Private John Leonard (Jack) Date

Information provided by Lynne & Lloyd Ross, Thornloe, Ontario

John Leonard (Jack) Date, Sapper, 11th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, captured during the Dieppe raid and taken to Stalag VIIIB.

Unpleasant memories by Jack Date, RCE, Sapper of the 11th Field Company

There were 8 of us loaded with 500 lb. of explosives. After we landed, I came up to a sea wall and met Red Burrows. He said 2 were dead, one of ours and one from somewhere else. Charlie Blondin arrived, said Dickson was badly wounded and two were missing. Three of us went to look for the lost explosives along the wall.
Unexpected explosion: Next thing I remember I was in the water with a big Scottish guy bouncing against me. Blondin was behind me with his head pressing into my back. The Scottish guy had a head wound and I couldn’t move him. He wasn’t breathing. Lieutenant Doughty (a chemist) was 30 feet away and white facial colour and blood coming out of the side of his mouth. We regrouped. I thought up till then we were winning.
There was a hole in the wire and some guy ran through it back to the beach. So, I took a run with the others. There were arms and legs all of a sudden. I took cover beside a burning tank but moved on because I thought it might blow. The French Canadians came into the battle late and were gunned down.
I ran to a parked landing craft. There was a bunch of people there. The Germans did not shoot at anyone not shooting back. The tide came in and the boat was floating. I was up to my knees. I took to the water to swim out. The current was very strong and swept me up onto the beach. It was very quiet. The Brigadier [Kemble?] surrendered the beach.
An older German, about 30 years old, had a tommy gun/machine gun and motioned for me to come out of the water. I said to him Danke schön and he smiled at me. [Jack learned German in high school]. I had taken off my trousers and shoes so I could swim but now I asked him if I could pick up some shoe covers used for fueling. He nodded okay. Then I joined the gang.
Jack went to one of the Stalags [Stalag Vlll] where he said the guards were old men who did not want to join the Russian front. They never pointed a rifle at a man and were good but he never forgot they were the enemy. We decided on a group leader, Albert Brown. When the Germans were leaving, they wanted us to stay but we went with them as the Russians were coming. Charlie Blondin stayed behind with a Russian Captain, later went to Crimea then by boat back to England.
Jack was twenty one years old by then. He joined at 17 years old. During the 50-year reunion in France, he approached Mr. Doughty who did not seem to remember him. He told Jack he was in the first stage of dementia. During the Dieppe raid, Jack pulled out his revolver but Mr. Doughty told him to put it away as he might hurt someone. Jack said he likely couldn’t shoot out a window.
Jack is worried that Mr. Doughty might have him mixed up with Blondin. Mr. Doughty then became incoherent. Jack stayed with his POW group. Left Germany by air from near Magdeburg to Brussels then to England. Liberated by American regiment.

From the Sarnia History page
‘By early July 1945, Sarnia soldiers began returning home. Through the co-operation of the Sarnia Canadian Legion, Branch 62, the Red Cross and civic authorities, soldiers returning from overseas were being royally welcomed at the Canadian National tunnel depot. A loud-speaker for each train bringing veterans to the city, provided martial music before each arrived and then announced the names of those aboard. Jimmy Stewart, a World War I veteran, played the bagpipes as the servicemen stepped off the train. A reception booth set up in the waiting room provided them with information. Each man also received two packages of cigarettes from the Canadian Legion, bearing a sticker with the Legion crest and a message of welcome.’
Jack and another returning soldier were greeted by this lone piper. Wonderful memory, Jack, even though the memories are ‘unpleasant’.

 

One year after the Dieppe raid, in mid-August of 1943, the Canadian (Sarnia) Observer wrote a feature listing some of the men from Sarnia who took part in the Dieppe Raid, at least 36 of them. Many of them were part of the Essex Scottish Regiment, which had many men from Sarnia and district. The Sarnians who took part in the raid included Capt. William A. Ewener (wounded, received Military Cross); John Fisher (won Military Medal); Privates John J. Hawkins, Roy Huggett, Harvey Huggett, Jack Stevens (wounded), Ronnie Taylor (wounded), William Black, John Crockett, and Charles Crockett; Corporal R.D. Taylor; Sappers John J. Stevens, Milton D. Sinasac, and Robert O. Soucie; Sgt. Charles Clark and his two sons, Lance-Sgt. Jack Clark and Corporal Reg Clark; and Bombardier Michel Pruliere. Among the prisoners of war were Lieutenants A.M. Hueston, Neal M. Watson, and Thomas Doherty (did excellent work getting heavy tanks ashore); Corp. Grenville Ward; Gnr. N. Demeray; Pte. L. Date; and Malcom Moloy (Thedford). Reported missing were Corporals Jack Graham and Lyle H. Robertson; Sappers Glyn Jones, C.M. Blondin, Alvin J. Archer, D.A. Dunn, Frank R. Scriver, Russell P. Johns, “Chick” Hewitt, and Albert W.T. Brown; Sgt. C.J. Towler and others.

In late October 1944, as part of a drive to encourage citizens to purchase Victory Bonds, the Canadian (Sarnia) Observer carried a full page advertisement with the headline, “HELP BRING THESE BOYS HOME.” The advertisement contained the photos and names of, “Some of the Lambton Boys who are in POW camps.” The Sarnia/Lambton POWs included were Pte. Malcolm Moloy (taken prisoner in the Dieppe Raid, August 19, 1942); Sapper Charles M. Blondin (taken prisoner in the Dieppe Raid, August 19, 1942); Flying Officer Gene Atyeo, R.C.A.F. (taken prisoner between August and September, 1944); Cpl. Robert A. Zink (taken prisoner between July and September, 1944); Sapper Alvin James Archer (taken prisoner in the Dieppe Raid, August 19, 1942); Sgt. Robert H. Hammett, R.C.A.F. (taken prisoner about August 1943); Flight Sgt. John D. (Bunt) Murray, R.C.A.F. (shot down over Norway in April 1942); Lance Bombardier Norris A. Demeray (taken prisoner after the Dieppe Raid, August 1942); Lieut. Arthur M. Hueston (taken prisoner following the Dieppe Raid, August 1942); Sapper Jack L. Date (prisoner of war since the Dieppe Raid, August 1942); Lieut. Neal Watson (taken prisoner during the Dieppe Raid, August 1942); Flight Sergeant Joseph J. Barr, R.C.A.F. (taken prisoner between April and May, 1944); Leslie Harris,