Storm and Assault Boats

[Gretchen]

Thanks Scotty B! You have provided more info. What this tells me is we are either diving in Europe or looking for design plans. I have passed this speech on. I will also check 23 Field Company out. I am so sorry and proud of these troops. I believe it is time to come home. If you think of any thing else let me know.
In gratitude, gretchen

[servicepub (RIP)]

John Sliz, the originator of this thread, wrote "Storm Boat Kings" which was recently published by Vanwell's.

THE STORM BOAT KINGS

THE 23 RD R.C.E. AT ARNHEM 1944

By John Sliz
ST. CATHARINES, ON—
WHEN DAWN ARRIVED ON September 26th 1944, Lieutenant Russ Kennedy of the 23rd Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, found himself on the wrong side of the Rhine River in a storm boat with an engine that wouldn’t start. With him were thirty-six battle weary members of the British 1st Airborne Division, crammed into a boat meant to carry only sixteen men. They had two choices; to either sit around waiting to be captured or risk crossing the strong and wide river that was well within the sights of German machine gunners and artillery fire.
They had just witnessed the fate of the previous boat. Without an engine, twenty-five men had tried to paddle across without success. They were a slow moving target on a river in full illumination. Only four of them lived to make it to safety.
If the Lieutenant and his boatload of men could get across, it would mark the end to a long and difficult night. They were the last boat and the engineers had done a terrific job despite the odds. All night, the engineering units had ferried over 2,300 troops across the river. What was left of the besieged British 1st Airborne Division had been rescued.
THE EPIC BATTLE of the British 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem in 1944, has been told many times, but so far the story of how they were evacuated across the River Rhine has only been merely touched upon.
This is the story of how the Royal Canadian Engineers not only supported the Royal Engineers, but ferried the lion’s share of the Airborne troops across the flooded river under less than ideal conditions.
One unit in particular, the 23rd Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers would find fame because of their expert handling of the Storm Boats and for their bravery. Unfortunately, glory came at a high cost to a unit that would soon earn the nickname, ‘The Storm Boat Kings’.


PO Box 2131,
1 Northrup crescent
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7S2
(905) 937-3100 ext.858
(800) 661-6136
(905) 937-1760 fax
- Vanwell Publishing Limited
simon.kooter@vanwell.com

[Gretchen]

We must never forget how really difficult these situations and Battles were. We are already requesting 'The Storm Boat Kings' from Princeton library. It's so amazing what these men did for their country. This blog site is probably the best one I have ever participated in and must continue. I grew up watching 'World at War' with my Dad. That's when he would tell me some of the stories. I miss him. Thank you for responding so quickly. It will help with our preservation. There is so much yet to learn. gretchen

[Kent Aist]

In the attachment there was a question about what a fellow was doing with a saw in one of the photos. It looked more like a plane to me. It has a similar handle, but it shaves off wood to smooth or shape it.

Kent