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THE MAPLE LEAP’Monday, May 21, !#«This ArmybyCoughlinLake Sups RaistSniping From JobTo Position ClassWhile you're at it, pick up six cases of bianco, five gallonsof brass polish, coupla drums of green paint.British Legion Seeks New AlignmentOf Pensions For Disabled VeteransLONDON— (BUP) —At the British Legion conference in London, Sir Frederick Maurice, president, outlined the needs of British ex-servicemen. Homes, jobs and pensions were the outstanding necessitiesSir Frederick demanded ’’priority in employment for those who have served in the forces; priority in the allocation of houses for those who have served, with married ex-servicemen in the first category; a complete revision of pensions in the light of the presentcost of living.”The planning committee, he said, had prepared solutions for the demobilization problems and sentthem to the government departments concerned, following this up with deputations to the ministry.Promises Not EnoughSir Frederick noted that ex-servicemen, as after the last war, are skeptical of promises and believe in them when they are fulfilled. They want a secure peace; and they want jobs, and liberty to choose their own jobs, at the same time realizing that some regulation of labor may be necessary to make good the damages of war.Interest in pensions, said Sir Frederick, was not very great as casualties were relatively few. Ten men were looking for a job to every one looking for a pension. He warned, however, that demobilization w'ould be slow and com-| plicated.The national chairman of the legion, Brig. E. R. Fitzpatrick, pointed out that while formerly the paralyzed ex-serviceman had been more or less written off, nowadays the medical profession recognized that considerable numbers were capable of being trained.Writer Says UKTops After WarI’veHomeTo Death, HungVANCOUVER — (CP) — Dorothy Wells, four-year-old daughterof a Vancouver tugboat captain, welcomed her father home from the sea, unmindful of the fact her mother was dead and one-year-old sister, Daisy, dying from starvation. The tot was sitting solemnly in a rocking chair when her father, John Wells, opened the door of his little white cottage in Vancouver. The skipper of the tugboat Black Raven” had come backProm p vavp crp nn tVw»LONDON — (BUP) — ’’When they’re out of uniform—what then?” asks Negley Farson, widely known globetrotter, author and war reporter in the Sunday Empire News. His motto is Kipling’s lines after the Boer War:Me that ’ave been what I’ve been—Me that *ave gone where I’ve gone—Me that ’ave seen what seen—’Ow can I ever take on...Himself an American who has been working largely for the British press, Farson draws a comparison between British and American plans for the reconversion for war to peacetime life. The fighting men of the Allied countries, ”Be the man English, Welsh, Scots, Canadian, American, or what have you... have been stamped by common experience,” and in Farson’s opinion the chief reconversion problem—for the individual—is reconversion from the experience of war. Summing up, Farson says:’’But the other side of the question shows a striking difference. These are the imponderable of business itself, and here I think the average Briton in uniform faces a more certain future than does the American.’’The technical advances in American industry during the warhave been so terrific, almost aweak word to describe them, that they are now beginning to strike terror to the hearts of some planners over there studying the fut* ure unemployment problem.” And he pays this tribute:’’Here in Britain—and I refer ldeliberately to what is known as British cautiousness—you haven’t stampeded along the technology road the way we have done. YouBy SGT. LOUIS FIJSK Staff Writer, The Maple Leaf)WITH FIRST CANADIANARMY—Not every kind of army job carries so much appeal that troops want to get a crack at it at any time, any place and in any kind of weather, but that’s the way snip, ing had caught on at the Lake Superior Regiment.Pte. Mike Delorme, Brandon,Man., of Baker Company, for in.’stance, is a real sniping enthusiast Says Mike: ’’Stalking an enemysniper is just like hunting.” neglected to add that, in hunting, the game can’t shoot back. CSM H. W. Usher, Dryden, Ont., is another devotee of the art and it was usually a safe bet that if the sgt-major was not about it was because he was out drawing a bead on someHun.The sudden increase in interest tn sniping started when the Lake Sups were engaged in a holding role on the banks of the Meuse, and were in an ideal position to observe and fire at any movement of the enemy behind the dykes. Lieut. D. Marcotte, Montreal, sent hjs sniper teams into action. The enemy, whose headquarters was m nearby Hedel, had a daily change-over, and the Lakehead snipers had outstanding success in either pin-ning them down or eliminating those who tried to get back to the town.Player-Coach Role From then on sniping caught like wildfire. Mike Delorme trained most of the snipers, zeroed the rifles and lectured in the various finer points of the art. Never had ja teacher more willing and apt ‘pupils. Marksmanship, observation, selection of positions, concealment and control of fire were some :of the subjects covered in detail. •• ’’The Germans used snipers extensively, so we had to adopt counter measures,” explains Mike. We would take up our positions and wait until he fired. After we had located him, we wrould let him have it.” ;Mike and his snipers had a real field day operating at the Kusten Canal bridgehead. Lieut. Charlie Conquest, FO’O with 21 Field Regiment, acted as his observer on this occasion and the pair really mopped up. The FOO would locate enemy snipers or machine gunners and bring down arty fire. This fire was particularly accurate and as the enemy scurried to other prepared positions, M»ke was waiting for them. He picked off 20 the first day an$ the following day nailed eight arid took six prisoners.A rather novel method was used by Delorme to zero his rifle during the Kusten show. A strong wind was blowing, and Mike’s shots were going wide of their mark. He spied a pig in the vicinity of his target and experimented. His first shot brought down the pig, and after that he missed no more.Charlie Company also has Us ace sniper in the person of Sgt,C. H. Byce, Saint John, N.B., winner of the OCM and the MM. During the Hockwald show, Byce killed eight and wounded 11 Jerries inone day.But now that peace has been declared, interest is swinging to recreational facilities.. • * •«Plans are under way for the rerorganization of the regimental banfl under the former bandmaster, Cap*D. A. Johnson, Port Arthur, Ont The band broke up at SainMW shortly before the unit sailed .tor overseas. It had been operatingTor one and one-half years. Only it musicians of the original 28 with the regiment now, hut Cap-Johnson is confident there is SJJ** ficient talent in the replacement to bring the band up to its formerhigh standard. _The five are: Pte. T. O.Fort William, Ont:; L-Cpl. E. * Butler, Port Arthur; Pte. H. *** steel, Port Arthur; Sgt W., Ktocn, Sudbury, Ont., and Fte, J. K. gins, Port Arthur.
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Brussels Maple Leaf Belgium Edition
Brussels, Brussels, BE
Mon, May 21, 1945
Page 2
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