Today is a holiday. Did some washing of clothes and rested.

Attended services at a Baptist church in the town of Godalming.

In advanced training.

In advanced training. Wrote letters to mother and Alice.

In advanced training.

In advanced training both day and night.

In advanced training, wrote letters in the evenings.

Visited a town in the day.

Attended services at a Baptist Church.

In advanced training, received letters from Canada.

In advanced training. Received two parcels from home - one from mother and the

second from Alice. Parcels are wrapped in cloth and sewn tight.

On weapons range. Hand grenade training.

In training. Received letters from Mr. Woodside and Charles Nethercot. Went on

pay parade.

Was on weapons range. Bren gun practice on the range.

Receive mail from home. From mother, Margaret, and Alice. Wrote letters to mother

and Alice.

At Military Church Parade. Attended church services at Baptist Church, then at a

Hymn Sing at a Congregational Church.

On advanced training. Received in the mail letters from Alice, John Collins, John

Amlin, and a card from Francis and Alice. Wrote three letters.

Placed on kitchen duty all day. Transferred to E Company. Occupied in cleaning

duties.

Placed on kitchen duty all day.

On kitchen fatigue duty all day. Occupied in writing letters. Played a game of

checkers with Grumman in the evening.

On kitchen fatigue duty all day. Received a letter from Margaret. Received news that

I have another nephew – Douglas Sydney Latimer born to Francis and Victor.

On kitchen fatigue duty all day. Received in the mail a letter from mother telling me

that Nick was home for Christmas.

On kitchen fatigue duty all day. Occupied in writing letters.

Began a refresher course on trucks. Did

maintenance on trucks. Received airmail letters from

mother and Margaret.

On refresher course on truck maintenance.

Warned for field draft. Went through draft procedure.

Moved to "F" Company. Posted to the Queens Own

Cameron Highlanders of Canada.

Prepared for transfer. Had three inspections.

Received a parcel from Nick and Marion.

Traveled to Worthing, to the Queens Own

Cameron Highlanders of Canada unit. Arrived at the

unit at noon.

The Queens Own Cameron Highlanders of

Canada was a Winnipeg regiment. They were part of the

were among the units who in the Dieppe raid in 1942.

From what I learned from those who returned was that

the regiment had reached the objective and were in a

holding position when the order was given to retreat and

evacuate to the beaches. Lives were lost. Prisoners

were taken, but most came back to England alive, to

First Infantry Division was already fighting in Italy. The Third Infantry Division would be first to land in

Normandy on D-Day. These infantry divisions were supported by Canadian Armored divisions as well.

Troops of the Cameron

Highlanders in landing craft

prior to the raid on Dieppe, 19

August 1942.

Frank Royal/National Archives of

Canada/PA113245

regroup and fight again.

This is a photo of the men in the Support Company of our battalion. Try to find me in

the photo.

On parade for medical inspection. On pay parade. Worked at cleaning six pounder

anti tank guns.

On kitchen fatigue duty all day. Received an airograph from Alice. Walked into the

town in the evening.

We are stationed on the south end of England, right on the English Channel, billeted

in walk up apartments. We slept on a mattress right on a wood floor, about three men per

room. In the morning the mattresses are rolled up, blankets are folded, and placed on top of

the mattresses and pillow.

I had met a Canadian Christian soldier at a Bible bookstore in this town. He directed

me to the Gospel Hall location. I was glad for this contact. Attended church services at the

Gospel Hall, morning and evening. The evening message was on Isaiah 1:18. At the church

I met Mr. & Mrs. G. Walters of 74 North Court Road, Worthing, Sussex. From them I

received an open invitation to visit their home. They had a teenage son named Roy. I

enjoyed happy fellowship in the home of that fine Christian family. When visiting them, I

brought them ration coupons, so they could purchase grocery items that were rationed. I shall

ever be grateful for their kind hospitality.

Occupied with maintenance on the six pounder guns and carriers.

Engaged in cleaning and painting trucks by hand with a brush.

Painted trucks all day. We are preparing for Brigade inspection.

Today, there is a large parade inspection by General Simmons. Painted trucks rest of

the day. Wrote airmail letters to Margaret and Alice.

Occupied with painting trucks. Were on medical parade. Inoculated for typhus.

Wrote letters to mother and Nick. Purchased my chocolate ration.

Saturday, February 5, 1944

A Postcard from more peaceful times on the promenade. The

red roofed buildings were used by Canadian troops for billets.

Personal Archives

Today I had a driver’s test, and passed the test. Visited a Bible Book Store. Met

Lawrence Russel. Was out visiting the Allens.

Church parade in the morning. Attended an evening service at the Gospel Hall.

In company training program. Attended a prayer meeting at the Gospel Hall,

In company training program. Went to the St. James Church to listen to the Scripture

Readers perform.

In company special training. Attended a young people’s meeting at the Gospel Hall.

In company special training program. Remained in, in the evening to begin water

proofing of our units.

The purpose of the training in the water proofing of our trucks and carriers was to

allow them the engines to operate submerged under water. A putty like compound was used

to encase all the electrical wiring including the spark plug cables as well as gear box breather

outlets.

Each operator or driver, with his crew, were required to do the job. With the training

fresh in our mind the job was completed satisfactorily in a few days. The spark plugs and

distributor cap were given special attention. A special compound that was red in color was

used in this area where heat was an issue.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of the waterproofing job a jeep so equipped was

tested in a swimming pool filled with at least three feet of water. It was my lot to make a run

around the pool in one of the jeeps.

Later, when we landed in France, my carrier barely got wet in the ocean between the

landing craft and the shore. Once on shore, and away from the beach, the water proofing

material was removed.

Attended a water proofing school. Visited Mr. and Mrs. Walters.

Attended a water proofing school. Wrote letters in the evening.

We had a tool inspection today. Attended a meeting at the Gospel Hall today. Had

dinner and supper at the Walters. What a nice day we had!

Further training at the water proofing school. Attended prayer meeting at the Gospel

Hall.

Was on Brigade practice today. On pay parade. Drew $2.00. Wrote letters to

Margaret and Alice.

While stationed in Worthing, one night I was assigned to drive a few soldiers to a

dance in another town. It was a cold night and very dark. I did not dance, however I needed

a place to keep warm, so I entered the building and found a bench near a coal stove. There I

sat. It wasn’t long before some of the ladies felt sorry for me and offered to take me on to the

dance floor. After a number of offers, I decided to wait in my truck until the evening was

over. I knew we had to be back in camp at 10:00 pm so I could suffer the cold that long. The

people there no doubt had a good time without me.

On medical parade for a vaccination. We were out for a five mile run. Attended

young people’s meeting at the Gospel Hall.

At company training exercise. Worked at maintenance of vehicles.

At company training all day. Was up to the Walters for tea in the evening.

Our company is out on the firing ranges all day.

Attended church parade in the morning. Had a mine lecture at noon. Visited the

Walter family. Attended the evening service at the Gospel Hall.

Engaged in various housekeeping duties during the day. Attended prayer meeting at

the Gospel Hall.

Engaged in various housekeeping duties. Received letters from Margaret and Alice.

Wrote letters to both of them.

Engaged in various duties around camp. Received letters from mother, Margaret,

Alice, and John Amlin. Sometimes letters arrive in a bunch.

On duty hauling coal into our building for use in the stoves. Cleaned my clothing and

pressed those that need pressing.

We move from Worthing to Broome Park. Lost my watch somewhere.

When the move was made from Worthing, I left some of my material with the

Walters. My diary was left with them as well. Any entries from now on were from memory

until I was able to pick my up belongings from the Walters. We had been instructed not to

carry a diary into action, as it could provide valuable intelligence to the enemy if we were to

be captured.

From February 26 to July 4, 1944 our whole unit was quarantined at Broome Park.

The Park was located in the County of Kent, south of London. It was a beautiful location

with gorgeous rows of trees which we used for shelter and camouflage purposes. We lived in

large round army type tents. The tents were pitched in rows along the tree line and not out in

the open meadow. I was given a nine day pass from March 4 to 13.

While at Broome Park, on April 20, a tour of the countryside was arranged for those

who cared to go. The soldiers were getting restless. We visited Dover, Falkstone, and

Canterbury. I was able to attend a Gospel Hall meeting in Falkstone during April.

We underwent further training while in this area. New carriers were issued to the

support company.