Interview with Patrick William Lewis

Canadian trooper served with 27th Armoured Regt (Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regt), 2nd Canadian Armoured Bde in Canada, GB and Normandy, France, 1/1942-8/1944

REEL 1 Background in St John's, Newfoundland, 1922-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as civilian in Newfoundland, 1939-1941: attempt to volunteer for Royal Canadian Navy, 11/1939; loyalty of Newfoundlanders to British Government, 1939; attitude of Canadians to Newfoundlanders; self-reliance of Newfoundlanders; presence of Americans, British and Canadians in St John's, 1939-1941; civilian attacks on American servicemen. Aspects of period of training as private with 1st Bn Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment, Canadian Army in Canada, 9/1941-1/1942: joining Canadian Army, 17/9/1941; initial role of battalion as mounted machine gun regiment; basic training in Newfoundland, 1941; German submarine which surfaced in bay in St John's, Newfoundland, 1941; move to Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2/1942; change of unit's role to armoured regiment on formation of 27th Canadian Armoured Regt (Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regt), 1/1942; arrival of Ram Tank; problems of driving Ram Tank. REEL 2 Continues: relations of troops to civilians; conflict between troops and Military Police over enforcement of drink laws, 8/1942; advice on how to behave overseas; voyage aboard HMT Queen Elizabeth from Canada to GB, 10/1942-11/1942. Recollections of period as trooper with 27th Armoured Regt (Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regt), 2nd Canadian Armoured Bde in GB, 1942-1944: basing of unit in Aldershot, 1942; reaction to living conditions in Warburg Barracks, Aldershot, 1942; confiscation of 'King's guinea' for barracks damage; relations between Canadian Army troops and civilians in Aldershot, 1942-1943; move to Headley, 1943; nature of accommodation; training without tanks; arrival of tanks at Headley, 1943; relations with Canadian Women's Army personnel at Haslemere; problems with lack of transport for social life in Haslemere; billeting in mine damaged houses in Worthing; importance of pub life to soldiers; living conditions in Worthing. REEL 3 Continues: German Air Force intruder raids on coast near Worthing; reception of Canadians by civilians in Worthing; move of unit to Barton-on-Sea; coping with cold at Barton-on-Sea, winter 1943-1944; security arrangements, 1944; entertainment put on by Canadians for children in Barton-on-Sea; move into sealed camp pre-D-Day; series of embarkation and disembarkations in The Solent, 5/1944. Recollections of operations as trooper with 27th Armoured Regt (Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regt), 2nd Canadian Armoured Bde in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: landing conditions on Juno Beach, 12/6/1944; move inland to assembly areas; unit casualties; question of pro-German attitude of French farmers in Normandy, 6/1944; wounding of Canadian Army soldier with shotgun pellets fired by French farmer, 6/1944; initial action against German forces; role recovering tanks from minefields. REEL 4 Continues: effect of having to recover destroyed tanks containing human remains; reaction to strength of German forces' resistance at Caen; role of transporting ammunition on tank; disposal of prisoners of war in Caen area; blowing up of tank by German artillery shell, 12/8/1944. Aspects of hospitalisation and recuperation in GB, 1944-1945: hospitalisation for wounds; story of meeting English wife in GB, 1944; post-war life with English wife in GB and Canada. REEL 5 Continues: reasons why his wife did not settle in post-war Newfoundland; discovery that he had suffered spine damage on 12/8/1944; attitude to having served in Second World War.