British 2nd Army in Normandy

Discussion in 'Book Reviews & Discussion' started by Stephen M. Fochuk, May 11, 2016.

  1. Stephen M. Fochuk

    Stephen M. Fochuk Active Member
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    Nov 26, 2015
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    Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
    Can someone point me to a book that covers, in detail, the operations of the 2nd Army in Normandy?

    Thank you,

    Stephen
     
  2. allan125

    allan125 Active Member
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    Apr 20, 2013
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    Hello Stephen

    That would be a hard one I would think - Not specifically 2nd Army, but "North West Europe 1944-45" (The achievements of 21st Army Group) by John North, published by HMSO in 1953, way way too early for an ISBN !! "This volume has been written at the request of H M Government as one of a series designed to furnish the general reader with a short military history of the Second World War, 1939-45, pending the publication of the Official Histories. The author has been given access to official documents and sources of information: for the presentation of the material, for the statements made, and for the opinions expressed, he alone is responsible), and for something published later, by the OC of 3 Commando Brigade in the 1982 Falklands campaign. "The Imperial War Museum book of Victory in Europe - the North-West European Campaign 1944-1945" Book Club Associates published 1994 - it doesn't appear to have an ISBN - but has CN2800 at the top of the bar code, then 9 780283061615 under it, with a separate 90200 at the top of the bar code!

    Hope this helps. What are you looking for in particular ?

    Allan
     
  3. Stephen M. Fochuk

    Stephen M. Fochuk Active Member
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    Nov 26, 2015
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    Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
    Thanks, Allan,

    Short of visiting, dare I use the old acronym, PRO, which I hope to do within the next 12 months, I am looking for a good reference to the units No.83 Group RCAF supported as part of my on going research into the RCAF day fighter squadrons that served overseas during the Second World War. I started with No.144 Wing, RCAF way back in 2000, No.143 is complete for the period of inception to end of August 1944, and dabbling in 126 and 127 Wings.
     
  4. allan125

    allan125 Active Member
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    Apr 20, 2013
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    Happy to help Stephen

    However, I would be very surprised if any book about 21st Army Group, or even 2nd British Army, indicates which squadron or Wing gave specific support, but I might be proved wrong.

    As we both know 144 Wing had a very short life span before being disbanded in the major 2TAF reorganisation on 14 July 1944, whereby Wings then went to 4 squadron strength, and the Airfield Commander went from being a WingCo. to a Group Captain - in the case of 125 Wing, who gained 441 (Silver Fox) Squadron RCAF, it went from Wing Commander John Lapsley to Group Captain "Jamie" Rankin - and the Wing Leader (WingCo Ops) stayed as Alan Geoffrey Page, who is featured in a photo taken at B.11 Longues-sur-Mer sitting in his Spitfire IX (AGP) fully loaded with three bombs (including safety pins), seemingly ready for an immediate take-off (once the pins came out!!).

    If you have any information about 441 Squadron during its stay at 125 Wing until late September 1944 that you are willing to share I would love to see it.

    I presume it is a typo but 83 (Composite) Group was RAF and not RCAF. Dad served on Z (Composite) Group during Exercise Spartan in March 1943, which evolved that month through a little known "Blue" Group into 83 (Composite) Group on 1 April 1943, which was prior to the formation of the Tactical Air Force in June 1943, later renamed 2nd Tactical Air Force in November 1943.

    Dad stayed with them until about early May 1944 when he moved over to 125 Airfield (later 125 Wing), and stayed with them right up to its disbanding in July 1945 after finishing the European war at Celle/Germany with an immediate post-war stay at Kastrup/Copenhagen as part of the Liberation forces.

    I found a photo of him on the Australian War Memorial website receiving an injection to "help fight germs as well as Germans" by an Australian doctor as 125 Wing then had 453 Squadron RAAF as part of its then 3 Squadron strength (132, 453, 602)

    If you can think of any way that I can assist don't hesitate to ask - I have all four volumes of the current 2TAF books, plus the 1970 original.I also possess both volumes of "Spitfire - the Canadians" by the late Robert Bracken.

    I think I have already pointed out the excellent website of Dave Clark concerning 127 Wing in Normandy http://www3.sympatico.ca/angels_eight/ - and Dave has written a comprehensive book to accompany his website

    Allan
     
  5. Stephen M. Fochuk

    Stephen M. Fochuk Active Member
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    Nov 26, 2015
    92
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    Fresh Air Inspector
    Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
    Hi Allan,

    Thanks for your feedback. Actually, I am more interested in what the 2nd Army was doing on a daily basis as I suspect, unless it was a well documented action, reference to Wings, let alone squadrons would not be listed.

    You know, had the RCAF got themselves together, 83 Group would have been RCAF as it was, if memory serves me right, was offered up as such, but they took too long in figuring themselves out and as we know, that did not happen.

    I have copies of all the books you reference; some here with me in Yellowknife, while the others are in storage in Ottawa. As a matter of fact, Robert Bracken was a good friend of mine, and we covered a lot of ground together on the RCAF Spitfire side of things.

    I will be more than happy to help you out should I find/have anything of interest.

    Thanks,

    Stephen
     
  6. allan125

    allan125 Active Member
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    Apr 20, 2013
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    Hello Stephen

    Funnily enough AIR26/185 (125 Airfield / 125 Wing) is listed at the NA as No. 125 Airfield (RCAF), but until George Keefer came along in November 1944 the highest ranking Canadians were the Squadron Leaders http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4097578 - including Phil Tripe of 130 (Punjab) Squadron, who transferred to the RCAF during his service with 130.

    I am in touch with his daughter by the way if you need anything on him, and assisted her with contacts when she visited the former Y.32 Ophoven to commemorate his January 1945 baleout.

    kind regards

    Allan
     
  7. Ellen Duinker

    Ellen Duinker Active Member
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    Jan 6, 2015
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    Greetings Stephen and Allan,

    Trying to catch up on Whitebeam news after a long summer absence.
    Seeing George Keefer's name brings back many happy memories of a stay with his family in Montreal during EXPO 1967. He and my father (Charlie Trainor) were very close and dad's reluctance to attend fighter pilot reunions could only be mitigated by "Uncle George's" insistence he attend.
    Lorne Cameron and Andy MacKenzie were two other pilots who found their way to PEI in later years; both very interesting characters!
    Thank you for all you do to enrich our collective histories of WW2.

    Warm regards,
    Ellen
     
  8. allan125

    allan125 Active Member
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    Apr 20, 2013
    359
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    Hello Ellen

    Nice to hear from you - what a small world !!

    kind regards

    Allan
     

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