Harry Dacre "Dacker" Thicke was borne in New Liskeard, Ontario and joined enlisted in the Canadian Army under some interesting circumstances First, he was well underage, and second, he arrived in the UK with no travel orders, training or unit affiliation. He died in Vancouver, BC in 2017 and his Last Post entry provides details of his life.
Despite the odd circumstances surrounding Dacker's entry into the Army, he was eventually assigned to the 20th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers and trained as a Sapper. He landed in France with his company on 10 July 1944. They immediately set to clearing rubble in Caen followed by completing bridging tasks over the Orne River. Next came the crossing of the Seine in late August where they initially ferried troops and vehicles of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division across the river. On 29th August, they helped build led the operation to built one of the first floating bridges over the Seine at Pont de l'Arche.
In late September, the 20th Field Company, along with the 23rd Field Company and two Royal Engineer companies were assigned tasks in Operation BERLIN, the rescue of British paratroopers trapped in Arnhem after Operation MARKET Garden (Op BERLIN Whispers and Shadows in the Night – Engineers Rescue Airborne Forces).. This is where we find Dacker on the night of 26/27 September 1944.
Recommended for the Military Medal, in recognition of gallantry and utter disregard for his own life and setting an example of bravery to his comrades which was directly responsible for the operation being carried out according to plan.
On the night of 26/27 September 1944 at Map Reference, 683759 Arnhem, Sheet No., 6 Northwest 1:25,000, storm boats and assault boats were being used to evacuate Airborne troops, the Dorset Regiment, and casualties from the north bank of the River Neder Rijn. On the north bank a factory was burning furiously which lit up the entire south bank of the river. This particular point was used on two previous nights for assaults across the river and it was being continuously watched by enemy snipers on the far (north) bank. Immediately any movement on the near bank was seen by the enemy, flares were sent up and concentrated machine gun fire was made.
A flood bank with a 12-foot roadway on top of it had to be crossed and this was in direct view of the enemy. It was necessary to cut down three strands of thick wire on two fences on either side of the roadway and to remove one iron fence post on each side to allow the storm boats to be carried across the road and down the 400 yards of open country to the beach. Sapper Thicke, without hesitation, walked up to the wire and by bending it many times with his hands, and in direct view of the enemy, broke the wire. He immediately went across the road and continued the work on the north side of the road and removed the strands of thick wire with wire cutters, and with a shovel removed the iron post.
Immediately after this was done he joined the carrying party and assisted in carrying the first storm boats to the beach. While this was being done the enemy brought heavy machine gun fire on the party. When the next storm boat was to be launched, Sapper Thicke tried to join this party even though he had not been detailed to do so. Again, when volunteers were asked for to cross the river in assault boats, Sapper Thicke was the first to volunteer to make the hazardous trip.