A recent visit to Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa. General Crerar was the General Officer commanding 1st Canadian Army in 1944. General Foulkes accepted the surrender of German troops on May 6, 1945 in Wageningen, Holland.
Visited the Hotel de Wereld (May 2006) in Wageningen where Charles Foulkes took the unconditional surrender from Blaskowitz. The plaque on the wall states it was the 5th May, not the 6th. (Slightly out of focus) The plaque from a distance. Hotel de Wereld in 2006 Photo of the surrender photo inside the Hotel de Wereld's Lobby (Foulkes is on the left of the picture).
17drtch When Foulkes took over in Italy - it was a bit of a hoot all around - first off AFHG got him mixed up with Chris VOKES - that was sorted out - then Tommy Burns laid on a welcoming party at Rimini Airfield -Military Band - the whole works - plane didn't arrrive - band and welcoming party went off - plane piloted by an American landed at another airfield - no band - no welcoming party - Foulkes had to hitch his way to Corps HQ - he was NOT amused ! Cheers.....
According to wikipedia the first meeting was indeed on May 5th but the terms of surrender could not be signed until May6th as they could not locate a typewriter...or so the story goes.
Hi Tom, Thanks for the info. I am sure Vokes and Foulkes most likely did not like each other. Read somewhere that Crerar was no fan of Guy Simmonds. Shows you what a little dysentry can do for you. Cheers Randy
Randy - Neither Crerar nor Foulkes liked Symonds as he was way ahead of them - and Monty thought the world of him - but didn't have much time for the other two - no one liked Tommy Burns either as he was not a joiner of the club - and wasn't "one of the boys" - they were all full of jealousy of each other and consequently the lads usually suffered - same as MacNaughton - Alanbrooke had him fired as he spent too much time getting war contracts for Canada and being a civil engineer instead of a Corps and Army Commander - never forgave Alanbrooke ! But happy in Ottawa sitting with the big lads ! - We needed more Guy Symond's - than Crerars.... Cheers
Tom Roger that. My dad said that all the men had tremendous respect for Guy Simmonds. Not as much for Crerar and co. randy
