Canadian Military History
Volume 18 Issue 3 Article 3
2009
Documenting the D-Day Dodgers Canadian Field Historians in the Italian Campaign, 1943-1945
Christine Leppard
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Recommended Citation Christine Leppard "Documenting the D-Day Dodgers Canadian Field Historians in the Italian Campaign, 1943-1945." Canadian Military History 18, 3 (2009)
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. : Documenting the D-Day Dodgers Canadian Field Historians in the Italian Campaign, 1943-1945 Documenting the D-Day Dodgers Canadian Field Historians in the Italian Campaign, 1943-1945
Christine Leppard
he research for the operational historian other than Stacey to have volumes of the official history Abstract: The “top-down” official focussed on military history in his T record of Canada in the Italian of the Canadian Army in the Second Campaign of the Second World War graduate studies and publications, World War was gathered by two was gathered by the 1st Canadian initially refused Stacey’s invitation, under-staffed and over-worked field Field Historical Section (1 CFHS), but then later accepted. Stanley, who historical units. They were organized which served in Italy from 1943 to was serving in an infantry battalion and trained by Lieutenant-Colonel 1945. Close study of 1 CFHS records in Canada when Stacey contacted indicates that it was also documenting C.P. Stacey, the official historian of a “worm’s eye” view of the campaign him, was a graduate of Oxford the overseas army, who was based through a war art program and in the University, and in civilian life had at Canadian Military Headquarters historians’ war diaries. Historians been a professor of history at Mount in London. Stacey exercised close Captain Eric Harrison and Captain Allison University.2 Stanley finally direction over the units through Sam H.S. Hughes offered preliminary arrived in London only in October analyses on important campaign liaison visits, messages and frequent questions, and, along with war 1942. letters. The mission of the 1st Canadian artists Captain Charles Comfort and Canadian troops had stood on Field Historical Section (1 CFHS), Lieutenant Lawren P. Harris, provided guard in England, a vital role in which served in Italy from November material for future scholarship on the 1940 and the first part of 1941 when 1943 to February 1945, was to gather social history of Canada in the Italian a German invasion had been a real campaign. “top-down” documents for the possibility. Thereafter the Canadians’ official record. Closer examination main purpose had been to prepare of their work shows that 1 CFHS Canadian militia, and one of only two for an Allied return to Europe, but was also recording a “worm’s eye” Canadian university historians who strategic circumstances repeatedly view of the war through art and the specialized in military history, Stacey delayed that major operation. When, pages of the historians’ war diaries. was prolific and committed. Still in August 1942 a large Canadian In doing so, field historians Captain the job became too big for one man, force built around the 2nd Canadian Eric Harrison and Captain Sam H. no matter how industrious, as the Infantry Division (CID) carried out Hughes developed valuable analyses overseas force grew by 1942 into the a raid on the French port of Dieppe, of Canadian military operations. First Canadian Army comprising two Stacey learned the hard way that Secondarily, they made a valuable corps with a total of five divisions.1 when Canadian units went into contribution to our understanding Even so, Stacey had a difficult time action historians needed to go with of civil affairs in Italy, and the social persuading his superiors that a them. Stacey was not warned of the history of the “D-Day Dodgers.” second historian was needed. For raid and was on leave in August – his Stacey arrived in London at a time it appeared that Gerald S. first holiday in the nearly two years the end of 1940 with a mandate to Graham, of Queen’s University, he had been at CMHQ, London. The document the Canadian Army’s whose recent work had taken him Dieppe operation was an unmitigated overseas war. He was the right man into naval and military history, might debacle that cost the 2nd CID 3,367 for the job. A professor at Princeton be available, but he joined the navy. casualties. Stacey scrambled to University, a former officer in the George Stanley, the only Canadian collect all of the information that he
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Colonel C.P. Stacey, the official historian of the overseas Canadian army, was responsible for setting up the field historical sections. He exercised close direction over the units through liaison visits, messages and frequent letters.
history of the war if he went to sea.6 After lobbying President Roosevelt, who was a vocal proponent of a comprehensive history, Morison set sail. Ultimately his work was essential in convincing the US Army Historical Branch that battle reports, war dairies and message logs inadequately depicted what happened on the battlefield.7 Trained historians were made “combat historians” and sent overseas to interview rank and file soldiers. These interviews featured
Library and Archives Canada (LAC) PA 501024 PA Canada (LAC) Library and Archives prominently in the American Forces in Action pamphlet series that began publication in 1943. The initiative for the series had come directly from General George C. Marshall, chief of staff of the US Army, who particularly wanted to have the pamphlets distributed in military hospitals “to help [wounded soldiers] understand why their sacrifices were necessary.”8 could including first-hand accounts behind the front interviewing soldiers The British, according to Stacey, from Canadian officers and soldiers for accounts he rushed into print in “scorned” the idea of placing who returned to England. Such an newspapers to promote the Canadian historians in the field to conduct after-the-fact effort involved many effort. He drew on this material to interviews. Instead, they preferred compromises, and the lessons were publish one of the first monographs to keep their historical work in the not lost on Stacey. He had to have about Canada’s part in the war effort, Cabinet Office, relying on war diaries advanced notice of future operations, Canada in Flanders, which became an to construct the chronology. They did, and historians had to be attached to instant best seller when it appeared however, coordinate a widespread formations in the field so they could in 1916.4 effort to gather documents for immediately gather and collate During the Second World War, archival keeping, and made extensive documents, and interview officers as the Americans also employed field preparations for their official history soon as possible after combat actions historians. The idea originated with while the war was still on.9 before the passage of time blurred the Harvard maritime historian S t acey did not have the memories.3 Samuel Eliot Morison, the Pulitzer manpower to employ “combat There was precedent for this Prize-winning author of a book historians” the way the Americans work. During the First World War, the about Christopher Columbus.5 To did, but in October 1942 the Canadian ambitious Canadian businessman, better appreciate the difficulties of Army agreed that one historical member of the British Parliament, and Columbus’s voyage, Morison sailed officer should be attached to each socialite, Max Aitken, was Canada’s the explorer’s route across the Atlantic headquarters in the field. Stacey had “Eye Witness” of the war. As self- Ocean. In 1942 he pitched the same hoped to send Sam H.S. Hughes appointed historian of the Canadian concept to the United States Navy, to gather documents and conduct Expeditionary Force, Aitken travelled arguing that he could write a better interviews with 1st Division when
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it participated in the Allied invasion the First World War, to record the in September. In Italy, at places of Sicily in July 1943. Hughes, the Canadian effort. With the help and like Ortona and the Hitler Line, grandson of the infamous First support of Stacey, Massey established the Canadians waged some of their World War minister of militia, Sir a formal army art program that toughest battles of the war. Sam Hughes, was an Oxford-trained was administered by the historical Two months into the campaign historian in modern European section.11 the Canadian presence in Italy history. When the war broke out in Although not a trained historian, expanded, with the dispatch from the 1939, Hughes was embarking on a Sesia proved effective in recording United Kingdom of I Canadian Corps law career at Osgoode Hall. He joined 1st Division’s operations in Sicily in headquarters and 5th Canadian the Canadian Officers’ Training Corps July-August 1943, and his efforts have Armoured Division (CAD). The size and later the Queen’s Own Rifles, and, been well documented elsewhere.12 of the field historical section grew after completing two of three years Most importantly, Sesia was an accordingly. Eric Harrison was sent of law school, the future Ontario ambassador for the historical section to Italy in command of 1 CFHS which Supreme Court judge went overseas. among 1st Division officers. At the was responsible for documenting In June 1942, he was appointed same time he was able to provide the actions of I Corps. Harrison to Operations and Intelligence at information and advice from which was a history professor at Queen’s CMHQ, in an office located next Stacey “codified” a set of instructions University, and he was not a military door to Stacey. Upon finding out to “clarify things generally” and historian.15 Like Sam Hughes and that the Canadians were to be sent assist future field historians “in most Canadian historians of the day, to the Mediterranean theatre, Stacey [their] relationships both with they studied constitutional, economic asked Hughes if would like the job as formation headquarters and with and social political history.16 historical officer. Although Hughes other historical officers in the theatre, In autumn 1943, having earned immediately agreed, it was not to whose work [they had] the task of co- much-needed respect for the field be.10 Instead, the job went to Captain ordinating.”13 The efforts of Ogilvie historians among the combat A.T. Sesia, an intelligence officer in later prompted Stacey to write, “I formations, Sesia was relieved by 1st Division. The idea of giving an know of no other pictorial record of a Hughes, who, under Harrison’s historian – an outsider to the family campaign anywhere to match the one command, took over the responsibility of the combat formation’s staff – Ogilvie made in Sicily.”14 Sesia and for gathering documents from 1st extraordinary access to the inner Ogilvie had done important work. Division. Ogilvie had come down sanctum of planning, administration By the end of the Sicilian with malaria in Sicily, so he was and operations was a new concept, campaign, the Allies decided that relieved by Captain Charles Comfort, and clearly the division’s general they would maintain pressure on an art history professor from Toronto. staff officer, Lieutenant-Colonel the Germans retreating to Italy, by Comfort was joined by Lieutenant George Kitching, preferred that such crossing the straits of Messina and Lawren P. Harris, son of the Group a sensitive mission should be carried assaulting the beaches at Salerno out by one of his own officers. With Sesia went war artist Lieutenant Will Ogilvie, recruited by Canadian High Commissioner Vincent Massey, who since 1939 had pressed tirelessly for an art program, inspired by the one set up by Beaverbrook in
Right: Captain A.T. Sesia (left, shown CWM CN 19710261-2206 here visiting Mount Vesuvius with a guide and Private Heaton) was the first historian assigned to First Canadian Infantry Division for the Sicilian Campaign. Far right: Captain S.H.S. Hughes by Charles Comfort. Hughes was Stacey’s Museum (CWM) CN 19760583-026 Canadian War first choice to accompany 1st Division to Sicily. Hughes did take over from Sesia when the fighting moved to the Italian mainland.
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William Abernathy Ogilvie – Company Headquarters, 1943. Ogilvie’s paintings in Sicily as the official war artist prompted C.P. Stacey to write: “I know of no other pictorial record of a campaign anywhere to match the one Ogilvie made in Sicily.”
of Seven painter and a noted artist in intelligence officers, most of whom Memoranda” by Stacey’s office in his own right. were utterly unschooled in historical London and provided to Canadian Assembling comprehensive “top- practices. They were also instructed to units training for the eventual assault down” documentation of the war was collect communications from among on Northwest Europe.19 Stacey also the historians’ primary objective in Canadian units, and with higher level drew on the whole body of his Italy. In an era when historical practice British and Allied headquarters in correspondence with Harrison and was still profoundly influenced by Italy, so that historians would be able the latter’s reports so that the 2nd Leopold von Ranke’s “scientific” to contextualize Canadian operations. Canadian Field Historical Section approach, this meant paying Finally, these records were to be that would accompany the Canadians assiduous attention to “the facts.” supplemented by interviews with to France would to benefit from the Stacey directed 1 CFHS to get “the Canadian officers.18 experiences in Italy. raw material clearly and accurately Although the ultimate purpose Tim Cook, in Clio’s Warriors, on paper, send it to [CMHQ],” where was to provide material for the observed that “these historians the final job of writing narratives published official histories of the [were] essentially schooled to place would be done.17 Arguably their most army, there were immediate needs. value on ‘great men and great events’ important, and certainly their most Operational lessons documented rather than in social history from frustrating assignment was to oversee by the field historians were collated the ground up, it is unfortunate, the writing of war diaries by unit into “Extracts from War Diaries and if understandable, that a valuable
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opportunity was lost in failing to record the private’s view of the war.”20 It was as much a practical as a philosophical issue, as the systematic, large-scale recording necessary to capture soldiers’ perspectives was far beyond the limited resources available to Stacey. Yet, Stacey and 1 CFHS did
not ignore the view from the slit- CWM CN 19710261-2308 trench in favour of the perspective from headquarters. One of the fundamental purposes – and achievements – of the war art program was to capture the experience of the front lines. As Harrison later put it “Comfort’s mission… [was] as a soldiering artist.”21 Since the artists were contributing to the historical record, they were subject to the same standards of precision and accuracy that Stacey applied to Harrison and Hughes. The ever-watchful history chief, for example, advised Comfort and Harris’ successors in Italy, MacDonald and Tinning, to reconsider their subject matter, as he felt they put too much emphasis on landscape scenes and not enough on Canadian troops. Without exposing themselves to much danger, they somehow needed to get closer to operational subjects.22 Comfort, in Harrison’s view, set the standard for war art. “He [was] acutely aware of both the immediate and the long-term importance of the work he [was] doing and [was] therefore the more concerned with the fact that his production [had] been cut down by about half as a LAC PA 114894 PA LAC 169090 PA LAC Top: Charles Comfort – Via Dolorosa. Eric McGeer commented that this painting of “the road of sorrows” is a “hellish depiction of the fighting and remains the defining image of the Battle of Ortona.” Right: Charles Comfort working on a painting in Italy, March 1944. Far right: Lawren P. Harris paints beside the wreckage of a German PzKpfW IV tank, Italy, March 1944.
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Members of the 1st Canadian Field Historical Section set up a camp in Italy next to their Humber. From left to right: Captain Charles Comfort, Private Heaton, Lieutenant William Ogilvie and Captain A.T. Sesia. Lieutenant-Colonel Stacey poses with CWM 19760583-076 members of his staff in England: from left to right: William Ogilvie, O.N. Fisher, Captain Heathcote, L. Wrinch, Stacey, Lieutenant Engler, Major A.T. Sesia, G.C. Pepper, Captain G.R. Martin
Stacey’s primary purpose was to bring out the “personal history”26 of the Canadian Army’s effort, something quite different from the top-down record of policy, training and operations whose construction was the historians’ primary mission. The art was consciously directed toward an audience much broader than those who would be most interested in the documentary record. At the same time, Stacey made further efforts to capture a wider picture of the war by having the field historians record their own observations for inclusion in the CWM 20040082-121 1 CFHS war diary. Each historian, Stacey directed, should provide “a useful commentary upon which he himself sees of the campaign.”27 Harrison in particular recorded more than his daily administrative duties, and captured the sights, sounds and smells of living and working in a war zone. He included reports of 114039 PA LAC result of the conditions under which the battle had completely ended, interviews he undertook informally it [had] to be carried on.”23 The an initiative that Harrison strongly with rank and file soldiers. The winter months were cold and rainy – commended “from the historian’s thoroughness of Harrison’s diary in conditions not particularly conducive point of view.”24 part reflected the fact that, unlike to sketching, watercolour or oil Through the war art program, many of the staff officers whom he paintings. Yet, Comfort persevered the historical section created a history trained to write operational war to paint with “complete objectivity,” of the campaign that did more diaries – a task he once referred to projecting onto the canvas “what he than complement and supplement as “missionary work among the [saw], directly, without elaboration, the written, photographic and heathen” – he was comfortable and, as it were, without comment.” cartographic record.25 Massey and with the pen.28 Yet he and Hughes In December 1943, he even followed Stacey were determined to display also repeatedly proved aware that on the heels of the 2nd Brigade as it the works as quickly as possible, they were establishing an entire waged a bloody battle to push the and made considerable efforts to field of history for generations of 1st German Parachute Division from mount exhibitions in England and in historians, not just laying the ground Ortona, the easternmost anchor on Canada during and immediately after work for an operational official the Germans’ winter defensive line. the war. While there was certainly a history, by documenting a history Comfort sketched the scene before propaganda element to these shows, of the campaign that went beyond
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the movements of companies and wrenching was the fate of the Roman captured his attention just as strongly. battalions. Indeed, three themes Basilica in Rocca, which he saw in “Unburied corpses, their limbs are prominent in the historians’ February 1944: fantastically deployed, still lay where diaries: the fate of Italian towns and they had fallen, looking like waxen countryside, the attitudes of Italian The church and the cloisters had dummies, dusty, bloated, exuding citizens and their interactions with been hit by gun-fire, but the gaunt aft, their necks lolling, their hair like the Allies, and impressions of the structure itself remained, still a dried-out grass, their features gray, daily lives of Canadian soldiers in the landmark above the ADRIATIC and remote, unhuman.”31 Harrison’s front lines. the valley of the SANGRO, as it had poignant descriptions of the carnage The beating taken by Italian cities been since its foundation in the 8th of war were perhaps cathartic for and the squalid living conditions that century. In the crypt were frescoes him, and he certainly understood this resulted for the inhabitants never with figures done in the transitional part of his reporting as being essential ceased to move Harrison. Upon manner of Cimabue: their early- for future historians. reaching Catania on 11 November renaissance faces looked down with H a rrison was especially 1943, he observed the heavy toll of faint surprise on the soldiers of 5 interested in the perceptions of the the Allied bombardment, particularly [CAD]…who were using the crypt Italian population – Hitler’s erstwhile on the waterfront buildings, and as their mess.30 allies – and the picture that he the “pervasive dirt and stink.” painted was complex. For example, Inflated prices and food shortages Still grimmer were Harrison’s the residents of Taormina, whom plagued hungry Italians because descriptions of Monte Cassino, Harrison interviewed in his first few of the “successive occupations by which he visited in mid-May, a month days in Sicily, steadfastly blamed the Germans and the British having after it was levelled by American American bombers for the damage apparently greatly diminished stocks bombers. He was again mesmerized done to their town, maintaining that which under conditions could not by the total destruction of the ancient the British planes had flown low be replenished.” 29 Particularly architecture, although the human toll enough to pinpoint targets. Harrison
Refugees returning to the ruins of Ortona after the battle, January 1944. LAC PA 114039 PA LAC
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infrastructure, whose appalling Eric Harrison, a history weaknesses were exacerbated by war. professor at Queen’s University, took command of 1 CFHS when Combat often left roads impassable. 1st Canadian Corps became After the Battle for the Moro, the road operational in Italy. from San Leonardo was littered with “trackless, turretless [tanks],” rusted Harrison spent time with the out anti-tank guns, and dismembered Allied Military Government Shermans.36 Simply moving about the (AMG), which had the role of country was often an ordeal. On 21 administering Italian towns January 1944 Harrison remarked that and re-establishing order he had “obtained a pretty clear idea once the Germans had been of the extraordinary difficulties of driven out. After witnessing maintaining road [communications].”
a Canadian major requisition Not only did engineers regularly 144724 PA LAC an apartment house in have to widen roads, but they had to Avellino, leaving the town’s clear them of mines for safe travel. podesta (mayor) to find Harrison let the sappers do the alternate accommodations for talking for him when he copied down 380 locals, he reflected that, the verse written on three signs en “one element in the problem route to Rocca: “Wanted Combined of dealing with the Italian [Operations] on the Roads – Combine
CWM 20020099-004 civil population was that they with the Sappers – We Can Build did not regard themselves the Bridges if you can Look after the as a conquered people and Roads.”37 R.T. Currelly, who joined expected rather to have things Harrison’s staff as historical officer done for them than to have of 5th Canadian Armoured Division, recorded that he “had heard the demands made upon them.”34 This noted in August 1944 that soldiers same story from other parts of Sicily. statement, of course, says as much learned to deal with bad roads just Whether it is an accurate version of about Harrison as it does about the as they did many other aspects of the what took place or merely Sicilian tact Italians. war: is a moot point.”32 Harrison was sometimes placed The citizens of Rome were more in the awkward position of recording In all this filth, fatigue and bodily appreciative of the Allies’ efforts, the absurd for posterity. In May discomfort the same old time-worn having spent nearly a year under 1944, for example, he spoke with humour and perpetual good nature Nazi occupation after the capitulation an AMG officer who had dealt with persist. Someone’s truck slips on of Benito Mussolini in July 1943. seven cases of rape in one day, and a soft shoulder and rolls over. The Harrison arrived in Rome on 7 June believed that the majority were not driver is sitting dejectedly in the 1944, just days after its liberation by committed by Canadians, but rather burning dust waiting, perhaps the US Fifth Army. “The city had not by Germans who had crossed into the hours, for a Recovery Lorry. Nearly yet recovered from the enthusiasm Canadian area incognito. Harrison everyone who passes has something and emotion...the people thronged neither confirmed nor denied this to shout, such as “Wotcha thinkin’ the streets smiled and waved.” unlikely allegation, evidence that about Jock?,” or “That’s a stooped In the midst of their jubilation, he understood his observations place to park!38 however, “it was observed that were potentially sensitive. However, they had not yet had time to take while Harrison kept silent about his For Harrison and Currelly, the down the anti-British and American own conclusions, he recorded the effect of Italian roads on soldiers’ posters from their walls.” One poster officer’s opinion for future historical experiences was as interesting and showed bombs marked “Made in research.35 worthy of note as was its influence USA” plummeting towards cowering D e aling with the Italian on the conduct of operations. women and children; it read: “These population was an important To be sure, the historians were are the Liberators.”33 challenge that affected operational primarily interested in how the Allied opinions of the Italians were efficiency and effectiveness. Another Canadians conducted operations more consistent. In December 1943, was the condition of the country’s and documenting this was their
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core purpose. Since the end of the General E.L.M. Burns, believed that “great reliance had…to be placed war, historians have debated the detailed preparations were necessary upon improvisation.”41 Harrison effectiveness of the Eighth Army’s before any assault on dug-in German tended to agree with corps command. rigid artillery-based doctrine in Italy. defensive positions. “It is a matter for For example, on the assault on the “The price paid for an overwhelming the record,” Harrison wrote, “that the Hitler Line in May 1944, Harrison emphasis on firepower was to Corps [Commander] belonged to that reported that “when the tension restrict the other half of the fire school of thought which preferred broke and at the appointed [hour] and movement equation,” wrote thoroughness and deliberation to the barrage came screaming down, it William McAndrew in 1987. Instead the impetuousness which might was evident that the deliberation with of heeding Sun Tzu and “flowing well have met with reverses at the which the assault had been prepared along paths of least resistance,” outset of this first commitment of would assuredly confirm the victory the Canadians’ emphasis on rigid the [Canadian] Corps to an offensive with a minimum loss of life.”42 The artillery plans minimized their ability battle.”40 attention that Harrison devotes in 39 LAC PA 144724 PA LAC to exploit unexpected opportunities. Others, like Lord Tweedsmuir, his war diary to infrastructure and The field historians keyed in on this the officer who led the Hastings and terrain suggests that his analysis was issue as it was debated in the field. Prince Edward Regiment up the back- formed, at least in part, by having Both General H.D.G. Crerar and side of a Sicilian cliff to capture the seen too closely the obstacles (man- his successor as corps commander, town of Assoro by stealth, lectured made and natural) that restricted
Canadian trucks drive through the battered town of Pontecorvo, Italy during the Hitler Line advance Hitler Line, 24 May 1944.
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Canadian troops enter the village of San Pancrazio, Italy where the previous week German soldiers had massacred the male inhabitants. The “D-Day Dodgers” fought a gruelling, attritional campaign in Italy where they served in the shadow of events in Northwest Europe, but they were well served by efforts of 1st Canadian Field Historical Section to record their accomplishments.
movement, including blown-bridges, towards Pescara, “a heavy toll had scrambling to save their defences at steep roads, vineyards, orchards, been exacted from the obstinate Cassino. stream networks, mountain ranges, enemy.”43 This was not to say that The emphasis on destruction narrow valleys, and the ubiquitous the historians were unaware when of enemy forces was apparent in and capricious German 88s. operations fell short. For instance, Harrison’s discussion in his war diary Harrison and Hughes believed Harrison recorded in March that of the US Fifth Army’s liberation of that “success” needed to be measured “the front was strangely quiet…A Rome, and word, two days later on 6 not by the achievement of a breakout posture of defence had been assumed June 1944, that the Allies had landed – which never came – but by the and the verdict registered of a winter in Normandy. attrition of the enemy. In one report, campaign which had failed to achieve Hughes suggested it was laudable its objectives.”44 Nevertheless, the The news [about the Normandy that in the drudging months spent historians concluded that over the landings] was greeted with pushing the Germans from their winter the Germans had been hit enthusiasm, but not without a hint “Winter Line” through Ortona hard, thrown back and were then of regret that 1 [Canadian] Corps
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was no longer in the battle. For memoirs that shortly after the Battle understood and endeavoured to although the capture of Rome had of Ortona a rumour swept through meet those standards. Certainly, not been the primary objective of 1 CID that they were being moved as Harrison wrote in 1948, their the offensive…its liberation could back to England in March.48 The assignment to carry out research not but be regarded as a triumphant rumour was unfounded and perhaps in such depth reflected well on climax to the dusty battles of the Liri just wishful thinking on the part of the army: “in such a context of 45 LAC PA 129763 PA LAC valley. battalion commanders, fatigued from success or failure, the admission of pushing their troops through the the historian as eye-witness, cross- While the glory of capturing inhospitable Italian peaks and gullies, examiner, and custodian of the the capital would have been a well- and incurring heavy casualties for no evidence, asserts a confident will to earned honour, Harrison believed apparent war-winning reason. submit to trial by history.”50 The “top- that “the front was too narrow for Soldiers fighting in Italy knew down” documentation, including both the Fifth and British Eighth that they were fighting in a secondary interviews with key commanders Armies to converge upon a point of theatre, while the “real war” was and staff officers, gathered by the small tactical importance.”46 Rome fought in Northwest Europe, and field historians as their primary was not the main objective – the this opinion was duly recorded by mission recorded decision-making destruction of the German Army in the field historians. By documenting before, during, and after actions. Italy was. this perception among soldiers, the In their preliminary comments on The slow slogging of attrition field historians made an important this material, the field historians had little glory for the men involved. contribution to the interpretive made important interpretations of Stacey, while in Italy on a liaison visit framework that has dominated the the Italian campaign, on specific in March 1944, remarked: study of the Italian theatre for the past matters such as British and Canadian 60 years. Nowhere is this interpretive attack doctrine, and on such broader It may be noted at this point framework more apparent than in questions as the measures of success that our observation was that in the final pages of From Pachino to in hard-fought battles of attrition. At general the Canadian troops do not Ortona, the preliminary account of the same time, the work of the artists, like Italy. Complaints of the dirt the Italian campaign published in and the observations recorded by and squalor of the country were 1946. In the conclusion, Stacey and the historians in their diaries, did universal; and it was obvious that an Hughes found it hard to explain much to capture experience “from unusually severe winter had been a why the Canadians were in theatre. the ground,” providing material particularly unpleasant introduction The Canadian formations, however, for future scholarship in new fields to the country. There is also some did have the honour of being among of study on the social and cultural feeling that the Italian campaign is a the Allied forces that first breached dimensions of the war. “sideshow” by comparison with the Fortress Europa, and could be proud operations on the United Kingdom, of their association with the renowned projected for North-West Europe. Eighth Army and its leader General Notes Several officers remarked that it Bernard Montgomery. The Canadians was unfortunate that the Canadian who survived from “the Sicilian hills 1. C.P. Stacey, A Date with History: Memoirs Army should be divided between swimming in the August heat to the of a Canadian Historian (Ottawa: Deneau, 1983), pp.104-105. two theatres of war instead of acting icy, shell-churned mud above the 2 G.F.G. Stanley, The Birth of Western Canada: as a united force. There appeared to Moro,” could rest assured that, as the A History of the Riel Rebellion (London: be a very general envy of the troops final line of the book declares, their Longdman, Green, 1936). 3. Tim Cook, Clio’s Warriors: Canadian preparing for action in England, experiences were an inspiration to the Historians and the Writing of the World Wars and there was widespread interest, tens of thousands of other Canadians (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2006), p.100. evidenced by many questions, in poised to cross the Channel.49 It was a 4. Canada in Flanders was a three-volume series published between 1916 and 1918. the prospect of the “Second Front.” fitting tribute to the D-Day Dodgers. Aitken penned the first two volumes and Nevertheless, the Canadian Troops Stacey went to extraordinary Charles G.D. Roberts the third. Aitken in Italy were, in general, obviously lengths to make certain that a was the series editor. 5. Samuel Eliot Morison, Admiral of the Ocean in good heart, and were looking balanced and comprehensive record Sea: A Life of Christopher Columbus (Boston: forward to further action.47 of the Canadian Army’s effort in the Little Brown, 1942). Second World War was kept. He 6. Morison wanted to tell “[the Navy’s] story effectively.” The result of his efforts Charles Comfort noted a similar did this by ensuring that the officers was a 15-book official history series on sentiment when he wrote in his of No.1 Field Historical Section the United States Navy. Gregory M. Pfitzer, Samuel Eliot Morison’s Historical
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World: In Quest of a New Parkman (Boston: 17. Lieutenant-Colonel C.P. Stacey, historical 30. Ibid., 27 February 1944. Northeastern University Press, 1991), officer CMHQ, London, to Captain S.H.S. 31. Ibid., 24 May 1944. pp.172, 184. Hughes, historical officer 1st Canadian 32. Ibid., 12 November 1944. 7. Kent Roberts Greenfield, The Historian Infantry Division headquarters, 12 33. Ibid., 7 June 1944. and the Army (New York: Kennikat, 1954), October 1943, LAC RG 24, Vol. 12,756, 24/ 34. Ibid., 3 December 1943. p.11. Operations/2, Document 37. 35. Ibid., 31 May 1944. 8. Forrest C. Pogue and Holly C. Shulman, 18. “General Activities of the Historical 36. Ibid., 22 February 1944. “Forrest C. Pogue and the Birth of Public Section,” LAC RG 24, Vol. 10,406, 24/ 37. Ibid., 21 January 1944. history in the Army,” The Public Historian Operations/1 (Hist) 38. Ibid., WD 5th Canadian Armoured 15:1 (Winter 1993), p.31. The first in the 19. Stacey, A Date with History, pp.127-128. Division Sub-Section, 31 August 1944, 14-volume American Forces in Action 20. Cook, Clio’s Warriors, p.111. LAC RG 24, Vol. 17,505. series, To Bizerte with the II Corps, was 21. Charles Fraser Comfort, Artist at War 39. William McAndrew, “‘Fire or Movement?: published by the Historical Division in (Toronto: The Ryerson Press, 1956), p.ix. Canadian Tactical Doctrine, Sicily—1943,” December 1943. The US Army Center 22. Colonel C.P. Stacey, historical officer Military Affairs 51:3 (1987), p.141. of Military History has made the entire CMHQ, London, to Major L.A. Wrinch, 40. WD 1 CFHS, 22 May 1944, LAC RG 24, series available online at
https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol18/iss3/318 12
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