Operation Husky Read online

  24 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 110.

  25 Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, 15.

  26 David Bercuson, The Patricia’s: The Proud History of a Fighting Regiment (Toronto: Stoddart Publishing, 2001), 190.

  27 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 110.

  28 Three Rivers Tank Regiment War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, 14.

  29 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 26-34.

  30 Ibid., 34.

  31 Kim Beattie, Dileas: History of the 48th Highlanders of Canada: 1929-1956 (Toronto: 48th Highlanders of Canada, 1957), 263-64.

  32 Three Rivers Tank War Diary, 13.

  33 Beattie, 265-66.

  34 Three Rivers Tank War Diary, 13.

  35 Beattie, 266.

  36 Three Rivers Tank War Diary, 13.

  37 Beattie, 269.

  38 48th Highlanders of Canada War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  39 Beattie, 269-70.

  40 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 34-35.

  41 Beattie, 271.

  42 Ibid., 34.

  43 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 107.

  44 Ross Munro, Gauntlet to Overlord: The Story of the Canadian Army (Toronto: Macmillan Company of Canada, 1945), 400-04.

  45 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 35.

  46 Canada, Department of National Defence, The Canadian Army at War, vol. 2, From Pachino to Ortona: The Canadian Campaign in Sicily and Italy, 1943. 2nd ed. (Ottawa: King’s Printer, 1946), 55-56.

  47 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 35-38.

  48 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 117.

  49 Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. and Friedrich von Stauffenberg, The Battle of Sicily (New York: Orion Books, 1991), 224-26.

  50 Ibid., 226.

  51 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 110.

  52 Ibid., 120-21.

  53 Beattie, 271.

  54 Ibid., 272-74.

  55 48th Highlanders War Diary, n.p.

  17: FOLLOW THE BAND

  1 4th Reconnaissance Regiment (Princess Louise Dragoon Guards) War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  2 G.W.L. Nicholson, The Canadians in Italy, 1939-1945, vol. 2 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1956), 112.

  3 Bill McAndrew, “Fire or Movement?: Canadian Tactical Doctrine, Sicily—1943,” Military Affairs, vol. 51, no. 3, 142.

  4 Historical Officer, Canadian Military Headquarters, “Report No. 135: Canadian Operations in Sicily, July-August 1943, Part II: The Execution of the Operation by 1 Cdn Inf Div, Section 2: The Pursuit of the Germans from Vizzini to Adrano 15 Jul- 6 Aug,” 40-41, Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence,

  5 McAndrew, 142.

  6 Headquarters, 1st Divisional Artillery, RCA War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, 12.

  7 G.W.L. Nicholson, The Gunners of Canada, vol. 2 (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1972), 149.

  8 George Kitching, Mud and Green Fields: The Memoirs of Major General George Kitching (Langley, BC: Battleline Books, 1986), 167-68.

  9 Daniel G. Dancocks, The D-Day Dodgers: The Canadians in Italy, 1943-1945 (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1991), 74.

  10 Nicholson, Gunners of Canada, 149.

  11 Dominick Graham, The Price of Command: A Biography of General Guy Simonds (Toronto: Stoddart Publishing, 1993), 95.

  12 Kitching, 167.

  13 Howard Graham, Citizen and Soldier: The Memoirs of Lieutenant-General Howard Graham (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1987), 174.

  14 McAndrew, 142.

  15 Graham, 174.

  16 Strome Galloway, Bravely Into Battle: The Autobiography of a Canadian Soldier in World War II (Toronto: Stoddart Publishing, 1988), 68-69.

  17 Dancocks, 74.

  18 Royal Canadian Regiment War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  19 Strome Galloway, Sicily to the Sieg fried Line: Being Some Random Memories and a Diary of 1944-1945 (Kitchener, ON: Arnold Press, n.d.), 5-8.

  20 Three Rivers Tank Regiment War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, 15-16.

  21 L.S.B. Shapiro, They Left the Back Door Open: A Chronicle of the Allied Campaign in Sicily and Italy (Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1944), 59-61.

  22 Captain A.T. Sesia, “Personal Notes and Observations: PART I-Sicily, 24 Apr. 43- 2 Sep. 43,” RG24, vol. 10878, Library and Archives Canada, 50.

  23 Nicholson, Gunners of Canada, 149.

  24 Sesia, 50.

  25 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 41.

  26 Major C.H. Lithgow, “The Battle of Nissoria; 24 July 1943, ‘D’ Day Sicily, 10 July 43,” http://thercr.ca/history/1939-1945/nissoria_1943.htm (accessed 26 June 2008).

  27 Galloway, Bravely Into Battle, 69.

  28 Lithgow.

  29 Galloway, Bravely Into Battle, 69-70.

  30 Lithgow.

  31 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 40.

  32 Three Rivers Tank War Diary, 16-22.

  33 “Diary of Lt. J.F. Wallace,” MG30, vol. 1, Library and Archives Canada, 18.

  34 Three Rivers Tank War Diary, 21-23.

  18: RED PATCH DEVILS

  1 “Account given by Major T.M. Powers, second-in-command, Royal Canadian Regiment, on 18 August 1943 in Battalion rest area near Scordia, Sicily,” RG24, vol. 10880, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  2 Strome Galloway, Bravely Into Battle: The Autobiography of a Canadian Soldier in World War II (Toronto: Stoddart Publishing, 1988), 70.

  3 Major C.H. Lithgow, “The Battle of Nissoria; 24 July 1943, ‘D’ Day Sicily, 10 July 43,” http://thercr.ca/history/1939-1945/nissoria_1943.htm (accessed 26 June 2008).

  4 Galloway, Bravely Into Battle, 70-71.

  5 Royal Canadian Regiment War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  6 Lithgow.

  7 Galloway, Bravely Into Battle, 70-71.

  8 Daniel G. Dancocks, The D-Day Dodgers: The Canadians in Italy, 1943-1945 (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1991), 76.

  9 Galloway, Bravely Into Battle, 71.

  10 Historical Officer, Canadian Military Headquarters, “Report No. 135: Canadian Operations in Sicily, July-August 1943, Part II: The Execution of the Operation by 1 Cdn Inf Div, Section 2: The Pursuit of the Germans from Vizzini to Adrano 15 Jul-6 Aug,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, 44-45.

  11 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, July 1943, Appendix: Situation Reports, July 43, Library and Archives Canada, 30-1-17.

  12 Dancocks, 77.

  13 Howard Graham, Citizen and Soldier: The Memoirs of Lieutenant-General Howard Graham (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1987), 176.

  14 “Personal Account by Lt.-Col The Lord Tweedsmuir of the Sicilian Campaign,” 145.241011(D31), Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, 17-18.

  15 Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  16 Tweedsmuir, 18-19.

  17 Hastings and Prince Edward War Diary, n.p.

  18 Tweedsmuir, 19.

  19 Farley Mowat, The Regiment, 2nd ed. (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1973), 95-96.

  20 Tweedsmuir, 19-20.

  21 G.W.L. Nicholson, The Canadians in Italy, 1939-1945, vol. 2 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1956), 125-26.

  22 Galloway, Bravely Into Battle, 72.

  23 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 126.

  24 Graham, 177.

  25 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, 30-1-18.

  26 4th Reconnaissance Regiment (Princess Louise Dragoon Guards) War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  27 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 49.

  28 Kim Beattie, Dileas: History of the 48th Highlanders of Canada: 1929-1956 (Toronto: 48th Highlanders of Canada, 1957), 281-82.

  29 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 50.

  30 Beattie, 284-88.

&n
bsp; 31 48th Highlanders of Canada War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  32 Beattie, 291-93.

  33 48th Highlanders War Diary, n.p.

  34 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 126.

  35 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 52.

  36 Ross Munro, Gauntlet to Overlord: The Story of the Canadian Army (Toronto: Macmillan Company of Canada, 1945), 413-15.

  37 Strome Galloway, A Regiment at War: The Story of the Royal Canadian Regiment, 1939-1945 (repr. Royal Canadian Regiment, 1979), 83.

  38 G.R. Stevens, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, 1919-1957, vol. 3 (Griesbach, AB: Historical Committee of the Regiment, n.d.), 85.

  39 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 53.

  40 Ibid., 53.

  41 G.W.L. Nicholson, The Gunners of Canada, vol. 2 (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1972), 150.

  42 William F. Rannie, ed., To The Thunderer His Arms: The Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (Lincoln, ON: W.F. Rannie, 1984), 129.

  43 Nicholson, Gunners of Canada, 150.

  44 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 53.

  45 Ibid., 56.

  46 Headquarters, 1st Divisional Artillery, RCA War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, 13.

  47 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 53.

  48 Chris Vokes, My Story (Ottawa: Gallery Press, 1985), 114.

  19: LION, TIGER, AND GRIZZLY

  1 History of the 3rd Canadian Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery-September, 1939 to July, 1945 (n.p., 1945), 37.

  2 “Diary of Lt. J.F. Wallace,” MG30, vol. 1, Library and Archives Canada, 19.

  3 Major Coleman, MC, “Nissoria—Night July 26/27, 1943,” in “Accounts of Actions during the Sicilian campaign as prepared by various officers of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry,” RG24, vol. 10982, Library and Archives Canada, 45-47.

  4 Wallace, 19.

  5 “Statement by Lt-Col. R.A. Lindsay on the Engagements of the PPCLI from battle at Piazza Armerina to the battle for Agira given on 30 Jul 43,” RG24, vol. 10982, Library and Archives Canada, 5.

  6 G.W.L. Nicholson, The Canadians in Italy, 1939-1945, vol. 2 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1956), 129.

  7 Lindsay, 5.

  8 History of the 3rd Canadian Field Regiment, 5.

  9 Lindsay, 5.

  10 Vokes, 114-15.

  11 Douglas E. Delaney, The Soldier’s General: Bert Hoffmeister at War (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2005), 62.

  12 R.H. Roy, The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, 1919-1965 (Vancouver: Evergreen Press, 1969), 181.

  13 Henry “Budge” Bell-Irving, interview by Ken MacLeod, Vancouver, n.d.

  14 Henry “Budge” Bell-Irving correspondence, 3 May 1967, Dr. Reginald Roy Collection, University of Victoria Special Collections, 3.

  15 Roy, 182.

  16 Bell-Irving interview.

  17 Roy, 182.

  18 Wallace, 19-20.

  19 Roy, 182-83.

  20 Lindsay, 5.

  21 Roy, 183.

  22 Bell-Irving interview.

  23 Wallace, 20.

  24 Roy, 183-84.

  25 John Alpine Dougan, interview by author, Victoria, 30 October 1998.

  26 John Alpine Dougan, interview by Tom Torrie, 27 July 1989, University of Victoria Special Collections.

  27 Nicholson, 130.

  28 Dougan interview by Torrie.

  29 Historical Officer, Canadian Military Headquarters, “Report No. 135: Canadian Operations in Sicily, July-August 1943, Part II: The Execution of the Operation by 1 Cdn Inf Div, Section 2: The Pursuit of the Germans from Vizzini to Adrano 15 Jul- 6 Aug,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, 56.

  30 “Notes on Interview D.D.H.S. With Lt-Col W.T. Cromb, Edmonton, 10 December 1949,” RG24, vol. 10981, Library and Archives Canada, 1.

  31 “Interview D.D.H.S. with Brigadier J.C. Jefferson,” RG24, vol. 10982, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  32 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 56-57.

  33 Roy, 185.

  34 Ibid., 185.

  35 Henry “Budge” Bell-Irving correspondence, 3 May 1967, Dr. Reginald Roy Collection, University of Victoria Special Collections, 4.

  36 Roy, 186.

  37 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 132.

  38 E.W. “June” Thomas, interview by author, Victoria, 23 October 1998.

  39 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 59.

  40 Roy, 186-87.

  41 “Account by Capt. C.H. Pritchard, Edmn R., formerly Adjutant and now carrier pl. comd. Given in bn. rest area, 18 Aug 43, near Militello in Val di Catania,” RG24, vol. 10982, Library and Archives Canada, 31.

  42 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 132.

  43 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 59-60.

  44 Ibid., 60.

  45 G.R. Stevens, A City Goes to War (Brampton, ON: Charters Publishing, 1964), 242.

  46 John Alpine Dougan, interview by Ken MacLeod, Vancouver, n.d.

  47 Roy, 188.

  48 Ibid., 188.

  49 Ibid., 187-88.

  50 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 133.

  20: HARD FIGHTING

  1 G.W.L. Nicholson, The Canadians in Italy, 1939-1945, vol. 2 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1956), 131-34.

  2 Historical Officer, Canadian Military Headquarters, “Report No. 135: Canadian Operations in Sicily, July-August 1943, Part II: The Execution of the Operation by 1 Cdn Inf Div, Section 2: The Pursuit of the Germans from Vizzini to Adrano 15 Jul- 6 Aug,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, 61.

  3 G.D. Mitchell, RCHA—Right of the Line: An Anecdotal History of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery from 1871 (Ottawa: RCHA History Committee, 1986), 98.

  4 “Statement by Lt-Col. R.A. Lindsay on the Engagements of the PPCLI from battle at Piazza Armerina to the battle for Agira given on 30 Jul 43,” RG24, vol. 10982, Library and Archives Canada, 6.

  5 “Street Fighting in Agira,” in “Accounts of Actions during the Sicilian campaign as prepared by various officers of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry,” RG24, vol. 10982, Library and Archives Canada, 48.

  6 “The Historical Account of the Fighting Operations of the 12th Canadian Tank Regiment (Three Rivers Regiment of Quebec) from the Time of Their Landing in Sicily Up to and Including Their Last Action Fought West of Adrano on August the 5th, 1943,” RG24, vol. 10990, Library and Archives Canada, 14.

  7 “Street fighting in Agira,” 48-49.

  8 Lindsay, 6.

  9 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 64.

  10 Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. and Friedrich von Stauffenberg, The Battle of Sicily (New York: Orion Books, 1991), 239.

  11 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 134.

  12 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 71-72.

  13 West Nova Scotia Regiment War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  14 Robert Tooley, Invicta: The Carleton and York Regiment in the Second World War (Fredericton, NB: New Ireland Press, 1989), 132.

  15 Carleton and York Regiment War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  16 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, 7.

  17 Nicholson, 137.

  18 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 72.

  19 Appendix 6, “Bataille des Monts Scalpello Et Santa Maria En Sicilie,” in Royal 22e Régiment War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, 71-73.

  20 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 72.

  21 Appendix 6, “Bataille des Monts,” 73-75.

  22 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 138-39.

  23 Historical Officer, Canadian Military Headquarters, “Report No. 132: Canadian Operations in Sicily, July-August 1943, Part III: The Story of 1 Cdn Army Tk Bde,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, paras. 21-28.

  24 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 167.

  25 Ibid., 139. />
  26 Thomas H. Raddall, West Novas: A History of the West Nova Scotia Regiment (n.p., 1947), 94-95.

  27 Ibid., 96-97.

  28 Appendix, “B Company in the Capture of Catenanuova,” in West Nova Scotia Regiment War Diary, July 1943, n.p.

  29 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 141.

  30 Raddall, 96.

  31 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 80.

  32 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 141-43.

  33 “The Historical Account of the Fighting Operations of the 12th Canadian Tank Regiment,” 14-15.

  34 Charles-Marie Boissonault, Histoire du Royal 22e Régiment (Quebec: Éditions du Pélican, 1964), 145-47.

  35 Ibid., 147-49.

  36 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 143-44.

  37 Raddall, 103-05.

  38 Historical Officer, “Report No. 135,” 83.

  39 Raddall, 103-05.

  40 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 144.

  21: ROUGHEST COUNTRY YET

  1 Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, n.p.

  2 Peter Stursberg, The Sound of War: Memoirs of a CBC Correspondent (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1993), 113-14.

  3 G.W.L. Nicholson, The Canadians in Italy, 1939-1945, vol. 2 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1956), 147.

  4 C.J.C. Molony, The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and The Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944 (London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1973), 160-61.

  5 Carlo D’Este, Bitter Victory: The Battle for Sicily, 1943 (New York: Harper Perennial, 1988), 459.

  6 1st Canadian Infantry Division, General Staff War Diary, July 1943, Library and Archives Canada, 34-35.

  7 Nicholson, Canadians in Italy, 148.

  8 “The Historical Account of the Fighting Operations of the 12th Canadian Tank Regiment (Three Rivers Regiment of Quebec) from the Time of Their Landing in Sicily Up to and Including Their Last Action Fought West of Adrano on August the 5th, 1943,” RG24, vol. 10990, Library and Archives Canada, 15.

  9 History of the 3rd Canadian Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery-September, 1939 to July, 1945 (n.p., 1945), 37.