It Was Like Real War

We used to go on maneuvers practically every three weeks, big maneuvers you know, cross country with arbitrator saying “Well you're dead, you're not part of the scheme any more.” They used to call that schemes. You're not part of the maneuvers any more. Everything was, you know, as if it was in real battle. We were in Aldershot, I would say, about 24 months. Two years and then we moved on the southeast coast. The Black Watch were near Eastbourne, the Maisonneuve Regiment was at Polegate and just on the, near the Channel. And we had the 5th Brigade Headquarters, which I was with, we were inland a bit at the Upper, we used to call the Upper Dicker. And you know, if Hitler would have invaded in those days, he could have taken England just like that. All we had was two or three rifles. We didn't have no machine gun. We had machine guns, of course we had the Lewis machine gun, but until we got the Bren gun, you know, a Bren gun was better but the Lewis gun, forget it.

Mr. Clavel discusses the intense manoeuvers at Aldershot, followed by his unit's move to southeastern England. He contends that the Germans could easily have launched a successful invasion in that area.

Roger Clavel

Roger Clavel was born in Sainte-Scholastique, Quebec on February 15, 1919. He was the sixth of eight children. After finishing grade eight, he sold donuts door-to-door. Mr. Clavel enlisted three days after the war started, on September 13, 1939. He went overseas as a Fusilier de Montreal, and while in England he was married. Mr. Clavel then joined the Royal 22nd Regiment in North Africa. During the Italian campaign, Mr. Clavel eventually ended up driving a medical supply truck. The Royal 22nd Regiment then rejoined the Canadian army in Belgium, but Mr. Clavel saw limited action. After returning to Canada, Mr. Clavel had to wait exactly one year for the arrival of his war bride.