Grandmother Mary Crabb hoping to find World War II heroes who saved her life

[Phil]

Hi all,

Do you think it could possibly be E.J. Brackett? I wonder if the paper had the first initial wrong? I believe he was in the 8th regiment...

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembra ... 20Brackett
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/ ... umber=3700&

I had found this E. J. Brackett earlier, though one of our members seemed to think that E. J. Brackett enlisted too late to be the man in question -- I'm not sure where he saw that information.

[Phil]

Also, according to this list,

http://wartimeheritage.com/whaww2ns/nov ... ii_a_f.htm

Gunner E. J. Brackett hails from Halifax, NS.

[Ludford 101]

It cannot be Edward James Brackett. He enlisted 4 February 1943.

Question 14 also rules out a re-enlistment.

edward james brackett attestation.jpg (856.36 KiB) Viewed 16449 times

[CdnHowitzer]

Hello all. I got informed about this topic by the Royal Regiment Major! I've previously posted on FB on this topic, and the text of the post is below. I also have some connections in Cranbrook with the 61/107 Bty Alumni, who perpetuate the twinned batteries from the start of the war. Finally, I've had some successful contact with the newspaper, who have passed on some of this information to Mary.

Thanks for all of your efforts so far, and I hope you'll let me join the 'team' as we move forward!

Major Steve Kuervers


https://www.facebook.com/steve.kuervers ... 8234026433

"This is a great example of why I spend my spare time on the artillery battery histories of Alberta's Regiments!

On the 23 September, 1941, three members of Q Bty, 8th Field Regiment, RCA found a baby while on exercise in England. She was subsequently adopted and has had a long and fruitful life in Britain. The senior battery of the wartime regiment, Q Battery, was 61 Field Battery, activated at the onset of the war from Edmonton. I'm privileged to be the current Battery Commander of this battery, which perpetuates the history of the 8th Field Regiment (Self-Propelled).

Contacts of mine have forwarded some information and the following article. This 77 year old lady is now trying to find linkages to the unit, the battery, and the soldiers families."

[CdnHowitzer]

Some information from the war diaries of 8th Fd Regt:

The transcribed unofficial history (never published, except as a draft in the War Diaries):

History of 8 Fd Regt SP RCA WW II ver 10.pdf

(380.88 KiB) Downloaded 887 times

The newspaper article attached to the monthly war diary at the time of Mary's rescue:

50167508_10217219886107734_7831691543621664768_o.jpg (141.81 KiB) Viewed 16419 times

The page of the war diaries that records Mary's rescue:

50192600_10217219886587746_5529557663869829120_o.jpg (173.89 KiB) Viewed 16419 times

23 Sept 41

All Btys were out on manoeuvres. The C.O. held a meeting of B.Cs. & RHQ to discuss the Bumper Exercise at 1700 hrs in his office. Q Bty during their scheme found a new born baby in the gun area. Lieut. Webb took charge and the baby was taken to hospital in Woking. The baby is named Regina Brandon by the boys who found it.

[reynolds12]

Hi folks. I am a historian with DND who received this story through the RCA network. I started taking a look and came up with the following (before seeing the extensive work shown in the entries above) and will continue to help if you'd like. I looked through the CASF lists for 8th Fd Regt and 71st, 107th, and 113th Btys that we hold at the Directorate of History and Heritage in Ottawa. My initial list was as follows (based on the original story in the 1941 British paper):

Gnr Alonzo Jas. Brackett, L 18085—113th Fd Bty (H), embarked 28 Jan 40 ((he also served as a gunner during the FWW and therefore is wearing the ribbons for the War and Victory Medals)
L/Sgt Ernest Curtis, H-29026—71st Fd Bty, RCA, embarked 28 Jan 40
Gnr Roger H Griffith, H-29140—71st Fd Bty, RCA, embarked 28 Jan 40

I will take another look at the messages above tomorrow from the office, in particular with respect to "Griffin" vice "Griffith".

Cheers,

Ken Reynolds
militaryhistorian@gmail.com

[Phil]

Great work Ken, Steve. These items are huge, I was hoping someone would have the applicable war diaries, as brief as that entry may be, and certainly the soldier identification is fantastic!

Just have to sort out the Griffith/Griffin item as you have pointed out. One article earlier in this thread identifies R. C. Griffin, another article R.C.A. Griffith, I wonder if the R.C.A. was taken to be initials by someone rather than standing for Royal Canadian Artillery leading them to R. C. Griffin rather than R. H. Griffith.

Correction, the identification of "Gunner R.C.A. Griffith" is in the Mirror article from this year, I'm not sure where they got that exact name and odd initials -- seems very much like Royal Canadian Artillery was taken to mean given name initials in error, or it's just an odd arrangement of Rank Branch Surname.

[CdnHowitzer]

I also think we need to add the tracking down of Lt Webb to the list of people. He apparently accompanied everyone to the hospital. Based on traffic at the Royal Regiment level, we do not believe this is Lt Webb of Juno Beach historical fame (may he RIP), but a different Webb.

Steve

[reynolds12]

Hi Steve,

I agree re Lt Webb. I don't have my notes at home with me, but I started a look for him as well. I also don't think he was Lt Garth Webb. I did note a couple of Lt/Capt Webb's in the 1940 period and will resume that search tomorrow.

Ken

[Phil]

I'm seeing a lot of hits for Alonzo J. Brackett in Victoria, BC, which would coincide with some of the info that they considered naming the baby Victoria. Also seeing the death of one Alonzo Brackett in BC, 1981.