At 0925 on June 6, 1944, the self-propelled guns (SPG) of the 14th. Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd. Canadian Division, put ashore on Juno Beach. The unit was equipped with the Priest, the British name for the U.S. built M7 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage (HMC) which used M3 and M4 medium tank chassis as the foundation for the SPG. Each of the Priest self-propelled guns was laden down with crates of rifle, machine-gun, and mortar ammunition for the infantry. By 1100, the unit had moved inland and located firing positions to commence bombardment and fire support for Canadian infantry pushing forward off the beach. Included in the ranks of the 14th. Field Artillery Regiment was Lieutenant James Montgomery Doohan.
In 1938, Doohan enrolled in the 102nd. Royal Canadian Army Cadets Corps at the age of 18. The RCAC, founded on July 25, 1879 and continuing to this day, is a quasi-military youth organization which is similar to the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) in the United States. He would not remain in the 102nd. RCAC Corps for long as when World War Two began, Doohan was quick to enlist, being accepted and sent to the 14th. (Midland) Field Battery, 2nd. Canadian Infantry Division. In May 1940, the division was posted to Iceland for garrison duty but this was quickly cut short and the unit was dispatched to England to augment the British Army who rightly feared that a German invasion was only a matter of time following the German victory in France. The 2nd. Canadian Infantry Division arrived in England in August 1940. During this time, Doohan rose to the rank of Sergeant before earning a slot in officer training school. After successfully completing the training, he was promoted to Lieutenant and transferred to the 14th. Field Artillery Regiment.
Returning to Juno Beach, the Canadians made progress but there was an element of chaos and nerves as they pushed forward against the Germans. One example of this was when a captain of The Royal Winnipeg Rifles wanted artillery fire called down on a house and gun crews from one of the Royal Canadian Artillery units unlimbered their guns but forgot to remove the barrel covers and clean off the protective grease on the barrels and breeches before opening fire. The result was covers being shot down the road and the guns giving off voluminous clouds of smoke as the grease heated up and burned off. It was a case of nerves that almost cost Lt. Doohan his life...and at the hands of a fellow Canadian. Doohan's unit of 120 men, after battling towards Courselles-sur-Mer, had set up positions near the town. During the night, Doohan took a cigarette from a silver case that one of his brothers had given him and enjoyed a smoke while returning to his command post. Unfortunately, a nervous Bren gunner opened fire on Doohan, mistaking him for the enemy. He was struck a total of six times with four wounds to his leg, one through his right middle finger, and the sixth struck him in the chest. Had it not been for the cigarette case in the pocket of his field blouse, Doohan likely would not have survived. Doohan had to be evacuated from the front line and his finger was too mangled to save and so it had to be amputated. As he convalesced, Doohan attended the 40th. class of instruction for the Air Observation Pilot Course. During the training, he flew Taylorcraft Auster Mk. IV and Mk. V liaison and observation planes. Upon successful graduation, Doohan was assigned to the No. 666 Air Observation Post (AOP) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force. There, Doohan, now a Captain, retained his position as a artillery officer and flew in support of the 1st. Army Group, Royal Canadian Artillery. The small unit was stood up on March 5, 1945 and equipped with sixteen Auster Mk. V aircraft and Doohan was one of ten pilots. The unit departed England on May 28, 1945 and was posted to various locations in the Netherlands where it was ultimately disbanded in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands on October 31, 1945.
The photograph of Lt. Doohan shows him wearing the 1940 Battledress as evidenced by the box pleats on the pockets and pocket flap covering the front buttons on the blouse as well as the map pocket on the trousers whose flap concealed the button closing the pocket. One both sleeves can be seen the rectangular patch, in French-gray (a light blue hue), that was the formation insignia for the 3rd. Canadian Division. Right above the insignia is the nation patch which read “Canada”. Around his right shoulder can be seen a lanyard, likely in red and/or blue, which was worn by officers of the 14th. Field Artillery Regiment. At the end of it was a whistle. Although not visible in this view, he wears two rank pips on each shoulder board to denote his rank and at least one other photograph of Doohan shows him with slip-on shoulder titles on each shoulder board, likely with R.C.A.C. (Royal Canadian Artillery Corps) stitched on them. On his cap is the badge of the Royal Canadian Artillery and the motto of “Quo fas et Gloria Ducunt” which means “Whither Right and Glory Lead” is written on a banner beneath a cannon with a crown above it. His belt, pistol holster, and ammunition pouch all appear to be the Pattern 1937 web equipment. His sidearm is most likely the .380 caliber Enfield No.2 revolver and the lanyard connected to the pistol grip is visible.
Of course, James Montgomery Doohan is best remembered for playing Chief Engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) from the Star Trek science-fiction franchise. Doohan died on July 20, 2005 at the age of 85.
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