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Sketches of the Restigouche

The Graphic

        THE NORTH SHORE IN CANADA
THE MAKING OF A BATTALION (Part Two)

        GOOD-BY CANADA

        During the preparation all the men were granted embarkation leave. For some it was the last time they would see the ones at home-for others a long period must elapse.

        At six o'clock on the morning of the 18thJuly the North Shore entrained for Halifax and the long journey overseas. The transport allotted to the unit was the 25 000 tons H.M.S. Duchess of York, and the sailing in the convoy with her were the Empress of Canada, Strathmore, Strathnaval and Orion. 1941 was a year when the Battle of the Atlantic was at a critical stage. U Boats infested the seas and many ships had gone to the bottom not many hour's steaming from Halifax. Six Destroyers, with the battleship, "Malaya", saw the men safely over the ocean. From ten minutes past twelve on the 21st of July, when the lines were cast off, until the coast of Scotland loomed out of the mist on the 28ththe Navy kept its vigil. Only one incident occurred.

        Five days out from Halifax the ships' companies were, "alerted" due to the presence of enemy submarines. Depth charges were dropped by the escorting destroyers and the convoy altered course. These manoeuvres discouraged the U Boats, for the rest of the voyage was uneventful. This was the first time the unit had been face to face with the German menance. It is a matter of record that Battalion behaved calmly throughout the encounter.

        HELLO ENGLAND

        The first British city the North Shore men saw, was Liverpool. It was a brief stay. By nightfall on the 30th July the Regiment had arrived in Aldershot and were established in barracks. The parade state then showed 37 Officers and 899 Other Ranks. A study of the parade state on D minus One- 5thJune 1944- with the records of personnel on the day of the "cease fire" order- 5thMay 1945- revels the vast changes that took place in the regiment's composition.

        ALDERSHOT AND AFTER-1941

        The remainder of the summer of 1941 was given over to more advanced training than had been done previously in Canada. Gradually the Unit was receiving its vehicles, training more and more as a Battalion team. It was a period of adjustment to life under new conditions, and although difficult at times, the Battalion soon adjusted itself to life in Britain. Many distinguished visitors came to see the men. The first of these was General G.D. MacNaughton, then commanding the Canadian Corps. He inspected the Unit on the 20th August. Later, on the 31st, the Roman Catholics of the Battalion held a special service which His Eminence, the late Cardinal Hinlsey, attended.

        To be continued..... (ROYAL VISIT)

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