BGen S.V. Radley-Walters & The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment

[cphansen]

I was a member of The Sherbrooke Hussars, when they were formed as an algamation of The Sherbrooke Regiment (RCAC) and the 7/11 Hussars.

The Sherbrooke Regiment was honoured to carry on the battle honours of The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment ie SFR and the SFR's last CO was Maj S.V. Radley-Walters aka Maj Rad. I was fortunate enough to serve with many WWII vets in the sixtys. We had a mess dinner where Radley-Walters was the guest of honour.

I am preparing a talk on the SFR for a seniors group and I find more and more tantalyzing reference to Radley-Walters. I have managed to obtain the text of the unit history The Sherbrooke Regiment (RCAC) from the national archives. Found a copy of Buron Bloody Buron, found several articles on him on Wiki, various military journal, am not able to get a copy of Rad's War (I understand UNB has it online but am unable to access it).

I keep getting intrigued by the things I've found and want to learn more.

Are there, by any chance, ex SFR's who are willing to share their stories or members of the 8CH who are willing to share Rad stories, or any exmembers of 9th Infantry Brigade, Canada's own Highlander Brigade, i.e.Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, North Nova Scotia Higlanders, and Highland Light Infantry who have stories of SFR to share.

 

[Old Sweat]

Try googling his name. You will be astounded at what you see. Rad is, as far as I know still alive but in failing health, in a retirement/nursing home in Kingston.

Try your library for a copy of my book No Holding Back, Operation Totalize Normandy 1944. Much of a transcript of an interview with Rad is in the Appendices, while his squadron's operations are detailed in the text.

He also, while on a liaison posting in the US, becames friends with Chesty Puller and Clayton Abrams, the general the tank is named after.

 

[cphansen]

Thanks you are right there is a lot available thru Google. What I am looking for is the sort of interview you have in your book.

Once again thanks for the lead. I am amazed at his exploits and think more people should be aware of him. His command techniques could be used by every officier.

As you can see the more I learn about him and his accomplishments, and I don't just mean his being Canada's leading tank ace, the more admiration and respect I have for him.

Being Canada's leading tank ace is quite an accomplishment but his practise of having troops on the verge of being shell-shocked taken back to sqn hq  to destress shows how much he was on top of his sqn. Taking new reinforcements and trying to accustom them to the sqn sop's to give them a better oportunity to be effective and survive. It would have been an honour to serve under and learn from him.