Canada. A Memorial Cross To Herbert Dash, Brest Evacuation, Died Of Wounds In Italy

George VI (C.1039 GNR. H.F. DASH). Naming is engraved. In sterling silver, marked with a maple leaf within a "C" (925 silver standard), hallmarked, maker marked "LACKIE" and marked "STERLING" on the reverse, dark patina, very light contact, replacement shortened ribbon, near extremely fine.

Footnote: Herbert Frederick Dash was born on December 18, 1910 in Sussex, England. As a teenager he worked as a clerk in a provisions store, from 1924 to 1927, earning $12.50 per week. As a young adult, he became a manager of his own dairy farm, along with also being a manager of one other farm, from 1927 to 1936, employed by a Mr. Webster in Addison, Ontario, north of Brockville, at a wage of $20 per week. Dash then moved to Toronto, Ontario, where he was employed by the British American Oil Company, from 1936 to September 1938, earning $17.50 per week plus board. His main occupation before enlisting was as a Tailor for "Lake Boats". Herbert Frederick Dash was married to Madeliene Dash and was a resident of Elgin, Ontario, when he signed his Canadian Active Service Force Attestation Paper as a Gunner (C1039) with "B" Battery, 1st Field Brigade, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, at the Royal Canadian Artillery Depot, Military District No. 3 in Kingston, Ontario, on September 7, 1939, at the age of 28. He could speak and write English and stated that he had no previous military service, that his religion was Church of England (which was later changed to Roman Catholic) and that his trade was that of Seaman. Gunner Dash embarked Halifax, Nova Scotia for overseas service on December 7, 1939, arriving in Gourock, Scotland on the 18th. After six months additional training and orientation in the United Kingdom, he embarked Plymouth, England for the European theatre on June 11, 1940, arriving in Brest, France on the 12th. However, his stay in Brest would be a short one, as he arrived at the same time as Operation Aerial was executed. Operation Aerial (also known as Operation Ariel) was the name given to the Second World War evacuation of Allied forces and civilians, from ports in western France, from June 15 to 25, 1940. The evacuation followed the military collapse in the Battle of France against Nazi Germany, after Operation Dynamo, the evacuation from Dunkirk and Operation Cycle, an embarkation from Le Havre, which finished on June 13th. The evacuation from the southern ports on the Bay of Biscay were commanded by Admiral Sir Martin Dunbar-Nasmith, the Commander-in-Chief of Western Approaches Command based in Devonport.

The evacuation was made more difficult by a lack of information from Brest, St Nazaire and Nantes. Brest is a port city in the Finistère département in Brittany in north-west France, where a sense of urgency was communicated by the Cabinet in London and the evacuation was conducted quickly, albeit with some confusion; guns and vehicles which could have been removed were needlessly destoyed. The Germans were known to be in Paris and advancing southwards, but information about German progress was inaccurate, mainly being rumour. The ships, including the Arandora Star, Strathaird and Otranto rescued 28,145 British and 4,439 Allied personnel, mostly RAF ground crew from June 16 to 17 and the ships with room to spare were sent south to St Nazaire and the French wrecked the harbour facilities with assistance from the British demolition party. The French ships sailed and on June 19th, the demolition party was removed aboard the destroyer HMS Broke. After five days in Brest, Gunner Dash embarked the city as part of Operation Aerial on June 17, 1940, arriving in Plymouth on the 18th.

While in England, he was granted permission to change his religion from Church of England to Roman Catholic on October 31, 1941. He qualified as a Driver 1/e (Wheeled) on July 15, 1942, followed six months later by his proceeding on command to the Combined Training Centre on January 29, 1943, where he would remain for one week, before ceasing on command on February 5th. Four and half months later, Gunner Dash would return to Europe, disembarking the United Kingdom on June 27, 1943 for service in the Italian theatre, arriving in Sicily on July 13th. Twelve week after arriving in Sicily, he was taken on strength from the 1st Field Regiment and placed on the X3 List, Royal Canadian Artillery, Section "A" on October 4, 1943. He was admitted to No. 15 Casualty Clearing Station the following day, on October 5th, where he was treated for Malaria, then discharged on the 9th. He was briefly admitted to No. 2 Canadian Field Ambulance at the end of the month, on October 30, 1943, but the records do not indicate as to why. Gunner Dash's health would remain stable until early in the new year, when he was admitted to No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance on January 13, 1944. He was transferred to No. 5 Casualty Clearing Station on the 15th, then admitted to No. 216 Field Ambulance the same day. In a Neuropsychiatric Report filed by Major A. Manning Doyle, Neuropsychiatrist with 1 Canadian Division, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, dated January 15, 1944, it sheds light on Dash's condition. In regards to his medical history, it was noted that Dash "Has always had good health, and has been with his unit since the beginning of the Sicilian Campaign with the exception of one week when he was treated for malaria. "During (the) past month, he has shown increasing anxiety when near the front line. Complains of pain in (his) chest radiating from between (the) shoulder blades to the sternum and considerable coughing." During his examination, the physician noted that Dash's "General physique is poor. Hollow chested, poor posture. The left side of the chest is seen to move less than the right side. Throughout (the) left chest, numerous sybilant bronchii (sic) are heard and the expiratory phase is prolonged.", his diagnosis stated as "NYD" (Not Yet Determined), along with "Mild Anxiety Neurosis". The physician's opinion was that Dash "Obviously has organic disease of (the) chest requiring further investigation. If his chest condition can be cleared, he will be able to return to duty." and recommended that he be "Evacuated to hospital for investigation and treatment." Dash was subsequently transferred again, this time to No. 18 Casualty Clearing Station on the 16th, which was followed by his admission to No. 1 Canadian General Hospital on January 17, 1944.

After seven weeks hospitalization and convalescence, he was discharged from 1 Canadian Convalescent Depot and posted to 6 Battalion at 2 Canadian Base Reinforcement Depot, on March 5, 1944. However, his health would continue to deteriorate, which would require additional hospital treatments. He was admitted to No. 5 General Hospital on March 9, 1944, then sent to No. 15 General Hospital the same day, where he would be treated for thirteen days, before being discharged on the 22nd. Two weeks later, he would return to hospital, as he was admitted to No. 15 General Hospital on April 2, 1944, then discharged after a sixteen day stay, on the 18th. At the same time, as his unit was advancing further through Italy, he became sick again, as he was admitted to No. 103 British General Hospital on May 9, 1944. This was followed one week later by his admission to No. 15 Canadian General Hospital on May 16th, entailing a ten day stay, before being transferred to No. 5 Canadian General Hospital on the 26th. Another twelve days would pass before he was transferred to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital on June 7th, where he would recuperate for nine more days, before being discharged from hospitalization on June 16th. His time away from hospital would be a short one, as he was re-admitted four days later, to No. 103 British General Hospital on June 20, 1944. He would remain at No. 103 BGH for eight days, before being discharged on the 28th and returned to 1 Canadian Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery, his health stabilizing enough to allow him to return to duty. That Fall, before dawn had broken on September 3, 1944, Canada's 1st Infantry Division and 5th Armoured Division were across the Conca River.

For its part, the Royal Canadian Regiment crossed north of San Giovanni, heading along the main coastal highway, Via Adriatica, in troop-carrying vehicles of the 1st Canadian Armoured Car Regiment (the Royal Canadian Dragoons). Their progress was soon held up by a blown bridge southeast of Riccione as well as enemy fire from houses near the beach. They then became involved in an assault on the northern end of the Misano ridge, but were repelled and could advance no further. On the 4th, the 48th Highlanders of Canada cleared the Palazzo Ceccarini, a dominant building on the ridge, and this eased the situation for the RCRs. Gunner Dash was serving with 1 Canadian Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery when he was wounded in action on September 4, 1944. He was subsequently admitted to No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance, then transferred to No. 1 Canadian Field Dressing Station. He had suffered wounds in the area between his left thigh and his abdomen, along with a small wound to his left arm and neck, the medical report later stating after his death that he also had hepatitis. C/1039 Gunner Herbert Frederick Dash, 1 Canadian Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery died from his wounds on September 23, 1944, at the age of 33. He is buried in Ancona War Cemetery, in the rural locality of Tavernelle, in the Commune and Province of Ancona, three kilometres south of the town of Ancona, Italy, Grave Reference: I. D. 2. and is commemorated on page 286 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. For his Second World War service, he was posthumously awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Italy Star, the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp and the War Medal 1939-1945.