Language selection

Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

Search veterans.gc.ca

The Big Barrage

Heroes Remember

The Big Barrage

Transcript
Well, we went right out to the end of the peninsula to Walcheren to the, there's a causeway and a, and a, and a break between the island of Walcheren and Beveland Peninsula itself, and there was a causeway, and when the infantry got to the causeway, they couldn't get across it. Well, they did get some troops across, but they couldn't hold it. It, it was crazy, they were getting slaughtered there, you know. I think the 48th Highlanders took a real beating and friends of mine, the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, I think it was, they took a beating there, and a friend of mine lost about twenty-eight men out of his platoon there. He never did go back, he was so shattered psychologically. And so it was really rough and, and a lot of the guys were really badly hurt, you know. So then we pulled back and they decided to attack from the sea, you know, I think you know the story. They, they bombed and breached the dykes with the big bomber, 4-engine Lancasters and what not. And the Royal Marines went in and I think, I think they were mostly British troops. There may have been some Canadians. But we had to move a hundred miles back from Beveland, through Belgium, and to the south shore of the Scheldt, which is also Holland. There's a strip there that belongs to Holland, and we had the guns lined up all along the shore, the south shore. And we fired across in support of the attacks. So we had, I think we had something like, four or five hundred guns lined up of various caliber shooting across. It was the first big barrage that I was in. I mean really big barrage. That was the Field Regiment, Field Regiments were equipped with twenty-five pounders, both British and Canadian.
Description

Mr. Field recounts about his unit moving to the south coast of Beveland and undertaking a large scale (support) barrage to drive the Germans out.

Richard (Dick) Field

Mr. Richard Field was born in Toronto, Ontario, on November 11, 1924, where his father was an accountant for Brazilian Traction Light and Car Power Company located in Toronto. After hearing stories from his grandfather and friends about the service, Mr. Field and his father enlisted in 1943. Serving as a Gunner in the Royal Canadian Artillery, Mr. Field went to the continent after the summer of 1944, and landed at Dieppe. Having witnessed battles such as the Battle of the Bulge, which was, on record, the coldest battle fought during the Second World War, encounters with German POWS and the German SS, nothing stirs up memories such as the moving story about the Highland Light Infantry returning from battle, wearily marching on to battle, serenaded by the haunting melody of the bagpipes. Mr. Field returned home to Toronto and married his high school sweetheart, however, the war never left the dreams and thoughts of Mr. Field, who still, quite frequently, is plagued by dreams and nightmares of life on the front.

Meta Data
Medium:
Video
Owner:
Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:
01:47
Person Interviewed:
Richard (Dick) Field
War, Conflict or Mission:
Second World War
Location/Theatre:
Belgium
Battle/Campaign:
Northwest Europe
Branch:
Army
Occupation:
Gunner

Copyright / Permission to Reproduce

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Youtube

Related Videos

The War Was Coming

The War Was Coming

Mr. Field talks about knowing the war was coming, and describes reading about it in the newspaper and talking about it.

Awaiting the War

Awaiting the War

Mr. Field talks about people in high school enlisting, and describes he and his father enlisting in 1943.

Small Port of Dieppe

Small Port of Dieppe

Mr. Field goes over to the continent after the summer of 1944, and lands at Dieppe.

First Shell Fire (Part 1 of 2)

First Shell Fire (Part 1 of 2)

Mr. Field describes the slow fighting in Beveland and the first time he came under fire.

First Shell Fire (Part 2 of 2)

First Shell Fire (Part 2 of 2)

Mr. Field describes the slow fighting in Beveland and the first time he came under fire.

First Attack With the Infantry

First Attack With the Infantry

Mr. Field talks about his first attack with his infantry, and the sensation of being machine gunned.

Harassing Fire

Harassing Fire

Mr. Field talks about a Harassing Fire Command Post and about getting pinned down by enemy fire.

Air Planes in the Morning

Air Planes in the Morning

Mr. Field talks about the Battle of the Bulge and what (little) he saw of it.

The Highland Light Infantry (Part 1 of 3)

The Highland Light Infantry (Part 1 of 3)

Mr. Field tells a moving story about the Highland Light Infantry returning from battle, and moving to their next position.

The Highland Light Infantry (Part 2 of 3)

The Highland Light Infantry (Part 2 of 3)

Mr. Field tells a moving story about the Highland Light Infantry returning from battle, and moving on to their next position.

The Highland Light Infantry (Part 3 of 3)

The Highland Light Infantry (Part 3 of 3)

Mr. Field tells a moving story about the Highland Light Infantry returning from battle, and moving on to their next position.

Shooting Gallery

Shooting Gallery

Mr. Field describes an encounter with the enemy while they are holed up in a house in Groningen.

Hitler Jugend

Hitler Jugend

Mr. Field talks about the day before the war ended, and his encounter with some German POWs, and the Hitler Jugend.

Date modified: