Every one of soldiers nee f our eded five trees to fight the war.. that was papa's mission; HOW THE SAWDUST FUS SILIERS HELPED ALLIES TO VICTORY: EXCLUSIVE.

Byline: HEATHER GREENAWAY

PAT HENNESSY did not fight on the beaches of Normandy or fly a Lancaster bomber in the Battle of Britain.

Yet he is one of the real heroes of the Second World War.

He was a Sawdust Fusilier, one of 7000 Canadian lumberjacks who came to Scotland to help provide the huge amounts of timber needed for the war effort.

Little was known about the forgotten men of the Canadian Forestry Corps (CFC) until last year when Pat's grand-daughter Melynda Jarratt uncovered sack-loads of his wartime correspondence in the family's attic.

Now, 70 years after he left Canada for Beauly, Inverness-shire, hundreds of Pat's letters, postcards and telegrams are being made into a book.

After stumbling upon the letters Melynda, 48, decided to publish her grandad's experiences to ensure the Sawdust Fusiliers and their love affair with Scotland will never be forgotten.

Diary She treasures a touching picture of Pat with her mum Lucy and her brother on the day he left Canada for Scotland.

The historian, of Bathurst, New Brunswick, said: "Finding my papa's letters was a dream come true as they provide a rare, diary-like glimpse into the lives of the Sawdust Fusiliers.

"Everyone knows about the men who fought on Normandy's beaches or defended the skies over Europe but hardly anyone remembers the lumberjacks who left Canada to help the war effort in Scotland.

"Thanks to my grandad's letters, the brave sacrifices made by nearly 7000 Canadians will soon be known by people all over the world." After researching the Sawdust Fusiliers, Melynda discovered just how important timber was to the Allies in the battle for Europe.

She said: "The war created a crisis in wood supply for the UK. Pre-war domestic production covered only a small fraction of the timber needed to support the war effort.

"In addition to civilian requirements, it was estimated every soldier needed five trees - one for living quarters, one for crates to ship food, ammunition, and tanks, and three for explosives, gun stocks, coffins, ships, factories and support for the fighting line.

"The job my grandfather and his comrades did was invaluable and undoubtedly helped the Allies win." Pat, who spent five years serving as camp cook with the 15th Company at Beauly, was 56 when he enlisted with the CFC.

Melynda, who runs an IT firm, said: "My grandad lied about his age and said he was 40 so he could be part of the war effort. He missed fighting in the First World War and was determined to do his bit for his country.

"In 1940 he left my grandmother Beatrice and his six grown-up children, three of whom were in the armed forces, and headed for Scotland on a five-year odyssey that would change his life forever." During his time billeted on Lord Lovat's estate in Beauly, Pat wrote hundreds of letters to his family in Canada, expressing his love for the people and the countryside. To every note he attached sprigs of heather, which have remained intact.

Melynda said: "The letters are fascinating because they explore an unknown part of my grandfather's life in Beauly and the impact that he and thousands of other Canadian foresters had on Scotland - and vice-versa - during the Second World War.

"As youngsters we heard the stories of my grandad's years in Scotland and about him eating dinner at Beaufort Castle with Lady Lovat, wife of Lord Lovat, the British D-Day hero.

"We always knew those years in Scotland were the best of his life but we didn't know why. To writing 40 years after his dea affirmation of everything we be true about the man we call Melynda, who is trying down the descendants of t who Pat mentions in his lett his poignant notes made he She said: "Five years was a to be away from his family. It for them to wave him off.

"There are also humorous about there being lots of red Scotland and beautiful descr the lochs and burns he saw." Melynda, who travels all US giving history talks, was so see it in ath was an e knew to ed Papa." to track the Scots ters, says er cry.

long time was hard mentions d-heads in riptions of " over the o touched by Pat's correspondence that she is travelling to Beauly next month to do more research for the book.

She said: "The University of New Brunswick have offered to publish the book and I hope it will become an indispensable resource for students, historians, genealogists and family members researching the history of the CFC in Scotland.

"It's a part of history that up until now has been forgotten." To read Pat's wartime letters or get in touch with Melynda, log on to www.lettersfrombeauly.com.

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Unsung hero's letters from Scotland PAT wrote more than 300 letters from Beauly, Inverness-shire, to his family in Canada.

In these excerpts he describes the friendly Scots and his love of the countryside and wildlife.

February 4, 1942: We haven't any snow at all but in England the roads are blocked. It doesn't seem like winter but the nights are cool.

All the people you meet here are awful nice to us Canadians. In the YMCA and dozens of other places they all cheer us and their first words are "Hello Canada!".

March 15, 1942: Just another letter - everyone is well. The robins are beginning to sing more in the mornings like they do at home in May but the robin red-breast here is no bigger than a sparrow.

He is a cute little fellow and will hop right into the kitchen. We feed him currants.

November 12, 1944: Just a wee note to say we are okay. It has been raining all day. I went to Mass at nine o'clock this morning. We have to cross the river and the village is an old place Oliver Cromwell passed through on his way north. He knocked down the monastery. Its walls still stand in ruins. .

CAPTION(S):

Discovery: Author Melynda Treasured photo: War hero Pat with Melynda's mum Lucy and her uncle Bobby. Right, a Canadian ad for lumberjack recruits. Below, one of Pat's 300 letters with sprig of heather taped to the top