WWII Stories by Canadian Veterans of Combined Operations
Found in St. Nazaire to Singapore: The Canadian Amphibious War
Volume 2 is back online at The University of Alberta in Calgary!
To buy the 2-volume set is near to impossible. To view it is not
Introduction:
I have been waiting to share an online address or a link to the rare book pictured above for many years. It is mentioned in several posts, and an old link was/is provided (until corrected). But the people in charge of posting the two books - filled with WWII veterans' stories (i.e., veterans of RCNVR, RCN and Combined Ops) - changed how the book was presented on a university website, years ago, and the books have been unavailable since that time.
The two books are entitled St. Nazaire To Singapore: The Canadian Amphibious War 1941 - 1945 and were prepared, self-published and originally distributed at Navy reunions (etc.) by David and Catherine (Kit) Lewis and Len Birkenes in the mid- to late-1990s.
My father's copies are dated November 1997:
The first page includes drawings re landing crafts (by DIL - David Lewis)
My guesses from L - R: LCP, LCM, LCA, LCT, LCI(L), LST
with a larger troopship in the background, e.g., Prince David
David Lewis was inspired to write about his own experiences in Combined Operations, and collect and publish the experiences of other WWII veterans, after reading a book (of collected stories, entitled Combined Operations) created by another Canadian in Combined Ops, i.e., Clayton Marks of London, Ontario. The path begun by Mr. Marks, aka 'Red', is mentioned in the President's* Introduction included at the front of Lewis' volumes:
*Don Kemsley was President of the Royal Canadian Naval Association, 1997
A fitting dedication follows the President's introduction
FYI - Clayton Marks' book is just as rare but can be purchased from me or from his surviving family members. Email me for details at gordh7700@gmail.com
Mr. Marks' history of the role Canadians played (as members of RCNVR, RCN and Combined Ops) in major operations of WWII (incl. Dieppe, invasions of N. Africa, Sicily, Italy and Normandy) and the stories from others that he collected and published in 1993 appear in many places on this site. The first half of his Table of Contents reveals the breadth of his accounts:
Front cover of Clayton's book
The above headings represent about half of Clayton's text
To read Al Kirby's fine account re Dieppe, click here
Clayton Marks, David Lewis and three contributors to the collected stories - all Canadian WWII veterans of Comb. Ops. - meet at Clayton's house in London, 1993:
As found in St. Nazaire to Singapore, Vol. 1, page 333
From the collection of Doug Harrison. Lewis sports the beard
David Lewis, foreground right, w beard, pipe, checks out Myrtle the Turtle
My father Doug Harrison peeks at the scene from centre of back row
Full story in St. Nazaire to Singapore, page 383
Please link to St. Nazaire to Singapore Volume one
Please link to St. Nazaire to Singapore Volume two
The collection of three volumes by Marks and Lewis make up the best history related to the war experiences of Canadians in Combined Operations that is available today. And my father's compilation of stories in book form is a very suitable companion to the three volumes.
Unattributed Photos GH
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