Halifax Hundred 1938-1946

[Robert Bonner]

Dve.

A belated response to yours.  We all wait to read about your 'Meet and Greet' occasion and hope that it all went very smoothly.

Best wishes.
Robert

[mack]

hiya dave
sorry i missed your reply,hope the day was a great success for you all.

mack

[Dave1212]

Our first ‘Meet & Greet’ afternoon Sunday August 28, 2011 was a wonderful success. Despite Hurricane Irene leering offshore, the turnout was impressive & it was a joy for me to meet so many people in person that I have talked with over the years on the phone or via email. It was a very special day.

Sharing the afternoon with the families & friends of these men was amazing – wonderful, wonderful people. They shared great stories about the lads & how much the Manchester Regiment means to the history of their families.

Several families brought additional items to display, incredible treasures. I must confess, I felt like a kid in a candy store. Photographs I had never seen, personal items of the men, documents – great stuff!

Since I started this back in 2007 I must thank my friends here at themanchesters.org for your continued support & assistance. You’ve always been a great help, I appreciate it.

I will later post the displays I did up for the guys in the postcards & photos section.

I’ve attached four shots from the function:

An Honour Guard 292 Halifax Fairview Branch #142 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron assists wreath layers Mary Hook & Clyde Cruickshanks. War Bride Mary is the widow of Sgt. Clary Hook 2nd Manchesters 1939-1946. Such a beautiful lady. Clyde is the son of Lance Corporal Clyde Cruickshanks 2nd Manchesters 1939-1945 (POW 1940-1945), KIA 11/27/1950 Korea 29th Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles. Raised in Australia, this was Clyde’s first visit to his father’s hometown & country.

Fairview Legion Cenotaph

A couple of group shots

Thanks again for everything & I’ll talk with you soon.

Dave

[Wendi]

How wonderful Dave !  WELL DONE  !

Thank you for your kind words, I am really looking forward to seeing the displays, and I'm sure the families not only got a great kick out of the Meet and Greet, but also a great sense of comfort.

Truly never forgotten.

Wendi 

[Robert Bonner]

Dave.
That was obviously a great occasion.  There must have been such a lot of reminiscences ...and what a beautiful Legion Cenotaph.  It's great to know that the Manchester Regiment is still so well remembered in NS.
Robert

[rafboy]

Wondeful to see the photos and hear of a special day.  Well done Dave.
Cliff

[Dave1212]

I've finally gotten around to post the displays for the men used in our 'Meet & Greet' in the Photos & Postcards by Battalion section under 'Halifax 100'.

I hope all is well with everyone.

Dave

[Robert Bonner]

Dave.
What a splendid display in honour of the Halifax Hundred. They certainly will not be forgotten.
Very well done to all concerned in producing this piece of fascinating Canadian & Manchester Regiment history.

Very best wishes.
Robert

[Dave1212]

Thanks Robert. It's been a wonderful experience learning about these men - there's still so much more to discover. It is so important to remember...

Thanks again.

Dave

[rafboy]

What a great job you have done for the men.
Cliff

[catharriet]

It was a wonderful time!  Thanks Dave for putting this all together.

[Dave1212]

In the ‘Photo & Postcards by Battalion’ section, under the ‘Halifax One Hundred’ heading I have posted several photographs (20) shared by the family of Sgt. Clary Hook taken in India 1942-1943 while Clary was stationed there serving with the 2nd Manchesters.

Now, these are shots of locations &/or local residents not regiment specific however they offer a wonderful glimpse into the sights & sounds of what our men encountered during their service in this exotic posting.

As no captions accompany the photographs I ask assistance from our experts to enlighten me as to where some of the locations shots may have been taken as well as where the regiment was posted during this time (1942-1943).

Beyond my interest in the Manchester Regiment during this period, my grandfather served in India in the 1890’s with the Rifle Brigade as did his younger brother from 1905 to 1913. I believe many of the sights encountered by the men in the 1940’s remained unchanged from the time of my grandfather & g-uncle. You’ll want to read Kipling after viewing them.

Thanks in advance as always.

Cheers,

Dave

[Dave1212]

Gerald Crouse who to the best of my knowledge was the last surviving '100' member passed away Sunday November 25, 2012 at the age of 95. I have attached his obituary from today’s Halifax Chronicle Herald.

Born in Italy Cross, NS Gerald along with friends Skip McCarthy & Arnold Carver enlisted in the 2nd Manchesters April 4th, 1939. Safely evacuated from Dunkirk Gerald transferred to the West Nova Scotia Regiment in 1941. Gerald’s war came to an end December 1943 at Ortona, Italy after suffering a serious head wound.

I had the privilege of talking with Gerald about his part as well as others in the '100' story & his input was invaluable. He shall be missed.

RIP Gerald

[Robert Bonner]

Dave,

As always very good to hear from you even when you are the bearer of sad news.
However I reckon that Gerald Crouse probably considered himself to have been fortunate in many ways, having achieved such a long life despite the serious wounds which he received in Italy with the West Nova Scotia Regiment in 1943.

Best wishes to you and yours for the festive season.

Robert

[Dave1212]

Thank you Robert & sincere wishes for your family as well. What I marvel at in Gerald's wonderful story of life is his 71 years of marriage to the same beautiful Yorkshire lass...

Here's a photo featuring Gerald taken at Ladysmith Barracks in 1939:
L-to-R Unknown, Arnold Carver, Earl Falkenham, Gerald Walker, Ric Serrick, Gerald Crouse, Carl Anderson