Hockey is a way of Canadian life. Wartime hockey followed the troops to Europe. And 419 Squadron was no exception.
For the men of 419 Squadron the ice rink at Durham near Middleton St. George and other surrounding Canadian bases
was a chance to bring a bit of home to their war time surroundings.
The ice rink at Durham had local players taking part in hockey games since 1942. The arrival of the
Canadians and the teams each squadron put together gave the crowds
at these games a short respite from the war going on around them.
For Moosemen such as
Sgt. Howard Sells and
Sgt. Tom Crandell
it gave them the opportunity to not only get away
from the stresses of their duties but a chance to play along side players from the NHL.
NHL players such as the Boston Bruins star line up the known as the "Kruat Line" comprised of Milt Schmidt, Woody Dumart and Bobby Bauer
were now playing on teams at Durham.
Schmidt and Bauer were stationed at Middleton St. George, Dumart was stationed at Linton. The three
men were all from the Kitchener-Waterloo area of Ontario and were the first of many NHLers to join the
RCAF.
For Crandell and Sells it would be an experience that would always be remembered.
The rink in Durham would provide all the hockey
players a unique and sometimes humorous twist to
the game. The rink's supporting posts for the roof were located
right down the center of the ice while two other posts at each end supported the roof
near the place where the defensemen positions normally were.
For Wireless Operator Sgt. Crandell the game of hockey provided him with not only the opportunity to play on the same team as
NHL All Stars it also provided a diversion during his time as a POW.
Playing hockey while a prisoner of war was as this photograph shows very much like the pick up games played
on outdoor rinks all over Canada. Just skates, sticks and winter clothes.
For Cpl. Bobby Bauer a sciatic condition sidelined his hockey playing and his work as a Radio technician.
He spent six weeks in the hospital before being sent home to Canada.
F/O Milt Schmidt and P/O Woody Dumart remained overseas for three years until the end of the war.
But hockey and the Moose Squadron were not over when the war ended. F/L Hubert Brooks
was part of the 1948 Olympic and World Champion RCAF Flyers. Brooks had been one of the original squadron members, after
his aircraft had been shot down in April of 1942 he worked in the Polish Underground Army until 1945.
Our Thanks to D. Donaghy for sending on the two photos above.