Canadian Military WW2 by Robert Armstrong 11 November 2004Does anyone know if any Canadian Units were based in Brighton in WW2? If so which units and where were they based? Thanks29 replies Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Stephen Musgrave 11 November 2004Yes, I quote from my father’s unpublished memoirs of war time Brighton: “One Sunday morning I was digging in the front garden (in Rottingdean) when there came a sound of rifle-fire from the opposite hillside and then there was the whistling noise of bullets all around me. I judged it expedient to retreat indoors, when a Home Guard officer, Captain Mott, rode up on his horse and asked to use our telephone. He got through to Home Guard headquarters and told the Colonel that the Canadian soldiers, with whom they were engaged on an exercise, were using live ammunition. The Colonel said he would try to get them to stop, but Mott said “Oh no, Sir, don’t do that, all I want is your perrmission to use live ammo back!” I believe there were Canadian troops quartered in the house next door to my parents, and when they left they made my mother the gift of a huge sack of flour, then in short supply and rationed for civilians. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Anne Morrison 12 November 2004I know that Canadians were stationed in Cuckfield – 15 miles north of Brighton. But perhaps that’s too far away to be relevant…? If not, let me know and I can dig out more details for you. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by VWStevens 12 November 2004There were many Canadians stationed in Hove – the evidence was apparent in the number of their off-spring attending the local schools in the early fifties! Several of my school friends had Canadian fathers. There was a Canadian military hospital setup at Shoreham Harbour and some of the wooden structures are still being used as college buildings in Worthing (suprisingly,there is no preservation order on them so how much longer they will survive is anyone’s guess) Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Keith Pullen 12 November 2004Just to confirm what Anne said about Canadian Militry stationed at Cuckfield, I know this was a fact as my father met Canadian Relatives there during the war years. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Cyril Pelham 15 November 2004Yes Canadian Troops were in large numbers in Brighton. Their H Q was at the Stanmere Park. The Dieppe Raid was manned by troops that came from Brighton Area.and they remained locally untill D Day. Princess Pats was one Regiment, I cannot recall the names of the others. French Canadians were also present. Some Regiments were made up of Timber workers and very well built others coming from towns, were the same build as our own troops. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by maralyn eden 20 November 2004Yes they were in Brighton,thats where i came in,one of the off-spings Re: Canadian Military WW2 by davidii 21 November 2004Thanks for your responses. I’ve an idea that there was a “Princess Alice” club formed in Brighton, for the wives and fiances of Canadian Servicemen. Can anyone provide further information? Thanks Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Pat Collins(Catswhiskas) 23 February 2005They were Running up and down Sussex Terrace on a regular basis training for DDay I should think they used to climb the wall at the back wiyh ropes and ladders .I soldier gave me my first taste of chewing gum and a Canada maple leaf arm badge. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Tim Sargeant 28 May 2005My father (93) tells me that Canadian troops were billetted in Sussex Square and Lewes Crescent. I know that there was a tank regiment there. We lived at No 38. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Albert V.C. Roberts 7 February 2006There were several units of the Canadian Troops stationed in and around brighton and other parts of Sussex, one unit I do know was Prince`s Patricia Canadian Light Ifantry. I do know this for a fact, because two of my cousins were amongst them. But I am sorry to say they never returned back home, they were k.i.a soon after the D.Day landings.Albert V.C. Roberts (now in Spain) Re: Canadian Military WW2 by mona 8 August 2007If your PPCLI cousins are Canadian War Dead, they will have files on our c6 year old VIRTUAL WAR MEMORIAL, create by Vets Affairs from the Canadian grave listing in the CWGC database. This project accepts images/text for a “scrapbook” page to keep their memories fresh. You may have something to offer, and someone else may already have sent in material of interest to you. Searchable by surname, and covers Boer War to contemporary losses. Regards. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by mona 8 August 2007If your PPCLI cousins are Canadian War Dead, they will have files on our c6 year old VIRTUAL WAR MEMORIAL, create by Vets Affairs from the Canadian grave listing in the CWGC database. This project accepts images/text for a “scrapbook” page to keep their memories fresh. You may have something to offer, and someone else may already have sent in material of interest to you. Searchable by surname, and covers Boer War to contemporary losses. Regards. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Mona 10 August 2007With interest also by Canadians as to exactly where their relatives serving in England in WW2 were stationed – known to us only as “somewhere in England” in letters home – we found this book by our official war historian which might help your inquirers. THE HALF-MILLION: THE CANADIANS IN BRITAIN, 1939-1946. Stacey, C.P.[Col.] and Barbara M. Wilson. Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1987. 198pp, cloth, $24.95, ISBN 0-8020-5757-8. CIP Stacey’s wartime reports can sometimes be picked online, naming specific communities visited. Regards. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by diane ruff 15 February 2008There was a large camp of Canadian soldiers based in Buckingham Park, Shoreham and on Slonk Hill. Apparently one soldier pushed my brother home on his bike when he broke his leg falling out of a tree in the park! Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Denise Nugent 19 August 2020 10:39 AMMy dad was in Brighton for about 2 years. He had been trained as a master mechanic at home in Canada and sent to repair vehicles – troop carriers, ambulances, trucks etc. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Doug Matthews 27 August 2020 10:57 AMMy fathers unit “The Royal Winnipeg Rifles” was stationed in the Brighton area prior to the D Day landings, where he met my mother and they produced me. He was wounded in the landings but returned home safely and we went to Canada as a war bride. Sadly the marriage did not last and the two of us returned to Blighty. I returned to Canada 12 years ago. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Geoffrey Mead 27 August 2020 11:03 AMMy parents’ house in Dyke Rd Drive was damaged when the railway yards nearby were bombed. Mum was rehoused with my brother in nearby Springfield Rd. Dad came home from working in Chester Moor Colliery, Durham and the first night the French Canadian troops were having a wild party further up the street. Dad[quite short] was all for a confrontation with some large lumberjacks! until stopped by my mum afraid he would be beaten up! Re: Canadian Military WW2 by angela wadman 8 December 2020 9:57 AMDoes anyone know of any French Canadian soldiers stationed in East Grinstead during the 2nd World War? The Johnston family used to live in that town, possibly my grandmother. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Michael Phelan 8 December 2020 10:01 AMI know my father’s unit was there- the Three Rivers Armoured Regiment ( 12th Armoured) from that city in Quebec made up of francophones from the lumber area. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Jill Bristow 26 December 2020 12:50 PMThere were a lot of Canadian troops stationed in large houses around and near Preston Park before D-Day. I am 92 and remember well because I was a boarder at Lourdes Convent School and they used to whistle both us, and the nuns, whom they could see in the grounds from their high windows! All went quiet after D-Day and I fear very many of them were killed. They were also many stationed in my grandparents’ large house ‘St.Clements’ on Kingsway in Hove which the army had requisitioned. I think the house is still there – but in flats. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Robert Nelson 1 February 2021 10:32 AMNot sure if this of use, but my Mum (Doreen June Fairhall) used to play for a women’s ice hockey team linked to the Brighton Tigers. She was also ( obviously ) was a decent ice skater and I’m guessing she made a few Canadian friends who probably were also decent ice skaters because had a belt with a lot of Canadian Hat Badges on, which are as follows:The Pictou HighlandersQueens Own Rifles of Canada 2 (Inpac Peratus)The Algonquin Regiment ( Ne-Kah-Ne-Tah) CanadaRegiment Canadien Francais 22 (Te Me Souvions)A maple leaf with Canada inscribed on it.British Columbia..Duke of Connaughts Own RiflesRoyal Artillery (which I think was my Grandfathers Regiment). He shot down Doodle Bugs while stationed at Foulness Island. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Robert Armstrong 7 June 2022 10:41 AMIn my father’s Canadian Army Soldiers Book he has handwritten address of 216 Ditchling Rd. Brighton and name of Else Toogood but never had a chance to ask him about time in England before D-Day but appears he was stationed in Brighton (XII Manitoba Dragoons). Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Zoe House 8 June 2022 2:05 PMGood evening We too are trying to search for where my grandpa was billeted in Sussex he was with the 3rd anti tank regiment and we know he spent some time in seaford. Does any one know which troops were billowed in Sheffield park ? Best wishes Zoë Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Amanda Soutter 10 June 2022 9:15 AMMy grandfather was in the South Alberta regiment and he was at Preston Park Brighton during his time in the UK. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by AMANDA SOUTTER 15 June 2022 3:20 PMMy grandfather, a Canadian solider was stationed at Preston Park Brighton. Its been really difficult to find any information on it though. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Jenny Skulski 16 June 2022 3:23 PM zoomMy mum (Edna Long) was also a very decent ice skater in Brighton. I’m Canadian. My father was stationed in Brighton during WWII. He went to Canada for some further navigator training then returned to Brighton where he married my mum. Here are his memoirs – they’re a wee bit of a different story from the Canadians based there, him having arrived in England by ship from the Soviet Union, but may be of general interest. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by David Smith 18 June 2022 7:05 PMDoes anyone know where in Rottingdean the Canadian Artillery HQ was in 1945? I think my father was based in Rottingdean and now 75 I am a Canadian warbaby.David Smith, Hailshsm. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Annabelle Holford 18 December 2022 10:34 AMMy Father’s memoirs give praise to the soldiers of the Algonquin regt and lake Superior Regt who were based in the fields above the family farm in Blackboys, near Framfield. He believes that they were part of the D day landings. He remembered them with genuine warmth as they were friendly and many spent spare time working on the farm. Re: Canadian Military WW2 by Massey Jones 19 June 2023 9:39 AMMy father was at Brighten during WWII. He sent us a postcard from there that I recall, as a young lad of 10 then.He was with the Fusilliers Mont Royal, a French Canadian regiment still extant, now as a Canadian Force Reserve unit in Montreal Add your replyHiddenAdd your title Add your wordsWould you like to add some images (optional)? If so, how many images would you like to add? 1 2 3 4 5 6Your image files will be uploaded when you submit this form. They should be .jpg or .png files. The maximum filesize is 5Mb.First imageAccepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, gif.FileTitleSecond imageAccepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, gif.FileTitleThird imageAccepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, gif.FileTitleFourth imageAccepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, gif.FileTitleFifth imageAccepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, gif.FileTitleSixth imageAccepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, gif.FileTitleAbout youFinally, please tell us a few details about you, so we can contact you about your contribution if we need to. 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