70th Anniversary of D-Day - Drive a CMP to Canada

[maple_leaf_eh]

I will be remembering the accomplishments of 5th Field Company RCE. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Mr Stanley Fields, Cpl (retd) who landed on Juno Beach at HHr minus with the simple job of removing explosives and other obstacles. He and his men dashed ashore and then spent 2 hrs under fire before a meddlesome German MG could be destroyed. They then got out from behind the seawall and on with their job.

5th Field was distributed into sections and platoons all across the Canadian front. Their end of the day War Diary losses were reported in the dozens until two small landing craft filled with men who had been stranded offshore were able to land and join up with the HQ.

Before going to speak to Stanley, I read about their work in the 2nd volume of the Engineer's history and some of the excellent on-line histories of the landing. Mr Fields was the honoured guest at a recent unit mess dinner and although I was not able to attend, he was the star of the show. At age 95, every DDay survivor is a bit of a war hero.

[Jon Skagfeld]

I'll be on Juno Beach in August as part of a battlefield tour.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi All

I've been organizing a D-Day Commemoration Convoy, for the 7&8th of June, closest weekend. Event called Convoy Head 2014 the plan is drive a convoy from the Massachusetts State line the length of New Hampshire 235 miles to the Canadian Boarder and back again in two days. Figure 470 miles should be a pretty good run.

It will be a small convoy compared to some in Europe, but we are trying to get people back into the idea of driving their trucks in Convoy. Twenty years ago it was nothing for us to have 20+ vehicles take off on 200 mile trip, but lately the numbers have been dropping off.

We have 13 vehicles and 20+ people coming on the trip. One of the guys coming on the trip is an 83 year old Korean War Veteran who is flying in from Florida just to come on the trip.

Plan to make a short loop up into Canada so my CMP can return to Canada 72 years after it left.

Cheers Phil