfire waggled his wings and kissed us goodnight though it was still quite light, and no sooner had he left when ‘action stations’ was blared out on the Klaxon horn.

Eight German JU 88s came from the east, took position in the sun and attacked us from the stern. It was perhaps between eight and nine o’clock because I had undressed and climbed into my hammock next to Stoker Fred Alston. When the Klaxon went everybody hit the deck and tried to dress, and being the largest ship, we knew we were in for it.

I got my socks on, put my sweater on backwards and got the suspenders on my pants caught on the oil valves. I was hurrying like hell and nearly strangled myself - scared to death. They needed extra gunners so Lloyd Campbell of London, Ontario (later to die of wounds suffered at Dieppe) said, “Let me at him.”

The bombs came - and close. They really bounced us around. The gun crew on the foc’sle of the ship was knocked clear off the gun by the concussion and fell but were only bruised.

The attack was short and sweet but it seemed an eternity. A near miss had buckled our plates and we lost all our drinking water. I ventured out on deck immediately and picked up bomb shrapnel as big as your fist. I noticed the deck was covered with mud from the sea bottom. I kept the shrapnel as a souvenir along with many other items I had but, alas, they were all lost in Egypt.

We arrived at Cowe (Isle of Wight) the next day with everyone happy to be alive and still shaking. It indeed had been a basinful. Incidentally, two German 88s were shot down. Norm Mitchinson of Niagara Falls was credited with two planes shot down during the course of the war; one at Dieppe and one at Sicily. Both were low flying bombers. His weapon was a strip Lewis 303.

The next evening, June 23, 1942* there was terrific activity. Motor launches by the dozen headed out to see what was going on, and it turned out to be the aborted attempt on Dieppe.

The next one on August 19, 1942 should have been aborted too. (Excerpt from "Dad, Well Done", pages 19 - 20)

*June 23, 1942 does not jive with the date of the "aborted attempt on Dieppe," i.e. Operation Rutter. Perhaps my father was witness to "terrific activity" related to the major rehearsals or exercises, e.g., Yukon.

Questions or comments can be addressed to GH via email - gordh7700@gmail.com

All but three of the next 13 photographs were found at IWM under the heading "Training For Combined Operations," as did the 3 dozen photographs in the earlier entries in this series, Parts 1 - 3. The other three fell under another heading, with details about it soon to follow:

IWM (H 21728) (1/2) Equipment being loaded for the exercise. 

("Training For Combined Operations")

IWM (H 21728) (2/2) Equipment being loaded for the exercise.

The very clear photo below, definitely a part of the series "Training For Combined Operations" was found under a different heading: 

DOMINION AND COLONIAL FORCES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45

IWM (H 21729) (1/3) Canadian Universal carrier and troops embarking at

a British port in preparation for a combined operations exercise, July 1942. 

Same photo as above but a poorer quality:

IWM (H 21729) (2/3) Canadian Universal carrier and troops embarking at

a British port in preparation for a combined operations exercise, July 1942. 

IWM (H 21729) (3/3) Clearly part of the series "Training For

Combined Operations" and found under the different heading

IWM (H 21730) General J.H. Roberts briefing troops aboard ship

during the exercise.

I share below a news article (post-Dieppe Raid, i.e., August 29, 1942 as found in The Winnipeg Tribune) concerning General J.H. Roberts:

Major General Ham Roberts - more details, click here

Photo Credit - Canada in the Second World War

Please click here to read a full entry from The Winnipeg Tribune as found on "1,000 Men, 1,000 Stories" concerning many details re the Dieppe Raid, published on August 29, 1942.

Photographs found at IWM under the heading "Training For Combined Operations" now continue:

IWM (H 21731) General J.H. Roberts briefing troops aboard ship

during the exercise. (TCO)

IWM (H 21732) General J.H. Roberts briefing troops aboard ship

during the exercise. (TCO)

IWM (H 21733) General J.H. Roberts briefing troops aboard ship

during the exercise. (TCO)

IWM (H 21734) An impromptu concert aboard ship

during the exercise. (TCO)

IWM (H 21735) Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten discussing

the scheme with troops taking part. (TCO)

IWM (H 21736) Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten discussing the

scheme with troops taking part. (TCO) “And Navy boys too!!” (GH)

IWM (H 21737) Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten discussing

the scheme with troops taking part. (TCO)

More photographs related to Canadians in Combined Operations and training will follow.

Please click here to view Photographs: Training For Combined Operations, July 1942 (3)

Unattributed Photos GH