The Ernest Tester Story

This is the story of two brothers, Ernest and Norman. This is also the story of a pile of old letters. What happened all those years ago? How do those events relate to today? Join me in this documentary-style look at the Tester family and how their lives were changed through World War II.

Watch the story above. Below are the medals earned for service in World War II. France & Germany Star. Defense Medal. War Medal. Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

WW2 Journey of Ernest Tester with the XII Manitoba Dragoons in continental Europe.
Most are also 'night harbour' locations that would put the various
troops up to three miles away.

1944
JULY
07    B Sqn. lands Juno beach
08    Regt. at Sainte-Croix-sur-Mer
11    Couvrechef NW Caen
12    Beauregard, now part of NE Caen
14    Caen Canal
18    Cambes-en-Plaine
21    Mesnil(Chateau de) 1.5kms NNE Cambes-en-Plaine
25    Buron 5kms NW Caen

AUGUST
01    Bras D120 Rue du Sieur de Bras near Rue de l Chapelle
04    Grentheville (SE Caen)
06    Giberville (SE Caen)
08    Gaumesnil 19 kms S Caen
09    Haut Mesnil (RHQ) 23 kms S Caen
10    Urville S of Caen
11    La Londe, Saint-Germain-le-Vasson (A)
       Le Mesnil Touffray (D)
       Robert Mesnil, Cintheaux (D)
12    Saint-Sylvain (C)
       Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives
14    Vendeuvre (A)
       Eraines (A)
       Damblainville (B)
       Les monts d'Eraines (B)
       E of Bu Su Rouvres (C)
       Soignolles (RHQ)
15    E of Falaise and Perrières (A + B)
16    Bois-de-Rois (C + D) W of Falaise
17    Morteaux-Coulibœuf (B)
        Jort
18    Grandmesnil (A + B)
19    Morteaux-Coulibœuf 3kms E (HQ)
20    2 kms NW of Trun
       E of Trun (C + D)
       NE of Saint-Lambert-sur-Dive (D)
21    Vimoutiers (D)
22    Le Sap, Sap-en-Auge
23    Monnai (RHQ)
24    Bernay
       Chateau de Menneval (RHQ) 2kms E Bernay
25    La Haye-Malherbe
27    Louviers
       Montreuil-l'Argillé (funeral of 3 Dragoons)
28    Elbeuf
       E + S of Pont-de-l'Arche (D)
       S of Igoville (C)
29    Fleury-sur-Andelle
       Fresne-le-Plan (B)
       Pont-Saint-Pierre (D)
30    S of Servaville-Salmonville + Blainville-Crevon (B)
       Grainville-sur-Ry +Saint-Denis-le-Thiboult, area (D)
       Bierville (C)
31    Grand Pré ?, Sainte-Croix-sur-Buchy (RHQ)
       La Fosse A L'eaux
       

SEPTEMBER
1    Hornoy-le-Bourg?, 
      Aumale (D)
      Warlus (A)
      Étréjust
      Montagne-Fayel
2    Oisemont
4    Abbeville
      Wadicourt (RHQ) 
      Dompierre-sur-Authie
5    Pihen (RHQ)
      Saint-Omer
6    Eikhoek, Belgium
      Cassel, France (C + D)
      Poperinge, Belgium (C + RHQ)
7    Pervijze, Diksmuide, Belgium (RHQ)
      Socx, France (D)
      Gravelines, France (B)
      Nieuwpoort, Belgium (C)
8    Zandvoorde, Ostend, Belgium (B + C + D + RHQ)
      Slijpe, Middelkerke, Belgium
9    De Haan (B + C + RHQ)
      Bruges Canal area (D)
12   Brugges
14   Wulveringhem (A)[ordered back when under-
      comand 4CAD, was 40 mi ahead, 4 mi from Bruge]
16   Defending Leopold canal from De Siphon to 
       near Stobrugge (D)
22   Kasteel Ten Torre (RHQ)
24   Defending along canal to the sea
27   De Haan ( RHQ + A )

OCTOBER
5    Dudzele, Bruges
10  Vivenkapelle
11  Lissewege, Bruges
28  Blankenberg ( D )
30  Brasschaat, Belgium (RHQ)
     Gilze, Netherlands
31  Rucphen

NOVEMBER
5  2 kms w of Breda (RHQ)
6   Holding along canal Moerdijk to Sint Philipsland
8   Roosendaal, Netherlands (RHQ)
9   Halsteren
    Tholen Island (patrol) 
11 Willenstad (D)

DECEMBER
20  Defending extended to E at Geertruidenberg
21  Breda (RHQ)
22  Breda (HQ)
24  Noordschans to Geertruidenberg

1945

JANUARY
9   Oudenbosch (RHQ)
12 Hoeven (D)
    Zevenbergen (B)
13 Drimmelen (A)

FEBRUARY
1   Oud Gastel (B)
3   Defending 8 mi. centered on Tiel
     Megen (RHQ)
8   Wamel (D)
9   Appeltern (RHQ)
24 Maasbommel (B)
     Groesbeek (B)
      Defence roll ends
27 Area near Kleve, Germany

MARCH
1   NW of Uedem, Germany
5   S of Uedemer Hochwald (B)
    Tüschenwald (Tac HQ)

A look at a couple of letters sent to the Tester family.

Further Study.

Henk Bredewoldt’s story of Ernest.

https://www.12mbdragoons.com/henk2.html

Manitoba Dragoons War Diary.

https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_t12715/1036?r=1&s=2

A History of the Manitoba Dragoons.

https://www.gf9.com/Default.aspx?tabid=295&art_id=3036