Lögberg-Heimskringla - 04.10.1991, Qupperneq 2

2 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 4. október 1991
When I was posted overseas as part
of the lst Canadian Division in De-
cember, 1939,1 had no idea as a Win-
nipeg Icelander that I would ever have
the privilege of being associated with
the Governor General’s Foot Guards,
a unit whose reputation had spread
even into the prairies.
My first encounter with the GGFG
came in 1942 when I accompanied
then Brig. Tommy Bums. We greeted
the unit upon its arrival in Liverpool.
Later I was associated with the Guards
in Aldershot when, as AAEQMG of
the 4th Arm’d Div., I inspected the
guard sent to our HQ in the Royal
Pavilion.
Beforehand, I had attended the first
Canadian Army Staff College in
Leatherhead, England, and had been
assigned several staff appointments in
the Canadian Corps, one of which led
to my participation in Operation Di-
eppe, for which I was awarded the
M.B.E. by His Majesty King George VI
at Buckingham Palace.
Having been on staff appointments
for two years, my regimental training
had suffered, so I was assigned to, and
became part of, the 21st Arm’d Reg’t
(GGFG).
There followed training at 3 CACRU
and unit exercises with our Ram tanks
north of London. The experience of
leading a regiment of noisy tanks un-
der police escort through London in
the dead of night is still fresh in my
mind.
The unit was sent to France in Au-
gust 1944, and as a Major, I joined
them as reinforcement officer. Before
joining the unit, there was a period of
waiting at “Cappy” Ricks reinforce-
ment unit at Arromanche. There my
batman, GeorgeTanner, demonstrated
his prowess as a digger of trenches
which we required to protect us from
German night strafíng over the landing
zone.
The regiment suffered casualties in
the Trun area where George and I
joined the unit. In this action my wire-
less operator “Moon” Mullins, was se-
riously wounded when my tank was
“brewed”.
There followed days of “hit and run”
with the Germans in full retreat.
“Chubby” Hanway had a real “go” at an
enemy column of vehicles which eamed
him the M.C. We finally settled down
in Oudenrode, Holland, for a rest and
wintered there.
An American glider recovery unit
was stationed there and I was invited to
take a trip in a rebuilt glider. This en-
tailed being “snatched” off the ground
by a Dakota from England so I ended
up with an unexpected week-end in
London and a stay at the Guards’ Club.
When I retumed to Holland, the
unit resumed its venture into Germany
and in our enthusiasm we found our-
selves in advance of the “bomb line”
beyond which the RCAF had su-
premacy. We paid for that by being
strafed by a flight of Typhoons. Our
water truck took the bmnt of the beat-
ing, but Art Jessup had a finger blown
off while sitting on top of his tank
reading a letter from home.
That night, I was in Antwerp “on
regimental business” and was having a
beer in a tavern filled with RCAF offic-
ers. They invited me to join them and
when they found out that I was from
the tank unit that had been strafed they
insisted that I go out to the aerodrome
where their squadron commander had
retired to his room and was attempting
to drown his deep depression resulting
from belief that he had been responsi-
ble for the death of some Canadian
Tank crews. By eliminating his fears, I
feel I may have saved a life for a change.
Then on through Holland. Bivouac
areas became rather primitive. How-
ever, the troops got used to sharing
accommodation with the farm animals
that seemed to be a part of each farm
household.
Germany gave us a chance to replace
hard rations with fresh meat and veg-
etables. I shall never forget the look of
longing and determination on the face
of our short, stubby despatch rider as he
struggles to maintain a grip on the tail of
a squealing pig. Finally, the farmer could
no longer stand the squeals and volun-
teered to do the killing.
Again in Germany, I came upon a
Canadian soldier who had just thrown
a brick through the plate glass window
of a store. I asked “what gives?” The
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padre replied that ever since
childhood he had wanted to
throw a brick through a plate
glass window, and there it was
for the asking.
My five and a half years overseas
then caught up with me and I left my
beloved Guards for a holiday trip home.
The war ended and I was able to wel-
come the unit home in Ottawa.
Greeting “Forceful” again in Ottawa
was such a welcome surprise, for as
Second-in-Command of the GGFG, I
took charge of “Forceful” for many miles
FORCEFULII
in Europe when the Commanding Of-
ficer was at Brigade HQ getting orders.
My association with The Regiment
and my travels in the invincible “Force-
ful" have added another chapter to my
personal Viking saga.
lcelander W ins American CaaiaÖu
Author and translator Mr. Hallberg Hallmundsson is the recipient of the aocieiy Awoirp He writes “Lettcrs from Ncw York’’ tn Morgunblaðiö as well as intro-
i^uiiurai torranisiwaruiYOm tne American Scandinavian Society. Mr, Hallmundsson has been very hi síncp hf* r^rrivprí in Mptx/ Ynrl^ in duces Ameriean Writers to the Ice- Iandic public. In 1992 he expects to publish his translation of Black Rid-
September of 1960. His fírst project in this country was An Antholology of Scandinavian Literature which he He received the award for his prominence as a scholar in Scandinavian Literature and as an
öuiu iu v^uiucf duuko. oiiitc tnen ne has been translating from Icelandic, auinor, poet anu transiator. riis et- forts in building stronger cross cul-
ö 16Q.ÍSI1 «1101 i/ouiSu; « LOtcii 01 «OOUl two dozen books. During the last turai reiauons tnrougn nis wnung makehim eligible for the award, which
xiuny ycaiö jne n«» wniLcn iiiany «ru^ cles on Icelandic and other Scandinavian subjects for a variety of ne ptans to use towara tne puphca- tion of his new book of poetry Spjaldvfsur.
pubhcations. Hallberg Hallmundsson is now telling the Icelanders about the U.S; Courtesy of The Icelandic Amerí- cart Sodety of New York Newsletíer
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