# Re: Foresters....Canadian Quest for Peace



## army (23 Sep 2002)

Posted by *"Ian Edwards" <iedwards@home.com>* on *Thu, 15 Mar 2001 21:03:24 -0700*
How did I know about the Grey  Simcoe Foresters? Well, I have an 
extensive library of 10,000 regimental histories....
Actually, to be honest, I have some, but I also have a book "The 
Canadian Military Experience 1867-1995 A Bibliography" by O.A. Cooke. I 
have the third edition and  the earlier 1st edition. So that‘s how I 
am able to sound so knowledgeable about what books are available.
I think just about every WW2 Canadian infy and armd unit that was 
mobilized and saw service overseas has had at least one book written by 
or about them. Many units, with books long out of print, have had a 
second book done for them covering more of the post-WW2 period in recent 
years. Regimental histories tend to fall into two categories: those that 
focus on who was in the unit and give a flavour of what the war years 
were like, lots of anecdotes, fun to read. The others are for the 
professional historians and serious armchair historians that make 
extensive, almost exclusive use of unit war diaries. Seldom any happy 
medium.
I don‘t know much about why the Germans didn‘t invade Sweden except that 
perhaps they found it more useful to have the Swedes remain officially 
neutral rather than swallowed by the Third Reich. Would be interesting 
to know just how much trade of raw/semi finished material went from 
Sweden to Nazi Germany. In the Cold War era, Sweden paid a high price 
for their neutrality. They had to spend a high proportion of their GDP 
on their armed forces in order to convince the Soviets that they 
wouldn‘t be a pushover without any allies to support them.
I think the Swiss have geography on their side when it comes to defence. 
Now, the interesting question is, is there really such a thing as the 
Swiss Navy?
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Rob Ayres
  To: army-list@CdnArmy.ca
  Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 1:36 PM
  Subject: Ian: Foresters....Canadian Quest for Peace
  I‘m not sure how you knew to turn me on to this book Ian but thanks. 
It‘s great!
  It‘s been a long time since Gr. 8 Canadian History class and not only 
does this book bring a lot of that back but it adds to it from a local 
perspective. It also gives one some insight as to the changes taking 
place within the Regular and Reserve Forces and the thinking behind 
those changes.  I can only hope that when I track down some of the 
others in the list you gave me that they are as good as this one.
  In the book the author sites Sweden as an example of a country whose 
Militia was so well organized and complete in it‘s logistics that the 
Nazis considered it futile to attack them. Are there lessons to be 
gained by scrutinising and implementing some of the practices of the 
Swiss. I wonder what specific practices it was that put such a fear into 
the Nazis‘ and how we could learn more about them. Will I one day be 
keeping and maintaining my rifle at home as they do? Just kidding, we 
all know better than that.
  I have enjoyed the book thoroughly, only wish it was longer. Do most 
Militia regiments have such books on their histories? It would be a 
shame if they didn‘t.
  RobA
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
Howdid I know about the Grey 
amp Simcoe
Foresters? Well, I have an extensive library of 10,000 regimental
histories....
Actually, to be honest, I have some, 
but I also
have a book "The Canadian Military Experience 1867-1995 A Bibliography" 
by O.A.
Cooke. I have the third edition and the earlier 1st edition. So 
that‘s
how I am able to sound so knowledgeable about what books are
available.
I think just about every WW2 Canadian 
infy and armd
unit that was mobilized and saw service overseas has had at least one 
book
written by or about them. Many units, with books long out of print, have 
had a
second book done for them covering more of the post-WW2 period in recent 
years.
Regimental histories tend to fall into two categories: those that focus 
on who
was in the unit and give a flavour of what the war years were like, lots 
of
anecdotes, fun to read. The others are for the professional historians 
and
serious armchair historians that make extensive, almost exclusive use of 
unit
war diaries. Seldom any happy medium.
I don‘t know much about why the Germans 
didn‘t
invade Sweden except that perhaps they found it more useful to have the 
Swedes
remain officially neutral rather than swallowed by the Third Reich. 
Would be
interesting to know just how much trade of raw/semi finished material 
went from
Sweden to Nazi Germany. In the Cold War era, Sweden paid a high price 
for their
neutrality. They had to spend a high proportion of their GDP on their 
armed
forces in order to convince the Soviets that they wouldn‘t be a pushover 
without
any allies to support them.
I think the Swiss have geography on 
their side when
it comes to defence. Now, the interesting question is, is there really 
such a
thing as the Swiss Navy?
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From:
  Rob
  Ayres 
  To: army-list@CdnArmy.ca 
  Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 
1:36
  PM
  Subject: Ian: 
Foresters....Canadian Quest
  for Peace

  I‘m not sure how you knew to turn me 
on to this
  book Ian but thanks. It‘s great!
  It‘s been a long time since Gr.8 
Canadian History
  class and not only does this book bring a lot of that back but it adds 
to it
  from a local perspective. It also gives one some insight as to the 
changes
  taking place within the Regular and Reserve Forces and the thinking 
behind
  those changes. I can only hope that whenI track down some 
of the
  others in the list you gave me that they are as good as this 
one.
  In the book the author sites Sweden as an 
example of a
  country whose Militia was so well organized and complete in it‘s 
logistics
  that the Nazis considered it futile to attack them.Are there lessons to be gained by 
scrutinising and
  implementing some of the practices of theSwiss. I wonder 
what
  specific practices it was that put such a fear into the Nazis‘ and how 
we
  could learn more about them. WillIone day be keeping and
  maintaining my rifle at home as they do? Just kidding, we all know 
better than
  that. 
  I have enjoyedthe book thoroughly, only 
wish it
  was longer.Domost Militia regiments 
havesuchbooks on
  theirhistories? It would be a shame if they didn‘t.
  RobA

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## army (23 Sep 2002)

Posted by *"dave" <dave.newcombe@home.com>* on *Fri, 16 Mar 2001 12:23:43 -0800*
  you wrote
  I think the Swiss have geography on their side when it comes to 
defence. Now, the interesting question is, is there really such a thing 
as the Swiss Navy?
  They have one, but it folds up into a coast guard......he he he
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
  you wrote

  I think the Swiss have geography on 
their side
  when it comes to defence. Now, the interesting question is, is there 
really
  such a thing as the Swiss Navy?

  They have one, but it folds up into a 
coast
  guard......he he he
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## army (23 Sep 2002)

Posted by *Juno847627709@aol.com* on *Fri, 16 Mar 2001 17:47:16 EST*
>> They have one but it folds up into a coast gaurd.
        LOL
                Very nice, Dave. Very nice indeed.
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