THE RED GAMBIT SERIES

Forgive me if already known and/or planned or written! For a counter-attack more men are needed and there was a massive store of adequately trained, if utterly inexperienced infantry, gunners and tankmen available in Canada and the UK. Essentially because the political leaders of and most of the Quebeqois of the period were suspicious, insular and determined Canada never enforced the draft. All those fighting the Axis were volunteers and while conscription had been introduced (largely under US and UK pressure) the fear of a Quebec political storm meant that they could not be 'forced to fight'. As a result they sat in the UK or Canada.

So assume that the fear of Communism overweighs the fear of helping the rest (since Quebec at the time was essentially run by the Catholic Church) that is believable and agrees to universal, unlimited conscription. The men in the UK would be immediately available to make up losses in the 1st to 5th Divisions in Europe while the 6th to 8th Infantry Divisions, a third AGRA and at least one armoured brigade would become available in Canada. Weak in HQ capability (most senior generals in Canada were inadequate but there were several good ones who had fallen prey to the very nasty internal feuds in the Canadian officer corps).

Hope this helps/

David Hughes

Hi there,

In my mind I have the 6th disposed on Attu and Kiska, which is something based on fact [partially]. I am presently toying with writing a book dedicated solely to the pacific campiagn in Red Gambit, but that will need to be done later, as it will require an awful lot of extra research. I hadnt planned it but I see the need for it.

Mind you, I rather suspect that things will happen that I have not planned for, as the book does its own thing at times and I then have to adjust accordingly.

Again, I see the Canadian Army as being maintained or even reducing in numbers in Europe, with the possibility of another force, based on new units beyond the confines of fact at the time 46-47.

That posssibility means that I cannot introduce large new Canadian formations at this time.

Thank you for your input and I welcome any and all such contributions.

Colin G :-)

oh...Apologies for my late reply but I have just returned from holiday