The Irish Regiment of Canada (Italy ww2)

[checbenj]

My Father Sgt. Douglas Melford Johnson fought in Italy then in Holland. He was a black man and I wish to learn more the role men like my father fullfilled during their tour of duty.  He died in 1977 before i had a chance to speak with him about his war experience.  I am looking for any and all information. people or resources.
Thanks
His son

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Check the bibliographies at my site www.canadiansoldiers.com for suggested reading.

Your question is very vague and wide-ranging.   I would suggest narrowing your focus and ask yourself (and us) - what is it specifically you want to know about?

 

[Art Johnson]

Like Michael says if your question was more specific it would be easier to answer. There was a L/Cpl. Thompson a black man in the 48th Highlanders who was killed while leading a patrol in Italy.
I'm involved in a project with my museum that is wanting to separate members of the Regiment by race, colour etc. I am not happy about it but it seems that if you want to get Government grants you have to establish that your organization is diversified as to race etc.
Now I hope that what I am about to say does not offend you believe me that is not my intent. How is a person defined as a black man? Our museum recently had a visit from a man who to all appearances was, white he certainly considered himself white,
He was enquiring about his father who to me didn't appear to be black. He then told us that his grandfather was black and that his father said that he was referred to as that black bastard (his words not mine). His father was seconded to the British Army in the desert where he was wounded. He was repatriated to Britain and after his recuperation was posted to a hush hush electronics unit where he was promoted to WO 1 and awarded a BEM for his services. Would you classify this soldier as a black man?

 

[checbenj]

My father was raised in Dresden Ontario.  The son of Clifford Johnson and Susan Earles(Owen Sound) Her father Soloman Earles was the son of a slave who settled in Owen Sound.  I do not have any information about Clifford Johnson I do know he became a minister with the BME Church and was a railway porter with the CnCp. So to answer your question about the other gentleman i cant: but for me, there is no question.  My sister Bonnie Johnson completed a Carin in Owen Sound as a monument to the northern end of the Underground Railroad which was unveiled Aug 1 04.  Last year she also completed a Book about Black Veterans from Grey County.  So if you can help me regarding info about my father I would greatly appreciate it .

 

[pbi]

Interesting. Were any of your family buried in that black burial ground near Owen Sound ("the Potato Field", IIRC...) that was later desecrated by a local farmer? Cheers.

 

[John]

My father was in C company.  Judging by the 1942 company photo there were no blacks in that group.  Hope this is of some help.

John Pirie

 

[Michael Dorosh]

I realize this is from 2004 but since it was bumped - there is a book by DND about the role of Blacks in the Canadian Forces through history, including a black Canadian who as awarded the Victoria Cross.  I have it on my shelf at home, I'll have to dig out the title if anyone is interested.  It may be available on line - I think the book was distributed freely among units the way some of the journals are.

I've seen a similar DND book (not a pam, but a real book) on women as well.  Probably one on Natives also.

There are some privately published books on races in the CF - The Dragon and the Maple Leaf (?) focuses on Chinese soldiers in the Canadian Army in WW II. Seems to be a growing interest in this field of study.  Like Art, I'm not comfortable singling out any group or ethnicity, and in the US, a whole pile of Medals of Honor were awarded decades after WW II to Nisei and Negros, which somehow seems wrong.  Not that they didn't deserve their awards, but so many white soldiers also got passed over too (Dick Winters, for example) it just seems like reverse discrimination.

 

[GRINGO]

This reply is quite dated, as I have just logged on to this web site.  My father also served with the Irish in Italy and Holland and he passed away in March of 2006.  He was not a black soldier, and was from Hamilton, On.  I do have quite a collection of photos taken of my fathers crew and will spend some time over the next few months going thru them and if I see any of interest will post them.  Not something that I can do immediatedly, as I have other family and work obligations over the summer months.  Please reply, if you are still active on this site.