Maestro
Master Sergeant
plan_D said:
I knew that a lot Canadian pilots ended up in bombers, but I'm surprised that they were so many !
Canada!
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I knew that a lot Canadian pilots ended up in bombers, but I'm surprised that they were so many !
Nonskimmer
Captain
Give this a read then. It's brief, but it gives you an idea. My grandfather flew with 419 and 434 Squadrons. 425 Sqn. was made up mostly of French-Canadians.
http://www.lancastermuseum.ca/contribution.html
This is a good read too.
http://www.junobeach.org/e/4/can-tac-air-bom-e.htm
http://www.lancastermuseum.ca/contribution.html
This is a good read too.
http://www.junobeach.org/e/4/can-tac-air-bom-e.htm
Maestro
Master Sergeant
Nonskimmer said:
Yep, even their Motto is in French. Thanks for the links, mate.
Nonskimmer
Captain
No problem. Those are just the RCAF bomber squadrons. There were Canadians with RAF squadrons as well, like the articles indicate, who'd been there from the beginning. Read the bit about Canadians in the Dams Raid, it's interesting. They also mention Flight Lieutenant Joe McCarthy, who was an American flying with the RCAF. There were several in the RCAF, and a few Canucks with the USAAF as well.
If you're interested, do some digging. There's all kinds of info out there.
If you're interested, do some digging. There's all kinds of info out there.
Wildcat
Major
Nonskimmer said:
OK here's some stats from the Aussie effort in WWII
Out of a Population of only 6.9million, 993 000 enlisted into the armed forces, with 575 799 serving over seas.
Australia spent 2,132,743,000 pounds on Defence Expenditure.
Casualties-
Battle related deaths 19 235
non battle related deaths 20 194
WIA 23 477
POW 28 756
POW deaths 8 031
Civilian deaths 735
Australian's fought against the Germans, Japanese, Italians and Vichy French in all theaters of the War. Some notable battles fought by Australians include - Battle of Britain, Tobruk, El Alamein, Crete, Syria, Matapan, Malaya and Singapore, Coral Sea, Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville, New Britain, Borneo, and Many many more.
Thousands of Aussies served with the RAF particulary Bomber Command, were 3 500 were KIA.
The Australian Army with the support of the RAAF were the first Allied force to defeat the Japanese on land at Milne Bay in New Guinea. RAAF Hudsons were the first Allied aircraft to engage the Japanese just hours before Pearl Harbour. (I'm talking at the start of the Pacific war not including the Chinese and flying Tigers).
Australia came under attack for the first time in its history when the Japanese launched 188 planes from the Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu plus 54 land based bombers from Timor agaisnt Darwin on 19 Feb 1942. The raid cost 8 ships sunk plus 11 damaged with a total of 243 people killed. The only air opposition was from 10 brave American pilots in P-40's, all were shot down and only 4 survived (if my memory is correct) all were immediately decorated.
The Austarlian mainland was bombed for a total of 64 times. The Japanese also sent 3 midget Subs into Sydney Harbour killings 21 RAN sailors for the loss of all 3 subs and their crew. (Interestingly the Jap Sailors were all given a full military funeral and their ashes sent back home to thier families in Japan!! Too bad our boys didn't get the same treatment when they were butchered in the POW camps.), Sydney also suffered a few attacks by Naval bombardment with minor damage.
And there's my very brief overview of Australia in WWII.
- Thread starter
- #26
Very good info there on Australia. Wow I never knew that the mainland was attacked that much!
evangilder
"Shooter"
It's nice to see these. I knew that the commonwealth nations were involved, but seeing the numbers is what really drives it home. Great stuff, guys!
I agree, it would be nice to see info from all the nations.
trackend
Chief Master Sergeant
Maestro said:
It appears that it was a real mixed bag with the common wealth service personel and units My uncle was a pilot in the Canadian Bison Squadron (Wellingtons) with a mixed Aussie,Pommie Kanuck crew.
My old man worked alot with the Canadian and US Ranger troops.
so I think it was so intergrated that it was as Maestro pointed out not regognised by UK civvies the numbers of oversea personnel involved.
RAGMAN
Airman
I didn't know of the contributions of Canada in the Pacific Theatre! I have read and seen a lot of info on the contribution of Canada in Europe and the atom bomb project. As some of you have said WW2 was really a group effort.
Yes that it was. I believe Canada and Australia though were the 2 biggest besides the US and England. Russia does not count because we are talking about the commonwealths.
Nonskimmer
Captain
RAGMAN you're not alone. Even the Canadian government puts almost all emphasis on the European contributions and practically nothing is ever mentioned about the Pacific or CBI, other than Hong Kong early on. We were there. In many cases it was as part of RN or RAF units, but we were there. Read up on the Aleutians as well.
Getting back to Italy, have you ever heard of the First Special Service Force? It was an elite combined Canadian/American group (although mostly American) that fought in Italy. There was even an old Hollywood movie made about them (although it was typically completely inaccurate) called the Devil's Brigade.
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=feature/italy99/backgrounders/special
Getting back to Italy, have you ever heard of the First Special Service Force? It was an elite combined Canadian/American group (although mostly American) that fought in Italy. There was even an old Hollywood movie made about them (although it was typically completely inaccurate) called the Devil's Brigade.
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=feature/italy99/backgrounders/special
NS can you tell me some stuff about the Canadian stuff in the PTO. I also am not to up to date on that.
Nonskimmer
Captain
Admittedly, I'm not real good with many of the details myself at the moment, but go over the first page of this thread. PD and I go over some of it in brief.
Well, that and the fact that I'm too lazy to do a lot of typing right now.
Well, that and the fact that I'm too lazy to do a lot of typing right now.
Yeah I should have done that to begin with. I was just too lazy to go back to the first page. I know its just a click.
Wildcat
Major
Here's some info I found that might interest you Skim. Check out
http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ozatwar/canadiansinoz.htm
I imagine this would be relatively unknown info.
http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ozatwar/canadiansinoz.htm
I imagine this would be relatively unknown info.
Nonskimmer
Captain
Thanks for the link mate. Interesting. I knew absolutely nothing about that, and I'd bet my pay that hardly anyone in Canada does these days. Good stuff.
Wildcat
Major
No probs mate! Indeed an interesting bit of Canadian/Australian military history.
I could not get it to load for somereason.
