Canada did make a relevant contribution to the war

Discussions on the economic history of the nations taking part in WW2, from the recovery after the depression until the economy at war.
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hauptmannn
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#16

Post by hauptmannn » 26 Oct 2003, 08:54

Can you tell me the Canadian casualties?

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Andy H
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#17

Post by Andy H » 26 Oct 2003, 12:46

Growth of Canadian forces in WW2

Start of the War
(Strength)
Armed Forces-63,100
Army-55,600
AForce-3,100
Navy-4,400

End of War
(Strength)
Armed Forces-759,800
Army-474,000
AForce-193,000
Navy-92,800

Total Mobilised
(Strength)
Armed Forces-1,011,000
Army-690,000
AForce-222,500
Navy-99,400

Canadian Casualties in WW2
39,300 Killed & Missing
53,200 Wounded
9,000 POW

In Italy Canada suffered:
5,400 Killed & Missing
19,490 Wounded
1,000 POW

In NW Europe Canada suffered:
10,740 Killed & Missing
30,910 Wounded
2,250 POW

The Canadian Navy lost 6 Destroyers & 11 Escorts

Info from WW2 Databook by John Ellis

Andy H


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Andy H
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#18

Post by Andy H » 26 Oct 2003, 12:52

Canada produced the following arms during WW2

5,678 AFV's
10,552 Artillery pieces
20,619 Mortars
251,925 MG's
16,431 Aircraft
191 Naval vessels (inc 12 for Australia)-(80 Flower Class Corvettes, 70 River Class Frigates, 39 Modified Flower Class.

Andy H

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Andy H
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#19

Post by Andy H » 26 Oct 2003, 12:56

World Strategic Raw materials production. Based on 1937 figures this list gives an indication by % of what Canada brought to the Allied table in terms of Strategic Raw materials

Copper Ore 10.2%
Lead Ore 10.9%
Zinc Ore 9.1%
Nickel Ore 89.5%
Wheat 5.7%
Meat 2.5%

Andy H

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Lawrence Tandy
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#20

Post by Lawrence Tandy » 26 Oct 2003, 14:07

Thanks for those posts Andy, I there was quite a bit there that I didn't know and I thank you for sharing.

LT

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Conacher1941
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#21

Post by Conacher1941 » 26 Oct 2003, 22:18

Tandy, I just read all of your posts and would like to tell you that I share your passion in trying to get recognition for Canadian achievements. Too often abroad and even here in Canada the youth are duped into believing than the Americans won both World Wars.
Also an example I enjoy of the quality of Canadian soldiers is found in the 1918 German Spring Offensives. They attacked everyone BUT the Canadians because they knew we were tenacious fighters who would not be easily dislodged.

Cheers

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Lawrence Tandy
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#22

Post by Lawrence Tandy » 27 Oct 2003, 00:09

Conacher1941 wrote:Tandy, I just read all of your posts and would like to tell you that I share your passion in trying to get recognition for Canadian achievements. Too often abroad and even here in Canada the youth are duped into believing than the Americans won both World Wars.
Also an example I enjoy of the quality of Canadian soldiers is found in the 1918 German Spring Offensives. They attacked everyone BUT the Canadians because they knew we were tenacious fighters who would not be easily dislodged.

Cheers
Thanks for the support. There can be no doubt that the CEF in WW1 stood out in it's achievments.

Lobscouse
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Ships

#23

Post by Lobscouse » 27 Oct 2003, 00:47

Canadian shipyards, such as they were, depended almost entirely upon repair and maintenance work at the start of WW2, but demand for ships of all types quickly saw them geared up and embarked on a sizeable building program of tonnage to carry war material to wherever needed.

The main effort was in building a standard cargo ship, similar in size to the famous wartime Liberty type ship;

441ft 6in x 57ft
7,130 gross registered tonnage
10,000 deadweight tonnage Number built - 384

In addition 42 vessels of 4,700 grt measuring 315.5ft were built, plus
six (6) 3,600 dwt tankers, and 36 coasters of 1,250 dwt.

Thirty (30) of the larger ships went to British Royal Navy in modified forms as supply, support and maintenance role.

These are all in addition to the figures provided by Andy H, although the 30 slated for RN may also be a part of his "Naval vessels' total, I am unable to say without some research.

My figures come from S.C. Heals "Conceived in War, Born in Peace - Canada's Deep Sea Merchant Marine."

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#24

Post by gabriel pagliarani » 27 Oct 2003, 16:18

Lawrence Tandy wrote:
Landser wrote:My cousin was a Panzergrenadier with SS-HJ Div. and they faced Canadiens numerous times.First impression they had was of mixed reaction,but later on and still today he thinks the Canadians, among other Commonwealth troops, were mostly used as cannon fodder.

His reasoning was established when observing certain confrontations
with Brits or US units.He actually liked fighting the Canadians or Poles simply because they never had to deal with an extensive Allied air coverage,as compared to the former. See what I mean!
That's weird. The RCAF had 232,500 men, you would think that some would appear over the battlefield. Also more than one Candian attack was precluded by massive bombing raids, although not so effective as they would like I'm sure. The Cannon fodder you speak of virtually annihilated the 12th SS, though at tremendous cost. The 12th SS fighting against US soldiers in the Ardennes was not the same force it was in Normandy.
However something in the extremization "Canadians = flesh for cannons" was true expecially regarding the 8th Army in Italy. I can propose the eyewitness of my mum. She was a child when the front and Linea Gotica passed thru Rimini. In the battle for Coriano Hill hundreds of young Canadians were butchered by MGs of German paratroopers among barbed wires. After 60 years during her worst nightmares mum says to can hear those wounded soldiers still crying among barbed wires without nobody helping them. Canada payed an high price, like all the Countries of the Commonwealth.

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Aufklarung
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#25

Post by Aufklarung » 27 Oct 2003, 18:24

Gabriel P wrote:In the battle for Coriano Hill hundreds of young Canadians were butchered by MGs of German paratroopers among barbed wires.
http://www.legionmagazine.com/features/ ... /00-01.asp
http://faculty.uccb.ns.ca/highlanders/w ... teries.htm
Significance of a tree at the Casi Bernardo. A German sniper took out a Canadian soldier right beside the tree. He bled to death at the base of the tree all the while calling out for his Mom. The was and still is a fruit tree, however, legend has it that after the blood from the fallen soldier had spilt on the tree it never bore fruit again.
http://www.canadianbattleofnormandyfoun ... ummery.htm

and on and on and on..................

regards
A :)

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USA_Finn
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the last Canadian

#26

Post by USA_Finn » 28 Oct 2003, 00:24

Canadians were tough and resilient soldiers, true to their heritage and culture. A WWII Canadian pilot friend of mine shared an old WWII wag that "The British would continue to fight to the last dead Canadian."

Matti

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Mauser K98k
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#27

Post by Mauser K98k » 28 Oct 2003, 05:25

The Canadians were used as "cannon fodder" at Dieppe. It was a half-baked plan that was doomed to failure from the start.

I wonder if "Monte" would have put a little more thought into "Operation Jubilee" had it been British soldiers hitting the beach?

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Robert Rojas
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RE: Canada did make a relevant contribution to the war.

#28

Post by Robert Rojas » 28 Oct 2003, 09:15

Greetings to both cousin Lawrence Tandy and the community as a whole. Well Larry, in reference to your introductory posting of Monday - October 20, 2003 - 10:26pm, old Uncle Bob would like to add his voice to the clarion chorus of debunkers who unequivocally reject the specious criticisms of Canada's unique role during the course of the Second World War. As a so-called "belligerent neutral", the United States of America would not have been in any position to logistically support Great Britain without using Canada as a surreptitious conduit in the process. After the events of December 07, 1941, it should also be pointed out that Canada enthusiastically pitched in to construct and support the gargantuan Alaska-Canadian Highway in direct support for the combined Canadian-American military effort in the Northern Pacific's Aleutian archipelago. I will not belabor the issue, but it is the opinion of this Yankee that Canada contributed much to the salvation of Western Civilization than it is properly given credit for. Well, that's my two cents on the subject - FOR NOW ANYWAY! As always, I would like to bid the forum's Canadian readership a wonderful day up in the ever proverbial GREAT WHITE NORTH - EH!?

Best Regards,
Uncle Bob 8)

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Andy H
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#29

Post by Andy H » 28 Oct 2003, 23:02

Mauser K98k wrote:
The Canadians were used as "cannon fodder" at Dieppe. It was a half-baked plan that was doomed to failure from the start.

I wonder if "Monte" would have put a little more thought into "Operation Jubilee" had it been British soldiers hitting the beach?
If I'm then my apologies but I thought that Op Jubilee was after various guises a Earl of Mountbatten project rather than Monty.

Also for all his faults I doubt for one minute that Monty would say "Right send the Canadians to die rather than however", you belittle a man about which you know very little.

Andy H

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Andy H
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#30

Post by Andy H » 28 Oct 2003, 23:03

The main effort was in building a standard cargo ship, similar in size to the famous wartime Liberty type ship;
Hi Lobscouse
I think these are the Empire ships to which you refer

Andy H

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