Fighting in the Italian Campaign Down But

Veterans’Veterans’ WeekWeek SSpecialpecial EditionEdition - NovemberNovember 55 toto 11, 11, 2016 2019 Fighting in the Italian Campaign Down but One of Canada’s most important not out military efforts during the Second World War was the Italian Campaign. Sergeant Daniel J. MacDonald of Our troops’ first action there came Prince Edward Island served with during the Allied invasion of Sicily on the Cape Breton Highlanders in July 10, 1943, and Canadians played a Italy during the Second World key role in pushing enemy forces from War. He was badly wounded during this hot and dusty Mediterranean fighting at the Senio River on island. Their next task was attacking December 21, 1944, losing his left mainland Italy and our soldiers came arm and leg when a German shell ashore there on September 3, 1943. exploded nearby. MacDonald would not let these injuries derail the rest Italy was a challenging place to fight. of his life, however, and he returned Much of the country is mountainous home to PEI where he farmed, got with many deep valleys cut by rivers. married and raised seven children. The climate could be harsh, with He was elected to the provincial scorching summers and surprisingly Museum War Canadian Image: legislature in 1962 and later entered cold winters. The German defenders German Anti-Tank Position – a war painting by Lawren P. Harris depicting fighting in Italy. federal politics, becoming the were skilled and used the terrain to Minister of Veterans Affairs in the 1970s before passing away in 1980. their advantage, with our soldiers remembered by Canadian Veterans More than 93,000 Canadians would often facing heavy fire from the hills of the Italian Campaign today. Our bravely serve in Italy during the above as they tried to fight their way troops would not be part of the final Second World War. Sadly, almost northward up the country. Allied victory in Italy, however, as they 6,000 Canadians died and some began to be transferred to Northwest 20,000 more were wounded. To The fighting was bitter and battles Europe in February 1945 to join the mark the 75th anniversary of this at places like Ortona, the Liri Valley 1st Canadian Army that would liberate campaign, commemorative events and the Savio River are still grimly the Netherlands. will be held in Canada and overseas. How will you remember? Storming Juno Beach Photo: MacDonald Family Collection Family MacDonald Photo: One of the most famous chapters of and fifty Canadian paratroopers also the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada at Daniel J. MacDonald working on his farm. the Second World War took place in jumped into occupied France that Juno Beach: Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. morning, with thousands of Canadian This date—now known to history sailors and airmen helping support the “Our B Company, they got badly Restoring peace as “D-Day”—saw Canadian, British Allied assault, as well. By the end of and American troops come ashore in June 6, 1944, Canadians had pushed the hit. One platoon of 35 men… on the other side occupied France to begin the liberation farthest inland of any of the Allied forces, ended up with eight at the end of Western Europe after more than four but the price they paid was steep—359 of the day. My buddy—there’s 10 of the world years of brutal German occupation. of our soldiers had lost their lives. It was only the beginning of the bloody Battle [or] 11 in a section—and he was Canadian Armed Forces members Some 14,000 Canadian soldiers landed of Normandy, but the Allies had finally the only guy left... They hit right have served in many places around the at Juno Beach on D-Day, braving cracked the walls of Fortress Europe. in front of a machine gun post world over the years, but one of the heavy fire as they dodged mines, most distant was East Timor. More shoreline obstacles, barbed wire and Joseph William (Bill) Ross of Montreal and of them, seven of the guys than 600 Canadians served in this other enemy defences. Four hundred described the heavy losses suffered by were killed in the water.” small, tropical land several hundred kilometres north of Australia in peace support missions that began two decades ago this year. East Timor had been a colony of Portugal until the 1970s when civil war erupted over its political future. It controversially became a province of Indonesia in 1976 and years of brutal rule followed. When widespread violence flared there again in the late Photo: LibraryPhoto: PA-128791 Canada and Archives 1990s, many people were killed and Canadian soldiers and tanks landing at Courseulles-sur-Mer, France, on June 6, 1944. up to 700,000 residents displaced. Canadians would take part in major multinational missions in East Timor Sergeant Frank Jérome – Indigenous war hero between 1999 and 2001 to help restore peace and security. Frank Narcisse Jérome of Quebec was Battalion (Royal Montréal Regiment), to receive the Military Medal three one of Canada’s most heroic soldiers taking part in major battles at places like times during the First World War. The Canadian Armed Forces would of the First World War. A Mi’kmaq Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Passchendaele and Jérome rose through the ranks to send HMCS Protecteur, soldiers from from the Gaspé Peninsula who was in the series of actions during “Canada’s become a sergeant and, despite being the Royal 22e Régiment and transport a member of the Gesgapegiag First Hundred Days” in the closing three wounded in action, survived the aircraft to East Timor. They carried Nation, he enlisted in the Canadian months of the conflict. conflict to return home in 1919—a out duties like providing security, Expeditionary Force in June 1916 shining example of the impressive constructing a camp, repairing local and sailed overseas later that year. He was exceptionally brave on the service of thousands of Indigenous schools and hospitals, keeping warships Jérome would see heavy action in battlefields of the Western Front and people in Canada’s military over the th supplied, and transporting cargo from France and Belgium with the 14 would become one of only 39 Canadians years. Australia until they left for home in 2001 as the political situation began to Fabulous flying feats in Korea improve. One of the best pilots of American The harsh conditions he faced in captivity fighter jets during the Korean War was did not deter Glover from again taking actually a Canadian. Ernest Glover of flight during the Korean War. He was Ontario got his wings as a teenager one of more than 20 Canadian fighter Photo: Legion Magazine after enlisting in the Royal Canadian pilots who served with the United States Ernie Glover (left) Air Force (RCAF) during the Second Air Force while on exchange from our His impressive flying feats earned World War. He soon proved to be a country’s military. Glover would fly the Flight Lieutenant Glover both the skilled airman, flying combat missions new and powerful F-86 Sabre jet fighter American and the Commonwealth over occupied Europe. In 1943, his during his service in Korea. He flew 58 Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). plane was downed by enemy fire combat missions and engaged in fierce Glover came back from Korea and and he spent the rest of the war in a dogfights with Soviet-made MiG-15s, continued to serve his country for German prisoner of war camp. downing three enemy jets—the most of almost 20 more years, finally retiring Photo: Department of National Defence any Canadian pilot in the Korean War. in the early 1970s. A Canadian Armed Forces helicopter delivers supplies in East Timor. veterans.gc.ca/educators 2 Looking back on Afghanistan Our country’s best-known military Many Veterans also remember with comrades, can take a heavy psychological effort in recent years was Canada’s pride the humanitarian, infrastructure toll. The wounds of military service are mission in Afghanistan. More than development and nation-building not always visible and a difficult legacy 40,000 Canadian Armed Forces projects that Canada undertook in for many Veterans of the Afghanistan members served in the Afghanistan Afghanistan. Efforts like constructing mission has been post-traumatic stress theatre of operations between 2001 a major dam, road-building, helping disorder and other occupational stress and 2014, making it our largest girls access schooling and training the injuries. deployment of troops since the Second Afghan police and military forces were World War. important elements of Canada’s overall March 2019 marked the 5th anniversary mission. of the end of Canada’s mission in While combat operations and working Afghanistan and this milestone was in a very hostile environment were Service in Afghanistan was often very commemorated with a ceremony at the a major part of what our men and dangerous and some 158 Canadian National War Memorial in Ottawa. women in uniform experienced there, Armed Forces members lost their lives We remember all those who served and Defence Department AT2011-0050-01a of National Photo: particularly when they were based in theatre. Being in stressful situations those who gave their lives in the cause of Canadian Armed Forces member in Afghanistan filling backpacks with school in the volatile Kandahar Province, and seeing acts of violence all around peace and freedom. supplies to help local children in 2011. that was only part of the picture. you, particularly when they harm your 70 years Clearing the Scheldt A lifetime The year 1944 was pivotal in the a nightmare. Indeed, some of the of NATO Second World War as it saw the toughest fighting of the entire Second of service beginning of the liberation of Western World War took place there but the Europe after more than four years of Allies persevered.

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