Description
Code Word CANLOAN
Dundum Press Limited, 1992
By Wilford I. Smith
The story of a group of Canadian Army officers who volunteered to serve in the British Army in Europe between D-Day, 1944 and VE Day, 1945, in a scheme called Code Word CANLOAN. In the darkest days of the Second World War, Canada had a surplus of Army officers. Britain, however, was suffering a critical shortage. A remarkable scheme called CANLOAN enabled hundreds of Canadian Army officers to volunteer to join regiments of the British Army. The Canadians fought in Europe from D-Day until the end of the hostilities, with a casualty rate of 75% and nearly 100 awards for bravery.
Written by one of the participants and based on research supplemented by the recollections of survivors, this book is a vivid account both of the experiences of the CANLOAN officers and of the scheme itself, from the initial concept to its realization. In addition to presenting slit-trench views of the battles in Normandy, Arnhem, Italy, the Rhineland and beyond to the Rhine, Smith coves the role of the platoon commander in battle, the experiences of prisoners of war, the wounded, and the 50 Ordnance Corps volunteers who with 623 junior infantry officers made up CANLOAN. The relationship between wartime experiences of soldiers and their post-war careers is also illustrated. Wlif Smith was a Canadian public servant and Dominion Archivist from 1970 to 1984. Born in Port La Tour, Nova Scotia, Smith received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1943 and a Master of Arts degree in 1946 from Acadia University. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. Smith joined the Public Archives of Canada in Ottawa in 1950. He was chief of the Manuscript Division (1963–1964), director of the Historical Branch (1964–1965), Assistant Dominion Archivist (1965–1968) and Acting Dominion Archivist (1968–1970). From 1970 to 1984, he was Dominion Archivist.
This copy of Code Word CANLOAN is presented to Brigadier E.P.O Springfield with the sincere appreciation of the Canloan Army Officers Association
President M. C. Carter (signed)
Author W. I. Smith (signed)
M.CL.2
$650.00
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