Maple Leaf Up - the meaning

[Hanno Spoelstra]

In the introduction to his book “Maple Leaf Up — Maple Leaf Down”, author Captain Peter Simonds wrote:

The title, perhaps, requires a brief explanation. “Maple Leaf Up” was the name of the main route to First Canadian Army during the whole Western Europe operation. To get to the First Canadian Army, one followed the painted maple leaf or written words, MAPLE LEAF, plus the word UP; to get back to the rear areas, away from the army, one followed the maple leaf signs, plus the word DOWN. The tanks and vehicles loaded with supplies and reinforcements for the army rolled along MAPLE LEAF UP; the empty trucks and full ambulances rolled along MAPLE LEAF DOWN.

—Peter Simonds, Edmonton, May 1946

Peter Simonds happened to be the brother of Canadian 2nd Corps Commander Lt-General Guy Simonds.

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Ref. http://www.mapleleafup.ca/whatismlu.html and www.abebooks.com