This selected chronology is derived from the genealogical records and correspondence history of Harry William Manchester. The photograph below is Harry William Manchester as a teenager in Essex County, Ontario, Canada, circa 1933.
April 3, 1918
Harry was born in Cottam, Ontario, Canada, to Jason and Sarah Catherine (Nee Hutzel) Manchester.
February 7, 1924
Death of Sarah Catherine Manchester from complications of childbirth.
1931
Historical Note
Historical Note – Narrowly Escaped Drowning
These sober-faced lads, Harry Manchester, 13, and Wilbur Rigg, 14, were saved from drowning at the Bridge Avenue Bathing Beach yesterday afternoon, a few seconds after another lad, Lloyd Rigg, 13, had sank to death. The boys had been playing on a raft. Almost exhausted, they were pulled onto the diving board by a male bather. Wilbur tried to rescue his brother, but his strength was not equal to the task.
Editor’s Note: Harry William Manchester is at left.
July 31, 1931
Harry was orphaned by the death of his father, Jason Osfell Manchester.
July 31, 1931
Harry was orphaned by the death of his father, Jason Manchester.
1939
1939
September
On the outbreak of World War II, Harry enlists in the Canadian Army and is initially trained at Camp Borden, Borden, Ontario, Canada.
1940
January
After initial military training at Camp Borden, Borden, Ontario, Harry was posted to the Essex Scottish Regiment facilities vicinity Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Late May
The Essex Scottish Regiment is re-located back to Camp Borden, in preparation for overseas deployment.
June
Historical Note
Historical Note – Essex Scottish Regimental Advance Party Departs for England
The “advance party” of the Essex Scottish Regiment departed Camp Borden, Ontario, for England on June 5, 1940. An advance party precedes the movement of the regiment so as to prepare facilities for the arrival of the regiment at its destination; in this instance, Warburg Barracks, Aldershot, England.
July-August
Harry and the Essex Scottish Regiment shipped from Camp Borden, Ontario, to Halifax, Nova Scotia via railroad, departing on July 14th; then aboard the RMS Empress of Australia to Scotland, late July:
- Departed Camp Borden, Ontario, Canada, by train on July 14th.
- Arrived Halifax, Nova Scotia July 16th.
- Departed Halifax aboard the RMS Empress of Australia on July 23rd; Destination: England.
- Arrived Scotland August 2nd.
- Transported from Scotland to England.
- Arrived Aldershot, England August 4th.
The information cards shown above were distributed to Harry William Manchester and other passengers aboard H.M.T. (His Majesty’s Troopship) Empress of Australia during the Trans-Atlantic crossing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to Scotland, in convoy “TC6.”
August 4th
The Essex Scottish Regiment arrived southern England; barracked at Warburg Barracks, Aldershot, England.
August 13th – At Aldershot, England
Harry William Manchester is assigned permanent military police (“M.P.”) duties with the Essex Scottish Regiment. In this M.P. role, he is exempt from normal parade duties and nighttime curfews.
Harry begins a five-day leave on August 14th.
Historical Note
Historical Note – Postcard of Warburg Barracks
This artifact is a postcard of Warburg Barracks, Aldershot, England, annotated by Harry William Manchester to indicate the barracks he was assigned to as living quarters, circa August 1940.
Annotation on reverse: “Entrance to our barracks. The red cross (x) on the end of one building indicates the building We’re in.
October/November
Harry trained as a military policeman and transferred to Number Two Company (No 2 Coy) of the Canadian Provo Corps.
1941
Harry performed military police duties in various southern England locales, including security patrols and motorized convoy escort duty. The photograph below is L/Cpl Harry William Manchester on his motorcycle, Spring 1941.
1942
Spring
Harry trained with the OPERATION RUTTER/JUBILEE combat forces on the Isle of Wight, in preparation for the Dieppe Raid.
August 19th
Harry participated in the Dieppe Raid, when he went ashore on RED BEACH with the Essex Scottish Regiment, and was severely wounded on the beach by shell fire (assumed to be from mortar fire). Because of the heavy enemy fire, the Royal Navy was unable to evacuate most of the raid survivors, and Harry was captured on the beach with the remnants of the Essex Scottish Regiment.
August/September
Letters sent from Canada to Harry are returned unopened and stamped “Missing.” This is the first indication to Harry’s friends and relatives that something has happened to him.
August 24th
Harry’s writes his first letter as a POW, written to his sister Frances, at Ruthven, Ontario. In the letter, Harry asks his sister to convey the message to their relatives that Doug Scratch and Bill Hizeman, also captured at Dieppe, were both alive and safe as fellow POWs.
This letter appears to have been written prior to Harry’s internment in a regular POW camp (i.e., a “Stalag”), and arrived at the Ruthven, Ontario post office on December 16th.
September
September 1, 1942
Dieppe POWs arrive at Stalag VIIIB . (Source: Clare Diary.)
Historical Note
Historical Note – Initial POW Notification
Content:
The notification that Harry William Manchester was being held as a prisoner of war (POW) came through the International Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland. The handwritten notes (below) were in Harry’s correspondence archive held by his sister, Mrs. Elton Newman of Cottam, Ontario.
The initial notification to Harry’s family that he is being held as a prisoner of war in Germany:
Content Note:
Content…
Source: Artifact collection maintained by Mrs. Elton Newman of Cottam, Ontario, Canada.
Source Note(s):
The original notification consists of a hand-written note, unsigned and undated; circa September 1, 1942.
Related Item(s):
– No Related Item(s) –
Historical Note
Historical Note – The Essex Scottish Regiment Heraldry
Content:
Regiment adopts Highland dress and is renamed the Essex Scottish (Highlanders) under the command of Lt.-Col. Alan Prince, great-grandson of Col. John Prince. The official tartan is the McGregor, named for Lt.-Col. Walter McGregor, whose family founded Ford of Canada and who supplied the funds for the new uniforms. The regimental crest has a red shield with three white sea axes symbol of Essex County, England, the motto Semper Paratus (Always Ready) and a lion’s head at the top. The Highland Laddie is the regimental quick march.
Content Note:
Content…
Source: The editors at HarryManchester.com
Source Note(s):
– No Related Source Note(s) –
Related Item(s):
– No Related Item(s) –
September 20th
First POW letter written by Harry from Stalag VIIIB, which would be his home for the next two years.
October 1, 1942
Historical Note
Historical Note – Newspaper Clipping – Letter From Germany – September 14, 1942
Content:
Mrs. Elton Newman Forwards a Letter From War Prisoner Harry William Manchester to her hometown newspaper.
Transcription:
LETTER FROM GERMANY
The following letter was received by Mrs. Elton Newman, of Cottam, from. her brother, Cpl. Harry Manchester, a prisoner-of-war in Germany, and we have been given permission to publish same.
September 14th, 1942.
My Dear Sister:
At last I have had a chance to write to you, although the news in very scarce. I hope you are all well. As for me. I am about the same. We are having fairly decent weather. I wrote you a while back in France, but doubt if you received it. Please give my kindest regards to all my friends and relatives. I would also be glad to hear from any of them, even if I won’t be able to answer them.
We are gradually getting hold of some old cards and books to help pass the time. This is one place where we find out the wonderful work the Red Cross is doing. It’s hard to believe until you see it.
You will probably wonder what you can send me. You can send cigarettes and pipe tobacco and some good warm clothing, a long sleeved sweater would be fine, also combs, tooth brushes, razor blades, towels and some chocolate bars would sure be appreciated.
A lot of stomach trouble amongst us. Cecil Gulliver (Essex) is my bed partner and hasn’t been out of bed for two days, so I try to look after him as he did for me. Doug Scratch is here behind one, he’s about the same.
I am doing some ‘of my old work (police) around the camp. It isn’t hard work and it helps to pass the day.
Well, I would like to say more but I haven’t room. So keep smiling all of you, until that day.
Love to all,
Harry
Cpl. Harry Wm. Manchester,
Can. Prisoner of War, No. 26043, Camp Stalag VIII.B.
Germany.
*** End of Transcription***
Content Note:
Content…
Source: Newspaper Clipping – Letter From Germany – September 14, 1942
Source Note(s):
The Windsor Daily Star, May 13, 1943.
Related Item(s):
Art_1942-05-??
October 8, 1942
Dieppe POWs’ are tied with rope at roll call, lasting from dawn to dusk, with the men confined to their compound; this process repeated daily for thirteen months. Manacles replaced the rope on or about December 1942. (Source: Clare Diary and Harry’s recollection.)
1943
Prisoner of War in Stalag VIIIB.
Historical Note
Historical Note – Letter From Germany – Forwards POW Letter
Content:
Mrs. Elton Newman Forwards a Letter From War Prisoner Harry William Manchester to The Windsor Daily Star.
EDITOR, The Windsor Star,
Sir: I have copied a letter from Cpl. Harry William Manchester, Stalag VIIIB, Germany, to Miss Onnellee Rewis [Reive], Kingsville [Ontario]. I wonder if you would please print it in your paper, so everyone may be thankful for all they’ve done for our brother while he is in Germany
MRS. ELTON NEWMAN, R.R.2, Ruthven, Ont.
Dearest Onnellee:
This is my first chance to write you this month, so you can imagine how anxious I am to get at it. I have received quite a number of letters this month, also four Christmas cards. A lot of letters from you. I also received 1,000 cigarets from the Windsor Smokes Fund and received my first personal parcel February 11.
Please thank your grandmother and everyone else who has helped to make my existence here comfortable and happy. I would like to write to them all individually but writing paper does not permit me. Things aren’t too badly now with our little group of 17, but being a new working party, the supplies have been short as it takes them quite a while to come from the Stalag. The wood is all pine and spruce and quite small, so it is not too hard, but healthy.
I have had a lot to do for myself, being the senior N.C.O. and commander of the party. It makes extra. It seems that every night I have to get the interpreter and get something thrashed out which takes lots of brain work in a place like this. But I must not complain though, as it is such a relief to be unchained. I guess I will have to bring this to a close for this time, so again please than everyone for their kindness.
CPL. HARRY WM. MANCHESTER
In Camp Stalag VIIIB, Germany.
Content Note:
Content…
Source: The Windsor Daily Star, printed May 13, 1943.
Source Note(s):
– No Related Source Note(s) –
Related Item(s):
– No Related Item(s) –
December 26, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag VIIB.
1944
Prisoner of War in Stalag VIIIB. About this time, the Germans reorganized the POW camps in the Lamsdorf area, and Stalag VIIIB was designated Stalag 344.
January 22, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag 344 . Stalag VIIB designation was changed to “Stalag 344.”
January 26, 1944
Prisoner of War parcel receipt postcard sent to Miss Marjorie Newman (Harry’s niece) from Stalag 344.
February 13, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mr. Jimmie Woods (Harry’s nephew) from Stalag VIIIB . The Stalag designation was changed to “Stalag 344.”
February 19, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag 344 . Stalag VIIB designation was changed to “Stalag 344.”
Late February 1944
Canadian POWs from the Dieppe Raid are transferred from Stalag VIIIB/344 to Stalag IID in the Stargard area. (Source: Clare Diary.)
April 23, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
May 21, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
June 15, 1944
Prisoner of War parcel receipt postcard to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
June 19, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Asa Sweetman from Stalag IID.
June 24, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
July 9, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
July 15, 1944
Prisoner of War parcel receipt postcard sent to Miss Marion Newman (Harry’s niece) from Stalag IID.
July 25, 1944
Prisoner of War parcel receipt postcard to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
August 6, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
September 13, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
September 20, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
October 15, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
December 7, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
December 31, 1944
Prisoner of War letter to Mrs. Elton Newman from Stalag IID.
1945
January 14, 1945
POW letter written by Harry from Stalag IID. This is the last POW letter in the correspondence collection.
February 25, 1945 – The March
The POWs in the east (including the Stargard area) are marched west through Germany to avoid liberation by approaching Russian troops. This movement was part of what is now known as the The March.
Harry and fellow POWs negotiated hourly rest breaks of 10 minutes with their German guards during their movement westward. The political prisoners also being marched westward at that time were not given rest breaks.
April, 1945 (probably April 17, 1945)
POW camp liberated by British forces (probably Stalag XIB near Fallingbostel in Lower Saxony ) with the arrival of British forces during the night. The prisoners awoke to a British tank parked outside of the POW camp main gate. (Source: Harry’s recollections and the Clare Diary.)
May 7, 1945
The Toronto Daily Star reports 325 Canadian POWs have been liberated, including Acting L-Cpl Harry William Manchester.
May 9, 1945
The Windsor Daily Star reports that twelve Canadian POWs, including L/Cpl Harry William Manchester have arrived safely in England.
May 16, 1945
Telegram from Red Cross in Ottawa, Ontario to Mrs. Elton Newman advising A-21723 L-Cpl H. Manchester “arrived safe and well England” (from Europe).
June 2, 1945
Telegram from Harry Manchester in England to Mrs. Elton Newman requesting that she send twenty five dollars to A-55190 Cpl S.B. Knight No 6 CDM Provost Coy. C.A. England (i.e., number 6 Canadian Military Provost Company – military police – Canadian Army in England). This was probably to reimburse Cpl Knight for advancing the money to newly liberated Harry Manchester.
June 13, 1945
Telegram from Harry Manchester in England to Mrs. Elton Newman advising stop all mail to England.
July, 1945
Harry is repatriated to Canada aboard the RMS Queen Mary.
July 20, 1945
The Essex Free Press (Essex, Ontario, Canada) announces that Harry arrived home during the week prior to July 20th.
September 1, 1945
Harry William Manchester is discharged from the Canadian Army at Wolseley Barracks, London, Ontario, Canada, just shy of six years total service.
October 15, 1945
Harry marries Onnellee Marguerite Reive, of Kingsville, Ontario, Canada, daughter of Lawrence and Ida Reive, at Epworth United Church, Kingsville, Ontario, Canada.
1946
June 2, 1945
Birth of first daughter.
1948
July
Birth of first son.
1950
February 2, 1950
Birth of second son.
December 13, 1950
Harry and family enter the United States as immigrants, and move into a rental duplex on Field Street, Detroit, Michigan.
1951
June
Birth of second daughter.
1957
Summer
The Manchester family buys and moves into a home on Carlin Street in Detroit, Michigan.
1971
Harry divorces his first wife and marries Margaret Mary Croll. Harry and Margaret move to St. Clair Shores, Michigan.
1974
Harry passes away in the early morning hours of February 25, 1974, as a result of bone cancer. He is buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Detroit, Michigan.