Here is their story –

The First Special Services Force (FSSF) — commonly known as the Devil’s Brigade — was a joint Canadian-American military unit of 1,800 highly-trained soldiers.

They were a group feared by enemies and were dubbed “the Black Devils” by the Germans.

Four men from Wheatley, four others from Chatham-Kent and two from Kingsville were part of the famous Brigade during the Second World War.

There is an annual reunion each year, which alternates between Canadian and American cities. This year’s (2025) reunion is in Helena, Montana, where the FSSF soldiers all went to train in 1942.

Roger Lamb of Wheatley, whose father Bill was a member of the FSSF, has teamed up with local military historian Bill Siddall and Wheatley Legion Second Vice President Tom Brown to bring the boulders to Wheatley and have the plaques installed.

The plaques are engraved with the 32 names of FSSF soldiers from Essex and Kent Counties.

The four men from Wheatley — Bill Lamb, Mel McCauley, Mike Cochrane and Clifford Foster – all returned from the war and spent many hours reminiscing about their experiences.

Other men from Chatham-Kent were Ivan Cooper and Jack Davies from Chatham, George Stocking from Thamesville, and Leo Bourdeau from Grande Pointe. Leo Bourdeau was killed in action.

A similar commemoration was erected in Amherstburg last year (2024) and Roger Lamb was there to see it. “It was quite a moment,” he says. “We are just continuing the Amherstburg project with our Wheatley project.”While the Legion is fully behind the commemoration, Lamb says he has to give credit to the Municipality of Chatham-Kent for stepping up with the funding. “We knew they were upgrading the Cenotaph,” he said. “That’s when Tom Brown used his connections to get it done.”

The First Special Services Force was innovative and the first of its kind, considered the forefathers of today’s Special Forces Units. It was activated in July of 1942 under the command of Lt. Colonel Robert Frederick, a highly decorated American Army officer, and recruits trained in secret at Fort William Henry Harrison in Helena, Montana, where both Canadian and American governments agreed to provide an equal number of officers and soldiers.

The “Forcemen” would be men who were resourceful, self-reliant and could operate in extreme conditions. Many of them were lumberjacks, forest rangers, hunters and explorers. Training was quick and extensive, and they became qualified paratroopers, weapons experts, demolition experts and hand-to-hand combat experts.

“My Dad never talked much about it,” says Roger Lamb. “But we had a lots of guys from the brigade show up and stay at our place over the years.”

The FSSF won all 22 battles they engaged in and never retreated.

A story about Wheatley’s Mel McCauley is one of those  that shows the tenacity of the Devil’s Brigade soldiers and their willingness to put themselves in harm’s way to help their fellow soldiers.Sgt. McCauley’s actions on a winter day in 1944 garnered him the Distinguished Conduct Medal, which was recommended jointly by Lt. Colonel Gilday of Canada and Lt. Colonel Frederick of the U.S.A.

“On the morning of 27th of February, 1944 on the Anzio Beachhead, Italy, the enemy opened up an all-out artillery and mortar barrage as a prelude to an attack against one of our positions along the Mussolini Canal,” said the report from Gilday. “During the barrage, our LMG (light machine gun) covering the enemy was put out of action. The crew, seeing the enemy within 100 yards, abandoned the gun with a warning to Sgt. McCauley that a break-through was imminent. With two riflemen, Sgt. McCauley immediately ran to the machine gun and in the face of machine gun and machine pistol fire from three sides, stripped the gun, readjusted the headpiece and brought fire to bear on the enemy, who were now within 30 yards of his position.”

The report went on to say that McCauley’s exceptional devotion to duty and complete disregard of his own personal safety was an inspiration to the other members of his company and was a material factor in turning the tide of the battle.

McCauley’s Distinguished Conduct Medal was the only one handed out to a Canadian from the Devil’s Brigade.

The brigade spent 99 days without relief on Anzio Beachhead before clearing the mountaintops and the liberation of Rome.

The FSSF disbanded in December 1944, but their honours still continue today. Those honours take the form of the boulders you see at the Wheatley cenotaph today, which will soon be permanently installed and commemorated with a proper ceremony.

Author:  Bill Siddall, Military Historian, Wheatley ON

May 2025

P.S. Hope you like it.

Tommy

Come on you jolly jokers

And join the Service Corps

You’ll see the sort of army life

That you have never seen before

From early in the morning

Till awfully late at night

You will find us always working hard

But never have to fight.

Rations and Ammunitions

Isn’t all we have to haul

For mules and Petrol

We often get a call

The troops we sometimes carry

As they go into the line

They’ll never have to worry

We’ll always be on time.

Early in the morning

Er’e the Div. is off the ground

The boys throw off their blankets and start stirring all around

Out come the dirty old brew pots

And there will be brews galore

We’re in that sort of army

Where good coffee is no more.

We left dear old Canada December 39

And now it’s 1944, we drink Italian wine

We miss Labatts and Black Horse

And OH that Limey beer

All we can get in Vino

In the army over here.

Three and a half years in England

And training all the time

We wondered if the day would come

When we would cross the Rhine

We all felt very happy

As we left in 43

When they told us we were invading

The shores of Sicily.

We drove our trucks off landing craft

To warm Italian sand

As we knew the First Division

Had the Ities well in hand

We drove up from Pachino

To MOUNT ETNAS loft heights

The roads were rough and dusty

We darn’t use any lights.

The Sicilian Campaign over

We started off for Rome

We came ashore at Reggio

First step to Home Sweet Home

Our trucks sure took a beating

As we travelled up the line

We couldn’t fail the Infantry

We had ti be on time.

While we are still in Italy

And the boys have helped take Rome

We think it’s time McKenzie King

Let us invade our home

It’s almost five years over seas

We think we’ve done our share

Conscript that ZOMBIE ARMY

Let us replace them over there.

Found in the papers of Percy Edward Taylor.  Used with permission.

Transcribed by:  Garna Argenti

29 January 2019

Note:  Possibly set to the tune of “Come All Ye Bold Canadians” from the War of 1812.

By John Rhodes.

On the 19^th of August, 1942 Canadian soldiers making up the majority of the landing force for Operation “JUBILEE” a raid on the French port town of Dieppe would turn into a horrible disaster, what follows is one man’s account of his actions that day.

“Well we left England in the evening and slipped across the channel in the dark. Just at dawn we sighted Dieppe and then the fun started. Aircraft went in first and shot up the defensives besides bombing the town.

About 20 feet out our officer turned and said ‘Let’s go boys, this is it.’ Just then the gate dropped and we charged on to the beach. I was second to hit the beach and our boat was the first one in. The beach was separated from the town by a mass of wire. We dashed up and started to cut the wire. This brought a downpour of fire on us. A sniper spotted me and dropped one bullet close enough to kick dirt all over my face and then whizzed one by so close it felt warm on my cheek as it passed. That was enough to convince me so I moved in a big hurry.

From then on things happened pretty quickly. The Germans began to bomb the beach with four-inch motor shells and also laid down a pretty heavy artillery barrage. About this time the tanks were landed and began rolling up the beach. This was the signal for the shelling to really start. The Germans blazed away from their positions on the cliffs and the tanks blazed back. I was able to get a couple of Bren guns and plenty of ammunition and dug me a little hole and set up a little nest of my own.

You really get a thrill out of seeing the Germans through the sights of a Bren gun. I fired one until it got hot. Then used the other until it was the same way. About this time the first was cool again so I switched back again. A mortar bomb fell behind us and I got a piece in my leg. Another fellow asked me if I needed help and I said ‘sure, go dig up some ammo’.

By this time it was about 11:00 a.m. and we were due to evacuate the beach. We slipped down to a tank carrier where I was hit, first in one arm, and then the other. We got a row boat off the tank carrier and four of us, with one oar, began sculling like mad for England. The Germans fired steadily at us and I stopped a slug with my shoulder. It hoisted me out of the boat into the drink but strangely enough, did not hurt. Just when it looked like we were going to have to row all the way to England, a boat appeared and picked us up. In no time I was perched on a bench with a belt of Navy rum and a smoke, I felt fine. We made England at 8:30 that night.”

Roy Jardine had sustained eleven wounds while involved in the attack and withdrawal from the attack on Dieppe.

Prior to the war Roy played hockey with the Chatham Maroons.

Also, on the beach that day was Captain James Ross Huff who was taken prisoner-of-war by the Germans and would not be liberated until 3 May,1945. For bravery in battle Captain Huff was awarded the Military Cross.

Gathering Our Heroes lists the following C-K names as fatalities on the Dieppe Raid:

ALEXANDER, S. J. A19237 – Royal Canadian Engineers.

DAVIDSON, R. D. A21692 – Essex Scottish Regt.

ERREY, V. G. A3762 – Essex Scottish Regt.

FAUBERT, G. R. A21366  – Essex Scottish Regt.

FOSTER, J. A. A21704 – Essex Scottish Regt.

HALL, A. H. A19167 – Royal Canadian Engineers.

LENNOX, A. A21567 – Essex Scottish Regt.

MILLEN, E. T. B67723 – Royal Regt. of Canada.

RIEDL, V. A22905 – Essex Scottish Regt.

STAINTON, T. A22099 – Essex Scottish Regt.

STEERS, W. J. A22205 – Essex Scottish Regt.

TAYLOR, W. G. A21888 – Essex Scottish Regt.

TOWLE, R.K. A22345 – Essex Scottish Regt.

There were 6,000 Allied troops on the Dieppe Raid

5,000 were Canadian of those:

807 Killed in Action.

28 Died of Wounds.

1,946 Prisoners of War – Taken.

72 Died as Prisoners Of War.

586 Wounded In Action.

1. Hind

Curator – Gathering Our Heroes.

Born 17/01/19 in Keithly, Yorkshire, England. Son of Robert and Rebecca Anderson. Robert a member of the CEF had married and thought of staying in the UK. In 1920 now with ten month old Robert the family immigrated to Canada, eventually settling in Chatham, ON. at 12 Harvey St. Robert Sr. would pass away in 1927 leaving Rebecca with Robert Jr. and two sisters Jean and Margaret. It was a tough life on Rebecca and her children money being very short but they persisted.

To help out Robert Joined the Kent Regt. they paid 50 cents a night and it was while with the Kents that he picked up the nickname ‘Rocky’ partly due his liking to box. Robert also joined the Boy Scouts, likely a good source of male supervision he lacked due to the loss of his father. While attending the Kent’s for military training ‘Rocky’ acquired a familiarity with the military and the use of weapons, in particular the Lewis light machine gun.

Robert attended Central School and then Chatham Vocational School. After CVS he worked as a baker, truck driver, motor mechanic and up to his enlistment he word at Goodison’s Fishery.

Enlisted 2/02/1942 in London, ON. to the Royal Canadian Regiment. He would train at Wosley Barracks, London and then to Valcartier, PQ. ‘Rocky’ went overseas 18/12/1939 arriving in England on 30/12/1939 and due to the dire conditions on the continent went to France seeing action as a Lance Sergeant, with the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards, R.C.A.C. He would ultimately see the shore of France at Dunkirk as one of the 338,000 evacuated from Europe.

During the next months in England while they tried to rebuild and re-equip the Army in England Robert would have some free time during which he met a nurse Betty White and they fell in love. Sadly Betty would become one of the many victims of the German “Blitz” in 1940 on London.
After nurse White’s death Robert joined the commandos perhaps to help him forget the pain of losing his fiancée the training probably helped. In October of 1942 he became engaged to Eileen Mary Wilkes a Pte. In the ATS and they married the 16th of February, 1943 in Battersea, London, England. CDN 10/10/43.

In August of 1943 no attached to the 4th Recon. Regt. and part of “Operation Husky”, the invasion of Sicily and on to Italy the “Soft underbelly of Europe” ‘Rocky would be wounded, recovered he returned to his unit in time for the capture of Rome June 1944 (D-Day in Normandy). On September 1st 1944 Rocky’s platoon was ambushed by the Germans six members survived the attack L-Sgt. Robert Anderson died of gun shot wounds to the abdomen. Amongst his personal effects was found one pair of baby booties, he and Eileen had a baby son at the time ten months old.
Age: 24, DOW, Date of Death: 01/09/1944, Reported KIA (actually DOW) CDN 12/09/44.
Eileen and the baby came to Canada to meet Robert’s family 26 October, 1944.

In and article in the CDN 9/02/45 Pt. John Griffin mentions “Rocky”; “We just knew him as Rocky and he was a grand chap, and well spoken of everywhere he went.” He knew Rocky had been killed, “and there was sorrow among all of his friends and he certainly had a lot of them.”

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference: I. F. 13.
Cemetery: MONTECCHIO WAR CEMETERY. Index of Overseas Deaths. {(P) C-K Museum}. ATNCB, CDN 9/02/45.

The Ivison family beginning with the father of the three Sergeants’ in the photo above was the first to go to war in 1914 with the 1st Battalion Canadian Expeditionalry Force (C.E.F.)

Joseph Ivison Sr. was born in Carlisle, England on the 31st of March, 1882 and had served seven years in the military in England with the “Cumberland Volunteer Artillery Howitzer Battery”, before coming to Canada. He was married to Mary Foster and had been working at the William Gray & Sons Company in Chatham making $3.00 a day. I was enough to afford a house at 175 Colbourne St., in Chatham. Joe was also a well known footballer likely skills learned while he was in England.

Like many in August of 1914 he was prepared to enlist in the army and he with 114 other local men boarded the train to take him to Valcartier, PQ. where he became Service number 6690. Joe was thirty two, unusually tall for the time at 6 foot 3 inches likely a man that the younger soldiers from Chatham and Kent County would look up to.

Joe wrote many letter home to his wife and friends and supplied a personal insight to the trial that the CEF would endure when they finally reached “France”.

Joe wrote to his friend Postman, Sidney Carter from Camp Bustard on the Salisbury Plain, Chatham Daily Planet 16/02/1915, “All Of The Chatham Boys in Good Shape”. His only complaint is the, “way our mail is being handled”. He says he is spending a lot of time around the cook tent implying that he’s becoming a cook and has his friends LaMarsh and Rayner to keep him company. He concludes the letter by talking about the future, “I myself am in the “pink of condition” and you won’t have to look for a centre half back when I get home again.”  [Clayton LaMarsh and George Rayner at the Water Detail for D-Company of the 1st Battalion]

Joseph and the other men from Chatham and Kent were involved in the 2nd Battle of Ypres and the engagements that followed that first “blooding” of the CEF. A letter written 17/06/1915 from Joseph to his wife carried some good news that, “I am well and safe, after the battle of 15 June.” However he goes on to report that, “with the deepest feelings of regret that I tell you about Joe JOINER and Dick DENNIS. They were both killed on Tuesday evening in our attack”. Chatham Daily Planet 2/07/1915

Joseph fought in the battles at Langemarck and Festubert and came through both unscathed. “We certainly suffered severely but our company did some splendid work and the wonder of it is how any of them got through.” He reports that that No. 4 company led the attack with the rest of the battalion following. At the end of that battle he tells that of 13 platoons ‘old Chatham boys’ only Sergt. SHEFF, W. MURDOCK, A. BATES, H. TACK, J. MOORE, W. EASTON, William COMPTON and J. IVISON survived unscathed. “we are a badly bent battalion, right now we lost all but two officers, Major SMITH, GORDON and Lt. McDONALD (former Sergt. Maj) were killed and CHESHAM and METCALF wounded.”  Chatham Daily Planet 14/07/1915.

It became evident in Joe’s writing that the war and the loss of close friends was a profound effect on him in particular when writing to the wife of his friend Pte. Joseph Joiner (6692) [Ivison’s number was 6690}  His letter begins: “What a lovely day it is and the last of January, it just reminds me of one of those mild days of spring which we were all delighted to enjoy back in the “old Bung”.” The ‘veteran soldier’ is too practical to forget the fickled weather of Western Europe, “we must not bark too soon, as last February and March were both bad weather out here.” He reflects that by the time Mrs. Joiner receives this letter, “the First Battalion will have been along the firing line twelve months.”

“If I could pen my thoughts of the last year I would give you a resume of our work, but abler pens than mine would fail. Then again, I am sure there are some thoughts which could only bring pain to several of us, so you will excuse me; won’t you?”

Mrs. Joiner had sent a photo of herself with her son Austin, which he took great pleasure and pride in receiving. “I was surprised to see Austin in the uniform of a soldier, I did not think he was old enough, but we must not criticize, but what an example it must be – yes, and a shame also – to many of the stalwart men you must still have hanging around in Kent County.”

One of the first men to answer the ‘call to the colours’ in August of 1914 as a member of the “Fighting First” Joe returned to Chatham on the noon C. P. R. train on the 19th of September, 1916, almost two years to the day of his departure. It was unfortunate that this soldier, who had served so well in the early battles of the war, was only met by a few close friends there was no official welcome due to a lack of notification, perhaps by Joe’s design.

During the war years Joe and another 1st Contingent man Clifford Morrice would be advocating to local politicians to find jobs for returning veterans during and after the war and both were involved in organizing what became the Veterans of the Great War Association, later to become what we know today as the the “Legion’.

Joseph Ivison is buried in Maple Leaf Cemetery, Chatham ON., with his wife Mary E. FOSTER. Joseph died in 1951, his tomb stone bears the emblem of the Kent Regiment.

When the Second World War began the Ivison’s were to be represented by three sons Hugh, Joseph and Wilfred.

IVISON, JOSEPH HENRY. Service No: A/50204 Sergeant, Regiment: Essex Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C. Born 10/09/1908 at Chatham, ON. The oldest son of Joseph and Mary E. Ivison, of Chatham, Ontario. His brother Wilfred (A50203) also fell; other siblings included Hugh and Ida. Joseph the father, served in the 1st Bn. CEF (6690) in the 1st Contingent and was one of the early veteran to be invalided home. Joe attended Central Public School and Chatham Vocational School. After leaving school he worked as a plumber and at Willards Hardware (1927 – 32), then at the Ontario Steel Plant on St. George St., Chatham

Joe, Fred (Wilfred) and Hugh enlisted 14 August, 1940 in Chatham, ON. At the time Joe had married and divorced Verna Hebblethwaite and he had two children from a common-law marrage, June Evelyn and Shirley Mary. Joe was accepted in the Junior Leaders Course at Magantic, PC for NCO training.

All three of the Ivison brothers went to France as Sargeants in the Essex Scottish Regt. Joe was killed by a German sniper in actions in the Caen area during the Normandy campaign. Hugh heard of Joes death when some men in his section saw Joe’s helmet hanging on a cross. Joe’s mother was notified by the Chatham police.

Age: 37, KIA –  Date of Death: 21/07/1944, in France.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference: VII. D . 3.
Cemetery: BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY. Christ Church, Chatham. – Roll of Honour. Index of Overseas Deaths.

IVISON, ‘ Fred’ WILFRED. Service No: A/50203,  Sergeant, Essex Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C. The youngest son of Joseph and Mary E. Ivison, of Chatham, Ontario. Joseph the father served in the 1st Bn. CEF (6690) in the 1st Contingent and was one of the early veteran to be invalided home. Fred along with brothers Joe and Hugh joined the 1st Kents when they mobilized in 1940. He trained with the regiment in Chatham, London, Halifax Niagara Falls and New Westminister, BC. He was processed overseas as a reinforcement and along with his other two brothers were posted with the Essex Scottish in England before moving to France.

Married the husband of Lillian (nee Cruse) Ivison, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ted Cruse of Chatham, Fred and Lillian had three sons. Prior to enlisting Fred was employed at International Harvester and was a member of the Kent Regt. for several years before the outbreak of war.  His brother Joseph Henry also fell.

It was reported that Fred was killed in a slit trench near Ifs, south of the city of Cean, France. Hit in the head by a shell fragment from a German Tiger tank. His brother Hugh was a member of the buriel party. After the loss of Wilfred, Hugh was transferred back to Canada posted in London, ON. as an instructor. The Canadian government had a policy that the last surviving son was ordered to withdraw from combat.

Age: 34, DOW – Date of Death: 01/08/1944, in France. His brother Joseph Henry also fell.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. A. 7.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY. Christ Church, Chatham. – Roll of Honour. Index of Overseas Deaths.

IVISON, HUGH J. Sgt. A50202, Essex Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.
Son of Joseph and Mary E. Ivison, of Chatham, Ontario. Joseph the father served in the 1st Bn. CEF (6690) in the 1st Contingent and was one of the early veteran to be invalided home.

Married, the husband of Lillian Ivison, of Chatham they had a daughter in January of 1945 and were living in the Stringer Block on King St. in Chatham.  His brothers Joseph Henry and Wifred who fell in service. IODE(P).

Hugh trained in Chatham No. 12 BTC., London, Halifax, Westminister BC. and Quebec before he and his two brothers went overseas with the Essex Scottish Regt. He saw action in France and Belgium before being returned home. Reported returned from overseas duty 18/12/1944. Hugh was transferred back to Canada posted in London, ON. as an instructor. The Canadian government had a policy that the last surviving son was ordered to withdraw from combat. Sgt. Hugh J. was reported as passing away 27/08/1991. LM-LP. CDN 18/01/45.

Age: 23, LAS – Date of Death: 20/09/1943, HMCS St. Croix, sunk.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 10.
Memorial: HALIFAX MEMORIAL. Found in “The Tilbury Story 1887 -1987”. Index of Overseas Deaths. TT 7/10/43.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert McPherson, of Tilbury East, Ontario. Albert had been home on leave in July when he was called back before his furlough had expired. He had already made eight trips across the Atlantic before his last voyage.

HMCS St. Croix was a Town Class Destroyer (Pennant No. I-81) Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. (Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S.A.), and launched 31 January, 1919. She was commissioned into the RCN 24 September, 1940 and sunk 20 September, 1943 at 57.30N and 31.10W approximately 500 miles SE of Greenland.

Canada had been desperately short of Naval ship at the start of WWII and the Americans had a number of surplus ships on their hands St. Croix had been built for the first Great War but she along with Annapolis, Columbia, Niagara, St. Clair and St. Francis were picked up for escort duty under the Lend – Lease Plan from the Americans.

Though an elderly “Four Stacker” ( referencing the four smoke stacks) she was still capable of sinking German submarines which she did on the 24th of July 1942 after catching an attacking sub on her Asdic (Sonar) and after three depth charge patterns found the remains of the attacker.

It was early in the evening of the 20th of September while escorting convoy ONS-18, a slow convoy bound from Halifax, NS. to England that they were overtaken by convoy ON-202 a fast convoy going in the same direction. It was reported that “the two convoys gyrated majestically about the ocean, never appearing to get much closer, and watched appreciatively by a growing swarm of U-boats. As darkness fell 63 merchant ships and their five escorts, were spread out in comparative disorder over miles of sea.

A short time later St. Croix was detached to investigate an aircraft sighting. It was when she slowed down upon reaching the contact point that she was struck by two torpedoes. At 21:51 on 20 Sep, 1943, the HMCS St. Croix (I 81) (LtCdr A.H. Dobson, RCNR, DSC) was hit in the stern by a third Gnat torpedo from U-305. The last word from St.Croix received by HMS Itchen escorting ON-202 was “Am leaving the office.” She sank within six minutes after being hit by the coup de grâce from the same U-boat at 22.44 hours. HMS itchen signall HMS Polyanthus to go to the assistance of St. Croix but she was sunk on the way with only one of her crew surviving.

The next morning, five officers and 76 men were picked up from two rafts and a half sunken whaler by HMS Itchen (K 227), which also had been attacked by U-305 with a Gnat at 22.53 hours, but was missed.

The HMCS St. Croix (I 81) was one of the first victims of the new developed acoustic torpedo Gnat.

McPHERSON, CLIFFORD ALBERT. Service No: V/19396. Rank: Able Seaman, Service: Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve, Unit Text: H.M.C.S. St. Croix.

The son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert McPherson, of Tilbury East, Ontario. Albert had been home on leave in July when he was called back before his furlough had expired. He had already made eight trips across the Atlantic before his last voyage.

Enlists in Chatham as a Lieutenant in the Kent Regt, listing Chatham as his place of birth and was living in London, ON. Rank: Major , Regiment: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s), R.C.I.C. Age: 32, DOW, Date of Death: 21/08/1944. Awards: Mentioned in Despatches. On the 20th of August 1944, heavy counter attacks were beaten off as the desperate Germans attempted to force their way past the Canadians.

On 18 August 1944, “B” Company of the Argylls consisting of fifty five men, commanded by Major Martin was placed under command of “C” Squadron of The South Alberta Regiment (SAR) which was commanded by Major Dave Currie, Major Currie would be later awarded the Victoria Cross. This composite group was tasked to close the road running through St. Lambert Sur Dives which was the main German escape route between the towns of Chambois and Trun. They had the dangerous task of clearing pockets of Germans from each house along the road. Besides the German infantry there was also a Tiger tank and a Panther tank in support of the German infantry. A small group of Argylls led by Lieut. Gil Armour,, Pte’s. W. F. Cooper and J. LaForrestarmed with a PIAT attacked and destroyed the Panther. The Tiger tank withdrew and by mid-morning the village was cleared.

In the early morning of 19 August 1944, “B” Company and “C” Squadron attacked St. Lambert and cleared half of the town and consolidated in the centre having insufficient troops to clear the rest. The fighting was vicious with German tanks being destroyed at close range with grenades and PIATs. Company Sergeant Major George Mitchell and Private MR Holmes distinguished themselves by rescuing the driver of a burning SAR tank while under fire. The Argylls suffered 6 wounded that day. “C” Company of the Argylls joined the force in St. Lambert at 1900 hours (7:00 PM).

During the actions around the Battle of the Falaise Gap in particular St. Lambert Sur Dives. Thousands of Germans were trying to flee down the road through St. Lambert. Major Ivan Martin, Officer Commanding “B” Company went forward on foot alone twice to call down artillery fire on German self propelled guns. It was during this action while Major Martin was meeting with Major Currie, Lieut. Al Dalphe acting as interpreter and a captured German doctor who was trying to get aid for his captured German troops, just after Major Currie was called back to his tank that a 88mm HE hit the group killing both Canadian officers. After the battle, he was awarded an American Distinguished Service Cross.

The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army, distinguishes himself or herself by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor; while engaged in an action against an enemy of the Unites States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing/foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing Armed Force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The act or acts of heroism must have been so notable and have involved risk of life so extraordinary as to set the individual apart from his or her comrades.

He was one of 13 children and was born in Richmond, Surrey, England.

He served in WW I as part of the 186th CEF, enlisting in St. Thomas.

After WW I, he settled in Kent County with his wife Myrtle and had 5 daughters: Jean, Marjorie, Phyllis, Patricia and Joan.

Upon the declaration of WW II Percy, (now in his 50’s) was first in line in Chatham to sign up for active duty. As a courtesy, he stepped into second place to allow the CO of the Kent Regiment to enlist first.

He served in Canada during WW II and was always disappointed that he was considered too old to go overseas. He attained the rank of Medical Sergeant and trained young recruits.

Percy died in May of 1977 at the age of 87 years.

Source: Joan Taylor DeBruyne and George DeBruyne

Percy’s daughter Joan was a member of our Chapter for many years.

Born August 5, 1917

June 29, 1940 promoted from A/Cpl. to Sergeant Inf. (MG).

August 4, 1940 Promosted to 2nd Lieutenant.

March 7, 1941 promoted to Lieutenant Inf. (R)

Joined 60th R.E.C.C.S. and was sent overseas to England.

Transferred to the Irish Regiment and was shipped to Italy in 1944 near the “River Poe”.

Was sent to Holland and served at Brigade Headquarters.

Came home to Canada in January 1946.

Medals Awarded, September 12, 1945

• 1939-1945 Star
• The Italy Star
• The France and Germany Star
• The Defence Medal
• C.V.S.M & Clasp

Source: Spouse, Pamela Hanley

Jack’s wife, Pamela is the oldest member of the Kent Regiment Chapter IODE and came to Canada as a British War Bride.

It was not only the Canadian Army that emerged with a proud record. The Royal Canadian Air Force took a substantial share in the air offensive against the Nazi forces, and through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, helped to train large numbers of airmen from other nations of the Commonwealth. The Royal Canadian Navy played a vital role in protecting Allied convoys from Nazi submarines that lurked beneath the Atlantic and was ultimately entrusted with the bulk of the convoy work.

Canada’s economic effort was impressive and her financial contribution generous. A whole new series of industries were created to meet the demands for war supplies, from munitions to motor vehicles, aircraft and ships. In the field of diplomacy, Canada played a particularly important liaison role between Great Britain and the United States.

For a country of 11 million people Canada’s contribution to the defeat of the Axis powers was remarkable. Canada as a nation matured through the ordeal of war and was now ready to assume new responsibilities as a member of the world community. As a direct result of the Second World War, the United Nations were formed, and Canada would play a major role in the development of this organization, and the rise of peacekeeping forces.

Throughout the world, the Commonwealth War Graves Commissions maintains graves and memorials to commemorate the veterans of the Commonwealth Forces who died during the First and Second World Wars. A total of 109,980 Canadian heroes are thus memorialized in 74 countries.