The Lord he moves in Mysterious ways...

[von Poop]

Inspired me to scan these pictures of mobile churches from the defunct Wheels & tracks magazine:








First Allied Jewish service on German soil:


Holy Jeeps:





And some WW1 stuff, just because they're nice shots:

[Verrieres]

Another tale of Courage:-

"On February 3, 1943, the USS Dorchester would become another statistic in the 'ships-lost-at-sea' column, but unlike others before it, what took place on deck of the Dorchester would live on forever. At about 1 a.m., the USS Dorchester, a troop transport with over 900 service members aboard on it way to Greenland, was hit by a torpedo fired by a German submarine and was sinking in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. Many on board died instantly, while others were trapped below the deck.

This account was recited at a medal ceremony for the families;-

"Chaos ensued – fire, smoke, and the screaming of the wounded. Fear filled the air. Some men panicked and jumped into the waters without life jackets; others were frozen in fear and refused to leave the sinking vessel. Taking on water rapidly, the ship began listing to starboard. Overcrowded lifeboats capsized, and rafts drifted away before anyone could reach them.

"In the midst of the confusion and terror, four chaplains – Protestant Ministers George Lansing Fox and Clark Poling, a Catholic Priest, Father John Washington, and Rabbi Alex Goode – moved about the ship, exuding composure while calming frightened men, directing bewildered soldiers to lifeboats, and distributing life jackets with calm precision. Soon, the supply of jackets was exhausted, yet four young soldiers, afraid and without life vests, stood waiting.

"Without hesitation, the chaplains removed their own life jackets and gave them to the young soldiers. Then, according to one survivor, the four chaplains joined some of the other men trapped onboard for prayers that “sounded like a babble of English, Hebrew and Latin.”

"These four men of faith had given away their only means of saving themselves in order to save others. Men rowing away from the sinking ship in lifeboats saw the chaplains clinging to each other on the slanting deck. Their arms were linked together and their heads were bowed as they prayed to the one God whom each of them loved and served.

"The Dorchester sank beneath the icy waters of the North Atlantic, carrying with it the four chaplains and some 675 servicemen

Chaplains Memorial Screen

George L. Fox was born March 15, 1900 in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. In addition to George, he had a sister Gertrude and brothers Bert, Leo and John. When George was just 17, he left school, and with strong determination, convinced the military authorities he was 18 and joined the ambulance corps in 1917, shortly after the United States entered World War I. George was placed in the ambulance corps and shipped to Camp Newton D. Baker in Texas. On December 3, 1917 George embarked from Camp Merritt, New Jersey, and boarded the US Huron enroute to France. As a medical corps assistant, he was highly decorated for bravery and was awarded the Silver Star, Purple Heart and the French Croix de Guerre.

Upon his discharge, he returned home to Altoona, completed his last year in high school, and went to work for the Guarantee Trust Company. In 1923 he entered Moody Institute in Illinois, where he married at Winona Lake, Indiana. After he withdrew from Moody, he became an itinerant preacher in the Methodist faith. A son, Wyatt Ray, was born on November 11, 1924. After several successful years, George held a student pastorate in Downs, Illinois. He entered Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington in 1929 and graduated with an A.B. degree in 1931. Again as a student pastorate in Rye, New Hampshire, he entered the Boston University School of Theology. George was ordained a Methodist minister on June 10, 1934 and graduated with a S.T.B. degree. He was appointed pastor in Waits River, Vermont. Their second child, Mary Elizabeth, was born shortly thereafter. In 1936, he accepted a pastorate in Union Village, Vermont. His next calling was in Gilman, Vermont where he joined the Walter G. Moore American Legion Post. He was later appointed state chaplain and historian for the Legion.
In mid 1942, George decided to join the Army Chaplain Service and was appointed July 24, 1942. He went on active duty August 8, 1942, the same day his son Wyatt enlisted in the Marine Corps. He was assigned to the Chaplains school at Harvard and then reported to the 411th Coast Artillery Battalion at Camp Davis. He was then reunited with Chaplains Goode, Poling and Washington at Camp Myles Standish in Taunton, Massachusetts and their fateful trip on the USAT DORCHESTER. Chaplain Fox was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Distinguished Service Cross.

Alexander D. Goode was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 10, 1911. His father was a Rabbi and his mother, Fay had two other sons, Joseph and Moses, and a daughter, Agatha. Alex received medals at Eastern High School, Washington, DC for tennis, swimming and track. He led his class in scholarship too! He planned to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Rabbi, but that did not keep him from having a laughing, shouting, hail-fellow-well-met boyhood with all the Protestant and Catholic boys in his neighborhood. He graduated from Eastern in 1929.
He entered the University of Cincinnati and graduated in 1934 with an A.B. degree...and then on to Hebrew Union College with a B.H. degree in 1937. He later received his Ph.D. from John Hopkins University in 1940.
Alex married his childhood sweetheart, Theresa Flax, daughter of Nathan and Rose Flax. Theresa was a niece of singer and motion picture star, Al Jolson. They were married on October 7, 1935. As an ordained Rabbi, his first assignment was a synagogue in Marion, Indiana in 1936. On July 16, 1937 he was transferred to the Beth Israel synagogue in York, Pennsylvania until mid 1942. Alex and Theresa had a daughter, Rosalie, who was born in 1939.
In January 1941 he applied as a chaplain with the U.S. Navy but was not accepted at that time. Right after Pearl Harbor, he tried again, this time with the Army, and received an appointment on July 21, 1942. Chaplain Goode went on active duty on August 9, 1942 and was selected for the Chaplains School at Harvard. He had courses in map reading, first aid, law, and chemical warfare. Chaplain Goode was then assigned to the 333rd Airbase Squadron in Goldsboro, North Carolina. In October 1942, he was transferred to Camp Myles Standish in Taunton, Massachusetts and Alex was reunited with Chaplains Fox, Poling and Washington, who were classmates at Harvard.
It was January 1943 when he boarded the USAT DORCHESTER in Boston and embarkation to Greenland. Chaplain Goode was killed in action on February 3, 1943 in the icy waters of the North Atlantic when the DORCHESTER was sunk by a German U-boat. Chaplain Goode was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Distinguished Service Cross.

Clark V. Poling was born August 7, 1910 in Columbus, Ohio. He was the son of Susie Jane Vandersall of East Liberty, Ohio and Daniel A. Poling of Portland, Oregon. In addition to Clark, the other children were Daniel, Mary and Elizabeth. Clark attended Whitney Public School in Auburndale, Massachusetts where his teachers remembered his maturity and delicate side of his nature. The Auburndale days came to an end when his mother died in 1918. She is buried at Greenlawn Cemetery, Uniontown, Ohio. Clark's father was an Evangelical Minister and in 1936 was rebaptized as a Baptist minister. Reverend Daniel Poling was remarried on August 11, 1919 to Lillian Diebold Heingartner of Canton, Ohio.
Clark attended Oakwood, a Quaker high school in Poughkeepsie, New York, and was a good student and an excellent football halfback. Clark was a council member and president of the student body. In 1929 he enrolled at Hope College in Holland, Michigan and spent his last two years at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, graduating in 1933 with an A.B. degree. Clark entered Yale University's Divinity School in New Haven, Connecticut and graduated with his B.D. degree in 1936. He was ordained in the Reformed Church in America and his first assignment was the First Church of Christ, New London, Connecticut. Shortly thereafter, he accepted the assignment of Pastor of the First Reformed Church in Schenectady, New York.
Clark was married to Betty Jung of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the next year, Clark, Jr. (Corky) was born. With our country now at war with Japan, Germany and Italy, he decided to be a chaplain. Talking with his father, Dr. Daniel A. Poling, who was a chaplain in World War I, he was told that chaplains in that conflict sustained the highest mortality rate of all military personnel. Without hesitation, he was appointed on June 10, 1942 as a chaplain with the 131st Quartermaster Truck Regiment and reported to Camp Shelby, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, effective June 25, 1942. Later he attended Chaplains School at Harvard with Chaplains Fox, Goode and Washington after his transfer to Camp Myles Standish in Taunton, Massachusetts. Shortly after the USAT DORCHESTER was sunk February 3, 1943, his wife, Betty, gave birth to a daughter, Susan Elizabeth, on April 20. Chaplain Poling was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Distinguished Service Cross.

John P. Washington was born in Newark, New Jersey on July 18, 1908. His parents were Frank and Mary; in addition they had daughters Mary and Anna, and sons Thomas, Francis, Leo and Edmund. In 1914, John was enrolled at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Elementary School. In those days, times were rough for a poor immigrant family, but John had his father's Irish grin and his mother's Irish stick-to-itiveness. He liked to play ball, but he had a newspaper route to help his mother with extra money, since there were nine mouths in the Washington household to feed. John started to take piano lessons, loved music and sang in the church choir. When he entered seventh grade, he felt strongly about becoming a priest...during the previous year, he became an altar boy and his priestly destiny was in process.
John entered Seton Hall in South Orange, New Jersey to complete his high school and college courses in preparation for the priesthood. He graduated in 1931 with an A.B. degree. He entered Immaculate Conception Seminary in Darlington, New Jersey and received his minor orders on May 26, 1933. John excelled in the seminary, was a sub deacon at all the solemn masses, and later became a deacon on December 25, 1934. John was elected prefect of his class and was ordained a priest on June 15, 1935.
Father Washington's first parish was at St. Genevieve's in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and then he served at St. Venantius for a year. In 1938 he was assigned to St. Stephen's in Arlington, New Jersey. Shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack of December 7, 1941, he received his appointment as a chaplain in the United States Army. He went on active duty May 9, 1942 and was named Chief of the Chaplains Reserve Pool, Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. In June 1942, he was assigned to the 76th Infantry Division in Ft. George Meade, Maryland. In November 1942, he reported to Camp Myles Standish in Taunton, Massachusetts and met Chaplains Fox, Goode and Poling at Chaplains School at Harvard.
Father Washington boarded the USAT DORCHESTER at the Embarkation Camp at Boston Harbor in January 1943 enroute to Greenland. Chaplain Washington was killed in action on February 3, 1943, when the DORCHESTER was sunk by a German U-boat. Chaplain Washington was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Distinguished Service Cross.

End note;-Petty Officer John J. Mahoney, tried to re-enter the ship but was stopped by Rabbi Goode. Mahoney, , explained he had forgotten his gloves.
"Never mind ," smiled Goode . "I have two pairs." The rabbi then gave the petty officer his own gloves. Afterwards, Mahoney realized that Rabbi Goode was not carrying two pairs of gloves, and the rabbi had already decided he was not to leave the Dorchester.

Remarkable story well known I am told however this is the first time I`ve come across it.

Regards
Verrieres

A posthumous Special Medal for Heroism, never before given and never to be given again, was authorized by Congress and awarded by the President January 18, 1961. Congress wished to confer the Medal of Honor but was blocked by the stringent requirements which required heroism performed under fire. The special medal was intended to have the same weight and importance as the Medal of Honor

[Verrieres]

Heres a look at what some of the Allied and German Chaplains were wearing during WW2.

Various quality and condition shown in this range of Caps including a Naval Chaplain and one which was termed
in a Militaria catalogue as a `Field Bishops Cap?`
Canadian Shoulder Title Chaplain Corps

Cap Badges and Breast Badges Allied Padres

Chaplain Robe Badge
Recently seen a death Card being sold on E-Bay to a Catholic Priest serving with the German Army

Description read;-

Medical Combat

Gottfried Ortnetsmüller

(INFANTRY REGT.)

born on March 01, 1914
priest since July 02, 1939
Soldier since April 1940
died for fatherland in a forest battle in the cauldron of Kiev (Ukraine)
on Sep.26, 1941 - Age 28

Some pretty interesting stuff
Regards
Verrieres

[dbf]

Monsignor John Coghlan, Vicar-General to the Army, was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his gallantry during the Battle of Flanders in 1940.

He and his staff Chaplain, Fr. Basil McCreton, were the last chaplains to leave the north of the Somme. Of their own free will they remained behind at Bergues, a key centre eight miles from Dunkirk. The town was eventually almost totally destroyed. The two priests buried all the dead and attended the wounded of all denominations.

Mgr. Coghlan is a native of Castlepollard, Westmeath, and son of the late Mr. Hugh Coghlan of Castlepollard. He was educated at St. Finian’s College, Navan, and at Maynooth College; took his B.A. degree at the Royal University of Ireland, and was ordained for the Diocese of Meath in 1913. He served in France, Flanders and Mesopotamia in the last war, and was with the Army of Occupation on the Rhine. In the last 20 years he was served as Senior Chaplain to the forces in Malta, Shanghai, Egypt and Britain. He was appointed Catholic Vicar-General to the British Army in March, 1940, and was assistant deputy Chaplain-General to the Forces in France.

London Gazette:
30 August 1940
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/34936/supplements/5325
11 May 1948
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38288/supplements/2921


Listed:
The Times, Wednesday, Dec 01, 1943

ECCLESIASTICAL NEWS
DOMESTIC PRELATES
The Pope has appointed Mgr. Edward Dewey, Vicar-General, Royal Navy, and Mgr. John Coghlan, Vicar-General, British Army, to be Domestic Prelates in recognition of their services for the Roman Catholics in their charge.

See this thread for ref:
www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post195852

[dbf]

Fr. Thomas Duggan was awarded the Military Cross in 1940. The immediate award was made in France by Lord Gort, Commander-in-Chief.

This was the first clerical award of the war.

His coolness, energy, courage and example were outstanding. He helped to maintain morale when the regiment aid post at Moeras was heavily shelled and was full of wounded.

Fr. Duggan is an M.A. and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology of Cork. He served as a chaplain in the last war, and was held a prisoner in Germany for some months. He volunteered for service at the beginning of this war, and was at first rejected because he was over age. He is a member of the staff of St. Finbarr’s College, Cork.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7652799&queryType=1&resultcount =2

Name Duggan, T F
Rank: Reverend
Regiment: Attached 8 Durham Light Infantry
Theatre of Combat or Operation: British Expeditionary Force 1939-40
Award: Military Cross
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 20 December 1940
Date 1940-1942
Catalogue reference WO 373/16

London Gazette:
5 December 1939
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/34749/supplements/8170

See this thread for ref:
www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post195852

[dbf]

Rev. Richard Newcombe Craig was awarded the Military Cross in 1940. This was the third clerical award of this war.

On May 23rd, 1940, he arrived at Calais, when it had already been menaced by the enemy, being under continual bombing and shellfire. He declined to embark for England, and in view of the shortage of Medical Officers he voluntarily established and Aid Post with straggler personnel near Calais Docks station. Here, without a medical officer for three days, he organised the dressing and evacuation of some 300 wounded who otherwise might have been without care. On the afternoon of May 25th he learned that six badly wounded men were lying on the dunes, under enemy sniping fire, unable to get away. Without hesitation he called for four volunteers, drove an ambulance himself to the spot nearby, and with his volunteers crawled to the men, and rescued them all, driving back under fire. All six wounded were dressed and placed on a ship under the direction of this very gallant chaplain.

The Rev. R.N. Craig was born in Dublin.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7652798&queryType=1&resultcount =1

Name Craig, Richard Newcombe
Rank: Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class; Reverend
Regiment: 1 Battalion Tyneside Scottish Black Watch
Theatre of Combat or Operation: British Expeditionary Force 1939-40
Award: Military Cross
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 20 December 1940
Date 1940-1942
Catalogue reference WO 373/16

London Gazette:
20 December 1940

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35020/supplements/7198

See this thread for ref:
www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post195852

[dbf]

The Reverend Worral Reginald Leadbeater, Chaplain to the Forces, Fourth Class, Royal Army Chaplain’s Department, was awarded the Military Cross.

During an attack on March 16th-17th, 1943, the battalion to which this officer was attached suffered extremely heavy casualties in concentrated minefields. The padre undertook the duty of collecting wounded both in darkness and daylight from the mined areas. He carried out his self-imposed task with complete disregard for his personal safety and with the utmost bravery, being undoubtedly responsible for the saving of many lives which otherwise must have been lost, and mitigating the sufferings of the wounded.

Some days later the Reverend Leadbeater directed the removal of our dead from the minefields and again his inspiring example, energy and personality were largely responsible for the completion of this most dangerous and distasteful task.

In proof of the thickness of the minefield it should be noted that some 720 mines were lifted in order to remove 69 bodies from the mined areas.

The Reverend Leadbeater comes from Dublin.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7657307&queryType=1&resultcount =1

Name Leadbeater, Worrall Reginald
Rank: Captain, Chaplain to the Forces
Service No: 131945
Regiment: Royal Army Chaplain's Department attached 6 Motor Battalion Grenadier Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Middle East (Egypt and Libya)
Award: Military Cross
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 19 August 1943

London Gazette:
17 August 1943
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36138/pages/3722


See this thread for ref:
www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/19413-volunteers-eire-who-have-won-distinctions.html#post195852

[Verrieres]

[quote=dbf;196956]The Reverend Worral Reginald Leadbeater, Chaplain to the Forces, Fourth Class, Royal Army Chaplain’s Department, was awarded the Military Cross.



His medals were sold in 2001 they consisted of Second World War M.C. Group of Six to Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class the Rev. W.R. Leadbeater, Royal Army Chaplains Department, Attached 6th (Motor) Battalion, Grenadier Guards, Military Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1943'; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, with '8th Army' clasp; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, two clasps, Palestine 1945-48, Malaya (The Rev., M.C., C.F. 4, R.A. Ch. D.), additional information;-
The Rev. Worral Reginald Leadbeater, M.C., completed his education at Trinity College, Dublin prior to entering the Priesthood in 1936 Appointed Curate of St. John's in Sligo, he remained there until 1940 when he joined the Royal Army Chaplains Department as a Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class. Confirmedin the latter rank in January 1943, and following active service in North Africa, attached to the Grenadier Guards, he appears to have remained in the R.A.C.D. until 1952 .
Source Spink and Sons Medal Auction Catalogue (2001 edition sorry don`t know which quarter)

Verrieres

[Verrieres]

Heres a bit of an insight into the man During the actions around Carvin -Lens a French Major was directing a platoon of 8DLI into positions near Carvin when he and the platoon saw a vehicle in no mans land , just ahead of the German positions, where the vehicle ran into a ditch .Shortly afterwards two Khaki clad figures emerged they were Padre Duggan and his batman Pte Deveney.The French major was not impressed that the vehicle had been out in no mans land however Padre Duggan,much to the DLI`s amusement lectured the French Major in rudimentary French,and delivered in his best Irish manner regarding his duty as a British officer and the use of Army vehicles under his command! which left the French Major storming off and muttering to himself that all English soldiers were mad!
Duggan set about setting up an un-official Regimental Aid post in the main street which he manned all day with no regard for his personal safety despite accurate German shelling in the immediate area
On May 31st elements of 8DLI, (DLI and some stragglers from 11DLI set up a joint regimental aid post.German shelling was heavy and accurate and casualties mounted steadily throughout the shelling Padre Duggan and Cpl H .Fletcher made repeated journeys carrying the wounded into the cellars of the nearby chateau the Padres humour,coolness and courage did wonders for the morale of the Durhams as he carried on regardless despite the ferocity of the German bombardment..Duggan received a MC Cpl Fletcher a mention in dispatches.Father Duggan died in Peru on the 17/12/1961 .

More of his post war record can be foun here http://www.corkandross.org/priests.jsp?priestID=538


Verrieres

[Drew5233]

Did the German Military have the equivalent of a padre and a actual Corps ?

I noticed the caps above but was this just making used of a priest that wanted to join the military or was there a actual unit?

Regards
Andy