Boys of the Clouds

I was listening to CFRA a few nights ago when the host took some time to talk about book he was reading, a military history text entitled Boys of the Clouds: An Oral History of the 1^st Canadian Parachute Battalion 1942-1945. The book was written by Ottawa native Gary Boegel, and is currently being sold privately. (Ordering information is available on Mr. Boegel's website for those interested in picking up a copy of their own.)



From the description on the book's website:

Boys of the Clouds tells the fascinating stories, in their own words, of over seventy veterans of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion during the Second World War. The Battalion, part of the British 6th Airborne Division, was among the very first Allied soldiers to land on French soil on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Despite a widely scattered drop, they managed to take and hold all their objectives, and continued to hold off German counter attacks through that fateful summer.

After suffering heavy losses in Normandy, the unit returned to England in September 1944 to refit and train for the next airborne operation. This training was interrupted when they were hastily sent to defend against the German offensive in the Ardennes, commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge. They were the only Canadian unit to take part in this action.

[... read the rest ...]

And here is an except from chapter 3 (D-Day and Normandy):

Major Richard Hilborn, MID
Company Commander, Headquarters Company

"Our trip was most pleasant across here thanks to you except for the last 5 minutes when the flak came at us and I was absolutely terrified. Especially the way the old kite rocketed and bucketed about the sky. No doubt your evasive action saved the day. I got out OK and the open shock tore the knee strap of my kit bag off. It hung away from me and I couldn't reach the quick release so I landed with my kit bag attached. I landed in the corner of a field somewhat shaken and no end surprised. I have never come down faster. After trying to reach my kit bag I didn't even have time to grab my left webbs but I just managed to get set for the landing. After wandering about a bit I picked up 3 others of my stick. It took us 3 hours and the assistance of a local French farmer to find where we were. Actually I landed a mile and a half northwest of the DZ. Because the country was full of hedges and orchards I didn't have the slightest idea where the DZ was. There was farming all around so that didn't help any.

It was the better part of the day before we got ourselves altogether. A couple of chaps in my stick had tough luck. One landed in a tree and the branch broke, following which he fell and broke an arm and a leg. Another chap was shot through the hand. He had an amazing escape. He was by himself when about 30 Gerries spotted him. They jumped him, took his equipment and when he was lying in the ditch shot at him twice from 6 foot range, one just missing him and the other hitting his hand. He lay absolutely still and they went away leaving him for dead."

[... read more excerpts ...]

Needless to say I have fast-tracked Boys of the Clouds to the top of my reading list, and will post a review as soon as I finish it up.

[cross-posted to bound by gravity]