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This is the story of 1st Canadian Radar Battery between 1944 and 1945. The account deals with the true beginnings of Counter-Mortar operations by the Army Operational Research Group and shows how their work helped the Allies rid Europe of the Axis powers. ... Read more

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Chapters: History of the Canadian Army, Canadian Military Engineers, 32 Canadian Brigade Group, 39 Canadian Brigade Group, Skyhawks Parachute Team, Structure of the Canadian Forces Land Force Command, Canadian Forces Land Advanced Warfare Centre, Abca Armies, 31 Combat Engineer Regiment, 38 Canadian Brigade Group, 34 Canadian Brigade Group, 41 Canadian Brigade Group. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 69. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Canadian Army as such only existed under that name from November 1940 to February 1968. However, the term has been traditionally applied to the ground forces of Canada's military from Confederation in 1867 to the present. The term is often used colloquially and even semi-officially, for example in recruiting literature and the official newspaper of the Canadian Forces, The Maple Leaf. Canada's land forces have a relatively short but distinguished history in comparison to the militaries of other developed nations. It is considered proper to consider all Canadian land forces regardless of actual title when discussing the history of the "Canadian Army." From 1763 to prior to the Confederation of Canada in 1867, the British Army provided the defence of Canada, although many Canadians served with the British in various conflicts including the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Most of these local units were activated in time of war, but inactive in between: The Militia Act of 1855 created active militia, but they offered limited military protection. However, after 1867, the British began to downsize their garrisons in Canada, mainly to move troops to other areas of the Empire, but also due to friendlier relations with the United States, Canada's immediate neighbour, and the only country capable of launching an armed invasion of the count...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=3110164 ... Read more

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Cyprus 1974: “This Ain’t No Picnic, It’s War” is the edited personal diary of Alain Gaudet, a twenty-two-year-old paratrooper with the Canadian Forces in a peacekeeping role in Nicosia, Cyprus. The diary is a fascinating look at daily life from the soldiers’ viewpoint. It gives the reader insight into the challenges and frustrations of a solider in combat, how he deals with the loss of friends and compatriots, and the extremes of emotions on display in a war zone. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by University of Saskatchewan on September 22, 2009. The length of the article is 898 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Castles, Battles, and Bombs: How Economics Explains Military History.(Book review)
Author: David H. Olivier
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 22, 2009
Publisher: University of Saskatchewan
Volume: 44Issue: 2Page: 367(2)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by University of Saskatchewan on August 1, 1994. The length of the article is 2889 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Tudor Navy: An Administrative, Political and Military History. (book reviews)
Author: Hubert C. Johnson
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Refereed)
Date: August 1, 1994
Publisher: University of Saskatchewan
Volume: v29Issue: n2Page: p365(7)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
U.S. Military History For Dummies examines significant battles, tactics, strategies, weapons, technology, and leadership on land, sea, and air since the French-Indian War in 1755, where George Washington was first battle-tested, to the present day war in Iraq. The book uniquely focuses on how developments in each of these areas influenced how wars were fought and how leadership and strategies evolved. Wars covered include the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the War in Iraq as well as other military operations around the globe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very basic info
Good for HS kids and folks who have never opened a book on US military history... ... Read more

Product Description
Six months before World War II erupted in 1939, Bruno Friesen was sent to Germany by his father in hopes of a better life. Friesen was drafted into the Wehrmacht three years later and ended up in the 7th Panzer Division. Serving as a gunner in a Panzer IV tank and then a Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer, Friesen experienced intense combat against the Soviets in Romania, Lithuania, and West Prussia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Detailed Look at Being a Panzer Crewman
"Panzer Gunner: A Canadian in the German 7th Panzer Division, 1944-45", by Bruno Friesen is Mr Friesen's memoirs of his time living in Germany and serving in the German Army as a Panzer IV and Jadgpanzer IV (tank destroyer) crewman, as well as covering some of his pre and post-war life in Canada.What's interesting about his tale is that he was born in Canada but was sent to Germany by his parents shortly before World War II began as they thought Germany provided more opportunities for a better life.As such, his perspective is somewhat unique ... basically that of a Canadian fighting for the Wehrmacht.

The book gives some very good detail on how German tankers were trained, organized, and fought, particularly with regards to their initial training.As he became a gunner in a tank, he explains what that entailed, partly through the use of excerpts from a translated panzer training manual.He covers his career from the training barracks, to some emergency occupation duty in Italy (due to the Italian government's surrender to the Allies), to eventual deployment and combat on the East Front.

The book is fairly fast paced, and he gives a much earthier description and worm's eye view of what it was like to be a soldier in the German Army than you typically see in most memoirs.Mr Friesen's writing style tends to be a little on the pendantic side, though, and can be a bit dry.However, the author provides a level of detail that is lacking in most similar works, and for this, I recommend this book to those wanting to know what it was like to be a crewman in a panzer and jadgpanzer in World War II.

A Canadian Panzer Gunner
Presented in typical Stackpole fashion, "Panzer Gunner" is the memoirs of a German-Canadian in the German 7th Panzer Division, on active service from 1944 to the end of the war.This was an interesting read for me, as I haven't previously read a soldier's memoir from a German perspective.

This is a full account of the author's time in the German army, having been conscripted at the age of 17, in 1943.The first portion of the book, following the depiction of how the author and his brother came to Germany from Canada, is primarily based upon his military training. He spent time doing the training every army recruit must complete, before undertaking tank driving school.Of course, given the title of the book, we know that ultimately the author became a gunner. Of particular interest is the author's account of gunnery training on which a full chapter is devoted; the text includes reproductions of the pages of a training manual.Prior to serving on the Eastern Front, the 7th Panzer Division was on occupation duty in Italy, encountering various Allied POWs.Of course, this only delayed the inevitable shift to Russia (via Romania as the author delivered some Panzer IVs).

The author spent the majority of his service fighting the Russians; several chapters are devoted to Panzer IV and Jagdpanzer IV actions. Only in the last days of the war did his unit withdraw to the west, finally surrendering to British troops in March 1945. Interestingly, the author states that he himself never formally surrendered, and never spent time as a POW.Wounded in West Prussia, and separated from the rest of his unit, he was medically evacuated to Eastern Germany and finally made his way into the British occupation zone.The final chapters deal with the author's post-war life, both in Germany and when he returned to Canada in 1950 to life as a tyre engineer, and subsequently as an English professor (shades of which come through in the language used throughout the book!).The author never comes across as an embittered Nazi, merely a teenager who fought on the wrong side and was lucky enough to survive what many of his mates didn't.

There are a number of photographic illustrations throughout the book.Unfortunately, many of these are not particularly well reproduced.The author's language struck me as formal, and somewhat dry at times.Despite this, it was still easy to read as the narrative is quite fastpaced. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the many tales of life as a Panzer gunner - not just the combat stories, but the downtime and the training (which forms the majority of any soldier's life.What is that expression? 99% boredom, 1% sheer terror!) "Panzer Gunner" is recommended for those interested in the life of a conscript in the German Panzer Arm.

Panzer Gunner
I enjoyed this book very much. It was a differnt view on one of the most terrible conflicts of present times. I found it very interesting that his Ukrainian Parents sent the Brothers from Canada to Hitlers Germany. Where they were placed with families on Farms. until a time when they were able to serve in combat. It was a book I would reccomend. A very interesting life lived in a very unique way. Not something I would of thought of without reading the book itself. I'm grateful this Gentleman wrote his experience the way he did.

Richtschütze
This book is a very insightful account of a tank crew member in the last two years of World War II. At a time when German Panzers on the Eastern Front operated on a platoon rather than a regimental level, Friesen provides his readers with many details of life in a Panzer IV and a Jagdpanzer IV, including combat. The author also describes in detail the challenges German soldiers were facing behind the front: "Soldatenklau" being only one of them. An easy and interesting read, I recommend this book to anyone who is not only interested in the glorious days of the Panzertruppe but also how it all ended.

Different
An interesting account of the author's experiences in WW2. A different book in many ways: the author's background (born and lived in Canada teenage), the author's style (pedantic style of an English teacher mixed with very crude soldier speak), and the mix of technical information and personal recollections. The books sometimes feels as if it were a collection of magazine articles - most of them quite interesting. It would have been nice to include diagrams for the few engagements described in the book.

All in all an interesting and recommended book. ... Read more

Product Description
On 2 February 1968 all assets of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force were unified into the Canadian Armed Forces, which thus became the first modern defense force to be fully integrated on land, at sea, and in the air.

Formed during the Cold War, the air element of the CAF was the largest component, with major commitments to both NORAD in North America and NATO in Europe, as well as a growing role in the protection of Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic. This book traces the history of aircraft on charge at the time of the reorganization. It also records aircraft acquired by the newly created Canadian Armed Forces, for the thirty years which have passed since unification.

The fifteen aircrafttypes, representing the operational fleets, which were under abridgment"at that time are also included, even though they entered service several years before the formation of the Canadian Forces. Many of these aircraft have multiple listings, although aircraft purchased after unification did not undergo such registration changes.

Complete listings of tow aircraft and gliders operated by the Air Cadet League of Canada, as well as aircraft with Canadian civil registrations operated at the Canadian Aviation Training Centre at Southport, Manitoba are included. The book also provides coverage of aircraft transitions both out of, and into Canadian and foreign civil and military incarnations. 90 pages of photographs include examples of each type of aircraft and of some types in their RCAF and CF registrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

At long last...Canadian aviation history!
This long, long, long awaited effort is to be admired for the depth and completeness in the authors' dedication to detail. They've filled the bill about the "what-went-where" data and is worthy to have in hand when researching and referencing the history of military aircraft in Canada's "Forces." BUT, be advised, the real drawback and disappointing aspect of this book is the photos and their reproduction. Poor half-tones, poor originals, "air-show" amateur examples mar what could have been a true campanion volume to their original effort of 30+ years ago. And after 30+ years...not one color photo? Shelf-worthy but no eye-candy.

All Canadian Military Aircraft for 30 Years
This register of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) aircraft contains information about every plane operated by the CAF since the 1968 amalgamation of the Royal Canadial Air Force, the Royal Canadian Nary, and the Canadian Army into the CAF. It follows the format of the forerunner book 'Canadian Military Aircraft, Serials and Photographs' which covered all 22,000 aircraft used by the Canadian forces prior to 1968. This book includes information on the fifteen types that were restricted in the previous book for security reasons.

The basic idea of this book is that by looking an ID number for any CAF plane you can identify its type, when it was taken into service, when retired, its squadron or base and more. The book is largely tables of information because there were so many types, so many aircraft that the inclusion of much information would be prohibitive. The book ends in 1998, encompassing 30 years of CAF operations. This is information simply not available anywhere else. ... Read more

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The first of three volumes of the Official History of the Royal Canadian Air Force, this book provides the definitive story of Canadian airmen in World War I and, moreover, a revisionist account of the war in the air.

Organized topically, this volume begins with an overview of military aviation in Canada prior to 1914, as successful aircraft experiments like Baldwin's and McCurdy's Silver Dart are set against Defence Minister Sam Hughes' rejection of any government air policy. Financial timidity and political uncertainty subsequently decreed that the 20,000 Canadians who trained for, or fought in, history's first air war would have no air force of their own but would fly in the British flying services.

The sections which follow show that Canadians excelled in every aspect of the air war. Indeed, although the First World War never saw an exclusively Canadian squadron in action and no Canadian rose to a command above Group level, Professor Wise has been able to write a full account of the war in the air from the Canadian perspective. Recruitment and training, the maritime air war, the strategic bombing of Germany and the defence of Great Britain, as well as action on the Western Front, in Italy, and in Macedonia, are all covered in depth. Each section reveals the complexity of air operations, as tactics, strategy, and aircraft evolved with astonishing speed. The exploits of remarkable fighter aces such as Billy Bishop, Raymond Collishaw, D.R. MaccLaren, and W.G. Barker, and of bomber leaders like R.H. Mulock, are set in the context of the air war and the many thousands of Canadians who served with them.

In his conclusion Wise traces the development of Canadian government air policy to the year 1920, during which time the first Canadian air force was born and quickly died. In analysing this major step in Canada's entry into the air age he lays the foundation for postwar civil expansion and the formation of the RCAF.

Illustrated with specially prepared colour and sketch maps and over 200 photographs, many of them published here for the first time, this book should prove invaluable to the military historian and of wide appeal to the aviation enthusiast and general reader alike.

The other volumes in the Official History of the Royal Canadian Air Force are The Creation of a National Air Force by W.A.B. Douglas (out of print) and The Crucible of War, 1939-1945 by Brereton Greenhous, et al. (available). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Essential book for Canadian military history information.
Anyone with an interest in Canada's military history needs this book in their collection. Providing numerous bibliograhic information on books dealing with Canada's military history from 1867 to 1995. Divided intoarmy, naval, and airforce sections each then divided into year groupings;pre WW1, WW1, WW2, and post WW2.Although there afew misprints, and Imean very few, this book is an absolute necessity to both the casual readerand the serious researcher. ... Read more

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These pieces of cloth and metal symbolize the daring, bravery, suffering and loss of men who flew in deadly aerial battles for democratic freedom. Eagles Recalled, Pilot and Aircrew Wings of Canada, Great Britain and The British Commonwealth 1913-1945 has ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A well researched and illustrated book
This is a well researched and illustrated book.A very worthy study of Canadian and other Commonwealth aircrew insignia.The author obviously has a wide experience in researching and collecting in the subject and thecoverage of particularly Canadian insignia is excellent.As an Australian,I found the treatment of Australian aircrew badges is very good as heconsulted appropriate Australian museum authorities. The only criticisms Ihave are minor.In dealing with naval aircrew insignia, the author givesthe impression of not understanding the rather complex British wartimetreatment of 'temporary' naval personnel - they were enrolled in the NavalVolunteer Reserve, with different rank lacing on uniforms to regularofficers e.g. 'wavy' stripes as opposed to straight stripes on the uniformsleeve.As almost all Commwealth navy aircrew were temporaries, they worethe wavy stripes.Although illustrations of these appear in the book, thisexplanation is not given. The other, more humorous (hardly a criticism) isthe illustration of first world war Royal Naval Air Service FlightLieutenant E. Stoneman on page 45, in his uniform, together with a lady wholooks very much like his mother (or a close relative as facial features aresimilar).She, of course is dressed in female attire of the time.Ourever exact author specifically identifies the Lieutenant as the personstanding on the left of the photograph! As I said, very minor criticisms. A very good book on the subject ... Read more

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This significant new book provides an overview of the history of military bands in Canada, including bands, marches, pipes, drums and tattoos. Through their longtime interest and experience with military bands the authors have collected information on individual bands, marches and songs, recordings, and many rare photographs which are featured in this book. Their careful research into this subject not previously well documented presents the remarkable tale of the men and women of the Canadian Forces Music Branch, past and present. This book explores the immense talent and creative ability of the band musicians, who have never received the recognition they deserve.

Also included: Histories of the Regimental Marches, A song book, A chart of military band instruments, Biographies of Canadian Directors of Music and Bandmasters and Pipe Majors. ... Read more

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Consisting of the Calgary Highlanders, the Black Watch, and the French-speaking Régiment de Maisonneuve, the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade landed in France in early July 1944 as part of British General Bernard Montgomery s 21st Army Group. That summer, the brigade participated in hellish battles in Normandy, including Caen and Verrières Ridge. The 5th went on to distinguish itself in Belgium, where it endured foul weather and fierce resistance near Antwerp in October 1944, and ended the war with bloody streetfighting in the towns of Holland. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Thrills! Spills! Chills! And a big load `o' hooey!
Wow! What a spectacle! Granatstein's book takes us on a non-stop thrillride of political bungling, misallocation, misinterpretation, and ultimately neglect of Canada's armed forces. The sad thing is he's right on most accounts - Canada has willfully neglected her armed forces for a myriad of reasons over an extended period of time. This in itself is regrettable and I agree with Granatstein that it has seriously eroded the ability of Canada to defend herself and her interests, at least as a political entity.This neglect has likewise eroded Canada's importance as a peacekeeper nation.

But you'll have to forgive my idealism when I reject Granatstein's assertion that we need to kowtow to the United States in order to assert our sovereignty. Since when was it dependent on how well we conform to the imperial ambitions of our neighbours to the south anyhow? The "War on Terror" is turning out to be a total sham, wreathed in lies, racism, imperialist hubris, religious zealotry, and the seemingly inexhaustible capacity of the current US administration to be stupid. Furthermore, armed forces don't necessarily need to exist to "fight wars". What's wrong with relegating Canada's armed forces to a constabulary role? We have never fought wars of aggression or retribution, opting instead to come to the aid of those whose fates dictated their involvement in just such conflicts (Russia and the Boers notwithstanding). And much like the rousing of the sleeping giant, we've always managed to muster the resources necessary for the task at hand when it came to hand. The questionable spectre of Islamic terror is a poor excuse to gird for battle, especially given the fact that as of this date, we, at least directly, are in no way affected by it. Certainly the economic fallout is there, but neither bomb, nor anthrax, nor body count, nor "terror alert level" has made its way into the vernacular of daily life in Canada as yet.

Coincidence? Perhaps. Or is it something else? Perhaps it's our connection to Europe that has entrenched in us a love of social progress, or maybe we're just naïve. Whatever the reason, this is not, nor has it ever been, a nation of belligerents. It is a nation of the reticent - of people who love the fact that they can travel abroad without fear of recrimination, who can walk down streets without fear of gun-toting reactionaries at every doorstep, and who don't rely on weapons to settle our differences be they internal or external.That kind of national character is one I'd sooner project and foster globally than what Mr. Granatstein espouses.

Granatstein is as illuminating as ever
A very nice, readable volume.Grantstein's years of research in the field (not to mention his own military experience, which comes to the fore for the first time) have culminated in this very well done survey of how the Canadian military has evolved in the last 100 years.

The book is straightforward, written in simple language, and is logically laid out into several distinct "eras".He discusses both the military atttitudes of the time, and the policies of the government.He is even handed (for instance, he concedes many of the positive aspects of integration while at the same time identifying the harmful effects of Unification) and at the same time ruthless.

Unlike many critiques, Granatstein ends up with some constructive suggestions.Readers might like to compare and contrast his conclusions with those in TARNISHED BRASS, which also has a prescription for reviving the military.

The latest version of this book carries us up to Paul Martin's election victory and is therefore rather current.

Recommended, probably moreso than Bercuson's SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT which also covers the same topic, and much less muckracking that TARNISHED BRASS.

On the right track ... most of the time
Granatstein hits most of the right targets when assigning blame for the neglect, bordering on outright sabotage, of the Canadian military.
Pearson-era Defence Minister Paul Hellyer's bizarre unification experiment gets (almost) the scathing criticism it deserves, as does Trudeau's neglect of the military. And the morale-sapping myth of Canada as a nation of "peacekeepers" is exposed in all its fraudulent glory.
But Granatstein, like many of his opponents on the left, goes on to make that classic Canadian mistake of confusing a strong defence posture with greater continental integration. Make the military bigger, he says, while at the same time start cooperating more closely with Washington.
Granatstein seems not to consider the possibility that Canada needs a stronger military to safeguard Canadian interests abroad and sovereignty at home on its own terms, rather than to blindly support U.S. foreign policy. His critique of Jean Chretien for keeping Canada out of the U.S.-led blunder in Iraq, for example, now looks particularly ill-chosen in retrospect.
While sharing Granatstein's disgust at the damage and humiliation that politicians and bureaucrats have forced on Canada's military, one still can't help but wonder whether he really wants to save our military and restore its pride, or just set up a local recruiting depot for the U.S. military. Even most of the new equipment he suggests acquiring comes from the United States, with very little from Europe or Britain.
Nevertheless, this is a book that every Canadian should read. And let's hope Canada's army stays Canadian, complete with the regimental system, "leftenants" and a chain of command that ultimately stops in Canada. Or we could add Jack Granatstein to the list of those who helped kill Canada's military.

An important read
Jack Granatstein has captured the culprit who has seen the demise of the Canadian military... it was the Canadian public aided by a succession of elected officials and some careerist members in uniform. Mr. Granatstein does an outstanding job of explaining his choices of reasons why the Canadian Forces (CF) has fallen into a state of disrepair. Peacekeeping vice training and equiping the military for general combat has lulled the Canadian population into thinking that we have a ready band of do-gooders in uniform instead of a cohesive fighting force. Diefenbaker, Trudeau, Mulroney and Chretien - the latter being the worst of the bunch - all destroyed the foundations required to field a capable military force.
Mr. Granatstein does not espouse the need of a million person military nor does he say that the military requires all the bells and whistles our friends south of the border employ.His argument is simple: give the small military we have direction (through REAL leadership) and equip them with the tools they require to get the job done, whether it be supporting a coalition effort or an aid to civil power operation domestically. It should be noted that the book is not a collection of woes and complaints, it also provides some viable solutions to the issues faced by the CF.The only caviat he had placed on these solutions is that something has to be done NOW.
All in all, the book was an easy read and well argued,I urge all Canadians, whether they care about the military or not, to read this book and feel the pulse of the current state of the CF before it flat lines. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Deeply Disturbing
As an ex-soldier I must admit that I had little time for Scott Taylor and his endless self promotion (usually at the expense of the military's reputation). However I finally got around to reading this book.....And I have changed my mind (or perhaps I should start reading more books by Brian Nolan). While those of us in uniform could follow a lot of the scandals and see from our own perspective the corruption in the Forces, Tarnished Brass takes the reader through all the background and reveals the true rot at the top. What we only suspected, Taylor & Nolan reveal in a very disturbing amount of detail. I don't believe that much has changed since this book was first published in 1996....And perhaps that explains why morale is so low, and so many soldiers (myself included) simply walked away.
An excellent read.

Simply a rant
It is difficult to respect the opinion of a man like Scott Taylor who in his entire military career rose no higher than the rank of Private.His "professional" opinion of the inner world that exists in the command structure of the Canadian forces is simply invalid.

Tip of the iceberg
Taylor and Nolan reveal a Canadian Military hierarchy that has rotted from the top down. Their well researched and detailed expose illustrates the systemic corruption through a myriad of individual cases. The power andcontrolling influence of the normally invisible bureaucrats is shocking,but even more repugnant is the manner in which the Senior serving Officershave broken faith with the rank and file. Tarnished Brass is a verydisturbing read, but it is a work that should not be ignored.

An inside look at a once proud Canadian Organization
I've read Tarnished Brass once and am now reading it for a second time.The information given in this book is really shocking.In the pages of this book I have seen the Canadain Forces go from a proud, post world wartwo, army, to a low moral 'corporation.'I was appaled to find out thatofficers who have sworn loyalty, truth and courage to Canada, have all butforgotten these virtues, there only intrest being themselves.This book isan amazing look at the underbelly of the once proud Canadian Forces. ... Read more

Product Description
They were the men who led our nation in war and peace. In world wars, they were the steady hands guiding our forces to victory; in peacekeeping, they helped to establish and preserve order.

Warrior Chiefs: Perspectives on Senior Canadian Military Leaders is the first book of a two-part series that examines the unique Canadian experience and outlook in regard to Generalship and the Art of the Admiral. ... Read more