Norman Clayton Skinner was born on February 4, 1918, in Guysborough, NS, to John Gordon and Laura May (Gero) Skinner. John was the son of Godfrey and Nancy Ann (Armsworthy) Skinner, Guysborough, while Laura was the daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Dismal) Gero, Tracadie. John and Laura married at Guysborough on January 10, 1906.
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| Private Norman Clayton Skinner |
At the time of the 1911 Canadian census, John and Laura were living in Guysborough with John’s widowed mother Nancy. Over the following decade, four children joined the Skinner household—Wilfred Leslie (DOB May 15, 1914); Earl Rayfield (DOB December 1915); Hattie Eugene (DOB December 12, 1916); and Norman, the youngest of John and Laura’s children.
Tragedy stuck the Skinner family on December 27, 1918, when Laura passed away at home. Her death certificate identified the cause of death as “influenza with pneumonia,” but also mentions “premature labour” as a contributing factor. At the time of the 1921 census, the Skinner household consisted of John, widower and farmer, his four children, and his widowed mother Nancy. Also living in the home was 17-year-old Ida May Skinner, whose 1923 marriage license identified John as her “adopted father” and Laura May Gero as her mother.
On February 11, 1922, John Gordon Skinner married Lilly Ann Dorrington, daughter of Lewis and Lilly (McPhee) Dorrington, in a ceremony held in the Methodist Parsonage, Guysborough. Over the next eight years, Lilly gave birth to five children—Elizabeth (c. 1922); Maud (c. 1924); Dorothy (c. 1925); Pearl (c. 1928); and Chester (c. 1930). The years after John’s second marriage also saw a second Skinner family tragedy. On October 3, 1925, Earl Rayfield Skinner died at home, the result of an accidental gunshot wound.
Norman left school at age 11, having completed Grade VI. There is no record of his early employment, although he may have worked on the farm with his father. Sometime prior to his enlistment, he relocated to New Glasgow, where he was employed as a truck driver with Thomas Mills’ transport business for four years.
On September 11, 1942, Norman enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) at Sydney, NS. While he gave his address at the time as 44 Dodd St., Sydney, the information in his service file does not explain how or when he came to reside there. Norman commenced training at No. 61 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre, New Glasgow, on October 5, and moved on to A14 Training Centre, Aldershot, in mid-December for advanced infantry instruction.
Norman remained in Aldershot for three and a half months. During that time, he was granted a five-day pre-embarkation leave in late February 1943. On March 27, he was appointed to the rank of Acting Sergeant “while on conducting duty.” The following day, he departed for overseas and disembarked in the United Kingdom on April 4. That same day, he reverted to the rank of Private, on being “taken on strength” by the Canadian Army (UK).
On April 7, Norman was posted to No. 7 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU), where he awaited assignment to an active infantry battalion. Two weeks later, he was admitted to British Isolation Hospital. The institution’s name suggests that he had contracted mumps, a common barracks ailment. Norman remained in hospital until mid-May, when he was discharged to duty. On June 18, 1943, he was assigned to the ranks of the Cape Breton Highlanders, 11th Infantry Brigade, 5th Canadian Armoured Division.
The Cape Breton Highlanders trace their roots to the Victoria Provisional Battalion of Infantry, established in Baddeck, NS, on October 13, 1871. Re-designated the 94th Victoria Regiment, Argyll Highlanders, in 1900, the militia unit was placed on active service on August 6, 1914, and later provided recruits for the 185th Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders, which was authorized on July 15, 1916.
While the 185th crossed the North Atlantic to the United Kingdom in October 1916, the unit never saw active service on the continent. Officially disbanded in November 29, 1918, it was reconstituted as an active militia unit on November 1, 1920, and was called to active service on August 26, 1939. The unit subsequently mobilized the 1st Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders (CBH), for service with the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) on January 1, 1941.
The 1st Battalion CBH departed for overseas on November 10, 1941, and was subsequently assigned to the 5th Canadian Armoured Division’s 11th Infantry Brigade, where it served alongside the Perth Regiment (Ontario) and the Irish Regiment of Canada (Toronto, ON). The unit spent two years training in the UK before finally commencing service in the Mediterranean theatre.
By the spring of 1943, there was considerable discussion among Allied political leaders for a military campaign against German forces in Western Europe. While not yet prepared to support an invasion of France, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill was receptive to action campaign against Italy, Germany’s Axis ally. At the time, he described the Mediterranean area as “the soft underbelly of Europe,” as he believed that Italian forces were substantially weaker than their German counterparts.
In early July 1943, an Allied invasion force consisting of American, British and Canadian units landed on the southern coast of Sicily and fought its was across the island through the summer months. The 5th Canadian Armoured Division (5th CAD) was not part of the group. Instead, it remained in the United Kingdom, where it prepared for deployment in the Mediterranean theatre before year’s end.
Canadian forces crossed the Strait of Messina to the southern tip of the Italian peninsula in early September. Shortly afterward, American forces landed south of Naples. During the autumn of 1943, the two groups fought their way northward, American forces concentrating on the western coast. Meanwhile, British and Canadian units advanced up the centre of the peninsula before swinging eastward to the coastal plains along the Adriatic coast in late September.
In late October, 5th CAD units gathered in several UK ports as part of a reinforcement contingent destined for Italy. Shortly after mid-day October 23, CBH personnel arrived in Liverpool and boarded SS Monterey. The vessel weighed anchor early the following morning with more than 4,000 Canadian soldiers aboard.
CBH’s journey to Italy was not without drama. On November 6, two German fighter bombers attacked its convoy as it made their way into the Mediterranean Sea, sinking one vessel. In the early hours of November 10, the Monterey entered Naples harbour and its passengers disembarked at 0800 hours. For CBH, the date was a significant one—exactly two years previously, it had departed Halifax, NS, aboard SS Arcades. Once ashore, personnel marched to a staging area outside Afragola, a suburb of Naples, approximately 50 kilometers from the Allied front line.
Nine days later, the unit broke camp and travelled by train to Altamira, where it spent two months training. On January 11, 1944, CBH was once again on the move, making its way to the Canadian sector of the front line north of Ortona. Two days later, its soldiers relieved the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade’s West Nova Scotia Regiment for their first combat tour.
While the front line along the Adriatic coast was “static” throughout the winter of 1943-44, there were daily exchanges of artillery and mortar fire. CBH recorded its first combat fatality on January 15, 1944, when mortar shells struck a forward observation post (FOP), killing one soldier and wounding another. Two days later, the unit’s soldiers participated in their first offensive action in support of the Perth Regiment, its Brigade comrades.
The Perths had launched an early afternoon attack on January 17, but failed to reach their objective. CBH personnel crossed the Riccio River in support and headed toward the nearby Arielli River, only to encounter heavy enemy fire 100 meters short of their first objective. Forced to retreat under cover darkness, the unit suffered a total of 51 casualties, 13 of whom were fatalities. The losses were typical of the Italian campaign, which proved far more costly than Churchill’s optimistic expectations.
On February 11, 1944, Norman was promoted to the rank of Acting Corporal, a sign that he had demonstrated leadership potential. Unfortunately, a camp disciplinary infraction in early April resulted in a reduction to the rank of Private.
With spring fast approaching, Allied commanders prepared for the resumption of combat. Their focus was the western sector of the line, where American and British forces had failed to penetrate German defences. The plan called for a major campaign into the strategic Liri valley, which lay inland from the west coast and ran in northwesterly direction toward Rome. The valley contained two German defensive lines—the Gustav Line at its entrance, anchored by defensive positions at Monte Cassino on its southeastern corner, and the Hitler Line, stretching from Pontecorvo to Aquino at its northwestern end.
Part of the Allied plan involved the Canadian forces deployed in the Adriatic sector. In late March and early April, the units quietly relocated to the western side of the Italian peninsula in preparation for the Liri campaign. On April 12, CBH personnel entered the front lines near Monte Cassino for their first tour in the new sector. The unit served a regular rotation in the line for the remainder of the month before retiring to a camp north of Naples in the early hours of May 6.
Five days later, 1st Canadian Division units participated in an attack on the Gustav Line alongside British and Indian units. The Allied force penetrated the line and slowly advanced up the valley toward the Hitler Line over the next week. A second push through its sectors between Pontecorvo and Aquino occurred on May 23, forcing German units to abandon the positions.
5th CAD did not participate in the attacks on either defensive position. On May 19, CBH left their camp at Capua and began the journey north to the Liri Valley, where 5th CAD was scheduled to take part in the “breakout” phase of the campaign. The battalion arrived in a concentration area south of the Melfa River on May 24 and prepared for its first major combat assignment since its January debut.
5th CAD was not part of the attacks on either defensive line. On May 19, CBH left its camp at Capua and began the journey northward to the Liri Valley, where 5th CAD was scheduled to take part in the “breakout” phase of the campaign. The battalion arrived in a concentration area south of the Melfa River on May 24 and prepared for its first major combat assignment since its January debut.
The following day, CBH personnel participated in an 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade attack across the Melfa River in late afternoon, securing their objective by 1830 hours. The unit suffered six fatalities during the day’s fighting. The advance resumed at 0630 hours May 26 but encountered fierce resistance within half an hour. An attack with artillery and machine gun support finally broke the stalemate, allowing CBH to advance beyond the village of Ceprano by midnight.
The Allied offensive continued throughout the rest of the month as Canadian units crossed 30 kilometers of difficult terrain. CBH reported a total of 30 fatalities, 126 wounded and one soldier missing during its week-long combat tour in the Liri valley.
On June 3, CBH personnel moved out to Ceprano for an extended period of rest and training. Three days later, news of the Allied D-Day landings stirred hope that an end to the war might be on the horizon. The 11th Infantry Brigade relocated to Caiazzo at mid-month and remained in the area for six weeks of intense training. One of the highlights of CBH’s time there was a visit by King George VI to its camp on July 31.
Three days after the King’s visit, the unit was on the move, travelling through Rome to a staging area alongside Lake Bolsena, approximately 130 kilometers north of the capital city. The following day, personnel moved on to a second staging area where they remained for 48 hours. At 0500 hours August 6, CBH relocated to a concentration area, where personnel trained for almost three weeks in preparation for a return to the line.
Canadian units had received orders to prepare for an assault on a section of the Gothic Line, a German defensive network that stretched across the entire Italian peninsula. The line ran from Pesaro on the Adriatic coast through a mountainous area north of Florence to a location south of Spezia on the western coast. The British 8th Army, to which the Canadians were attached, was assigned the task of breaking through the easternmost sector along the Adriatic coast. The assignment proved to be the most difficult of the entire Italian campaign.
During a preparatory stage, 1st Canadian Corps was to penetrate a German defensive line along the Metauro River and advance to the Foglia River, which was located just south of the Gothic Line. The 5th CAD would then launch an assault on German positions north of the Foglia, specifically the sector running inland from Pesaro in a southwesterly direction for 16 kilometers. The area was heavily fortified with strong points, mines, machine gun and mortar positions, and an anti-tank ditch.
The initial phase commenced on August 26 as British, Polish and 1st Canadian Division units crossed the Metauro and advanced to the Foglia River during three days of hard fighting. On the same day that the advance started, CBH began its journey to the forward area, its progress slowed by traffic congestion. Personnel finally reached their first concentration area across the Metauro River, south of Monte Della Mattera, at 1600 hours.
The soldiers remained there for two days, completing preparations for combat as their 1st Canadian Corps comrades completed the first stage. At 2300 hours August 28, CBH moved out, reaching the front lines around 0300 hours August 29. C Company took up positions at Monteciccardo, while the unit’s other three Companies occupied an area in front of high ground beyond Sant’ Angelo.
All personnel were in position by 0430 hours August 29 and began the advance. By mid-day, the soldiers had reached the high ground without opposition. Simultaneously, their Irish and Perth Regiment mates advanced on their flanks.
At 1500 hours, a CBH “recce” (reconnaissance) patrol crossed the Foglia to determine if enemy forces were present. The soldiers reached Point 120, one of the unit’s objectives, where they noticed that the breech blocks had been removed from German guns located there. This was the first suggestion that the enemy may have withdrawn from the area. As the recce party scanned the surrounding countryside, they couldn’t detected any sign of a German presence.
The plan of attack called for an August 30 night-time infantry advance without artillery support. CBH was to advance on Point 120 and move on to another hill to its right—Point 129—before first light. At the same time, the Perths would capture Point 111, a hill on the CBH’s right flank, and advance beyond the location.
The Irish Regiment, waiting in reserve, would then move forward to exploit any opportunities to advance further. Meantime, engineers would prepare river crossings and clear a path through any minefields, allowing tanks and anti-tank guns to move forward. If all went as planned, CBH would secure its objective by daybreak.
At 0400 August 30, an engineering recce party returned with news that minefields had been detected between the Foglia River and Montecchio, resulting in postponement of the 11th Brigade operation. Later in the day, two CBH patrols crossed the river and walked along the main road in front of Point 120 without drawing enemy fire. Officers assumed that German forces had withdrawn and that the hill was unoccupied. It was later discovered that German soldiers had indeed temporarily evacuated the area, but the comrades who were supposed to replace them had not completed the relief process.
Upon receiving the report from the patrols, Brigade Headquarters ordered the attack to commence at 1730 hours August 30, using the Foglia as the start line. CBH’s B Company was given the task of securing Point 120, while A and C Companies would move on to two other hills once the first location was secured. D Company would remain in reserve while the operation took place.
B Company crossed the start line at the scheduled time and advanced without resistance. As its soldiers reached the objective, German forces opened fire from well-sited positions and launched a counter-attack, pushing the lead platoon off Point 120 and forcing the entire Company to the ground. Personnel also found themselves under fire from Point 111, which the Perths had not yet secured.
Meanwhile, the tank squadron assigned to provide support was late arriving on the scene, as it had been directed down the wrong trail. By the time the armoured vehicles reached the area, it was dusk, making it impossible for them to identify and fire at enemy targets. Anti-tank guns moved forward at 2125 hours and A Company attempted an attack on Point 120 from the left flank, only to be immediately driven back.
CBH’s Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Robert Boyd Somerville, requested and received permission to withdraw the lead Companies to allow supporting artillery to shell the objective. By 2300 hours, after hours of relentless enemy fire, the two Companies had managed to withdraw. During the process, German artillery bombarded the unit’s positions.
Lt. Col. Somerville reorganized CBH’s Companies for a second attack at 0115 hours August 31, following a 30-minute artillery and machine gun barrage. At the designated time, A and D Companies moved forward under a bright moon, with support from a New Brunswick Hussars (NBH) tank squadron. After 30 minutes, D Company was almost on the objective when it encountered fierce enemy fire and finally withdrew to the bottom of Point 120, where it re-united with A Company at 0330 hours.
The two Companies then attempted a second advance, with A Company leading the way. Once again, the soldiers were met with “heavy cross fire” at the bottom of the hill. Due to heavy casualties and the approaching dawn, both Companies withdrew. Meanwhile, the Perths to CBH’s right had enjoyed a measure of success, having secured Point 111. Later in the day, the Irish Regiment passed through the Perth’s lines and finally secured Point 120 with support from a NBH tank squadron.
CBH’s August 30/31 combat debut along the Gothic Line resulted in 63 casualties, 19 of whom were fatalities. Private Norman Clayton Skinner was among the soldiers killed in action during the August 30, 1944 attack on Point 120. Norman’s remains were interred in 5th CAD Cemetery, Montecchio, southwest of Pesaro, alongside his fallen comrades. Existing records do not provide an exact interment date.
Norman’s service file does not contain a copy of the standard telegram sent to next of kin, informing them of a soldier’s death. As his Official Canadian Army Overseas Casualty Notification form was completed on September 11, 1944, his father John likely received the news that he had been killed in action around that date. A letter to John, dated August 23, 1945, informed him that Norman’s remains had been re-interred in Montecchio British Empire Cemetery, Montecchio, eight miles southwest of Pesaro. The information available on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website does not provide an exact date of re-interment.
Norman’s brother Wilfred also enlisted for military service during the Second World War. On August 30, 1941, Wilfred married Marjorie Helen Worth, daughter of Patrick Worth and Alice Pelley, Guysborough, in St. James Manse, Antigonish. The marriage registration form recorded Wilfred’s occupation at the time as “soldier.” No further details are available on his military service at this time.
John Gordon Skinner passed away in Guysborough on December 27, 1970, two months shy of his eighty-seventh birthday and was laid to rest beside his first wife Laura in Evergreen Cemetery, Guysborough, NS.
Photograph of Private Norman Clayton Skinner courtesy of Michelle Ash-Forget, Pakenham, Ontario.
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