Canadians in West Sussex

My Great Uncle was with the Royal Canadian Regt and was killed at Dieppe aged just 19.I was told that his Regt. was based in Hastings…where the Beauport caravan site is now on the Rye Road.

I lived for all of my childhood and adolescence in Sandfield Avenue, Wick, Littlehampton and I was always told that these houses, built pre-war, were used to billet Canadian soldiers before they went to Europe – not sure if for the Dieppe raid or the D-day landings but I thought the former. We periodically had some troubles with the underground ‘plumbing’ in these houses and my father always maintained these were the result of the Canadians firing flares down the drains to clear a blockage. Apocryphal probably!

I’ll check with our Vets at our local Legion Branch – we have no more than a handful, but as far as I’ve been able to ascertain, they were all Army. I should have an answer in the next day or two.

http://www.findonvillage.com/0959_more_on_the_tank_on_our_downland.htm

dont know if this is any good:diablo:

Canadian troops were living under canvas for quite a while in Portslade rec.(between Worthing and Brighton)
Probably 1943-44. I have rather nebulous memories of constant parades in the park and road in front of our house. My dad ,who did not drink, had a visit from two of these chaps one evening. Because he had no booze in the house, he was rewarded with a punch on the nose.I remember this, as I was under the reinforced bed in the front room. My mum said they came back the next day and apologised.

I’ll try to get as up-to-date as possible an address from another uncle and then PM you with that information. I also have a vague recollection that Peter Longstaff-Tyrell may have written something on the subject already. You may be able to find out more if you google his name or Gote House Publishing.

Barns Farm was a barrack site, this is situated between Storrington and Washington. Numerous other locations dotted around this area, a number of bunkers and there is a Churchill tank somewhere near Storrington that somone has dug up. Findon and Worthing have also been garrison sites, a number of Canuck soldiers where killed when a Heinkel crashed into the house they were billeted in.

Mortar bombs are still occasionaly found on the downs, along with other bits and pieces which had been used in training.

The whole area was, I believe, used so what ive said above is only a very small amount of what went on.

Thank you, that would be very kind. Hopefully he may have some information that would be very helpfull.

I don’t know if it’s of any help but my uncle was an Canadian infantryman based in Sussex – I don’t know if it was east or west – during the last war. At the cessation of hostilities he went back to British Columbia taking my aunt with him! I’ve not been in contact with him for some time but, if you wish, I can provide you with the most recent address I have for him.