Things that make Canada great

[EagleSmack]

The great thing about Canada is we're not really obsessed with America. We just watch your every move trying to figure out how to get your money.

Waste of time really though. We should be examining China more closley as they soon will have all the American money.

Nah...some Canadians are very obsessed and write things like the OP found on the other website. That's OK though...I know where it comes from.

 

[karrie]

The great thing about Canada is we're not really obsessed with America. We just watch your every move trying to figure out how to get your money.

Waste of time really though. We should be examining China more closley as they soon will have all the American money.

Oh, and we have snow... lots and lots of snow... can't forget that. That makes us totally kickass!!

 

[karrie]

Frankly, I'm just appalled that the OP didn't focus more on hockey. Small town rinks, sitting and watching the team play. *sigh* There's just nothing quite like it.

 

[EagleSmack]

Sorry how many years did the Americans sit on their hands during WWII?

Until we were attacked. How many years did Canada sit their troops out of the fight even though they were supposedly "IN" the war? Canadian units weren't used unti 1942 at Dieppe. The first Canadian listed as killed in action was killed in Hong Kong after Pearl Harbor.

Sooooo...what were you saying? :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[lone wolf]

Until we were attacked. How many years did Canada sit their troops out of the fight even though they were supposedly "IN" the war? Canadian units weren't used unti 1942 at Dieppe. The first Canadian listed as killed in action was killed in Hong Kong after Pearl Harbor.

Sooooo...what were you saying? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Explain to my grandfather why he was wounded on evacuation with a lot of other BEF guys at Dunkirk. Damn Massachusetts Yankees and their needs to rewrite history....

Woof!

 

[gerryh]

maybe he can also explain the RCAF pilots that flew in defence of Great Britian during the battle of Britain.

 

[lone wolf]

maybe he can also explain the RCAF pilots that flew in defence of Great Britian during the battle of Britain.

Sure he will ... by saying there were Americans there too like in here:
http://forums.canadiancontent.net/conservative-lounge/49750-allies-would-shocked-if-canada.html

...from half-way down Page 2 to end

Things that make Canada great.... We get taken for granted by one arrogant SOB, then by another ... and we chuckle because we know the truth....

Woof!

 

[gerryh]

I remember that "exchange" now.

 

[#juan]

Until we were attacked. How many years did Canada sit their troops out of the fight even though they were supposedly "IN" the war? Canadian units weren't used unti 1942 at Dieppe. The first Canadian listed as killed in action was killed in Hong Kong after Pearl Harbor.

Sooooo...what were you saying? :lol: :lol: :lol:

That is Bull****!

The Battle of Britain

Home » Archives » The Battle of Britain » The Canadians
The Canadians

Britain stood alone in the front line, alone and suddenly majestic. Her only allies, the faraway countries of the Commonwealth, worked frantically to help avert disaster, thankful that at least some of their strength was in the British Isles. Canada had her 1st Division there and in August sent part of her 2nd. To two army cooperation squadrons of tiny Lysanders she added the Hurricanes of No. 1 Fighter Squadron of the RCAF. Off the coasts of Britain, a few Canadian destroyers prowled.
Because the British Army had lost so much equipment at Dunkirk, General McNaughton's 1st Canadian Division was for a period the only whole and reasonably well-equipped infantry division in the country. Even it had suffered heavy equipment and transport losses in its foray into Brittany in June. The Canadian division was given the task of multiplying itself into an army for the benefit of German Intelligence. Its men were marched and counter-marched across southern England to create the illusion of vast forces on the move, and the weary soldiers came to call themselves MeNaughton's Flying Circus.
Britain's epic battle was to be fought not on the ground, however, but in the air. Before operation Sea Lion could be launched, the RAF had to be wiped from the skies.
By far the largest number of defenders were British, but fighter pilots of many other nations flew with them, including some 80 Canadians. Of these, 26 were in the RCAF's No. 1 Squadron, which arrived soon after Dunkirk; 16 flew as a team in the RAF's 242 "Canadian" Squadron; the rest were scattered among a dozen other RAF squadrons. These last included men such as PO. Johnnie Bryson, an ex-Mountie; Flt. Lt. Johnnie Kent of Winnipeg, who flew with the Poles in 303 Squadron; and FO. W. H. Nelson, who served in 74 Squadron with the South African ace Adolph "Sailor" Malan. Another 200 Canadian airmen fought in RAF Bomber and Coastal commands, which throughout the battle pounded at German invasion ports and other targets; 27 of them gave their lives.
On July 11, the second day of the battle, the Canadians suffered their first fighter casualty. In a Luftwaffe attack on the naval base at Portland, PO. D. A. Hewitt of Saint John, N.B., hurled his 501 Squadron Hurricane at a Dornier bomber and was hit himself. Gushing smoke, his plane plunged into the sea. Another Canadian pilot, Richard Howley, died eight days later; two more, A. W. Smith and Hugh Tamblyn, had narrow escapes. All were in 141 Squadron and flew the Defiant, a two-seater hunchback with a large power-operated gun turret which bulged its lines and crippled its speed.
After their fighting in France, the pilots of the badly-mauled RAF 242 "Canadian" Squadron were re-forming at Coltishall, near Norwich, where they became part of 12 Group guarding the industrial Md lands; 11 Group held the front line to the south. The Canadians were awaiting a new CO, Douglas Bader. A peacetime RAF pilot, Bader had lost both legs in an air crash in 1931, had been fitted with artificial limbs and had taught himself not only to walk without a stick but also to play golf, tennis and squash. When war came, he'd badgered his way back into the RAF and proved he could fly as well as any pilot. Now, in his first command, Bader was deterrnined to make 242 the best squadron in the RAF. But it might be a battle - the Canadians, he was told, were a wild lot and a tough bunch to lead.
When the Battle of Britain ended the overall score was 1733 German aircraft destroyed for a loss of 915 British fighter aircraft. The 42 Canadian fighter pilots of No. 1 RCAF and 242 Squadron had destroyed an estimated 60, had at least another 50 probably destroyed or damaged. Canadians flying with other fighter squadrons had done equally well. From July 10 to October 31, the dates officially recognized as the opening and closing of the battle, 20 Canadian fighter pilots died in action. Of these, three served with No. 1 Squadron RCAF, three with 242 Squadron the remainder with other RAF squadrons. As Churchill wrote: ". . . the stamina and valor of our fighter pilots remained unconquerable and supreme. Thus Britain was saved. Well might I say in the House of Commons that;

 

[#juan]

EagleSmack at least read something about your subject.

Because the British Army had lost so much equipment at Dunkirk, General McNaughton's 1st Canadian Division was for a period the only whole and reasonably well-equipped infantry division in the country. Even it had suffered heavy equipment and transport losses in its foray into Brittany in June. The Canadian division was given the task of multiplying itself into an army for the benefit of German Intelligence. Its men were marched and counter-marched across southern England to create the illusion of vast forces on the move, and the weary soldiers came to call themselves MeNaughton's Flying Circus.

 

[karrie]

No no no.... that doesn't match what Eagle says, thus, isn't true. Just like the people that lived in Canada and marched down and burned the Whitehouse to the ground (and it burned burned burned... and we're the ones what did it!)... those weren't actually Canadians. Nope.

 

[Lester]

I also read that the spoils were lost at sea off the coast of NOVA SCOTIA and that only two items were recovered -one was a jewelry box looted by the Great Grandfather of a CANADIAN man (which he returned in 1939)when they torched the joint, and another was the painting of George Washington evacuated when the British showed up.

 

[gopher]

here's one guy that makes Canada great:

CANADA'S GREATEST ATHLETE!!

 

[Lester]

Lacrosse is a very physical sport, even though it's name sounds like a form of knitting .

 

[lone wolf]

Lacrosse is a very physical sport, even though it's name sounds like a form of knitting .

Yeah ... so is the sound of mending bones....

Woof!

 

[gopher]

Well, ahem, football sounds kinda sensual but it, too, is rather physical.

 

[darkbeaver]

The OP is out of date, but it's interesting to see that people do remember Canada was for a time a soveriegn nation with it's own identity and history. It's not like that anymore. Things that made Canada great will be forgotten and lost, maybe forever.

 

[EagleSmack]

Explain to my grandfather why he was wounded on evacuation with a lot of other BEF guys at Dunkirk. Damn Massachusetts Yankees and their needs to rewrite history....

Woof!

The funny thing is that I got this information on a Canadian website!

 

[EagleSmack]

maybe he can also explain the RCAF pilots that flew in defence of Great Britian during the battle of Britain.

As Wolfy said...Americans flew in the Battle of Britain. Not only did Americans fight in the Battle of Britain they also formed the Flying Tigers and fought against the Japanese.

 

[lone wolf]

As Wolfy said...Americans flew in the Battle of Britain. Not only did Americans fight in the Battle of Britain they also formed the Flying Tigers and fought against the Japanese.

As was explained to you before - and obviously couldn't get through the cotton balls - Canadians, being British subjects, were listed as British in British-led actions - but only until morale problems forced England to give in and admit they weren't great conquering heroes. See ... Canada knows these things called humility and tact. As evidenced by your braggart ways, pity you (collectively) can't learn it. Then maybe Uncle Sam wouldn't represent one of the most despised nations in history. Yeah ... we know. Americans are the greatest:roll: Woo hoo for the red white and blue. Now go back to your bridge.

Woof!