Category: Websites

Interesting point 

The Battle Within the War
Canadianization

Excerpt

One of the things that irritated PM McKenzie King and many in Canada was the British belief was that Canada was just fulfilling an obligation. When in reality the Canadian effort was by pride a voluntary one. The British looked at the RCAF as a manpower bank for the RAF. The Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Army had already kept their forces intact and not freely dispersed through out their British counterparts and Prime Minister King was bound and determined to have the RCAF a separate force on it’s own.
The government of Canada strongly insisted on what became known as “Canadianization” towards the RCAF. The formation of separate a bomber group for the RCAF was a high priority for the Canadian government and highly fought against by the RAF including the head of Bomber Command Air Chief Marshall Harris. He and his chiefs first regarded such an undertaking as a “colonial” venture doomed to failure. But Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King wouldn’t let go. The establishment of No. 6 Group would serve as an important symbol of a independent Canada. The feelings of the RAF brass towards what they looked on as a “colonial” idea was to last long into the war.

http://www.419squadron.com/CandB%2012.html

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In Memoriam – John Leonard Greaves (1964-2017)

In my search for more information to use on my blog paying homage to VF(N)-101 I had found this Website earlier this week.

It was about the Battle of Midway.

This is the link…

http://www.midway42.org/Default.aspx

There was something that caught my attention.

A painting and the story behind it. I had to look and read the story.

“The Other Sole Survivors”Torpedo 8 TBF Avenger at Midway – June 4, 1942

othersoulsurvivors2016

All paintings © John Greaves Art (used by permission)

Now the story behind the painting.

The only survivor of a flight of six TBF Avenger torpedo planes struggles to return home to Midway Atoll after attacking the Japanese fleet. Flown by ENS Albert Earnest with radioman Harry Ferrier RM3c and turret gunner Jay Manning Sea1c, the badly damaged TBF has hydraulics shot out causing the tail wheel to drop and the bomb bay doors to open. Without a working compass, Earnest flew east towards the sun and climbed above the cloud deck where he could see the column of smoke rising from Midway in the far distance. Earnest managed to bring back the TBF using only the elevator trim tab for altitude control and successfully landed. Manning died in his turret and Earnest and Ferrier were wounded.

earnest-ferrier

jay-manning

There is another story behind this story.

I wrote John Greaves to get his permission to use his painting on my blog.

But little did I know…

GREAVES, John Leonard

John Greaves died unexpectedly and peacefully at home on Monday, January 9, 2017 in Airdrie, AB at the age of 52 years. John is lovingly remembered by his wife Janet, and their 2 daughters; Emma and Katy of Airdrie, his parents; Len and Eleanor, brother; Stewart of Abbotsford, B.C., Janet’s sister; Sandra (Sam) Hamilton and family of Saskatoon, SK. John was born in Calgary, AB on September 1, 1964. John and his family moved to B.C. prior to John and his brother starting school, eventually settling in Abbotsford where John attended Abby Jr and Sr High School. John attended Fraser Valley College where he pursued his passion in Art, then went on to further study in graphic arts and business at BCIT. A Memorial Service will be held at Aridrie Alliance church, 1604 Summerfield Blvd, Airdrie, AB., on Saturday, January 14, 2017 at 1:30, with a reception to follow. Sandy Isfeld and Nathan Kliewer will be officiating, please join us in Celebrating John’s Life In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in John’s memory to the Canadian Diabetes Association, 240, 2323 – 32 Ave. NE, Calgary, AB, T2E 6Z3.

Messages of condolence may be left for the family at http://www.myalternatives.ca.

The source is here

***

John Greaves’ artwork is being used on this blog by special permission of his wife Janet…

I give you permission to use his paintings in the two blogs you mentioned, with credit given to my beloved John, who had a passion for history and art.
Thanks.
Janet Greaves

In Memoriam of John Leonard Greaves (1964-2017)

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childers-20130628

esdersnew

midwayb26new

othersoulsurvivors2016

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sbd3dicnew

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tbdlaub

tom-cheek-at-midway-x

All paintings © John Greaves Art (used by permission)

Housing, Hygiene, Laundry, and Food — IHRA

This excerpt comes from a memoir written by 1/Lt. Robert Mosely of the 89th Squadron, 3rd Bomb Group. Given the mention of the Philippines, the events below would have taken place in late 1944 or 1945. As described earlier, our tent, up on a wooden floor, was a great improvement over out “housing” in […]

via Housing, Hygiene, Laundry, and Food — IHRA

Jacques Piggott

photo 5

If your father, grandfather, uncle, granduncle, or cousin, or anyone you admire served on a Corvette during WWII, you should read this…

A Covert Naval Investigation: Overseas Officers, John J. Connolly, and the Equipment Crisis of 1943

by Richard Oliver Mayne

http://www.cnrs-scrn.org/northern_mariner/vol10/tnm_10_1_37-52.pdf

ExcerptEven though Connolly had already seen enough evidence to convince him of a serious equipment crisis in the RCN, he received another report on 23 October. Written primarily by Lieutenant J.J. Pigott, RCNVR…More on this Website

“http://www.cnrs-scrn.org/northern_mariner/

The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord

The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord, ISSN No. 1183-112X, is a fully refereed journal devoted to all aspects of the North Atlantic and North Pacific. It publishes essays, notes and documents on a variety of naval and maritime history, including merchant shipping, maritime labour, naval history, shipbuilding, fishing, ports, trade, nautical archaeology and maritime societies. TNM/LMN is published quarterly by The Canadian Nautical Research Society in association with the North American Society for Oceanic History (NASOH)

The four issues of TNM/LMN published annually total about 500 pages. Each issue contains feature articles (often illustrated) that run the gamut of maritime subjects. There are also frequent research notes, memoirs, documents, and review essays. One of the most important features of TNM/LMN is its book review section, which is by far the most extensive in the field. On average, TNM/LMN reviews more than 300 new books each year, making it the most convenient and comprehensive way to keep abreast of new monographs.