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The Nuking of Happy Valley and Other Tales Told in the Mess

by James Glassco Henderson

154 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #01-0364; ISBN 1-55212-962-4; US$17.50, C$20.08, EUR14.50, £10.50

Thirty-five short stories and anecdotes told with a twinkle in his eye by the author who spent more than 30 years in the Canadian Army. They tell of incidents, most amusing, some poignant, that took place in Canada and overseas in the "peacetime army" which did not always find itself in peacetime situations.

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about the book      about the author      Table of Contents      catalogue info

About the Book Throughout his 36-year career in the Canadian Army, the author saw some wonderful sights and met hundreds of interesting people, some of whom appear in this collection of anecdotes. From the first sergeant major at cadet camp to the witty and erudite professor at the staff college, they all enlightened and amused the impressive youngster who grew into an ancient and, at times, cynical old colonel. Along the way there were adventures galore at places with unusual names: Canoe River, the Imjin, Shilo, Kophinou and at others better known: England, Labrador, Ottawa and Washington. Those adventures are the stuff of stories that old soldiers tell when they gather in the mess and the emphasis is on the good times. These are the stories. Reviews From "Between Ourselves" by Douglas Fisher Legion Magazine January/February 2002. The Nuking Of Happy Valley, And Other Tales Told In The Mess, by James Glassco Henderson, has illustrations by D.A Wood and was published by Trafford, 6E-2333 Government St., Victoria, BC V8T 4P4 This paperback of 156 pages has 36 essays and pithy anecdotes, some light and witty, others are explanatory about assignments and roles played by our army from Korea to the 1980s. The prose is clear, cogent and rich in common sense. Henderson is not just a retired lieutenant-colonel in the Royal Canadian Artillery. He served in Korea, Cyprus, West Germany, and at bases like Gagetown, Shilo and Sussex. Post-army he lived in Barrie Ont., then became a magazine editor and publisher. Some essays make one aware as how often our regular forces since 1945 have given aid in Canada to the civil power-for example, in Newfoundland forest fires and Manitoba floods. There's much on peacekeeping in Cyprus with all its wretched, petty antagonism between Turks and Greeks, and not surprisingly, given the author's critical faculties, Paul Hellyer, the great unifier, is not kindly portrayed. In sum, I found this book shrewd and succinct in both opinions and fascinating incidents. Excerpt from Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies Bulletin Winter 2001-02 by BGEN J. Hanson, CD Jim Henderson's The Nuking of Happy Valley covers some interesting but little known aspects of Canadian military history. [It is] well written, informative, often amusing, sometimes sad, and well worth the attention of soldiers or anyone with a passion for Canadian military adventures. Jim Henderson absorbed the mystique of soldiering as an Army Cadet and Militiaman in his home town of Brantford. Too young for overseas service in the Second World War, at age 21 he volunteered to go to Korea in 1950. He served in Canada's original brigade in the theatre as a junior officer in Second Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (2 RCHA). On returning to Canada he decided to remain in the Army, soldiering on for another 28 years, during which, among other things, he commanded a nuclear capable surface to surface missile battery in Camp Shilo, and later 2 RCHA in Camp Gagetown. He also attended long courses in both the UK and US, and served in Germany as part of Canada's contribution to the British Army of the Rhine. On retiring he took up a successful career as a broadcast journalist in Barrie, Ontario. The Nuking of Happy Valley covers some of Henderson's military experiences from his time as an Army Cadet to the recent past. It includes many interesting anecdotes of various aspects of military life in war and peace, including encounters with authentic military heroes like Chris Vokes, John Rockingham, and some of the Byng Boys. Others of his acquaintances were from the other end of the scale of valour; most old soldiers will recognize the types if not the individuals themselves. As the sections on the Canoe River train wreck and fighting forest fires in Labrador amply illustrate, heroism and sound tactical planning and command are vital in peace as well as war. The text is further enlivened by verbal "snapshots", pithy military quotes, and illustrations by D.A. Wood. It is a great read.

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About the Author James Henderson, aka Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) J.G. Henderson, CD, RCA, psc, afsc, pcsc, G, joined the Reserve Army as a Boy Signaller at the age of 13. Thirty-six years later he retired from the Regular Force. He then joined the staff of CHAY FM radio in Barrie, Ontario and served as News Director and Operations Manager. Following his second retirement, he published a quarterly, Military Digest, and contributed articles to various publications. In his Army years he survived a train wreck in the Rockies, floods on the Prairies, forest fires in Labrador and real or apprehended insurrection in Montreal. He fought the Chinese in the Far East, stood on guard in West Germany and kept the peace in the Mediterranean. This is Henderson's second book. His first, Shorty, is the story of a Canadian aviation pioneer, Victor John Hatton.

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Table of Contents

Introduction
So The Sapling 1
The Decision 7
Religious Freedom 9
We Never Broke a Window 15
Roll Over Lootenant 25
Royal Salute - A Snapshot 28
Gin and Sardines 29
The Veteran 33
Gunner Ross 39
The Prisoner 43
Belts, Waist, Web, 1937 Pattern 47
Peter Bingham's Borden 51
When Jane Came to Shilo 55
By Empress to Europe 57
An Old Soldier 61
Sing Lili Marlene 65
The Drummer - A Snapshot 68
It Helped Captain Montgomery 69
The Nuking of Happy Valley 73
Honest John 79
New Flag - A Snapshot 82
Ice Fishing 83
Mess Dinner 88
When It Snowed in Winnipeg 89
Puttees 93
Farewell To Nova Scotia - A Snapshot 98
The Kophinou Affair 99
Tee Shirts 107
Troops in the Bush 109
Exclusive Company 125
Old Guns - A Snapshot 128
Will's Martini 129
The F Word 131
The Enemy 135
Shirley and Me 139
Lance John 147
The Ending 151

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Catalogue Information

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