Canloan Officer Research - 2/Lt E B Howard

can someone help me, My father was 5th battalion 51st highlanders, canadian black watch, joined 1941, lied about his age he was only17, but he was a canloan officer in 44, trained as a paratrooper, he was with the 21st army group and was injured on July 13th 1944, was found blinded, and taken to britcom hospital, his sight returnedand he begged to return to his unit, his service records show he was not allowed as he was too exhausted and shell shocked. but I can't find any info on where he was when he and his buddys got blown out of their trench or whatever happened. all I can find is the date. He had been in battle for 36 straight days according to his file and no sleep as rest areas being shelled constantly. His name was 22 Lieut. Eric Barton Howard with the 5th british 51st highlanders, they say that is who he got loaned to. I just wanted to know if he jumped at arnhiem as he was a trained paratrooper and did that until the end of his career in 1968. (with RCR from 49 to 68) can anyone help with his canloan service. where he was and did he jump in WW2?

 

I think you have placed it in the wrong topic Eileen

 

can someone help me, My father was 5th battalion 51st highlanders, canadian black watch, joined 1941, lied about his age he was only17, but he was a canloan officer in 44, trained as a paratrooper, he was with the 21st army group and was injured on July 13th 1944, was found blinded, and taken to britcom hospital, his sight returnedand he begged to return to his unit, his service records show he was not allowed as he was too exhausted and shell shocked. but I can't find any info on where he was when he and his buddys got blown out of their trench or whatever happened. all I can find is the date. He had been in battle for 36 straight days according to his file and no sleep as rest areas being shelled constantly. His name was 22 Lieut. Eric Barton Howard with the 5th british 51st highlanders, they say that is who he got loaned to. I just wanted to know if he jumped at arnhiem as he was a trained paratrooper and did that until the end of his career in 1968. (with RCR from 49 to 68) can anyone help with his canloan service. where he was and did he jump in WW2?

Hello Eileenr,

I've been through the book "Code Word CANLOAN" by Wilfred Smith and the only details about your father are as follows.
He departed from Halifax aboard the ship "Andes" with 51 other Canloans on 29th March (year not given) and arrived at Liverpool on the 6th April. His CDN number (similar to a service number) was 22 so I would assume he was one of the first Officers to sign up to the scheme. It also states that he served with the Black Watch but you knew that already.
Sadly that is all there is about him in the book, sorry I couldn't be of any greater help and good luck with your search.

All the best.........

 

I am trying to find out where my father Canloan officer 22Lieut. Eric Barton Howard, 51st highlanders, 5th battalion, when he was taken off the field of battle on aprox. July 13th, 1944, he was found not able to see but did regain his sight. He did not return to battle, although he begged to return, his files say this much but don't say where he was fighting that day. can anyone nelp me. he was sent to a Britcom hospital, and there is something about 175th field ambulance. He was trained as a paratrooper since 1941 when he joined the canadian blackwatch. he lied about his age he was only 17. they corrected the error the next year, and he just carried on in the Black watch until he left in 45. then he went into canadian navy 48, 49, then RCR 49 to 68. can anyone tell me where he was injured, mostly it was shell shock, it says he was on the field of battle for 36 straight days no sleep, due to shelling

 

Eileen -
your description of the 51st Highland divisions "5th battalion" is a little bit on the vague side as in 152 Brigade there were the 5th battalions of Seaforths and the Gordons - however in the 153 Brigade there was the 5th battalion of the Black Watch - who were involved in a battle starting July 11 at Colombelles in Normandy - so I should try to get the details of that battle to find out what happened to your Father- he certainly got around though .....
Cheers

 

Hi Eileenr and welcome to the Foum.

You can apply for his service records, which should give you the information you require.

I presume you are in Canada and the cost to a relative I understand is free. Another Forum Member has just applied for some Canadian Service Records and tells me that it will take 7 months before they arrive.

I will send him a message and ask him to contact you to tell you how to go about this process.

Regards - Rob

 

Eileen

He served with the 5th Battalion, The Black Watch.

If you scroll down the page on the link below until you get to Black Watch, 51st Highland Division, you will find his name. That is how I found out.

CANLOAN Army Officers Association

Regards - Rob

PS - It was the Scottish Black Watch and not the Canadian Regiment he served in as a CanLoan Officer.

 

Eileen
here is one account of that battle at Colombelles...might help - but do call the DVA for his service records as Ramacal says - that will give you chapter and verse of his career.....
Cheers

BBC - WW2 People's War - The Battle of Colombelles by Arthur Berry

 

Moved this to it's own thread.

 

Eileen

Further to Ramacal's post, you can either write to
ATIP Personnel Records Division
Library & Archives Canada
395 Wellington Street
Ottawa ON
K1A 0N4
Fax (613) 947-8456

Or, download the blank copy of the Application for Military Service. The link is
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/0222-909.007-e.html
If your father is still alive you will need to have him provide authorization to collect his military service records. If recently deceased, you will need to provide date of death via death certificate or obituary and proof of your relationship. Equally important is date and location of birth....his CANLOAN service number will be different from his original service number.
While the above may provide a thumbnail sketch of his time with the 51st Highlanders, other forum members are better able to provide details of the various encounters with the enemy.

For your information, my brother-in law's father was Richard B. Coates, MC, who was also a CANLOAN officer.

Hope this helps with your enquiry,

Randy

 

Thanks Randy.

 

Rob,
Glad to be of assistance.
Let's hope the 7 month wait turns to 7 weeks...

Cheers
Randy

 

I was in the archives today and had to copy the 5/Black Watch diary. I will post some relevant extracts tomorrow.

 

That's good news Paul.

I was going to have a peek myself in a couple of weeks.

Rob

 

my father was canloan 22lieut.Eric Barton Howard, 51st highlanders, 5th battalion, I am trying to find out if anyone new him, He was a paratrooper in canada, and he was injured, on July 13th 1944 after 36 days of straight fighting, this is from his military records, he begs to be returned to his unit, but the medical people say he is too shell shocked, and won't allow it. He was reacting to every sound, and had been found blinded, but his sight returned. I am trying to find out what happened on July 13th to end his fighting. He would take it as a sign of weakness to be taken out of battle because of fear, his father was a Col. in the Black Watch, in Canada, and he would not want to be known as a coward, hence he was begging to be returned to his unit. He came back to canada in 45, and I can't figure out what he did until his return to canada. during my lifetime, I recall him critizing a movie for it's inaccuarcy, called a bridge to far, and he watched alot of war movies, with much distain for their lack of realism. He also served in the navy 48 and 49 and then RCR 49 to 68 as a paratrooper. Retired WO11 in 68. a very angry angry man, but doing research about his life in WW2 and Korea, it helped me to understand. He saw things our imaginations can't conjure up. I wish I could have helped him more, he couldn't talk about it much, and not until he was nearing his death. Pro Patria, Dad

 

Eileen, please don't keep posting the same thing in different areas. We are doing our best to help you here!

 

I found a photo once of a soldier being taken on a stretcher with his eyes bandaged, in a british uniform with the canadian flash, the date was right for it to be my dad, but do you think I can find that photo on the internet now, no, it just dissappeared, I could only see the top of the blonde mans head, which is also right to be my dad. I wanted to show my sister the photo, so I hope I find it again. If anyone knows of him or fought with him, I know there aren't to many of my fathers veterens left, but to all of our fighting soldiers, Leave the fighting in the field if you can,reach out for help and love, and remember you are loved, that will help you stay strong, We all want you home, where you belong. I would give anything for the children who's fathers and mothers are fighting for our freedom, not to have to see what the effects of war have on the ones who have to fight. To those children, remember to be patient, and help them to reach out for help, my father had no such help and it almost destroyed him. Love and kindness are the best medicine.

 

Managed to do this tonight. Here is the War Diary page for when he was admitted to hospital:

 

List of officers. (its very feint, a third carbon copy)

 

His entry on it. Shows he was one of two CANLOAN officers in the battalion and had been with 5/Black Watch since April 1944.