Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

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Sid Guttridge
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Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#1

Post by Sid Guttridge » 12 Dec 2021, 12:03

Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

I ask because Australian forces seem to have left the Mediterranean Theatre before the Canadians arrived.

Cheers,

Sid.

Alanmccoubrey
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#2

Post by Alanmccoubrey » 12 Dec 2021, 12:05

Sid, the only thing I can think of is that there were Canadians in Hong Kong, not very close to any Australians but the same "theatre" sort of.
Alan


EwenS
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#3

Post by EwenS » 12 Dec 2021, 12:37

Yes. In Britain post Dunkirk.

The 1st Canadian Infantry Division arrived in Britain in Feb 1940 and other than a short sojourn in France in summer 1940 remained there until moving to the Med in 1943. 2nd Canadian joined them from Aug 1940.

Between June and Dec 1940 two Australian infantry brigades of 6th Australian Div plus supporting artillery and engineer units served in Britain on anti-invasion duties. They then redeployed to the Middle East on one of the early WS convoys IIRC.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_ ... ed_Kingdom

Can’t think of another occasion unless it were to relate to personnel in small irregular units like the LRDG.

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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#4

Post by Gooner1 » 13 Dec 2021, 13:44

Three Australian forestry companies remained in the UK until September 1943, along with a similar number of New Zealand forestry companies, whilst Canada sent thirty companies in total.

The 'championship of Britain' in sawing and axemanship was apparently won by New Zealand in 1941 an 1942 and Australian in 1943. What about them Canucks, eh.

Sid Guttridge
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#5

Post by Sid Guttridge » 13 Dec 2021, 14:06

Hi Gooner1,

You omit the Newfoundland Forestry Unit, which formed its own Home Guard battalion in Scotland, and the British Honduras Forestry Unit, most of which was repatriated at the end of 1943 as Britain's climate didn't much suit West Indians.

Cheers,

Sid.

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henryk
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#6

Post by henryk » 13 Dec 2021, 22:45

There is also the RCAF Radar operators detachment seconded to the RAF in South East Asia. I saw a map in the Secrets of Radar Museum which showed their locations.
http://secretsofradar.com/ourstory
Thousands of Canadian men and women who served in radar during World War II did just that. They took their oath of secrecy to heart, keeping the truth from family and friends, many taking their service history to the grave before the Official Secrets Act expired in 1991. They were radar mechanics, operators, teachers, trainers, physicists, and researchers. Their actions, deeds, and experiences went unknown and unrecorded when many of the most important histories of WWII were being written.

The Secrets of Radar Museum preserves their history through physical exhibits, a substantial research archive, and oral histories recounted by the veterans themselves. Their legacy informs the radar history of the Cold War, which we also explore in displays and online. Radar is a ubiquitous part of our modern lives, so pervasive that most of the time we aren't even aware of it. We exist to remind you that regular men and women, just like you and me, affected not just the outcome of WWII, but the technological and scientific trajectory of the 20th century. We are the only museum of this kind in Canada.
https://www.amazon.com/Canadians-radar- ... 0968135315
Canadians on radar in South East Asia, 1941-1945: The saga of the seven hundred and twenty-three RCAF radar mechanics who served with the RAF in South East Asia during WWII Hardcover – January 1, 1999
by Angus C Hamilton (Author)
A fascinating look at the 723 Royal Canadian Air force radar techs who served with the Royal Air Force(Brits) in South East Asia during WW II. Maps,, some b/w photos

Linkagain
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#7

Post by Linkagain » 16 Dec 2021, 14:54

Extraordinanry the Pledge of Secret was only good as Long as the War lasted....yet to still refuse to talk about technology that is frankly out of date for over 80 years.....unbeleivable,,,,, :lol: :lol: :lol: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

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henryk
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#8

Post by henryk » 16 Dec 2021, 21:56

Reminds me of an exhibit, in the Imperial War Museum, of a recently declassified sword design.

DCRFAN
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#9

Post by DCRFAN » 23 Jun 2022, 08:01

Sid Guttridge wrote:
13 Dec 2021, 14:06
Hi Gooner1,

You omit the Newfoundland Forestry Unit, which formed its own Home Guard battalion in Scotland, and the British Honduras Forestry Unit, most of which was repatriated at the end of 1943 as Britain's climate didn't much suit West Indians.

Cheers,

Sid.
Newfoundland wasn't 'Canadian' in 1943 :P

Sid Guttridge
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#10

Post by Sid Guttridge » 23 Jun 2022, 23:28

Hi DCRFAN,

I didn't say Newfoundland was "Canadian". I included it separately for that very reason.

Cheers,

Sid.

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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#11

Post by DCRFAN » 24 Jun 2022, 08:30

I didn't say you did :?

Sid Guttridge
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#12

Post by Sid Guttridge » 24 Jun 2022, 12:52

Hi DCRFAN,

Perhaps a little more clarity that you were just offering gratuitous additional information rather than a correction might help.

Thanks anyway,

Sid.

Michael Kenny
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#13

Post by Michael Kenny » 24 Jun 2022, 21:54

Gooner1 wrote:
13 Dec 2021, 13:44
Three Australian forestry companies remained in the UK until September 1943, along with a similar number of New Zealand forestry companies, whilst Canada sent thirty companies in total.

The 'championship of Britain' in sawing and axemanship was apparently won by New Zealand in 1941 an 1942 and Australian in 1943. What about them Canucks, eh.
The Times, November 5 1941
The_Times_1941-11-05 bb.jpg

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Loïc
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#14

Post by Loïc » 26 Jun 2022, 07:20

Calice de Tabernacle, the famous Canadians lumberjacks beaten by ANZACS from the Antipodes, breaking down a myth...

I see that the 6100 Canadians and Australasians belonged to military Forestry units while the 3400 Newfoundlanders and 800 British Honduras Foresters were recruited only under civilian status

On the surface it appears that the Newfoundland Overseas Foresters were poorly received by the local populations because they were white men who were deemed to be ‘dodging’ military service
for a long time they were denied veterans’ benefits which the Canadian Forestry Corps, a military unit, received. This was because the NOFU was a civilian unit and thus they were denied benefits such as rehabilitation services, pensions, and sick benefits

The British Empire and the War Effort: A Comparative Study of the Experiences of the British Honduran Forestry Unit and the Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit
Angela Forbes

https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/t4-media/one-w ... tation.pdf

Regards
Loïc

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hambubger
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Re: Did Canadian and Australian ground forces ever serve in the same theatre at the same time in WWII?

#15

Post by hambubger » 26 Jun 2022, 08:31

Michael Kenny wrote:
24 Jun 2022, 21:54
Gooner1 wrote:
13 Dec 2021, 13:44
The Times, November 5 1941
The_Times_1941-11-05 bb.jpg
Thanks for sharing this (Australian Lumbermen in England)! I've been browsing all around this forum tonight through different photos, and this is one of the grittiest, most-realistic newspaper clips to possibly portray the times (so I'd imagine). Very cool article and excellent representations of the troops!
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes." – Mark Twain.

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