I'm new to this website trying to find out some information about my grandfather (John Clarke) who was one of the volunteers from Newfoundland who went to Scotland during WW2. He stayed there for the duration of the war, and while there he volunteered in the Home Guard unit and was part of the 3rd Inverness (Newfoundland) Battalion Home Guard. I'm taking my parents to Scotland this summer (we live in NL and have never been to Scotland before) so I would like to take them to the areas where my grandfather would have served, trained, etc. If anyone is able to provide any information on this, it would be greatly appreciated.
Ignore heading - Inverness HG: (Newfoundland HG) Womens Corp Staffs Home Guard Memories X25 Staffs Home Guard Memories X41 A company of the Canadian Forestry Corps were stationed in Duthil during the 1939-45 War. They were employed in timber felling. They were known locally as "Newfies" They lived at first in the village hall then built Camp No 1 - Newfy-style log huts built of unfinished treetrunks of young trees, with gaps stopped up with moss. Many married local girls who accompanied their husbands to Canada after the war. About 10 'Newfs' settled in the Parish. The 'Newfies' displayed their physique and bravado by jumping off the Old Coffin Bridge into the deep pool - a dangerous act still practised to this day by local youngsters. In May 1940 the British Government appealed for civilian volunteers to form a HOME GUARD "to assist in the defence of the British Isles if and when the German forces attempted an invasion." Large numbers of men from the Forestry Units volunteered. By 1942, the less well-defended areas of the North East of Scotland were considered to be vulnerable to invasion and so the military authorities felt that there was a need for a mobile force which could be assembled and moved at very short notice in the event of an invasion. Another appeal for volunteers went out to the foresters and within a fortnight, the 3rd Inverness (Newfoundland) Battalion Home Guard, had a complement of over seven hundred men. It was the only Home Guard Unit composed entirely of men from overseas who were serving in Britain on specialised war work. All training and exercises were carried out after working hours, at week-ends and during leave. An assault course and rifle range were constructed at an abandoned logging site at Carrbridge. This training ground was used extensively by other Home Guard and regular army units. The British Home Guard was officially "stood down" on 31st December 1944, and the Newfoundland Battalion was represented at the National Home Guard stand-down parade in London that year. All members of the Forestry Unit who volunteered and served in the British Home Guard were awarded the Defence Medal
Thanks; I've been on this website before in doing my research. I just can't seem to find any detail as to which particular camp my grandfather was in, as there were several located throughout the Highlands. Also, my father says that my grandfather mentioned doing some training at a University, but I can't confirm which University this was. I was on the University of Glasgow's website and they do mention that training was provided there during WW2 but I don't know if he was there for sure or if there was training at any of the other Universities in Scotland. I'm finding it difficult to obtain more detailed information on this unit, and in particular, my grandfather. Are you aware of any other places I could look? Thanks!
PREID As far as my memory goes these days but in the war years - there were only the three Universities of St.Andrews - Edinburgh and Glasgow and if Glasgow admits to training then that would be where I would start as it is also nearer to the Inverness area. Aberdeen and Dundee U's - which was my old school base - came about long after the war Cheers
If and when you uncover any additional information, PREID, it would be very interesting to hear about it. Chris
