Canadian Army in Northern Ireland?

[PPS]

A question to the mess.

Is it known if there were any Canadian Army units based in Northern Ireland during WW2?

I know that there were many personnel from the Air Force and Navy, some of whom never returned home to their families.

A "discussion" has started in my local Ex-Service Club, and I have been elected to try and sort it out (some people think I know things like this!!).

It is known that a lot of your "south of the border" neighbours were stationed here at one time or another, but one side is saying that there were also Canadian Army units here as well. I cannot repeat verbatim what the other side is saying in reply; suffice to say it involves an impossible personal act.

HELP PLEASE!!!

Paul.

[Wayne McGee]

I know for a fact my father went tourin' and (perish the thought) whorin' throughout the British Isles including Northern Ireland for a couple of weeks right after VE Day. (he may have even had a Leave Pass, not that something like that would have detered him). However, I'm pretty certain that no Canadian Army Units were ever tasked to the Emerald Isle.
Searching my memory of Regimental histories, I do recall individuals and sub-units being sent on courses in Scotland and even Wales however I don't remember anybody going to Ireland.
Pity.

Cheers

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by PPS
Is it known if there were any Canadian Army units based in Northern Ireland during WW2?

Hi Paul;

The only field force unit of the Canadian Army (Overseas) that was in Northern Ireland during the period of the Second World War, was the 7th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.C.A. (of 1st Anti-Aircraft Brigade, R.C.A.), consisting of:

Headquarters, 7th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.C.A.
42nd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, R.C.A.
57th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, R.C.A.
67th (Rosetown) Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, R.C.A.

with attached:

7th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Signal Section, R.C.C.S.
7th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Platoon, R.C.A.S.C.
No. 23 Light Anti-Aircraft Ordnance Workshop Sub-Section, R.C.O.C.
No. 24 Light Anti-Aircraft Ordnance Workshop Sub-Section, R.C.O.C.
No. 25 Light Anti-Aircraft Ordnance Workshop Sub-Section, R.C.O.C.

who were sent to Northern Ireland from England in December 1941 to under go training at a firing camp, located at Ballykinder Camp, Northern Ireland. In May 1942 they returned to England.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

[PPS]

Many thanks for that Mark, I will inform the parties concerned of the outcome.

I wonder what else they will find to argue about now.

Paul.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by PPS
I wonder what else they will find to argue about now.

... women ...... football....... the price of a pint ..... the cost of petrol at the pumps ..... darts .....

Glad I could help.

Cheers

[Norm Cromie (RIP)]

Paul
I don't know whether my excursion to Ireland in 1941 counts as Canadians stationed in Ireland which leads me into an old soldiers tale which I am sure you have had more than your fill of but here goes anyway.
In 1941 I applied for a leave to Ireland which took some fast talking using the excuse I was trying to research some family relatives. Our company commander said he had grave reservations but he granted me my wish. You can see that I loved to travel. I took the ferry from Stranraer to Haishom on a God awful tug, I think they called it a ferry. It was carrying a cargo of cattle of whose aroma permiated the whole ferry. They had a bar where I decided to partake of a couple of shots of rum. The weather became rather severe half way over which relieved me of my rum. When I landed in Haishom the RTO Officer asked me what in the hell I was doing visiting Ireland. I gave him the same excuse, looking for lost relatives. He took one look at my privates uniform with a collar and tie and dress brown oxford shoes and must have wondered "what the hell kind of animal is this" He shook his head and said very well but, you keep the hell out of politics and stay of Falls road as we had a British officer shot there last week. On the following Sunday, typical Northern Ireland, everything was locked up tight. Bars, dance halls, etc. When I ran into two young Irish lassies who told me not to worry but for one shilling I could join a club that could legally have dancing. After the dance I invited them to have tea with me. Now during our conversation one of the young ladies made the remark that when Hitler wins the war, Ireland will be much different. When I politely informed her that that kind of talk was actually treason. I realized that this was the politics that the RTO Officer warned me about. As you can see our friendship rapidly disappeared and it was splitsville for this little tea party.
The attached photo was taken somewhere downtown Belfast. Can't remember exactly where after 66 years.