# Re: West Novas, England



## army (21 Sep 2002)

Posted by *Ian Edwards <iedwards@home.com>* on *Fri, 18 Feb 2000 21:24:43 -0800*
The text of your message refers to Jan 6/42 but your heading shows 1943.
I presume you do mean 1942. Therefore, referring to 1942:
The answer is contained on page 62 of the unit history, "West Novas"
"On Jan 6th the West Novas suffered a tragic mishap during a training 
exercise on the River Adur, when an assault boat capsized in mid-stream
and six men of "B" Company were drowned. Some of them were good swimmers
but in the cold water and weighted down with weapons and equipment they
had no chance to save themselves. Ptes.
Frank Smith and O.S. Foster of "B" Company, who made heroic efforts to
save the lives of 
their comrades, were later presented with certificates of the Royal
Humane Society, and awared the British Empire Medal."
The next paragraph mentions the funeral. "The funeral was conducted at
Brookwood Cemeteryon the 10th, with padres Addie and Butts in charge of
the rites. "B" Company supplied the burial and firing parties and Lt.
Col. Ernest and all the officers  of "B" Company were in attendance.
Since coming to England the Regiment had buried several of its men, most
of them victims of traffic accidents in the black-out, but the loss of
six in a simple training exercise came as a shock."
BTW, the unit history was published in 1947 and reissued again in 1986
so should still be available from the West Novas and some booksellers
specializing in Cdn Mil Hist.. Author, Thomas H. Raddell.
You might find more information from the current unit‘s museum, as they
likely have a copy of the unit War Diary, and someone, somewhere, must
have a copy of the citations from the Royal Humane Society. National
Archives, Ottawa, wll have a copy of the WD and appended to it will
likely be some copies of correspondence, etc. re the accident.
You can either look it up yourself in Ottawa or pay someone to do it for
you perhaps a half hour‘s work to call for the WD and back again
another day for about an hour to copy the docs, however NAC may not
allow one to copy pages of the WD, I can‘t recall for sure. Not a
difficult task if one happens to be in the Ottawa area.
Hope this helps.
Ian Edwards
Sherwood Park, AB.
> Derek Shanks wrote:
> 
> List:
> 
> I have just joined this mailing group today, and have a question that
> has been burning...... I am hoping that someone might be able to
> assist. I have been researching the history of the West Novas from
> 39-47.... and came across a rather odd incident while reviewing the
> casualty lists. The West Novas were based in Aldershot from 1939 until
> June 1943 when embarking on the Operation Husky campaign, however
> there were an unusually high amount of casualties listed on January
> 6th 1942 while stationed in Aldershot. If someone might be able to
> tell me what might have occurred that day I will indebted to you. I
> have been searching for answers about this issue and have not come up
> with anything.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Derek Shanks
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Researching the Shanks family of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
> 
> Researcher of the West Nova Scotia Regiment
> Operation Husky, WW2 July 10th 1943 to
> September 8th 1943.
> 
> Sgt. Harold Joseph Shanks grandfather
> April 4th 1912 - September 8th 1943
--------------------------------------------------------
NOTE:  To remove yourself from this list, send a message
to majordomo@cipherlogic.on.ca from the account you wish
to remove, with the line "unsubscribe army" in the
message body.


----------



## army (21 Sep 2002)

Posted by *"Derek Shanks" <dbshanks@interlog.com>* on *Sat, 19 Feb 2000 00:00:51 -0800*
Mr. Edwards:
Thanks for pointing out my blunder - I had just received pictures of my
grandfather for the first time..... I was opening the package when I was
finishing the heading and got a little excited. It is the first time photos
have been in this side of the family hands....... after 50 years.....
I have been searching everywhere in Toronto for a copy of West Novas but
have come up dry, there is one at the reference library but I‘d like to have
my own... You will also see that my grandfather is mentioned on pg. 121 on
Sept 8th. I only have chapter 13 copied from the book but would like to have
the rest of them - I have every other Raddall book except this one....
I really do appreciate your assistance, you have no idea how much help this
is....... I am in the process of writing a book about my grandfathers life
Quite and interesting one he liked to flirt with disaster----Halifax
Explosion----Queen‘s Hotel Fire and WW2, and have started to write the
pages on his war years, I have everything on his death and service, but
wanted to get a general atmosphere as to what events had occurred during his
time there. I have official reports and documents and have seen Microfilmed
copies of the War Diaries, but they have since gone back to the Archives of
Canada.... so I didn‘t get a chance to look those dates up.
Would you be able to recommend a place where I could order a copy of West
Novas???
Again I am appreciative of your assistance.....
Sincerely Derek B. Shanks
----- Original Message -----
From: Ian Edwards 
To: 
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2000 9:24 PM
Subject: Re: West Novas, England
> The text of your message refers to Jan 6/42 but your heading shows 1943.
> I presume you do mean 1942. Therefore, referring to 1942:
>
> The answer is contained on page 62 of the unit history, "West Novas"
>
> "On Jan 6th the West Novas suffered a tragic mishap during a training
> exercise on the River Adur, when an assault boat capsized in mid-stream
> and six men of "B" Company were drowned. Some of them were good swimmers
> but in the cold water and weighted down with weapons and equipment they
> had no chance to save themselves. Ptes.
> Frank Smith and O.S. Foster of "B" Company, who made heroic efforts to
> save the lives of
> their comrades, were later presented with certificates of the Royal
> Humane Society, and awared the British Empire Medal."
>
> The next paragraph mentions the funeral. "The funeral was conducted at
> Brookwood Cemeteryon the 10th, with padres Addie and Butts in charge of
> the rites. "B" Company supplied the burial and firing parties and Lt.
> Col. Ernest and all the officers  of "B" Company were in attendance.
> Since coming to England the Regiment had buried several of its men, most
> of them victims of traffic accidents in the black-out, but the loss of
> six in a simple training exercise came as a shock."
>
> BTW, the unit history was published in 1947 and reissued again in 1986
> so should still be available from the West Novas and some booksellers
> specializing in Cdn Mil Hist.. Author, Thomas H. Raddell.
>
> You might find more information from the current unit‘s museum, as they
> likely have a copy of the unit War Diary, and someone, somewhere, must
> have a copy of the citations from the Royal Humane Society. National
> Archives, Ottawa, wll have a copy of the WD and appended to it will
> likely be some copies of correspondence, etc. re the accident.
> You can either look it up yourself in Ottawa or pay someone to do it for
> you perhaps a half hour‘s work to call for the WD and back again
> another day for about an hour to copy the docs, however NAC may not
> allow one to copy pages of the WD, I can‘t recall for sure. Not a
> difficult task if one happens to be in the Ottawa area.
>
> Hope this helps.
> Ian Edwards
> Sherwood Park, AB.
>
> > Derek Shanks wrote:
> >
> > List:
> >
> > I have just joined this mailing group today, and have a question that
> > has been burning...... I am hoping that someone might be able to
> > assist. I have been researching the history of the West Novas from
> > 39-47.... and came across a rather odd incident while reviewing the
> > casualty lists. The West Novas were based in Aldershot from 1939 until
> > June 1943 when embarking on the Operation Husky campaign, however
> > there were an unusually high amount of casualties listed on January
> > 6th 1942 while stationed in Aldershot. If someone might be able to
> > tell me what might have occurred that day I will indebted to you. I
> > have been searching for answers about this issue and have not come up
> > with anything.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Derek Shanks
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
> > Researching the Shanks family of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
> >
> > Researcher of the West Nova Scotia Regiment
> > Operation Husky, WW2 July 10th 1943 to
> > September 8th 1943.
> >
> > Sgt. Harold Joseph Shanks grandfather
> > April 4th 1912 - September 8th 1943
> --------------------------------------------------------
> NOTE:  To remove yourself from this list, send a message
> to majordomo@cipherlogic.on.ca from the account you wish
> to remove, with the line "unsubscribe army" in the
> message body.
>
--------------------------------------------------------
NOTE:  To remove yourself from this list, send a message
to majordomo@cipherlogic.on.ca from the account you wish
to remove, with the line "unsubscribe army" in the
message body.


----------



## army (21 Sep 2002)

Posted by *GUYBERUBE@AOL.COM* on *Sat, 19 Feb 2000 07:16:52 EST*
Hello, Mr. Shanks. 
If you want to do a search for the West Novas unit history by Thomas H. 
Raddell, you might want to try the site www.abebooks.com. About 5,700 
bookstores specializing in out-of-print books have put their offerings 
on-line. It‘s a wonderful site and I‘ve ordered some really rare finds from 
there. I hope this helps.
--------------------------------------------------------
NOTE:  To remove yourself from this list, send a message
to majordomo@cipherlogic.on.ca from the account you wish
to remove, with the line "unsubscribe army" in the
message body.


----------



## army (21 Sep 2002)

Posted by *"Gareth Green" <gareth@mail.caninet.com>* on *Sat, 19 Feb 2000 10:38:55 -0800*
Additionally. I think I am right in saying that as Pte‘s Smith and Foster
were awarded the BEM, they would have been gazetted in the London Gazette.
This would be another reference source for you.
Gareth J. Green
----- Original Message -----
From: Ian Edwards 
To: 
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2000 9:24 PM
Subject: Re: West Novas, England
> The text of your message refers to Jan 6/42 but your heading shows 1943.
> I presume you do mean 1942. Therefore, referring to 1942:
>
> The answer is contained on page 62 of the unit history, "West Novas"
>
> "On Jan 6th the West Novas suffered a tragic mishap during a training
> exercise on the River Adur, when an assault boat capsized in mid-stream
> and six men of "B" Company were drowned. Some of them were good swimmers
> but in the cold water and weighted down with weapons and equipment they
> had no chance to save themselves. Ptes.
> Frank Smith and O.S. Foster of "B" Company, who made heroic efforts to
> save the lives of
> their comrades, were later presented with certificates of the Royal
> Humane Society, and awared the British Empire Medal."
>
> The next paragraph mentions the funeral. "The funeral was conducted at
> Brookwood Cemeteryon the 10th, with padres Addie and Butts in charge of
> the rites. "B" Company supplied the burial and firing parties and Lt.
> Col. Ernest and all the officers  of "B" Company were in attendance.
> Since coming to England the Regiment had buried several of its men, most
> of them victims of traffic accidents in the black-out, but the loss of
> six in a simple training exercise came as a shock."
>
> BTW, the unit history was published in 1947 and reissued again in 1986
> so should still be available from the West Novas and some booksellers
> specializing in Cdn Mil Hist.. Author, Thomas H. Raddell.
>
> You might find more information from the current unit‘s museum, as they
> likely have a copy of the unit War Diary, and someone, somewhere, must
> have a copy of the citations from the Royal Humane Society. National
> Archives, Ottawa, wll have a copy of the WD and appended to it will
> likely be some copies of correspondence, etc. re the accident.
> You can either look it up yourself in Ottawa or pay someone to do it for
> you perhaps a half hour‘s work to call for the WD and back again
> another day for about an hour to copy the docs, however NAC may not
> allow one to copy pages of the WD, I can‘t recall for sure. Not a
> difficult task if one happens to be in the Ottawa area.
>
> Hope this helps.
> Ian Edwards
> Sherwood Park, AB.
>
> > Derek Shanks wrote:
> >
> > List:
> >
> > I have just joined this mailing group today, and have a question that
> > has been burning...... I am hoping that someone might be able to
> > assist. I have been researching the history of the West Novas from
> > 39-47.... and came across a rather odd incident while reviewing the
> > casualty lists. The West Novas were based in Aldershot from 1939 until
> > June 1943 when embarking on the Operation Husky campaign, however
> > there were an unusually high amount of casualties listed on January
> > 6th 1942 while stationed in Aldershot. If someone might be able to
> > tell me what might have occurred that day I will indebted to you. I
> > have been searching for answers about this issue and have not come up
> > with anything.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Derek Shanks
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
> > Researching the Shanks family of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
> >
> > Researcher of the West Nova Scotia Regiment
> > Operation Husky, WW2 July 10th 1943 to
> > September 8th 1943.
> >
> > Sgt. Harold Joseph Shanks grandfather
> > April 4th 1912 - September 8th 1943
> --------------------------------------------------------
> NOTE:  To remove yourself from this list, send a message
> to majordomo@cipherlogic.on.ca from the account you wish
> to remove, with the line "unsubscribe army" in the
> message body.
>
--------------------------------------------------------
NOTE:  To remove yourself from this list, send a message
to majordomo@cipherlogic.on.ca from the account you wish
to remove, with the line "unsubscribe army" in the
message body.


----------

