Canadians and Indians part of British troops in 1940?

Discussion in '1940' started by Lindele, Dec 9, 2020.

  1. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96

    According to a Red Cross Visit Report in POW camp OFLAG V-b in Biberach dated July 19th 1941, among English, Scots, Irish, Australians, New Zealanders, Africans, there were also 4 Canadians and 2 Indians. in the camp

    How is that possible?

    Stefan.
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Search the forum , we've mentioned it before.
    A Canadian Brigade went to Normandy in June 1940 as part of the 2nd BEF.
    The Indians were in France too in 1940 with their mules.
     
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  4. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96


    Thanks TD & Owen,
    Stefan.
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  6. chrisgrove

    chrisgrove Senior Member

    'The Regiment', a history of the Hastings and Prince Edward Island Regiment (the Hasty Ps) in WW2, written by Farley Mowat, later a well known writer and an officer in the regiment at the time, tells me that the Hasty Ps took a full complement of over 50 brand new trucks just arrived from Canada (so presumably CMPs) to France in 1940. All were immobilised and left behind. One driver, on a motor bike, got lost and was captured, spending the next 5 years as a POW.
    Chris
     
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  7. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    It could have been much worse. I have the 48th Highlanders (of Toronto) history and they describe that the train they were on took them to St Malo when it should have been Brest, but extremely fortunately they managed to get on the last ship there. Apparently the division (that's what the book says, but maybe they are implying "the units of the division deployed to France) left behind a total of 216 vehicles.

    As far as prisoners, the book says only 1 man - from the Hasty Ps - was a prisoner until the end of the war. 1 man died in a road accident. 4 others who were captured, escaped.

    But with regards to the original post, could some of those Canadians could have been pilots who were shot down?
     
  8. Bernhart

    Bernhart Member

    He was a shop teacher in my high school
     
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  9. MarkN

    MarkN Banned

    Whilst it was still a long way off due to the time needed to train and equip the troops, the original committment by the British was for a total of 55 divisions to assemble in France. 32 of those were to be from Britain (22 infantry, 6 motor, 3 armoured and 1 cavalry), 14 from the Dominions of Australia, Canada and New Zealand, 4 from India and another 5 "Allied".

    As others have already posted, by June 1940 the Canadians landed in France their forward elements of 1st Canadian Division and the Indian Army had sent over some of their mule companies to support the fighting troops.

    In addition to the Canadians, New Zealand and Australia had formations in the UK training and equipping as part of tne build up to their committment. Some individuals had been cross posted and many other citizens of those countries served in the British forces. South Africans, Rhodesians, Jamaicans and many, many others too.
     
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