Still Lots of Baseball for Navy Team and a Rare Letter Home
Clippings from the Comox Newspaper, July 20 - Sept. 28, 1944
Doug Harrison (front) and Bill Grycan, RCNVR and Combined Ops
Lots of baseball practice at The Spit in 1944 - 45
Back of photo is stamped "Silvertone Photo Service, Courtenay B. C."
Though I cannot recall saving much from microfilm about D-Day Normandy (June 6, 1944) as found in the Comox newspaper, I'm sure it was well-covered by the District Free Press and other news outlets, including radio. I bet my eyes were peeled almost exclusively for news items related to the navy base at Comox, i.e., HMCS Givenchy III.
The clippings I share on this post relate to baseball, baseball, and more baseball, with a few other lovely items that connect us with the action overseas, e.g., an informative letter home, from the war front. Until we get to it, here is an item about baseball:
Navy No. 1 - in seventh place - will fill the last playoff position:
Mr. Ed Corson, a police officer and one known to my father (they had a wee disagreement one evening after Dad had a few pints)
The Navy No. 1 team will make the playoffs, thanks to "fast, crowd-pleasing" action, perhaps thanks to good pitching, some by "Navy's Arnie." I don't know if that was a misspell; I have a photo of someone by that name:
Don Arney (farthest left) sits on the back of an old car on The Spit, Comox.
On another photo D. Arney is listed as a Centre Fielder. (Dad is far right)
Chuck Rose, back centre, will be seen in an upcoming wedding photo
Two wins and a loss are recorded in quick succession in the August 10th newspaper, and Jim Malone is mentioned "on the mound." He appears in the above photo as well, big smile, fourth from left (at the back):
The newspaper has its eye on Ed Corson, this time because of a black one:
The Silverstone stamp that marked the top photo has lasted for almost 80 years. However, when in Courtenay Museum I learned the photo studio did not last that long. The store burnt down many years ago but many photos were saved. A ledger exists so that folks can look for old photos that might have something to do with family members, etc.
The following two photographs are from the Silvertone Studio collection:
Bill Grycan (RCNVR) marries Gladys Murray (sitting), Feb. 25, 1945
Bill G. is also in the very top photo, as well as the baseball team photo.
He is sitting in the passenger seat w someone on his lap! Gladys?
Navy team's coach, George Hobson marries Maudie Urquhart, March 7, 1945
Sailor on far right is Joe "Spenny" Spencer, good friend of my father.
PO John Ward (back left) and PO Doug Zink (front left) also attend.
The following letter "might serve to give local people a good idea of conditions in France" in the weeks following D-Day Normandy:
Another letter from the August 17th issue of The Comox District Free Press follows:
Our Canadian Navy boys, including my father, also visited Glasgow - mentioned above - when they were overseas. One of the fellows that went to Scotland (for early training on landing crafts) from Halifax in Jan. 1942, in the same group as my father, met his wife in Glasgow. Yes, another wedding photo follows, and a very close mate of Dad's stood up with the groom:
Chuck Rose (left), Al Adlington and wife Mary, and Mary's sister. Glasgow, 1942.
Chuck also appears in the baseball team photo, tallest man in the backrow
Eight Canadians from the first draft of 50 sailors to join Combined Operations
L - R: Al Adlington, Joe Spencer, Chuck Rose, Doug Harrison, Art Bradfield,
Don Linder, Joe Watson, Jake Jacobs. Northney III, Hayling Island. Feb. 1942
And now, back to the Free Press for a few more details about baseball. Hey, Navy's moved up in the standings!
Ed Corson's black eye must have healed up nicely!
Peaceful as it may sound in British Columbia, the war in Europe does hit home at times:
It's a mystery to me! Navy No. 1 team was moving up in the standings and my father was likely having a pretty good time playing third base. But orders are orders. Who made the order? And why? That's the mystery!
More news from overseas is reported in The Comox District Free Press:
When some of the Canadians in Combined Ops practised assault landings on Vancouver Island in 1944, they were joined by some dedicated young men known as Rangers:
More details related to Ranger Units (PCMRs) were found in later newspaper issues, and I will share more items in subsequent entries here.
Comox RCAF Station was near HMCS Givenchy III and airmen were honoured a few days before the September 21st issue of the Comox paper, below:
Also found in the Sept. 21 issue, a poem dedicated to P.M. Winston Churchill:
One of the members of Canadian Services mentioned in the snip below "saw action on 'D-Day' as one of the crew of a landing barge." If he was later assigned to HMCS Givenchy III he would be in very good company, i.e., with many other Canadian sailors who knew a thing or two about various landing crafts in action at D-Day Dieppe, D-Day North Africa, D-Day Sicily and D-Day Italy:
Photo Gallery
(From trips to Comox and Courtenay in 2012, 2014 and 2015).
I enjoyed snapping 100s of photos from the moving train:
I snapped this next one in Edmonton one bright morning:
Stopped in Winnipeg:
Inside Winnipeg train station:
Sunset as we roll west:
Don Westbrook, RCNVR, Combined Operations 1941 - 45
Doug Harrison, RCNVR, Combined Operations, 1941 - 45
"I remember Doug. He had such lovely red hair," says Margaret
(Maudie) Hobson, at Courtenay Museum, 2012
Inside the Courtenay dance hall, Native Sons Hall:
Courtenay sports teams inside the Native Sons Hall
The Riverside Hotel - oft frequented by Canadians in Combined Ops after parking landing crafts in Courtenay Slough - burned down in mid-1960s:
Courtenay Main Street. Upper apartment(?) : )
Cross the bridge and turn left into Lewis Park:
Boats still park in the Courtenay Slough as in the 1940s:
One can stand in Simms Park and look across the street to Lewis Park:
Ball diamonds in background
Concession stand inside Lewis Park: "Git yer Red Hots!!"
Orange building was my hostel for 2 - 3 nights during 2012 trip
During war years, sailors landing at Comox Wharf on Liberty Ships from 'The Spit'.
Please note - Princess Louise was not a Liberty Ship. "Riverboat gambler?"
Aerial view of The Spit; Comox Wharf is visible w a ship docked
Photo credit - Courtenay Library
Views of "The Spit" Navy base taken from the current pier in Comox:
The far (north) end of The Spit, not far from old ball diamond
Entering The Spit by hiking from Comox central:
Had I hiked around the far corner (above) I would have headed toward Kye Bay,
a place where Navy boys vacationed in the '40s, I believe. (To be determined).
Heading toward Vancouver via BC Ferries
On board map depicts my upcoming return home, Vancouver to Toronto
Leaving Vancouver Island via BC Ferries, 2012
Unattributed Photos GH
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