Fort Harrison Helena Montana

[Robert Bergeron]

Friends , i recently relocated to Winnipeg so i drove through the US to get to the Peg from Victoria BC.. On my way there i passed through Montana . I stopped in Helena . Fort Harrison is the home of the 1 SSF , the Black Devil’s or Devil’s brigade . I highly recommend a visit . BEWARE : The museum is on an active National Guard base and is only open on Thursdays. It was a Friday but i happened to run into the curator , a very nice gentleman. The Canadian flag flies in Fort Harrison in honour of the Canadian soldiers who fought with the Force .Awesome visit. Highly recommended ! Will post pictures . Robert

[Robert Bergeron]

Here are a few pictures

[Robert Bergeron]

more pictures of a wonderfull visit

[Robert Bergeron]

more . The German quote with the 1SSF red arrow: It’s going to end badly. The white building is the ORIGINAL parachute folding / maintenance building for the Force.

[Robert Bergeron]

Here are some more pictures . An awsome visit . Canadian military history in the USA. The unidentified man in the picture is Col Fredericks , the first Commandant of the Force . The bottom uniform with the blue/ white with an upward pointing knife patch denotes Operation «* Cottage*» : The liberation of the Aleutians in Alaska from the occupying Japanes forces.

[Robert Bergeron]

Had to post more pictures ... so excitingly interesting visit ! Top picture : The famous picture of the 1SSF marching out on main street Helena Montana before going to war. Many were killed .
Right below an interesting testimony from a Canadian member of the Force .
Below that the white buildind is the theater the Force used for mass brieffings and films on ennemy tactics. Flags at half mast for Senator MCain . The Japanese flag is for Kiska in the Aleutians , the island taken over to create a diversion that eventualy led to the battle of Midway.

[Robert Bergeron]

MODERATOR : maybe this belongs in Military History, i don’t know but it is about a very important chapter of Canadian Special Forces history ! I had waited many years before having the opportunity to visit this very remote special place . Thank- you, Robert

[Robert Bergeron]

Here a a few more pictures . The last one is of the famous hill that ( according to the movie ) the men had to run up every morning. The knife visible in picture No 2 is specific to the Force and was made by Case . ) It is similar in use to the Fairbairn- Sykes but more sturdy in my opinion . It can be used as a utility knife and because of weight and handle as a hitting weapon ( skull cracker pommel) The curator told me they are very rare and that the last one he saw being sold it went for $ 23,000. Yes twenty three thousands dollars. That’s what he said , don’t scream at me ! I saw one on RIA auction site that is currently at auction and the estimate is between $6500 and $ 12,000. Force stuff and particularly the V-42 is highly collectible and pricey. Less than 3000 were made .Don’t forget that they were but a few thousand in an Allied army of millions and were disbanded in 1944. Today Boker makes a decent reproduction and i paid $ 165 US for one at the Force Museum . They can be bought for cheaper on Amazon but those never saw the hills of Helen Montana ... Good night brave soldiers of the Force wherever you are ! R.

[Robert Bergeron]

Here are a few more pictures . The permanent structures of WW2 and prior are all still there. The tar paper shacks are of course long gone.First three pictures a pre-war permanent barrack with the inside. Fourth is of the American uniform of the members of the Force. Last one , the Chapel where some prayed and asked for forgiveness for their sins comitted downtown Helena when on leave... Soldiers never change and are quite predictable trust me.

[Robert Bergeron]

More information . The Museum says there were 2300 men in the initial contingent. Case made 3000 V42 knives . The remaining 700 spares were distributed to replacements until they ran out . That explains the rarity of that combat knife . History has it that they never got to do demolitions , jump or skied. Their initial mission was to raid Germans nuclear research facilities in Norway . Thus the ski, parachute ,mountain and demolitions training . That role was taken over by the Royal Commandos for some reason i don’t know . They did do some amazing mountain climbing at La Difensa Italy which will remain their singlemost daring and incredible feat . Being such a new concept ( special forces ) , nobody in the chain of command knew how/ when / where to use them. In the Aleutians ( Alaska) they were used as Marines in an amphibious assault. In Anzio as regular infantry in a Scout role . In the Provence landing , they were used as Scouts to recce the beaches and as Seals to reduce communications and command & control within the beach area . At La Difenza they acted as Special Forces in a daring , mountain surprise attack on the unsuspecting German force that greatly outnumbered them. The US Rangers were employed in a similar fashion at Pointe du Hoc during the D day Op Overlord. So yes, all US & Canadian Special forces have their origin in this unit and proudly so . R.

[Robert Bergeron]

Mt Sammucro is an action i have to read on. It happened during the Battle for San Pietro on the way to Naples.

[Robert Bergeron]

There are Federal lands [ National Forest ] around and adjacent to the base . It is normal practice in the States to have these available for military training . These ones were used as training areas by the Force . It is rugged and mountainous . Have a look .

[Robert Bergeron]

Had an honour guard Montana style when leaving the base . I hope you enjoyed my report. Have a great night .

[maple_leaf_eh]

Thanks for the trip report Bob. The current Canadian Special Forces guys cannot get enough of the lore of the FSSF.

I was looking at the red arrowhead and German language message on a sticker on one of our soldier's coffee cups the other day. She is a highly skilled technician who was posted to one of the CANSOF units, and happened to pick up the sticker. Of all things, we were discussing house building techniques and lumbering. The topics that interested minds wander into.

[Wayne Hingley]

A few faces to go along with the location report from Robert...
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...nal-gold-medal

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

MODERATOR : maybe this belongs in Military History, i don’t know but it is about a very important chapter of Canadian Special Forces history ! I had waited many years before having the opportunity to visit this very remote special place . Thank- you, Robert

Done.

Thanks for sharing this Robert, very interesting stuff!

Hanno

[r.morrison]

Gentlemen: Just to add to Robert's story and Wayne and Terry's input....one of the fellows in Wayne's contribution article, Jim Summerside, was a neighbour of mine growing up. I was brought in a VLA subdivision (Veterans Land Act) in Welland Ontario .... subdivisions that were designed and built for Canadian Veterans coming home from the war. You had to be former serving member of the the Canadian Forces to buy a home there. Growing up there was something I would not trade it for "all the tea in China", as they say. We had veterans from "The Dieppe Raid", RCAF, RAF, Tank Commanders, The "Haida" Tribal Class Destroyer, Artillery, Snipers, Prisoners of the Hong Kong debacle and probably every regiment in Canada... and that is just a few houses. Jim Summerside and Roland Gillap were both members of the "Devils Brigade" and they lived around the corner from each other. A number of years ago, there was an article in the local newspaper about Jim and Roland going around to various schools in the Remembrance Day period and having chats with the student bodies.
Recently, Jim Summerside was honoured with having a street named after him. He is still very involved with the Canadian Legion in Fonthill Ontario Canada. I will send the article off to Hanno to be posted with this article. AND for all those who don't know the area I'm talking about...it's about 30 to 40 minutes due west of Niagara Falls Ontario.There was a TV special aired a number of years ago with the CTV network regarding the anniversary of the "Devils Brigade". It was hosted by Lloyd Robertson and he interviewed and recounted stories of the "Devils Brigade". Canadians would probably recognised and number of the participants. One of them was Jim Summerside. There was a point of the group interview where one gentlemen made a statement of how they would sneak in a German Camp and "dispose" of a number of it's occupants. AND Jim Summmerside added in at the end... with a dead pan face.... the word "PERMANENTLY"! God, how I broke out laughing at that!

Anyway....a little bit Tidbit to add to Robert's travel and more to come.

Cheers....Robert

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by r.morrison

Gentlemen: Just to add to Robert's story and Wayne and Terry's input....one of the fellows in Wayne's contribution article, Jim Summerside, was a neighbour of mine growing up. I was brought in a VLA subdivision (Veterans Land Act) in Welland Ontario .... subdivisions that were designed and built for Canadian Veterans coming home from the war. You had to be former serving member of the the Canadian Forces to buy a home there.

....
Cheers....Robert

When I came home from the Gulf War - Canada's first shooting war since Korea - I asked about my land grant, housing loan, and other benefits. Crickets. Silence. It was like Veterans Affairs had forgotten how to deal with war veterans in the nearly forty-years since they were asked last time.

[Ed Storey]

Terry, I hope you are not also expecting to also get a VA funded bed in a hospital.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by r.morrison

Recently, Jim Summerside was honoured with having a street named after him. He is still very involved with the Canadian Legion in Fonthill Ontario Canada. I will send the article off to Hanno to be posted with this article.

Here you go, Robert.

Great to see this vet received the honour he deserves!

Veteran honoured by street naming in Fonthill
News Sep 24, 2018 by Kris Dubé The Welland Tribune


Jim Summersides with his wife Margaret at the official opening of Summersides Boulevard, named after the local Second World War veteran. - Kris Dube,The Welland Tribune

Jim Summersides is greatly appreciative of a street being named in his honour, but he's also thankful to have made it out of the Second World War alive and be able to still share his story decades later at the age of 94.

The local veteran and Pelham resident was joined by dignitaries and family for the official opening of Summersides Boulevard, a short stretch of road in east Fonthill between Rice Road and Station Street near the new Meridian Community Centre.

A modest reaction was delivered by Summersides at Monday's event.

"This really is an honour," he said, next to Margaret, his wife of more than 70 years, and their children Rex and Sherry.

In 1944, Summersides joined a Canadian-American unit known as the Devil's Brigade, respected for fighting in some of the most dangerous and difficult missions during the conflict.

"It's a blessing that we're here, those of us that survived," he said.

Sherry is grateful to the municipality, as well as Royal Canadian Legion Branch 613, for thinking of her father when putting forth the street name more than two years ago.

"I am very proud to be a daughter of a veteran and to have the community recognize them is beyond worth," she said.

First vice-president Jake Dilts said Summersides remains a familiar face at the local legion branch, visiting for coffee three times a week, helping out with the poppy campaign before Remembrance Day, and through countless hours put into youth programming over the years.

"He's put a lot into it and has been a great advocate for the legion," Dilts said.

Summersides, born in 1924, joined the Armed Forces at age 18, training in Orillia before deploying overseas and fighting in Italy and France.

In 2015, Summersides was one of 42 special service veterans, 14 of them from Canada, honoured in Washington, D.C., with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honour in the United States.

Source: https://www.wellandtribune.ca/news-s...g-in-fonthill/