Canadian tunnellers in Gibraltar in WW II

[rebro]

I am writing in the hopethat someone can help me with some research.
I have worked for the British MOD in the Gibraltar tunnels for the past 17 years, and all
this time I have been hearing stories off approx 10 to 13 Canadian engineers that were
killed in a tunnelling accident in Gibraltar during World War two.The Story goes that they
where passing through a tunnel between Fossway and REME Chambers in a lorry when
the tunnel collapsed an unfortunately they where not able to get them out and to this day
remain buried there. The location of this tunnel is just outside my office which is also in the
tunnel system. All assistance is really appreciated as we plan to have a plaque put up to
honour this soldiers who helped defend my homeland and we feel if the story is true deserve
to be remembered

 

[Spr.Earl]

Many Moons ago I met Lt.Col. Sutherland Brown who was at that time our Col.Commandant and we got to chatting about my self and interest's and history is one and I told him I'd just finished reading about our tunneller's and that when we pulled out of Gib. each Sapper was given a pocket watch with his Svc.num. on etc,he pulled out a pocket watch and said"Like this one?"It shocked me!
Next thing he's telling me of his time on Gib.,most of it was they had a great time but it was hard work.

I and my History Meister have taken on your quest and both of us came up with #1 and #2 Tunnelling Co.'s and he has found the files but there are so many that they have to be gleaned through to find those who still lie with in Gib.,so give us a few day's to find their names,we have our fingers crossed.

Hope this helps.

 

[Old Sweat]

Have you tried the Commonwealth War Graves Commission?

 

[Spr.Earl]

Update.
My History Meister has requested the files but won't get them till August 19th and it may be some time after when we find the info as the files for both Co.'s are rather large.

So wait,out.

 

[54/102 CEF]

Google Search has several items you with actual official reports from the period

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&as_qdr=all&q=Gibraltar+%22Canadian+tunnelling%22&meta=

The key ones are here - general Cdns in Med

http://www.forces.ca/dhh/downloads/cmhq/cmhq126.pdf

http://www.dnd.ca/dhh/downloads/cmhq/cmhq080.pdf and

http://www.dnd.ca/dhh/downloads/cmhq/cmhq105.pdf

I looked through it for key words like casu (casualty) or killed and found none - so maybe you have an urban legend there

Some great quotes

Drunkenness is our big problem here at Gibraltar. The men say that there
is nothing else to do but, when we sent a truck around to take men down
for some swimming we only collected five who wanted to go. The water was
just right for swimming.

"The soft ball is getting better and, when all the lads are sober, we get some very good games" (4 Jul 41).

It is an amazing sight to see the rush of Spaniards out of the Naval Dockyards at 1800 hrs. Then down Reclamation Road, over to Spain, or to sit in a car in Irish Town and watch the Spanish men and women walking out by the Gate of the Keyes, back to Spain each with his or her paper bag or basket full of bread or some kind of food. They bring fruit and vegetables in when they come in the morning and take out tea, coffee, soup, bread etc. in the evening. Over 5,000 of them make the trip each day and most of them walk. Fat old women, young fairly good looking women, girls, boys and men of all descriptions, even some Chinese, all carrying parcels or bags.

the diarist of the Special Detachment, 1 Cdn Tun Coy, on 29 May 41 describes the return of
"H" Force to harbour after the operations culminating in the destruction of the
German battleship BISMARCK: Fleet steams into port. Troops lined the moles and bands played them
in. Cheers went up from all sides. The old Ark sure looked good as she steamed majestically into port with the flight deck lined with sailors.

As Sapper Earl said - I will see some files on Aug 19

Feel free to PM me

 

[Bill Smy]

You can search the cemeteries at Gibralter at this Commonwealth War Graves website

http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/cemetery_results.aspx

I did a quick look, and found Sapper Henry Logan Corbett, Royal Canadian Engineers, died 28 Nov 42

 

[Spr.Earl]

Thanks Bill.

I and 54/102 CEF are trying to see if this is fact,as of the last few hours we are beginning to think it may be just a story and we did come up with the same as you but no cause of death.

As a Sapper if this is true I would like to find out who they were also, especially since I did meet Lt.Col Sutherland  Brown,now if my old gray matter remembers correctly was a young 2nd Lt. and had a degree in mine engineering in 2 Company,I thought of contacting Lt.Col. Bill Dow who knew Sutherland Brown very well but alas Bill Dow is now in poor health and on dialysis nearly every day now.

Hope 54/102 can get the War Diaries for both Companies but I hear that everything from WWII is still on micro film.

 

[rebro]

Thanks everybody for all your help, I,ll go down tomorrow to North Front Cemetery and checkout the war graves see if there is a pattern
apart from that I,ll wait out and see what turns up here.
                                                                            Thanks  Mark

 

[54/102 CEF]

Sapper Corbett of Dawson, Yukon Territory, http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/virtualmem/Detail&casualty=2814462 died under 300 tons of Rock that were fractured by a premature detonation on 1500 28 Nov 1942 - 3 other comrades almost died with him but they got out of it alive. The location inside the complex was the EAST CHAMBER near HARLEY STREET.

All ranks of miners dug him out by 0300 in the moring of the 29th of Nov and he was buried in the North Front Cemetery.

I have 10 pages being copied which lays out all the work the Canadians did over there.

Watch for it soon on the Combat Diver Website

 

[Spr.Earl]

I knew you would come up with the good's Uncle