The query about the Royal Winnipeg Rifles prompts me to confirm that, ‘Canucks by the Sea – The Canadian Army in Eastbourne during the Second World War’, will be published by Eastbourne Local History Society on 7 November. The launch is scheduled for 3.00 pm in the Court Room at Eastbourne Town Hall. We are expecting a good attendance from members, and from local residents who remember the Canadian presence.
One Canadian veteran has already bought his air ticket; another is planning to follow suit. It will be an honour to welcome these veterans, and we hope that others may decide to join them on this nostalgic return visit. We will enjoy helping them to find their old haunts.
As far as the RWR are concerned, there are just two references. However, the book gives a feel of what life was like for Canadian troops and local residents. The situation in Eastbourne was reflected all along the south coast, and so our book should be of interest to any veterans (and their families) who were stationed in this part of England.
We do not have a distributor in Canada, but the long-established Eastbourne booksellers, Harpers, will be accepting credit card orders with payment in Canadian dollars. Details are as follows: -
‘Canucks by the Sea’ by Michael Ockenden: 187 pp with 75 illustrations, six in colour. UK orders (£7.99 + £1.10 UK postage) by cheque payable to Eastbourne Local History Society, Gote House, PO Box 169, Polegate, BN26 6AA, East Sussex. Payment in Canadian dollars with credit cards (£7.99 + £4.25 airmail) via Harpers Bookshop (
www.harpersbookshop.co.uk), 64 Grove Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4UH, UK.
Michael Ockenden
Eastbourne Local History Society