Halifax Photo Archive - Interesting Pic

[SBroderick]

I was browsing a special Halifax photo archive marking the anniversary of the start of WWII I heard about this morning on a breakfast television show. The pictorial archive is called "'An East Coast Port': Halifax in Wartime, 1939-1945" and is quite interesting.

While browsing I came across a picture titled "King George VI Inspecting Troops". The site allows for zooming in and the collar badges look like they could be RCR. I believe the sleeve piping is also consistent with the RCR dress uniform.

Just thought some of you might be interested.

The link below should bring you direct to the photo.

http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/eastcoastport/archives.asp?ID=52

Have a great day,
Sean

[Mike Blais]

Thanks Sean. I definitely think I see a beaver on the CO's tunic.

Mike. 

[Tim Robinson]

It is a photo of Royals. The date is interesting though. For Royal Visits in this era the Regiment provided a guard on June 7, 1939 in London, ON for the King and Queen.

Records also show that the Regiment provided a 100 Man Guard of Honour under the Command of Major Eric Snow for the Kings visit to Aldershot, ENGLAND, 24 January 1940.

[Michael OLeary]

The diary of William Lyon Mackenzie King
The Royal Tour of 1939
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/king/023011-1070.06-e.html

At a farewell luncheon in Halifax, the King and Queen each delivered an address of thanks. That evening, they boarded the Empress of Britain to return home. Mackenzie King wrote: "The Empress of Britain ran past one end of the harbour where she was towed around, then came back the opposite way to pull out to sea. She was accompanied by British warships and our own destroyers. The Bluenose and other vessels also in the harbour as a sort of escort.... The sun was shining very brightly.... The King and Queen were at the very top of the ship and kept waving.... No farewell could have been finer...." (Diary, June 15, 1939)

[aldershot1940]

This is an interesting picture. My father, Private Reginald Murphy, "A" Company RCR, may have been in Halifax at this time. He had great respect for royalty. We know that he was at Wellington Barracks, Halifax, from January 1939 until sometime in June 1939 when he went to Camp Aldershot in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley for training. Was deployed (is that the correct term?) to England in December 1939.

If he was in Halifax when this picture was taken, I know he would have taken been thrilled with the visit from King and Queen.

You may be interested in a blog we have developed from my father's diary from 1940 - www.aldershot1940.com

Cheers!
Toni

[aldershot1940]

PS to my last message - I noted (after posting) Tim Robinson's reply and reference to the RCR 100 man guard for King at Aldershot England on January 24 1940. My father was present for this event and recorded it in his diary. He was very nervous that all would go well.

Cheers!
Toni