Dileas: History of 48th Highlanders of Canada 1929-56

Discussion in 'Italy' started by Stuart Avery, Jan 7, 2019.

  1. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    Hi to all, i was looking through a booksellers website the other week & came across the above book (see image below.) This seems to be a rather thick book at 847 pp. It was printed in 1957 & the author is Kim Beattie .

    The only other book that i have on the Canadians is the Official History of the Canadians in Italy by Nicholson.
    The above Regiment was part of the Canadian 1st Infantry Division, 1st Infantry Brigade. If anyone can help me out with other titles of the other regiments of the above brigade then that would be appreciated. Also, 2, & 3 brigades would do.. I was once sent the scans of The Saskatoon Light Infantry (M.G.) but like a fool i lost it. It was scans of the original copy of the regimental history.
    Regards
    Stu.
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  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  3. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    I know. Just bought another rare book off him today. I do hope that someone else does (NOT) get it before me! Not sure that I asked for that? I will blame you for advertising it if it is sold? I've bought quite a few books from Martin Bott in the past, & he's normally well priced. 50 sheets is a decent price for a tomb of a book.:-P

    Cheers,
    Owen.
     
  4. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    I've been to the little regimental museum and got a DVD of their history with veteran interviews, but that's by the by.

    I see from the OOB on wikipedia that also in 1st Brigade were The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, aka "the Hasty Ps". I am not sure if there is/was an official history, but there is a very fine history, The Regiment, written by Canadian author Farley Mowat, who was a platoon commander and then IO within the regiment.

    (The other regiment in the Brigade was the Royal Canadian Regiment and I am not sure there.)
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Oh , I thought you were giving the heads up to anyone who might be interested.
    If you have your eye on any book , NEVER mention it on here .
    If you want it you'd better buy it PDQ.
     
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  6. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    You gave the heads up to the book seller ( Not me). Any way lets get back to what I've asked for. I will not buy it PDQ. If someone else buys it before me, then so be it. I'm not getting into long debate has to NEVER mention it on here ( ITS A WASTE OF TIME). Lets not spoil the thread & leave it at that.:unsure:

    Regards,
    Stu.
     
  7. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    For RCR try

    55 AXIS with the Royal Canadian Regiment 1939-1945 by Major Strome Galloway
     
  8. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    For the RCR specifically in WW2,

    A Regiment at war: the story of the Royal Canadian Regiment, 1939-1945 by Strome Galloway, 238 pages...

    This is odd: the library says "Reprint of the 1946 ed. entitled 55 Axis."

    There is also

    The Royal Canadian Regiment, Vol 2, 1933-1966, by G. R. (George Roy) Stevens, 1967, 420 pages
     
  9. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    My phone is acting up here. It looks like A Regiment At War was a self published softcover reprint of 55 Axis published in 1979.
     
  10. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    Owen, thanks for that. Page 688 below is what I'm interested in. Has I've mentioned, I lost the original of the Saskatoon L.I. (M.G.). I think i can get that back from a forum member? I will have to email him. He's mad on machine guns.

    Regards,
    Stu.
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    Last edited: Jan 7, 2019
  11. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    I appreciate your time. Please keep them all coming.

    All of these books are rare.

    Thanks for your time.
    Regards,
    Stu.
     
  12. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Do you mean Richard Fisher ?
     
  13. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

  14. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    From the thread about the First Allied Troops that arrived in Delft, Netherlands (8 May 1945). Other Info supplied from PieterF, Michel Sabarly, Stolpi and myself and apologies to those not mentioned.

    This is a link to the thread First allied troops in Delft

    " Today, (2014) I checked both the war dairies of 12 Canadian (Three Rivers) Armoured Regiment and 48th Highlanders of Canada. Nothing in the first, but bingo in regards to the 48 Highlanders war diary. The photo of a tank being topped up outside the building with a tower, is the same location as the map reference given in the war diary. 48 Highlanders also mention they are supported by 12 CAR.

    They arrive and stay one night, then move on to the Hague.

    I attach a copy of 48 Highlanders war diary for 7/8 May 1945. I've often wondered how the Dutch reacted to their liberation and the description made from the perspective of the Canadian Diarist is priceless beyond words. It give me goosebumps to read it and think, my Dutch Family were somewhere amongst what was taking place. Absolutely brilliant. I shall treasure this find and add it to the Family History. Thanks again to those who posted the photos and identified 12 CAR and 48 Highlanders.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I laid a wreath on behalf of Geordie Beal (son of Major George Willian Beal, MC, support Company, 48 Highlanders of Canada) and my and my Dutch relatives from Delft. Plus a video from Youtube when he mentions George Beal and a letter to his wife (4 minutes in):-



    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    A map from the war diary of 12 Canadian Armored Regiment (3 Rivers Regiment) showing the proximity of Delft to the Hague.

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    ramacal,

    thanks for posting the above. Over the Christmas break, I took a book of the shelf that is called the battle for Rome by W.G.F. Jackson & got stuck into it! (Not sure what other people) think about it? I did not know that the 1st Infantry Division got so much of kicking in breaking the Hitler line.

    I think I'll have to read more of Nicholson's book (no good it collecting) dust on the shelf. When the opportunity comes around & the prices are affordable, then i will buy the above regimental histories. You guys may be aware that the Saskatoon Light Infantry used the Oerlikon 20-mm AA gun has a machine gun? I will have to double check that with Richard Fisher when i e-mail him
    for the book again.. For the life of me, I cant remember what its was called. Follow me may be?

    Thanks for your time.
    Stu.
     
  16. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    I did not know that about the Saskatoon Light Infantry! The only reference to the 20mm gun being used in an anti-infantry role was with the prototype Canadian Skink AA vehicle which was sent to a few units in Europe. Apparently the incendiary ammunition was very helpful for flushing infantry out of wooden buildings, and it had an immense effect on morale,
     
  17. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    I'm waiting for confirmation of email that one has sent. My Grandfather was trained up on these massive guns in North Africa in the summer of 1943. The Regiment did not use them when they went into action in Italy at the start of the Anzio campaign. He ended up being in a machine gun company. Not sure what you mean by a Skink AA vehicle in Europe?

    Stu.
     
  18. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    A quote from Richard Fisher: Sask L.I. weren't the only MG unit to use the 20mm, but may have been the only one to use the Oerlikon-I'm not quite sure. The Divisional (Support) Battalion included the 20mm in addition to 4.2-inch mortars & Machine guns. It was more successful in Italy than in NW Europe. With thanks, the following pages are from forum member dryan67.
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    Last edited: Jan 13, 2019
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  19. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Hi Stuart,

    Not sure if you familiar with the Skink or not? It would have been - had it been formally adopted - an AA vehicle for the Canadian army using the hull of an M4 and a custom turret with 4 20mm Oerlikons. Although it was not adopted, one prototype was demonstrated to frontline Canadian units and used in a bit of combat. The discussion in this report about the effect of the Skink's fire may also reflect in general on the experience of the Sask L.I. in using their 20mms against ground targets.

    I posted this report on my infrequently updated blog a while ago: "Tactical comments and suggestions on employment of 20mm guns in a ground role".

    The Skink, part 2

    Cheers,
    Chris
     
  20. Stuart Avery

    Stuart Avery In my wagon & not a muleteer.

    Hi Chris,

    thank-you for posting this link. I will read more of it when i get the time

    Regards,
    Stuart.
     
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