CAOF 1945

A small add on for B/Gen. Leslie. I had him as Base Commander (Col.) in Shilo in 63/64. He was a bit of a martinet, would dawn coveralls to crawl under vehicles for the Base Commanders Parade. Then last time I saw him, was in Ottawa during the FLQ Crisis at N.D.H.Q. where our Sigs Sqn was doing security. He was over from Cyprus on business. Not often one gets to point his F.N. at a B/Gen. and demand I.D. (he was in civilian dress). The story goes he changed his name to Leslie (his maternal grandmother) for the inheritance. His brother ended up in Mexico involved in some shady medical business. General McNaughton was an out standing Gunner, who came up with some advanced thinking in the use of Artillery in WW 1 and gun Location (If I remember properly). Unfortunately in WW 2 then General Montgomery didn't see eye to eye with him, so he was pushed out from Commanding the Cdn. Army in the U.K. On returning to Canada he ended up in politics and was Minister of Defence.

I stand to be corrected if my memory is at fault.

Hardrations

I believe you are correct though other sources say Gen McNaughton lost is job when he was unfairly blamed for the Dieppe Disaster. Incompetence by the Planners not lack of Bravery by the Canadians involved was the real cause. On return to Canada he was then involved in an other row over Conscription and the employment of Canadian servicemen/women overseas which cost him the chance obeing the first Canadian born Governor General

I think it started before Dieppe. There was a big exercise prior to Dieppe run by Monty with the Canadian Army and it was well fouled up. So Monty had his steely eye on the General then. Also we here in Canada blame Mountbatten for dumping us in Dieppe.

Hardrations

Other source claim that Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, another individual who flourished under Churchill's patronage, as Head of the Dieppe Planning Team was far more responsible.

War Diary 3 Cdn Inf Div CAFO Starts at Amersfoot and moves to BAD Zwischenhahn Jul 45

http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_t10539/195?r=1&s=2

War diaries : T-10541 (1582 pages) May 1946 Bad Zwischenhahn 3 Cdn Inf Div CAFO

http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_t10541/24?r=0&s=3

Find more here:

http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_t10539/187?r=0&s=1 (lots of ration states and some paperwork after Image 185)

CAOF Map coverage 1:100,000 Grid: Nord de Guerre (should connect with War Diaries)

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/central_europe/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6624264-emden-l1.jpg

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/central_europe/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6624264-wilhelmshaven-l2.jpg​

Enjoy

Bad Zwischenahn - airfield now a Golf Course !

https://forgottenairfields.com/airfield-bad-zwischenahn-343.html

A War Diary for 1945:

https://blackwatchwardiary.blog/1945-2/

Pborn4 wrote:

A War Diary for 1945:

https://blackwatchwardiary.blog/1945-2/

Pborn4, thanks for the link I have been able to update the Black Watch entry, the DIV HQ location statement had a different GR for VE day! BTW (CAOF) was not used until 15 Jun 46, when 3rd Canadian Infantry Division (CAOF) was formed to replace 2nd Canadian Infantry Division in Germany; CAOF was added then to distinguish it from the existing 3rd Canadian Infantry Division in Holland.

Unit war diaries are always welcome, as my research is normally based on higher formation documentation from Kew, purchased through a UK based Research Company.