Canadians in the Waffen SS

[gmckenzie]

I am particuarly interested in getting more information about J.A. Cryderman of the Saskatoon Light Infantry who apparently ended up in the British Free Corps. Saskatoon Light Infantry records indicate he was taken prisoner in Italy.

[Gesetz]

Trying doing a search of British Free corps+canadian, theres a bit of info on the forum already

[Rand]

To gmckenzie, welcome to the forum. Well as I'm sure Gesetz can tell you, info on the Canuck BFC men is quite scarce. There is quite alot of info on Edwin Barnard Martin, the other Canuck BFC man in "Renegades" by Adrian Weale. Only tidbits about Cryderman though. I too, have seen the records that list Cryderman being capture in early November 1943 in Italy. He was then sent to a special POW center called Luckenwalde. There he was bullied into joining the BFC, but left after only 1 or 2 months. His time there was of no significance. I've found nothing about any trial of Cryderman, only of Martin and other Canuck traitors.
If you PM me we can discuss more if you wish. Cryderman was from Oakville, Manitoba.

Cheers, Rand.

[Ostuf Charlemagne]

It was a last 3 Quebecquois serving within the french SS Charlemagne division .

One of them had been an instructor at the Sipo-SD Taverny school of the french Selbstschuetzpolizei

[Rand]

Hello Ostuf Charlemagne, interesting bit about the three Quebecers. I've heard rumours about them before but have not found any real proof. I thought it was just something an author made up in the 60's or 70's. Where did you find out about this guy's teaching position? Any other sources or info that you can share with us?
Cheers, Rand.

[Ostuf Charlemagne]

No ...too sad i don't have names .Somes were mentionate ,you know ,by veterans of the 33.SS I knew ,in private talks ...gosh !!! It was lot of yyyyyyyyyyyears ago .

About the one of the Taverny school :

Mentioned in the very informed book "Les français sous le casque allemand " -The frenchmen under german helmet" by Pierre Philippe Lambert and Gérard Le Marec (Grancher edit. 1994 France)
In the chapter "Selbstschutzpolizei".

[Benoit Douville]

Ostuf Charlemagne,

If you happened to find the names of those French Canadian in the Waffen-SS or anymore info for that matter please post it. To be honest it is the first time I have read about it but I am not surprised because a lot of French Canadian didn't want to fight for England...

Regards

[Gesetz]

Any idea where we could find this great source of a book?!

[Ljotrulf]

Last I heard the book "Les Français sous le casque allemand" is still available from Amazon France for Euros 22.80

http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/2 ... 45-0515362

[Ben Dekho]

I've often wondered, as others here appear to do, if the Germans attempted to propagandise and recruit French Canadian POWs, especially the large numbers they captured at Dieppe in 1942. I would appreciate any information anyone might have on that.

Incidentally, here's an interesting photograph: a French Waffen-SS volunteer questioning captured French Canadian troops early in the Normandy campaign (or so the caption claims). The image is from Brian L. Davis, Waffen-SS (Poole: Blandford Press, 1986).

Ben Dekho

[Benoit Douville]

Ben,

The majority of the French Canadian soldiers who were captured at Dieppe on August 19 1942 were Volunteers who wanted to fight against the Germans, they were not conscript and this is a huge difference.

However, you certainly raise an interesting issue about the possibilty for the Germans to recruit French Canadian soldiers because I am sure they would have succeed in doing so in the early part of the War because a lot of French Canadian soldiers would have joined the Germans to fight for them if they had the possibility like other nations in Europe.

By the way, that's an interesting picture that you posted and if anyone else have more info about it I am also interested.

Regards

[Gesetz]

Can anyone identify which regiment they are, obvously 3rd infantry division from the grey divisional patch, but does anyone recognize the unit shoulder title?

[Ben Dekho]

Sorry, Gesetz: I've had a close look at the original published photograph, and there's no legible or distinct unit badge or title on the upper left arm of the figure at right. In fact, both simply look like unadorned pocket flaps (although it's unlikely there would be pockets on the upper left arm, I grant you). I wonder if this might not be a staged photo, with French collabos donning generic 'Allied' uniforms?

I have a better quality scan of the original image, which I can send to you. Contact me by personal message if you want it.

Ben Dekho

[Johnny_H]

I remember reading of 2 Canucks in the British Free Korps but this was never proven?
If so, I would hate to be them after capture especially if captured by Canadian troops.

[Gesetz]

Yes there were 2 in the BFC, one was sentenced with 25 years post war. They were Edward Barnard Martin and James Arthur Cryderman.

As for the group of POWs up top, after some research I looked up the 3rd Infantry Div and found the only shoulder title shaped similarly to those worn in the picture, the men are from the Regina Rifles of Canada.