When hostilities ceased in Europe, preference for transport back to Canada was given to those who had volunteered for service in the Pacific in the war against Japan. Commanders at all levels needed to keep the troops busy to prevent a complete breakdown in discipline. From the appear point of view that meant that while the world celebrated VE-Day, sappers continued to "fill pot-holes". Indeed, there was work to be done. Roads and bridges needed to be repaired to keep the army moving, and war damage needed to be cleaned up. Wost of the work was assigned to units in Army Troops and Corps Troops companies. For them, there was no immediate change in occupation after the end of the fighting. A good deal of German equipment (non-military rollers, tar-pots, and the like) was soon rounded up and gangs of enemy civilians were put to work.
Even though the fighting had stopped, there were still acts of gallantry to be found. One such case occurred at a German ammunition dump where a series of explosions of unknown cause took place. There were many injuries. Corporal R. M. Fetherston, who was in charge of an 11th Field Company party supervising the work of Germans building roads in the dump, entered the area of fire and damage and organized the rescue work. When all was well underway, he and Sapper J. D. Garrett, also of the 11th Field Company, turned their attention to two badly-damaged ammunition barges in a canal. One barge was on fire and the other listing and filling from its load of debris. They managed to clear enough debris from the listing barge to rescue four injured British soldiers from its hold before the hold filled completely with water and further rescue became impossible. They then continued their work in the burning dump. Each in due course received the George Medal.
See also Cpl Fetherston, GM
Return to George Cross and George Medal Awards
On the morning of 1 June 1945, Sapper Garrett was one of a party of four Sappers and a Non-Commissioned Officer who were to supervise a German working party building roads in an enemy ammunition dump on the Ems-Jade Canal south of Emden. At approximately 1100 hours when they were about 150 yards from the dump they heard and saw a series of tremendous explosions in the dump. After about five minutes when the immediate danger of blast and flying shrapnel had passed, Sapper Garret accompanied by Corporal Fetherston went to investigate.
On entering the dump and seeing that the explosion had caused much damage and several casualties, Sapper Garrett set about contacting a nearby Provost to arrange for ambulances and fire-fighting apparatus. On returning to the scene of the blast, Sapper Garrett went with Corporal Fetherston to rescue some British soldiers who were trapped in a badly damaged and sinking ammunition barge. This barge was one of several in the canal, nearly all containing ammunition or mines. One other of these barges was already on fire from the blast.The dump itself which originally had contained about 350 tons of shells, ammunition and mines, was burning fiercely. Minor explosions were continually occurring and the danger of a further blast was imminent.
The British troops in question were trapped in the hold of the barge which was covered with debris and rapidly sinking. Working swiftly with complete disregard for his own safety, Sapper Garrett with Corporal Fetherston succeeded after much difficulty in removing four badly injured men from the sinking barge and took them to a place of safety. The hold of the barge by this time was completely flooded and further rescue work was impossible so Sapper Garrett turned back to assist further with the evacuation of the wounded in the dump.
NOTE: The award to Sapper Garrett was supported by the following statements of three soldiers:
I, K.4, 626, Sapper McLeod, C., 11 Canadian Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, was one of a party of one Non-Commissioned Officer and four Sappers who were supervising a German working party building roads in an enemy explosive and ammunition dump on Ems-Jade canal south of Emden. At approximately 1100 hours we were standing about 150 yards from the dump when we heard and saw a series of tremendous explosions in the dump. Numerous people had been injured and we were detailed by our Non-Commissioned Officer to assist in evacuating the wounded. B.130424 Sapper Garret, J.D. who was one of our party discovered that a number of British soldiers were trapped in a sinking barge in the canal. He and our Non-Commissioned Officer, Corporal Fetherston, immediately went to attempt to rescue them. I noticed a barge alongside burning and there were others in the canal loaded with shells and mines. I next saw him on a sinking barge in the canal working furiously to extricate some British soldiers who were trapped in the barge. He managed to get out three or four badly injured men when they were forced to stop work as the hold of the barge was filled with water. During all this time the dump was burning furiously with a number of minor explosions going off and danger of a further large blast being imminent. When Sapper Garrett finally rejoined our party his clothes were torn and he was covered with blood.
I, B.229, 65, Sapper Pigeon, H.F., 11 Canadian Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, was at the scene of the explosion of an enemy explosive and ammunition dump on the Ems-Jade canal south of Emden at approximately 1100 hours on 1 June 1945. The Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of our party detailed myself and two others to assist in evacuating the injured. B.130424 Sapper Garrett, J.D. who was a member of our party went with the Non-Commissioned Officer, Corporal Fetherston to attempt to rescue some British soldiers who were trapped in a sinking barge in the canal. I noticed they were having much difficulty due to the amount of debris on the barge, and they had to work very quickly as the barge was sinking fast. When they were working on he barge next to the burning dump there were numerous small explosions and the danger from large explosions was quite evident. Until the barge had filled with water Sapper Garret assisted by Corporal Fetherston succeeded in rescuing four badly wounded soldiers from the barge and taking them to a place of safety.
I, M.3984 Sapper Waldon, H., 11 Canadian Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, was at the scene of the explosion of an enemy explosive and ammunition dump on the Ems-Jade canal south of Emden at approximately 1100 hours on 1 June 1945. The Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of our party detailed myself and two others to assist in evacuating the injured. B.130424 Sapper Garrett, J.D. who was a member of our party went with the Non-Commissioned Officer, Corporal Fetherston to attempt to rescue some British soldiers who were trapped in a sinking barge in the canal. I noticed they were having difficulty due to the amount of debris on the barge and they had to work very quickly as the barge was sinking fast. While they were working on the barge nest to the burning dump there were numerous small explosions and the danger from large explosions was quite evident. Until the barge had filled with water Sapper Garrett assisted by Corporal Fetherston succeeded in rescuing four badly wounded soldiers from the barge and taking them to a place of safety.
See also Cpl Fetherston, GM
Return to George Cross and George Medal Awards