Tactics and Counter tactics

Brace yourself in this position; you're in a farmhouse and you're a German officer, and you have seven or eight guys with you and your job is to deny this road to the Canadians coming down. Well, you see a scout car coming down hell bent for election and you say to yourself, leave that guy alone because if you fire on him, your gonna tell the Canadians what they wanna know, is that we're here. So don't do that. Just let them go right through and then wait for the main attack to come in. Simple, simple, simple tactic. And the Germans you see, mind you had it all over us in that sense, because they had been fighting for a long time before we were. Both in the Western Front and in the Eastern Front and in, in North Africa and what not, and the guy that I learned that from was an officer of the (inaudible) regiment who was an expert in scout cars and he fought in the desert. And he said to me, "Look, I can send, I can send a white scout car down to rescue your guy who was caught down there." He said, "They won't fire at me". And I said, "What do you mean they won't fire at you?" He said, "No, they won't fire at me." I said, "Why?" He just explained it, he said, "Because they'll think that I'm just the eyes and ears of who's coming up behind. So, naturally they're not gonna fire at me." So a very simple tactic but very effective. But as long as you know, that that's what it's all about. Now, if you make a mistake, if the German doesn't know that you're, that you're the eyes and ears then he's gonna shoot you. Then of course, you know, you've lost the day. But I think that it was a lesson well learned and you know, it's interesting. I went through maybe ten, well at least five highly rated tactic schools for, for scout cars, for carriers and mobile vehicles, fast mobile vehicles. I never heard that once, I never heard it once! I had to hear it from a guy who had used it time and time and time again. And as I often said, he told me about it and then knocked the ash off his cigarette. The cigarette holder, you know.

Mr. Chadderton talks about both sides exploiting an Allied scout car.

Clifford Chadderton

Clifford Chadderton, CC, O. Ont., OStJ, CLJ, CAE, DCL, LLD Mr. Chadderton was born May 9, 1919, in Fort William, Ontario, and was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His mother worked as an accountant. His father, an entrepreneur, was a veteran of the First World War who suffered complications from being gassed at Vimy Ridge. Under the tutelage of his parents Mr. Chadderton was brought up to believe in Canada and the importance of education. He became interested in social events, politics, military history and the process of debate. These interests led Mr. Chadderton to become a news editor for the Canadian Press and a reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press while attending the University of Manitoba. Mr. Chadderton even found time for another interest - playing hockey for the Winnipeg Rangers, the farm team for the New York Rangers. On October 15, 1939, Mr. Chadderton enlisted in the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, climbing the ranks quickly to become a company commander and an acting major by the end of the war. While serving in Europe he was wounded twice, once by a bullet at the Abbaye d'Ardenne in Normandy, and then by a grenade near the Leopold Canal in Belgium on October 10, 1944. There, he lost his right leg below the knee, and his military career came to an end. Mr. Chadderton never let the loss of his leg hinder him. In fact, it has made him a beacon of hope to many, and has given him the opportunity to work for the needs and benefits of Canadian amputees and veterans. He is the Chief Executive Officer of The War Amps, and Chairman of the National Council of Veteran Associations in Canada. A persistent, dedicated and devoted man, Mr. Chadderton is also known nationally and internationally as a documentary producer, creating The War Amps Never Again! series, which illustrates the realities of war. He has also written an inspirational memoir entitled, Excuse Us! Herr Schicklgruber, which is an insight into the personalities, feelings and hopes of the men who fought alongside Mr. Chadderton in the Second World War. Mr. Chadderton continues to challenge the world and enjoy life with no regrets, having made a home for himself in Ottawa, Ontario, and creating a legacy with his wife, two children, and four grandchildren.