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Posted by "Ian Edwards" <iedwards@home.com> on Thu, 15 Mar 2001 21:03:24 -0700
How did I know about the Grey Simcoe Foresters? Well, I have an
extensive library of 10,000 regimental histories....
Actually, to be honest, I have some, but I also have a book "The
Canadian Military Experience 1867-1995 A Bibliography" by O.A. Cooke. I
have the third edition and the earlier 1st edition. So that‘s how I
am able to sound so knowledgeable about what books are available.
I think just about every WW2 Canadian infy and armd unit that was
mobilized and saw service overseas has had at least one book written by
or about them. Many units, with books long out of print, have had a
second book done for them covering more of the post-WW2 period in recent
years. Regimental histories tend to fall into two categories: those that
focus on who was in the unit and give a flavour of what the war years
were like, lots of anecdotes, fun to read. The others are for the
professional historians and serious armchair historians that make
extensive, almost exclusive use of unit war diaries. Seldom any happy
medium.
I don‘t know much about why the Germans didn‘t invade Sweden except that
perhaps they found it more useful to have the Swedes remain officially
neutral rather than swallowed by the Third Reich. Would be interesting
to know just how much trade of raw/semi finished material went from
Sweden to Nazi Germany. In the Cold War era, Sweden paid a high price
for their neutrality. They had to spend a high proportion of their GDP
on their armed forces in order to convince the Soviets that they
wouldn‘t be a pushover without any allies to support them.
I think the Swiss have geography on their side when it comes to defence.
Now, the interesting question is, is there really such a thing as the
Swiss Navy?
----- Original Message -----
From: Rob Ayres
To: army-list@CdnArmy.ca
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 1:36 PM
Subject: Ian: Foresters....Canadian Quest for Peace
I‘m not sure how you knew to turn me on to this book Ian but thanks.
It‘s great!
It‘s been a long time since Gr. 8 Canadian History class and not only
does this book bring a lot of that back but it adds to it from a local
perspective. It also gives one some insight as to the changes taking
place within the Regular and Reserve Forces and the thinking behind
those changes. I can only hope that when I track down some of the
others in the list you gave me that they are as good as this one.
In the book the author sites Sweden as an example of a country whose
Militia was so well organized and complete in it‘s logistics that the
Nazis considered it futile to attack them. Are there lessons to be
gained by scrutinising and implementing some of the practices of the
Swiss. I wonder what specific practices it was that put such a fear into
the Nazis‘ and how we could learn more about them. Will I one day be
keeping and maintaining my rifle at home as they do? Just kidding, we
all know better than that.
I have enjoyed the book thoroughly, only wish it was longer. Do most
Militia regiments have such books on their histories? It would be a
shame if they didn‘t.
RobA
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
Howdid I know about the Grey
amp Simcoe
Foresters? Well, I have an extensive library of 10,000 regimental
histories....
Actually, to be honest, I have some,
but I also
have a book "The Canadian Military Experience 1867-1995 A Bibliography"
by O.A.
Cooke. I have the third edition and the earlier 1st edition. So
that‘s
how I am able to sound so knowledgeable about what books are
available.
I think just about every WW2 Canadian
infy and armd
unit that was mobilized and saw service overseas has had at least one
book
written by or about them. Many units, with books long out of print, have
had a
second book done for them covering more of the post-WW2 period in recent
years.
Regimental histories tend to fall into two categories: those that focus
on who
was in the unit and give a flavour of what the war years were like, lots
of
anecdotes, fun to read. The others are for the professional historians
and
serious armchair historians that make extensive, almost exclusive use of
unit
war diaries. Seldom any happy medium.
I don‘t know much about why the Germans
didn‘t
invade Sweden except that perhaps they found it more useful to have the
Swedes
remain officially neutral rather than swallowed by the Third Reich.
Would be
interesting to know just how much trade of raw/semi finished material
went from
Sweden to Nazi Germany. In the Cold War era, Sweden paid a high price
for their
neutrality. They had to spend a high proportion of their GDP on their
armed
forces in order to convince the Soviets that they wouldn‘t be a pushover
without
any allies to support them.
I think the Swiss have geography on
their side when
it comes to defence. Now, the interesting question is, is there really
such a
thing as the Swiss Navy?
----- Original Message -----
From:
Rob
Ayres
To: army-list@CdnArmy.ca
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001
1:36
PM
Subject: Ian:
Foresters....Canadian Quest
for Peace
I‘m not sure how you knew to turn me
on to this
book Ian but thanks. It‘s great!
It‘s been a long time since Gr.8
Canadian History
class and not only does this book bring a lot of that back but it adds
to it
from a local perspective. It also gives one some insight as to the
changes
taking place within the Regular and Reserve Forces and the thinking
behind
those changes. I can only hope that whenI track down some
of the
others in the list you gave me that they are as good as this
one.
In the book the author sites Sweden as an
example of a
country whose Militia was so well organized and complete in it‘s
logistics
that the Nazis considered it futile to attack them.Are there lessons to be gained by
scrutinising and
implementing some of the practices of theSwiss. I wonder
what
specific practices it was that put such a fear into the Nazis‘ and how
we
could learn more about them. WillIone day be keeping and
maintaining my rifle at home as they do? Just kidding, we all know
better than
that.
I have enjoyedthe book thoroughly, only
wish it
was longer.Domost Militia regiments
havesuchbooks on
theirhistories? It would be a shame if they didn‘t.
RobA
--------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: To remove yourself from this list, send a message
to majordomo@CdnArmy.ca from the account you wish to
remove, with the line "unsubscribe army-list" in the
message body.
How did I know about the Grey Simcoe Foresters? Well, I have an
extensive library of 10,000 regimental histories....
Actually, to be honest, I have some, but I also have a book "The
Canadian Military Experience 1867-1995 A Bibliography" by O.A. Cooke. I
have the third edition and the earlier 1st edition. So that‘s how I
am able to sound so knowledgeable about what books are available.
I think just about every WW2 Canadian infy and armd unit that was
mobilized and saw service overseas has had at least one book written by
or about them. Many units, with books long out of print, have had a
second book done for them covering more of the post-WW2 period in recent
years. Regimental histories tend to fall into two categories: those that
focus on who was in the unit and give a flavour of what the war years
were like, lots of anecdotes, fun to read. The others are for the
professional historians and serious armchair historians that make
extensive, almost exclusive use of unit war diaries. Seldom any happy
medium.
I don‘t know much about why the Germans didn‘t invade Sweden except that
perhaps they found it more useful to have the Swedes remain officially
neutral rather than swallowed by the Third Reich. Would be interesting
to know just how much trade of raw/semi finished material went from
Sweden to Nazi Germany. In the Cold War era, Sweden paid a high price
for their neutrality. They had to spend a high proportion of their GDP
on their armed forces in order to convince the Soviets that they
wouldn‘t be a pushover without any allies to support them.
I think the Swiss have geography on their side when it comes to defence.
Now, the interesting question is, is there really such a thing as the
Swiss Navy?
----- Original Message -----
From: Rob Ayres
To: army-list@CdnArmy.ca
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 1:36 PM
Subject: Ian: Foresters....Canadian Quest for Peace
I‘m not sure how you knew to turn me on to this book Ian but thanks.
It‘s great!
It‘s been a long time since Gr. 8 Canadian History class and not only
does this book bring a lot of that back but it adds to it from a local
perspective. It also gives one some insight as to the changes taking
place within the Regular and Reserve Forces and the thinking behind
those changes. I can only hope that when I track down some of the
others in the list you gave me that they are as good as this one.
In the book the author sites Sweden as an example of a country whose
Militia was so well organized and complete in it‘s logistics that the
Nazis considered it futile to attack them. Are there lessons to be
gained by scrutinising and implementing some of the practices of the
Swiss. I wonder what specific practices it was that put such a fear into
the Nazis‘ and how we could learn more about them. Will I one day be
keeping and maintaining my rifle at home as they do? Just kidding, we
all know better than that.
I have enjoyed the book thoroughly, only wish it was longer. Do most
Militia regiments have such books on their histories? It would be a
shame if they didn‘t.
RobA
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
Howdid I know about the Grey
amp Simcoe
Foresters? Well, I have an extensive library of 10,000 regimental
histories....
Actually, to be honest, I have some,
but I also
have a book "The Canadian Military Experience 1867-1995 A Bibliography"
by O.A.
Cooke. I have the third edition and the earlier 1st edition. So
that‘s
how I am able to sound so knowledgeable about what books are
available.
I think just about every WW2 Canadian
infy and armd
unit that was mobilized and saw service overseas has had at least one
book
written by or about them. Many units, with books long out of print, have
had a
second book done for them covering more of the post-WW2 period in recent
years.
Regimental histories tend to fall into two categories: those that focus
on who
was in the unit and give a flavour of what the war years were like, lots
of
anecdotes, fun to read. The others are for the professional historians
and
serious armchair historians that make extensive, almost exclusive use of
unit
war diaries. Seldom any happy medium.
I don‘t know much about why the Germans
didn‘t
invade Sweden except that perhaps they found it more useful to have the
Swedes
remain officially neutral rather than swallowed by the Third Reich.
Would be
interesting to know just how much trade of raw/semi finished material
went from
Sweden to Nazi Germany. In the Cold War era, Sweden paid a high price
for their
neutrality. They had to spend a high proportion of their GDP on their
armed
forces in order to convince the Soviets that they wouldn‘t be a pushover
without
any allies to support them.
I think the Swiss have geography on
their side when
it comes to defence. Now, the interesting question is, is there really
such a
thing as the Swiss Navy?
----- Original Message -----
From:
Rob
Ayres
To: army-list@CdnArmy.ca
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001
1:36
PM
Subject: Ian:
Foresters....Canadian Quest
for Peace
I‘m not sure how you knew to turn me
on to this
book Ian but thanks. It‘s great!
It‘s been a long time since Gr.8
Canadian History
class and not only does this book bring a lot of that back but it adds
to it
from a local perspective. It also gives one some insight as to the
changes
taking place within the Regular and Reserve Forces and the thinking
behind
those changes. I can only hope that whenI track down some
of the
others in the list you gave me that they are as good as this
one.
In the book the author sites Sweden as an
example of a
country whose Militia was so well organized and complete in it‘s
logistics
that the Nazis considered it futile to attack them.Are there lessons to be gained by
scrutinising and
implementing some of the practices of theSwiss. I wonder
what
specific practices it was that put such a fear into the Nazis‘ and how
we
could learn more about them. WillIone day be keeping and
maintaining my rifle at home as they do? Just kidding, we all know
better than
that.
I have enjoyedthe book thoroughly, only
wish it
was longer.Domost Militia regiments
havesuchbooks on
theirhistories? It would be a shame if they didn‘t.
RobA
--------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: To remove yourself from this list, send a message
to majordomo@CdnArmy.ca from the account you wish to
remove, with the line "unsubscribe army-list" in the
message body.
