Sand, Dust & Gravel: "Nickname" for SD&G ?

[Wigger K. F. van der Horst]

Can someone tell me more about the SD&G's "Nickname" Sand, Dust & Gravel? HOW and WHEN did they got this name?

[Jon Skagfeld]

Wigger:

You are aware, I'm sure, that the official Regimental name is...

"Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders".

This Reserve Infantry unit headquartered in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, is numbered 19 in the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps Order of Battle.

Raised 3 Jul 1868 as the 59th Stormont and Glengarry Battalion of Infantry. Its Regimental March is Bonnie Dundee...Motto is Dileas Gu Bas...Tartan is Macdonnell of Glengarry.

It is credited with 6 WW I Battle Honours, and 19 WW II Battle Honours.

"Everybody" knows about the nickname, but I have never heard anyone relate just where or when it came to be.


HTH

PS...perhaps our resident historical expert, Mark Tonner, can step in and help here?

[Gregory Pollard]

Hello Jon & Wigger,

Jon I am a goog friend of Cpl. John Angus McDonald 16 Platoon, "D" Company, S.D.&G. Highlanders. I am also a friend of Wigger.

In the book "JUNO Canadians at D-Day JUne 6, 1944", by Ted Barris, John Angus was interviewed. In this interview Barris mentioned, " The regiment spent three years in England preparing for the invasion on hillsides, beaches and roadways, and in woods and swamps, living up to its complimentary moniker, "the sand, dust, and gravel brigade."

It is quite possible that the name originated in Canada. The S,D.&G. Highlanders were at Debert Military Camp, Debert, Nova Scotia, before leaving for England. Debert was a muddy camp, there was no grassy areas, just mud and dirt, I have many photos of Debert that show this.

A quote from a letter sent from Debert to my Grandmother Ethel Pollard from my uncle L/Cpl. George Pollard, 18 Platoon, "D" Company, S.D.&G. Highlanders, " I am just waiting to see the gardens and the flowers. Down here they have no gardens and no flowers where we are. The only thing we have down here are red clay stones and bush. This country would make anybody go A.W.L. Cornwall is a king's Place compared to this hole."

I hope this helps,
Greg

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

The SDG shoulder title worn during the war had simply the words "GLENDARRIAN" over "CANADA" in red on a blue backing. Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry are all counties in Eastern Ontario and, as is typical, the SDG Hgrs are an amalgation of late 19th century county militia battalions. My question: why did Glengarry county prevail over Stormont and Dundas counties to be the only one used on the shoulder title? There must be a regimental tradition or two that explains this.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Did you get the friggin part? Do you like it? Were the 19 set bits up to your exacting standards????

(to late to go back on the deal. Your 19 set AE base is firmily bolted to the turret roof and old guys like you can't reach up that high)

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by Bruce Parker
Did you get the friggin part? Do you like it? Were the 19 set bits up to your exacting standards????

(to late to go back on the deal. Your 19 set AE base is firmily bolted to the turret roof and old guys like you can't reach up that high)

Yes, yes and yes.

That's what stepladders are for, to firmily bolt stuff...

Glad to be of help with your Fox.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

And did you see? It seems Geoff thinks we used to get into trouble. He even went public with the accusation. Right here on the very forum. He deinies all complicity. Imagine. D'you think we should have him killed?

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

not killed, just whacked over the head with yappy's frying pan.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

I just got it. Smartass. Like you're inferring I needed a step ladder to bolt it on????

Not in the least. I carefully climbed up on my wife's kitchen stool that she is even now looking for. (when she finds it she won't want it as it now has grease all over it along with two of her best tea towels)

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

It's people like you what cause unrest...

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

The OLD GUY (Skag) is probably sleeping. Past his bed time.

[Gregory Pollard]

Originally posted by Bruce Parker
The SDG shoulder title worn during the war had simply the words "GLENDARRIAN" over "CANADA" in red on a blue backing. Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry are all counties in Eastern Ontario and, as is typical, the SDG Hgrs are an amalgation of late 19th century county militia battalions. My question: why did Glengarry county prevail over Stormont and Dundas counties to be the only one used on the shoulder title? There must be a regimental tradition or two that explains this.

Hi Bruce,

If you email Winston Johnston in PEI, I am sure he will have the answer for you. He has published a book called "The Glengarry Light Infantry, 1812-1816, who were they and what did they do in the war?"

I believe the Glengarry Light Infantry, from Glengarry county, was the first infantry in the three counties. You can email Winston at:
winston.johnston@pei.sympatico.ca

The reason could also be, the kilt the Glens wore, was the Mcdonnel of Glengarry tartan.

Let me know if you get an answer from him, because I have another source if he can't answer your questions.

Greg

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Bruce Parker
The OLD GUY (Skag) is probably sleeping. Past his bed time.

An ever-narrowing attention span methinks. Ah well. If he'd only have bought a Ford...

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi

Can't help with the nickname you mentioned but did hear another. From the wife's Granfather when I was courting her; "Storebought, Dumbass and ?? Highlanders". I can't remember the last bit but he though it was hilarious.

Oh, he was a Riley (RHLI) and is mentioned in "There's a Goddamn Bullet for Everyone". Lost a leg to a Schu mine on the Goch-Calcar Road too. Great fella. Had to be; he let his Grandaughter knowingly marry a Zipperhead!

Forgive my possible irrelevance.

regards
Darrell

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Darrell Zinck
Forgive my possible irrelevance.

regards
Darrell

Methinks "irreverence" might be a better word here...

[Wayne McGee]

"Irradescent" is much better

[Wayne McGee]

Sand, DIRT, and Gravel when I was kid. More to the point, two minutes after a Unit is named, the Unit on their left will come up with some witty(read: bonehead), extrapolation of the Unit title.
Eeks&Sqeaks, Rocking Chair Rangers, Gay& Smiling Foreskins, Googlee Fooglees, these a few that come to mind just off the top of my head. So...Find out the exact time that the SD&GHighrs received their Unit title... and add two minutes.



Cheers to my mates in the Essex & Kent Scottish, Royal Canadian Regiment, Grey & Simcoe Foresters,and Governor General Foot Guards.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

In the seventies and eighties in TMD, 'Rocking Chair Rangers' = 'Run Chicken Run'... mind you, them's was the days everyone was shooting 'militia bullets' on exercise...

[Wigger K. F. van der Horst]

Reading all the messages sent to this thread, I have to admit its very interesting and I saved all, because of its contents. Not only the information about “Sand, Dust & Gravel”, because "Sand, Dirt & Gravel” does not only sounds better, but it could be closer to the truth, especially when I read a personal letter from a SD&G Veteran - who was billeted at a house of a family in Hilversum in the Netherlands, in May 1945:
“. . . we appreciated living in a real home again & sleeping in a warm comfortable bed with clean white sheets, after living like animals in “slit trenches”, scared, dirty, always very “up set”, eating or trying to sleep with all the noise of war fair.”
These are the words of a Veteran who express his feelings, what happend more than 60 years ago. Another Veteran - Mr. Harry Towes – gave me a very special gift: the BOOK “Up the Glens” – 1783 – 1994, by Lt.Col W Boss & Brig.Gen WJ Patterson. I read the part of WWII because I wanted to make a real Time-line of the Glens with the locations & dates. So, there was only one way to do this: read it all in detail.
Reading the letter of the Veteran and “Up the Glens” shows, why we have to honour them all and commemorate the soldiers who died for our Freedom.
Sand, Dust or Dirt . . . it doesn’t matter, because it’s only a mini-tiny piece of the History of the Glens, but it was nice to read all the replies . . . . . . although, sometimes . . . I cannot understand one word (fella – zipperhead – Schu – TMD . . .) of it . . . and in that way I have to admit . . . I’m Dutch . . . ! That's why I want to thank all the Canadians who did support me with a lot of “translations” of abbreviations and information about the Canadian Army in WWII. You’re real, true, Supporters!

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi Wigger

Nice letter from that Veteran and also nice gift from Mr Towes. Well earned. Thank you for looking after our soldiers back then.

A "Fella" is a "Fellow" or "Chap" or "Comrade" or "Man".

"Schu" is a type of German WW2 landmine. Nasty things.

"Zipperhead" is a Canadian Armoured Soldier..................like a:

Bambis- Royal Canadian Dragoon
Channel 8's- 8th Canadian Hussars
Little Dumb Sh*theads- Lord Strathcona's Horse
12th Rubber Boot Company- 12e Regiment Blinde du Canada
First Lose-ars- First Hussars
Gugga Huggas- Governor General's Horse Guards
etc, etc, etc.

Of course outside the fine Armoured Corps there are others:

Princess Patricias Crazy Little Indians, Primarily Women Or Rejects, and Hasty Pees come to mind.

Oh, and how about "Evanescence"

regards
Darrell

[Wigger K. F. van der Horst]

Hello Darrell . . . thanks for the explanation . . . which gives the proof: one is never too old to learn . . . and I'm feeling myself still very young . . . so experience will learn.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by Wigger K. F. van der Horst
Hello Darrell . . . thanks for the explanation . . . which gives the proof: one is never too old to learn . . . and I'm feeling myself still very young . . . so experience will learn.

First...Welcome home Darrell..
Get some Moosehead and lobsters into you before Brian Gough gets to PEI and eats up the catch...


Hi Wigger..
Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry,PPCLI,.....PING PONG Champions of Long Island(NY)...
Zipper head was refereing to the stitched up scars on the Tank Corp heads from cutting their heads on the hatches and other sharp objects inside the AFV's...The scars looked like Zippers..
English is the most flexible language in the world...and adding new words every minute of every day somewhere and it is difficult for all of us to keep up with the language ,even the native English speakers.
But for an ESL(English as a Second Language) Speaker it is virtually impossible to keep abreast of all the double meanings..coloquielisms,and all the rest of the little rules and regulations that make English the Universal language of the world..
I haven't seen any MLU memebers here yet that couldn't at least make their points on the forum...
Some are a little rough but we have so many tallented language speakers here that can translate and help out that it is amazing and the best FORUM on the net ..as far as I am concerned.

[Wayne McGee]

"Oh, running shoes they have to bear,
One for dress, and one for wear.

Raise the Flag,
But not to high,
the RCR's are marching by.

The pitter-patter of a thousand feet,
The RCR in full retreat....

As a young soldier in the early 70's we used to sing all the time and I could never figure out why the above verses were directed at the RCR's, a line Infantry Unit with a normal 120 paces per minute cadence.
The Queens Own Rifles were a much more logical target for this tune but, the Unit title really does'nt fit.

Darrell... how about...Eminem