'Aussie Rick'’s Comments (group member since Jun 12, 2009)

'Aussie Rick'’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

Perato wrote: "Just finished Lloyd Clark's Anzio and now begun with Matthew Parker's Monte Cassino. Interesting similarity is that, both ended their foreword with lyrics of the "D-Day Dodgers".

The Anzio book wa..."

Nice review Perato, thanks for sharing :)

Simon wrote: " by Max Hastings.

This is packed with anecdote and story. My usual history is technical or strategic or graduate. This..."

Glad to hear you are enjoying Max Hasting's book :)

Boudewijn wrote: "I'm well into Ian W. Toll's third book of his Pacific War Trilogy but until now the Kokoda battle has been absent. I don't know if this will come up or because most of the battle was done by the Au..."

MacArthur was given overall command of all forces in New Guinea and American soldiers later fought alongside the Australians, but the initial fighting on the Kokoda Track was an all Australian affair.

"Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942" - Continual bravery on the beach at Dieppe:

"At 1100 hours, the Essex Scottish and scattered elements of the Fusiliers on Red Beach remained pinned against the seawall or behind stranded tanks on the beach. The intensely accurate fire made it almost impossible to organize resistance. Any movement drew immediate fire. After losing a foot to a mortar round, Essex Scottish lieutenant Douglas Green had 'continued to hobble on, leading his platoon until ... a second bomb finished him.' 'D' Company's Major John Willis carried on despite such severe chest, arm, and head wounds that Lieutenant Colonel Fred Jasperson thought it 'seemed humanly impossible to do so.' Seeing a man wounded in the open, Willis suffered a last, fatal wound trying to drag him to cover."

Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942 by Mark Zuehlke

"Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942" - One aspect of the Dieppe Raid that doesn't always get a mention - the RAF Air Sea Rescue Service:

" ... Morrison was seventeen miles from Dieppe when a high-speed launch from the RAF's Air Sea Rescue Service picked him up. Lightly armed and relying on speed and covering fighter protection, these launches rescued twenty pilots. But of five launches deployed from a base in Dover, the Luftwaffe sunk three, and twenty crew died. 'Whilst under the fighter screen,' Leigh-Mallory wrote, 'they were adequately protected but at times they gallantly went beyond this cover and suffered casualties'."

Royal Air Force Marine Branch:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_A...

Boudewijn wrote: "Just finished Hitler's Private Library: The Books That Shaped His Life - an interesting view on Hitlers library which I guess my fellow group members will find interesting. After all..."

Great review of what sounds like a pretty interesting book! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with the group :)

Talking of the Victoria Cross, here is one very deserving recipient, Padre Captain John Foote:

Citation:
“At Dieppe, on 19th August, 1942, Honorary Captain Foot, Canadian Chaplain Services, was Regimental Chaplain with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.

Upon landing on the beach under heavy fire he attached himself to the Regimental Aid Post which had been set up in a slight depression on the beach, but which was only sufficient to give cover to me lying down. During the subsequent period of approximately eight hours, while the action continued, this officer not only assisted the Regimental Medical Officer in ministering to the wounded in the Regimental Aid Post, but time and again left this shelter to inject morphine, give first-aid and carry wounded personnel from the open beach to the Regimental Aid Post. On these occasions, with utter disregard for his personal safety, Honorary Captain Foote exposed himself to an inferno of fire and saved many lives by his gallant efforts. During the action, as the tide went out, the Regimental Aid Post was moved to the shelter of a stranded landing craft. Honorary Captain Foote continued tirelessly and courageously to carry wounded men from the exposed beach to the cover of the landing craft. He also removed wounded from inside the landing craft when ammunition had been set on fire by enemy shells. When landing craft appeared he carried wounded from the Regimental Aid Post to the landing craft through very heavy fire.

On several occasions this officer had the opportunity to embark but returned to the beach as his chief concern was the care and evacuation of the wounded. He refused a final opportunity to leave the shore, choosing to suffer the fate of the men he had ministered to for over three years.

Honorary Captain Foote personally saved many lives by his efforts and his example inspired all around him. Those who observed him state that the calmness of this heroic officer as he walked about, collecting the wounded on the fire-swept beach will never be forgotten.”

John Weir Foote V.C.:
http://www.vconline.org.uk/john-w-foo...

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.c...

Two great accounts Mike and poor old Charley McCallum deserved the Victoria Cross that he was nominated for. Here is a bit more info on Charley McCallum:

(view spoiler)[McCallum survived Isurava but his days were numbered. Charlie McCallum was killed in action a week later on 8 September at Brigade Hill. He was an only son and his mother proudly carried his medal in her handbag for the rest of her life. (hide spoiler)]

"Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942" - One Canadian soldiers' description of landing on the beach at Dieppe:

"Menard knew 'we were going to get hell. There were a lot of guns going, and at first you could pick out the sounds. The heavy, dull thunder of the artillery ... The ripping clatter of the machine-guns. The boom of mortars. The whine of the sniper's rifle. Then, as we moved in closer, all these sounds began to merge into one continuous roar that pressed hard on your eardrums ... Those last 200 yards were bad. The German fire was getting the range of our boats. I had a dry, hot feeling in my throat. I wanted to do something - not just sit there in that damned boat'."

Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942 by Mark Zuehlke

Here is a detailed article on the Calgary Tanks at Dieppe:

https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewconte...

"Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942" - A lot of the Churchill tanks landed on the beach at Dieppe were throwing their tracks:

"The rocks that broke Cougar's track exposed another grave intelligence error. No analysis had been performed of Dieppe's beach stones. It was simply assumed they mirrored the cobble of Sussex beaches. Calgary Tank trooper Stan Kanik [a geological engineer after the war] later determined and reported that Dieppe's stones were chert - 'an exceedingly hard rock ... allied to flint.' Beach erosion shaped it 'into rounded and oblong stones ... that resist cracking or breaking ... The entire beach [was] composed of chert stones, boulders and rubble ... many metres in depth ... When a tracked or wheeled vehicle tries to climb up this slope, it immediately digs itself down; when the tracks are turned to either side the stones roll in between the drive sprocket and track and the object that first gives way is the pins holding the track links - end of locomotion!' "

Churchill Tanks at Dieppe:
https://www.keymilitary.com/article/t...

We Aussie's don't mind bragging about our successes but sometimes a few of us go a bit too far :)

Jonny wrote: "There's something a bit underhand about money off deals on payday - anyway, it meant I've ended up with a copy of [book:Monash's Masterpiece: The battle of Le Hamel and the 93 minutes that changed ..."

Indeed Jonny, you might find the author a bit over the top in his writing about the Australians so I will apologise in advance.

That's an interesting story Colin!

Mike, I think a very small number of Japanese were taken prisoner during the Kokoda campaign. Many veterans refer to an unofficial no prisoner policy.

Manray9 wrote: "From The Memoirs of General Lord Ismay.

After service under Lord Mountbatten culminating in the partition of India, Ismay again pursued retirement. Soon Prime Minister Attlee asked..."

Did the poor bugger get to retire in the end????

"Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942" - The Queen's own Cameron Highlanders and one funny side effect of intense training back in England:

"Once through the wire, Major Ross led his men across the main road to the buildings bordering it. Seeing the bridge, he advanced 'A' Company towards it by working through backyards. Ross kept out-running his troops. Puzzled, he turned to see them carefully climbing fences, ensuring gates were closed after passing, trying not to damage vegetable gardens. What the hell? They were acting like men on a training scheme in England, where a claims officer would follow close behind to compensate civilians for damaged property. Ross yelled, 'This is war, fellows. No claims officer here. Get going.' Men started ripping down fences and smashing anything that slowed their advance."

Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942 by Mark Zuehlke

"Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942" - The author has just finished describing the action that led to the award of the Victoria Cross to Captain Pat Porteous, a liaison officer.

The citation reads at Dieppe, France, 19 August 1942, T / Major Patrick Anthony Porteous, Royal Regiment of Artillery & No. 4 Commando:

"At Dieppe on the 19th August 1942, Major Porteous was detailed to act as Liaison Officer between the two detachments whose task was to assault the heavy coast defence guns.

In the initial assault Major Porteous, working with the smaller of the two detachments, was shot at close range through the hand, the bullet passing through his palm and entering his upper arm. Undaunted, Major Porteous closed with his assailant, succeeded in disarming him and killed him with his own bayonet thereby saving the life of a British Sergeant on whom the German had turned his aim.

In the meantime the larger detachment was held up, and the officer leading this detachment was killed and the Troop Sergeant- Major fell seriously wounded. Almost immediately afterwards the only other officer of the detachment was also killed. Major Porteous, without hesitation and in the face of a withering fire, dashed across the open ground to take over the command of this detachment.

Rallying them, he led them in a charge which carried the German position at the point of the bayonet, and was severely wounded for the second time. Though shot through the thigh he continued to the final objective where he eventually collapsed from loss of blood after the last of the guns had been destroyed.

Major Porteous's most gallant conduct, his brilliant leadership and tenacious devotion to a duty which was supplementary to the role originally assigned to him, was an inspiration to the whole detachment."

Pat Porteous:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000...

An amazing piece of good luck, maybe one of the only bits of luck for the whole operation in the end!

"Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, August 19, 1942" - Some details on the Commando raids on German batteries either side of Dieppe.

Hess and Goebbels Gun Batteries at Dieppe:
https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2018/10...