23rd Field Regiment, RCA, 83rd Artillery Division

[Herb Danter (RIP)]

Hello Cheryl:
My name is Herb Danter and I was in the 23rd Field Regiment (SP) RCA in WW II. I was a FOO's Tech (in my time - called an O.P.Ack) and I was a member of the recce party for Dog Troop of the 36th Cobourg Battery on this particular occasion.
We had 3 batteries in the Regiment, Cheryl, the 31st (Peter) Battery fom Toronto, the 36th (Queen) Battery from Cobourg,Ont and the 83rd Battery (Roger) Battery from Hamilton and vicinity.
Your Dad was a sergeant and he was our dispatch rider (DR) when all the recce parties of the Regiment were on a reconnaisance mission this particular morning. His bike would have been an English Norton (snortin' nortins we called them)
Anyway I think he received a mentioned - in - dispatches for an act of bravery which ( I think) he should been awarded the military medal for.
It was in the early morning during the last stages of the war in Germany when all the Recce parties were sent out on their various recces. We were travlling down this back road and going around a bend in the road we bumped into a fully armed German patrol. Both sides were so surprised that we just looked at each other. So, before anything happened your Dad roared up on his bike between us and the patrol and motioned for them to drop their weapons.Fortunately they did and we ended up by taking them all back to the Regiment.as POW's. I figure our Dog Troop Party was very lucky because ours was the lead vehicle.
Cheryl, I could go on and on but if you wish to contact me further please send me an "e"mail at h.danter@sympatico.ca or phone me at 905 - 420 - 1788. and I will glaly comply with any info you desire. I live in Pickering.
Cheers
Herb Danter