Lance Corporal Austin Edward Ryan—Accidentally Killed September 30, 1944

According to his military service file, Austin Edward Ryan was born in Mulgrave, Guysborough County, on May 11, 1923. A later letter written to family in Canada while Austin was serving overseas states that he was actually born in 1924. Family descendants also recall stories that he lied about his age at the time of enlistment.

While Austin’s father James Edward Ryan was born in Port Hawkesbury on June 13, 1899, his paternal grandfather Edward—James Edward’s father—was a Mulgrave native. Austin’s mother Florence Eloise was the daughter of William and Sarah (Worth) Cunningham, Havendale, Guysborough County.

James Edward Ryan served overseas with the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during the First World War. On December 7, 1915, he enlisted with the 106th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles) at Antigonish, NS. His attestation papers list his year of birth as 1897, making his apparent age 18. In fact, James was only 16 years old at the time.

Private James Edward Ryan, 106th Battalion (Nova Scotia Rifles)

James crossed the North Atlantic to the United Kingdom with the 106th in mid-July 1916. In the aftermath of significant losses during the CEF’s September and October 1916 service at the Somme, the unit was disbanded and its ranks were redistributed to other infantry battalions. James, however, remained in the UK throughout the winter of 1916-17. Finally, on March 5, 1917, he was assigned to the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) and crossed the English Channel to France the following day.

James was two months shy of his 18th birthday when he joined the RCR in the field on April 12, 1917, only days after the battle of Vimy Ridge. He served with the unit at the front for seven months before military authorities discovered his actual age. On November 14, 1917, he was re-assigned to the 4th Canadian Infantry Base Depot, where he remained for 10 months.

On September 8, 1918, 19-year-old James rejoined the RCR’s ranks during a crucial stage of the 100 Days campaign that brought fighting to an end. On October 1, he was exposed to mustard gas on the battlefield and was evacuated to No. 7 Convalescent Camp, where he made a full recovery.

James rejoined the RCR in Belgium on December 11, 1918, and returned to the UK six weeks later. He departed for Canada aboard SS Adriatic on March 1, 1919, and arrived in Halifax after a seven-day voyage. At mid-month, he was officially discharged from military service and returned to the Ryan family home in Mulgrave.

James soon secured employment with the Intercolonial—later Canadian National—Railway, working as a freight porter at the Mulgrave terminal. On August 4, 1920, he married Florence Cunningham in a ceremony that took place in Guysborough. The couple’s first child, Adeline Sarah, was born in Mulgrave on February 22, 1921. A second child, Joseph William “Joe,” joined the family on April 15, 1922. Austin arrived in March 1924, while Louis Anthony, James and Florence’s youngest child, was born around 1930.

Tragedy struck the Ryan family on April 5, 1930, when Florence succumbed to pneumonia at Riverside, Guysborough County, following a brief illness. Almost 30 years old at the time of her passing, she was interred alongside her father and mother in St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Guysborough Intervale.

Florence’s untimely death eventually led to the dissolution of the Ryan family unit. According to a June 1945 letter in Austin’s service file written by his foster-mother, Mrs. Johanna MacDonald, North Riverside, James left the youngest, Louis Anthony, in the care of “a Mrs. Ryan down there [Mary Kathleen “Kay” Carter, wife of William Clarence Ryan, Mulgrave],” and took the three older children to Point Tupper. A short time later, he “left the three [older] children at the door of his step-mother-in-law’s” in Havendale.

Florence’s mother Sarah (Worth) Cunningham had passed away in September 1923. The following year, her father William married Bridget Doyle, a native of Glencoe. After William’s death in 1926, Bridget remained in the Cunningham home, where she now assumed responsibility for three young children who were not blood relatives. Bridget took Adeline into her home and arranged for Joe to be placed with Margaret “Maggie” MacDonald, Port Hawkesbury. The local parish priest found a temporary home for Austin.

Around 1933, Mrs. Johanna MacDonald, a North Riverside widow, took Austin into her home as a foster child. A later letter written to military authorities described Austin as “a very delicate child when I took him [in] but [he] grew up to be a strong, hearty boy [who] got over all his sickness and attended school until he was 16 years of age.”

Upon completing Grade VIII, Austin “stayed at home with [Johanna].” From 1939 to 1942, he was employed by Alexander “Sander” MacMullin, Springfield, Antigonish County, as a “woodsman” from the autumn to the spring of the year. During the summer months, he worked on the MacDonald farm. After the outbreak of war overseas, Austin’s older brother Joe enlisted with the Pictou Highlanders. According to Johanna, Joe “always came [to the North Riverside farm] to spend his vacation and made it his home.”

Perhaps inspired by his brother’s example, Austin enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force at New Glasgow, NS, on July 7, 1942. Ten days later, he departed for No. 62 Training Centre, Charlottetown, PEI, where he received basic infantry instruction. On September 12, Austin was assigned to the Princess Louise Fusiliers (Motor), and joined the unit at Camp Debert, where it was preparing for its overseas departure.

The Princess Louise Fusiliers regiment traces its origins to a Halifax militia unit established by Sir Edward Cornwallis, the city’s founder, on June 18, 1749. Following Confederation, the regiment was officially constituted as the Halifax Battalion of Infantry in November 1869. It was re-named the 66th Battalion “Princess Louise” Fusiliers in November 1879, in honour of Queen Victoria’s daughter, who was also the wife of the Marquess of Lorne, Canada’s Governor-General at the time.

In 1885, soldiers from the Halifax regiment joined an armed force dispatched to Western Canada to deal with the North-West Rebellion. The Fusiliers also provided a Company of soldiers for service with the 2nd (Special Service) Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, during the Boer (South African) War (1899 - 1902).

In May 1900, the unit changed its title to the 66th Regiment “Princess Louise”Fusiliers. During the First World War, it provided soldiers for several locally recruited infantry battalions and was re-designated the Princess Louise Fusiliers (PLF) in 1915.

During the Second World War, the Fusiliers were initially called to duty as a “Motor” battalion. Each Armoured Brigade contained one such unit, so designated because it possessed sufficient motorized transport to accommodate all of its soldiers. While the PLF carried this designation during its training in Canada, the unit’s role changed significantly following its overseas arrival.

Nine days after joining the PLF’s ranks, Austin received four days’ special leave and likely visited Johanna in North Riverside before returning to Debert. On October 26, 1942, he departed for overseas with the unit and disembarked in the United Kingdom nine days later. The PLF trained throughout the winter and spring of 1942-43, in preparation for active duty on the European continent.

When the Allies launched an invasion of Italy—Germany’s Axis ally—in early July 1943, the 1st Canadian Infantry Division was the only Canadian component of the force that landed in Sicily. The invading units fought their way across the island throughout the summer months. During that time, military authorities in the United Kingdom prepared a second Canadian unit—the 5th Canadian Armoured Division—for service in the Mediterranean campaign after the invasion of the Italian mainland.

The preparations led to a significant change in the Princess Louise Fusiliers’ role. On August 12, 1943, the unit was re-designated the 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade Support Group—also described as the 11th Canadian Machine Gun Company (Princess Louise Fusiliers)—and was assigned to the 5th Canadian Armoured Division (5th CAD).

As part of the reorganization, 250 of the unit’s men were transferred to infantry battalions in the 5th CAD’s 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade (11th CIB). The PLF’s remaining personnel were divided into three machine gun platoons, each equipped with four Vickers or Browning heavy machine guns, and two mortar companies, each equipped with four 4.2” heavy mortars mounted on two-wheeled carriages.

Military authorities described the Support Group’s sub-units as “heavy direct-fire support units.” Their role on the battlefield was to provide “fire support” for the 11th CIB’’s three infantry battalions—the Cape Breton Highlanders, the Perth Regiment (Ontario), and the Irish Regiment of Canada (Toronto, ON).

After the restructuring, Austin remained with the PLF, where he was assigned to one of its two mortar companies. The unit trained at Hampden Park, Eastbourne, for seven weeks in preparation for its new role. During that time, Austin found a few minutes to write to his foster-mother Johanna on October 15, 1943:

“I will be over here a year [on] the 5th of November. I hope I won’t be here another year. I’m pretty sure I won’t. I was away for two months. I was out of this country [England] altogether and quite a ways away. I would like to tell you but I can’t…. I guess I will be leaving again pretty soon… so don’t worry if you don’t hear from me for a couple of months. I will be all right. Well, maybe, it’s awful the places a fellow sees in his life. I wish I was back in Canada. I think I am getting a stripe [promotion in rank] pretty soon…. I will write and tell you if I do…. With love from your boy, Austin Ryan.”

One week later, the PLF’s 390 men all ranks travelled to Liverpool by train and boarded SS Monterey the following morning. The vessel left the dock at 0730 hours October 24 and dropped anchor in the mouth of the River Clyde, near Gourock, Scotland, that evening. Over the next several days, numerous vessels gathered in the same location.

The convoy carrying the 5th Canadian Armoured Division departed for the Mediterranean theatre in the early morning hours of October 28 and passed through the Straits of Gibraltar one week later. After a brief stop in Philippeville, Algeria, the Monterey and its convoy compatriots arrived in Naples, Italy, on November 10, 1943.

The PLF’s personnel disembarked in mid-afternoon and marched to Afragola, a suburb on the outskirts of Naples, where the unit resumed training. Personnel broke camp on November 19 and during the next 48 hours made their way to Altamura, approximately 250 kilometers east of Naples. The following day—November 23, 1944—Austin wrote a letter to Johanna, providing an update on his situation:

“I suppose you’ve been wondering why I haven’t written you lately. I have moved from England [and] am down in Italy….The weather is very cold [but] there is no snow over here. I don’t know whether they have snow or not [but] I don’t want to find out either. I got your money… and received [the] cigarettes from you before I left [England]. Thanks a lot for everything.”

For the next two months, the entire 5th CAD trained in the area in preparation for deployment at the front. During that time, Austin sent several more letters home in which he commented on his new circumstances:

“It’s not too bad here but I just as soon… be home…. This Italy is an awful dirty place. There is quite a bit of fruit over here but that’s all. You can’t buy cigarettes at all…. [W]ith all the places I [have seen], there is none like dear old Canada. I was in Scotland, England and Wales. The only place I saw like Canada was Scotland. The Scotch people [are] awful nice. They would give you anything. I guess that’s why you were so good-hearted. Only for you, ma, God only knows where I would be now... because you brought me up and fed me. I can see a lot of things now that you said when I was home that [are] coming [true]. I was in a lot more places but I can’t tell you. I hope I will be able to someday when I return, that’s if I do....Write soon… because this is an awful lonesome place.”

On January 10, 1944, 5th CAD units began the trek northward toward Ortona, an ancient town located on the Adriatic Sea. The PLF’s machine gun platoons and mortar companies were deployed in front line positions by mid-month, in support of the 11th CIB’s battalions. Initial reports indicated that “all [was] quiet in their areas.” While serving in the line north of Ortona, Austin was promoted to the non-commissioned rank of Acting Lance Corporal.

During the month of February 1944, Austin wrote at least four letters to Johanna, describing various aspects of his experiences in Italy. The first letter, dated February 7, 1944, was written “in a slit trench. It isn’t too bad. My two chums and I are asleep under the ground. It is fairly warm. We have a lot of fun talking about home. There is a little snow but not very [much].”

A second letter, written 10 days later, provided more details on Austin’s comrades:

“We are in [sic] the front. There are four of us sleeping in an old house. We have a lot of fun. Two of them are from Cape Breton and one from Halifax. We have fun talking about where we were from and talking about home. I suppose there is a lot of snow around home. Well, there isn’t any here now but lots of mud…. I will drop [you] a line every chance I get and don’t worry about me.”

A third letter, dated February 22, 1944, mentioned recent correspondence with Austin’s sister Adeline, who “told me Joe was coming overseas. I hope he does because he’s been in the Army about four years and hasn’t gone anywhere, so I hope he gets a taste of it too.”

In mid-March 1944, the PLF travelled southward to Casalnuovo Monterotaro, Foggia, for a period of rest and training. During his time there, Austin once again found time to write to Johanna on April 1:

“Well. ma, you told me one time to try and be something. Well, I have made a little start ha ha, but I don’t know how long it’s going to last. I am a Lance Corporal, so the next time you write put that on my letters… It will soon be my birthday. I will be 20, if I remember right….I wrote to you the other day and sent you a picture and also Adeline…. I hope you get them all right…. It will soon be summer here. It’s likely awful hot. I suppose there is a lot of snow around home yet.”

Lance Corporal Austin Edward Ryan in Italy, April 1944

After three weeks in Foggia, Austin and his PFL comrades commenced a three-day trek to Aquafondata, Frosinone, 25 kilometers northeast of Cassino, where they relieved the Northumberland Fusiliers, a British unit, on April 13. Over the next several weeks, Allied forces prepared for their first major combat assignment of the year—an attack on the Gustav and Hitler Lines, two heavily fortified defensive positions located in the strategic Liri Valley.

5th CAD units remained in reserve during the initial phase, which commenced on May 11. During four days of hard fighting, British, Canadian and Polish forces breached the Gustav Line, the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade providing crucial support to the 1st Canadian Division’s infantry units. Allied forces then pushed northwestward toward the Hitler Line, located in the valley’s northern end.

5th CAD was assigned the task of piercing the Hitler Line, after which its 11th Infantry Brigade was to exploit the breakthrough, with the support of the PLF’s mortar companies and machine gun platoons. As PLF personnel entered the front lines on May 22, its war diary reported the unit’s first combat fatality when enemy artillery fire struck one of its positions.

The attack on the Hitler Line commenced the following day, 1st Canadian Division units breaking through the Hitler Line during two days of combat. The 11th CIB entered the line on May 25, pursuing German forces northwestward as they retreated toward Rome. By month’s end, the Italian capital was within striking distance. During that time, the PLF’s war diary reported another three fatalities, all the result of intense enemy artillery fire.

On the day the PLF entered the line in the Liri Valley, Austin was formally promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. As other Allied forces liberated the city of Rome on June 4, 5th CAD moved out to a rest area near Ceprano. Two days later, news of the D-Day landings in Normandy generated great excitement among its personnel. At mid-month, the unit relocated to a camp near Caiazzo, Caserta, for a period of rest and training that lasted six weeks.

On August 1, 5th CAD broke camp and headed northward, passing through Rome the following day and moving on to a location south of Perugia. PLF personnel spent several days encamped on a local estate before moving to an area near Trevi for another period of training. The weather was hot and dry, its war diary describing particularly high temperatures at mid-month.

On August 26, 5th CAD units began the trek to a new area along the Adriatic coast. Canadian units there had already crossed the Metauro River in the first stage of a campaign to break through the Gothic Line, another massive German defensive network. The PLF’s mortar companies and machine gun platoons were “up with [the] infantry” as the Division pushed northward, in the wake of attacking Canadian units.

By August 31, the PLF was encamped on a “forward high slope of [a] high feature near Sant’ Angelo [in Vado],” where personnel has a “wonderful view of [the] battle of the Foglia River and Gothic Line. Casualties very slight. Many fires at night from burning houses, tanks, machines, etc.” The unit remained in the location for several days, its mortars “firing past [the] Gothic Line while its machine gun platoons supported 11th CIB units fighting in the valley below.

Canadian units were focused on securing Coriano Ridge, a key area of high ground held in numbers by German forces and blocking the Allied advance. The PLF’s war diary described the situation on September 6 as “very sticky,” German forces inflicting heavy casualties on Canadian infantry units fighting in the “Coriano bowl.” Two days later, the unit reported five casualties—one soldier killed and another four wounded—when its positions were “heavily shelled and mortared.”

The bombardment continued throughout the next several days, reaching a peak on September 10, when two more soldiers were killed and another 10 wounded. Three days later, 11th CIB units finally secured Coriano Ridge during an early morning attack. The following day—September 14—5th CAD retired to a rest camp near San Giovanni after a hard two weeks in the line.

On September 19, news reached the PLF camp that a Greek unit had secured the coastal town of Rimini, while Canadian units had crossed the Bologna - Rimini Road, finally pushing the front line beyond “all mountain barriers leading to the Lombardy Plains” of northern Italy. Four days later, PLF personnel moved out to an area west of Rimini as Canadian units prepared to advance into the historic region of Romagna.

Personnel endured several days of “heavy intermittent shelling” while 11th CIB units awaited orders to relieve the 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade positions across the Uso River. Finally, on September 27, 11th CIB received orders “to form up against [the] Salto [River] preparatory to [a] set piece attack on [the] Divisional axis.” The PLF’s mortar companies were to move forward “when [the] situation permits.”

Two machine gun platoons also stood by, ready to move forward in support of the Cape Breton Highlanders and Perth Regiment. During the day, all three 11th CIB units pushed forward to the banks of the Rubicon River, where they established defensive positions. The PLF received orders to “push [its] platoons forward with [a] view to support [a] crossing of the Rubicone.” By day’s end, however, military commanders cancelled plans for a night-time river crossing. All three 11th CIB units, having already suffered significant casualties during the day’s advance, breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the news.

11th CIB units and PLF platoons held their positions along the Rubicone during two days of cloudy, wet weather. September 30, 1944, started as a “bright and warm” day with “few clouds.” As 5th CAD units maintained their positions along the Rubicone, the two mortar companies fired into enemy territory across the river. The PLF’s war diary described a tragic incident that occurred during the day: “Lieutenant Bookbinder’s [mortar] platoon had a premature charge blow a barrel, kill[ing] two and wound[ing] three.”

Lance Corporal Austin Edward Ryan was one of the two PLF soldiers killed in the accidental explosion. Austin and his comrade, Sergeant Ross Glendon Turnbull, Digby, NS, were initially buried in Military Cemetery No. 7, San Mauro. On June 5, 1945, their remains were re-interred in Cesena British Military Cemetery, Cesena, Italy.

On October 10, 1944, Austin’s foster-mother Johanna received a telegram from military authorities, informing her that her foster-son had been killed overseas “as a result of an accidental bomb explosion.” Johanna passed away in Sydney, NS, in 1957 and was laid to rest in St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Guysborough. Austin’s father James Edward Ryan died in 1985. No details are available on his later life.

Austin’s older brother Joseph also enlisted with the Canadian Army. Prior to heading overseas, Joe married Roxie Acker, daughter of Ezekiel and Radie (Woodworth) Acker, Lawrencetown, Annapolis County, on June 16, 1942. Joe subsequently served overseas and safely returned home. After his discharge, he worked at the Department of National Defence’s Halifax Dockyard for 35 years.

Joe and Roxie raised a family of four children—two sons and two daughters—in their Dartmouth home. Joe passed away in Camp Hill Veterans’ Memorial Building, Halifax, on February 25, 2015, at age 92 and was laid to rest in Dartmouth Memorial Gardens.

Photographs of Lance Corporal Austin Edward Ryan and excerpts from his letters to his foster-mother Johanna MacDonald courtesy of Phyllis Hart, Guysborough Intervale, NS.

Private Henry Edward "Harry" Smith—Killed in Action September 28, 1944

Henry Edward “Harry” Smith was born in Canso, Guysborough County, on March 30, 1913. Harry’s father, James Edward, was the son of William and Sabine Lavinia (Boudreau) Smith, East Port Medway, Queens County. His mother, Teresa Etta, was the daughter of Martin and Phoebe Murphy, Tangier/Spry Bay, Halifax County. James and Teresa married in Canso on February 14, 1912, and made their home in the coastal community, where James worked in a local fish plant.

Private Henry Edward "Harry" Smith

Harry was the oldest of James and Theresa’s eight children. By the time of the 1921 Canadian census, three more children—William George “Bill” (DOB February 11, 1915); Katherine Elvina (DOB August 17, 1917); and Robert Lawrence “Bob” (DOB February 2, 1920)—had joined the household. Another three Smith children were born prior to the next decennial census—Nora Mary (DOB September 13, 1921); Howard James (DOB May 8, 1923); and Lillian Constance “Connie” (DOB February 9, 1931). The couple’s youngest child, Edmund Joseph, was born on March 1, 1936.

Harry Smith left public school after completing Grade IV. In later years, he attended night classes during military training for three hours each week to upgrade his education. Upon entering the work force, Harry was employed as a general labourer for 14 years and as a carpenter for two years. Around 1939, he purchased property at Milford Haven Bridge, where he operated a mixed farm.

On December 11, 1942, Harry reported to No. 6 District Depot, Halifax, having been “called up” under the terms of the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA). The 1940 federal law required all men of military service age to register with the government. They were then randomly selected for a compulsory three-week military training program.

A week and a half after reporting to the Depot, Harry enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force. He remained in Halifax for the rest of the month and proceeded to No. 14 Infantry Training Centre, Aldershot, for basic training on January 8, 1943. Granted “agricultural leave” from May 1 to June 11, 1943, Harry returned to Aldershot, where he spent the summer before departing for overseas on September 13. Six days later, he disembarked in the United Kingdom.

Harry was immediately assigned to No. 7 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU), where he awaited assignment to an active infantry unit. During his time in the UK, he was attached for duty to Canadian Army Headquarters for one week in late October. Harry then moved on to No. 1 Canadian General Reinforcement Unit, where he was assigned to “regimental watch duties” for three months.

On February 4, 1944, Harry was transferred to No. 2 CIRU, the next step toward service with an active infantry unit. Ten days later, his name was placed on the Mediterranean theatre’s reinforcement list. He embarked from the UK on February 17 and landed in Italy two weeks later. In early March, Harry’s name was placed on the 1st Canadian Division’s active reinforcement list.

On April 5, 1944, Harry was assigned to the Princess Louise Fusiliers’ reinforcement list. The Halifax-based militia unit had recruited two machine gun companies for service with the 5th Canadian Armoured Division, which was part of the Allied force fighting in Italy. Throughout the spring and summer months, Harry awaited orders to report for duty.

As Canadian units in Italy spent much of the summer training, there was little demand for reinforcements until they returned to combat in late August 1944. Within weeks, fighting in northeastern Italy resulted in significant casualties. As a result, Harry was re-assigned to the Cape Breton Highlanders on September 16, 1944, and joined its ranks in the field the following day.

The Cape Breton Highlanders (CBH) regiment traces its 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. While the 185th crossed the North Atlantic to the United Kingdom in October 1916, the unit never saw active service on the continent. Instead, it remained in the UK, where it served as a reinforcement unit for Nova Scotia battalions in France and Belgium.

Officially disbanded in November 29, 1918, CBH was reconstituted as a Canadian militia unit on November 1, 1920, and was called to active service on August 26, 1939. The regiment subsequently mobilized the 1st Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders, for service with the Canadian Active Service Force on January 1, 1941. Ten months later, the unit departed for overseas.

After arriving in the United Kingdom, CBH was 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). Its soldiers spent two years training in the United Kingdom before landing in Italy with the 5th Canadian Armoured Division (5th CAD) in November 1943.

In mid-January 1944, CBH commenced active service in sectors north of Ortona. The unit relocated to the front lines near the entrance to the Liri Valley in early April, in preparation for an Allied offensive against the Gustav and Hitler Lines, two German defensive networks located in the strategically important valley.

5th CAD was not involved in the initial attack, which commenced on May 11. During two weeks of hard fighting, Allied forces penetrated both lines. On May 25, 5th CAD entered the line during the “break out” phase as Allied forces advanced toward Rome. CBH’s week-long Liri Valley tour resulted in 30 combat fatalities and 126 wounded.

On June 3, CBH moved out to Ceprano for an extended period of rest and training. Three days later, news of the Allied landings in Normandy raised hopes that an end to the war was not far away. At mid-month, CBH relocated to Caiazzo, where the highlight of the summer was a July 30 visit to the unit’s camp by King George VI. Three days later, the battalion travelled through Rome to a staging area along the shores of Lake Bolsena, 130 kilometers north of the Italian capital.

Over the next three days, 5th CAD units made their way northeastward to an area near the Adriatic coast south of Pesaro. The Canadians’ next assignment was an assault on the Gothic Line, a German defensive network that stretched across the entire Italian peninsula, from the Adriatic coast through mountains north of Florence to a location on the Tyrrhenian Sea south of Spezia.

The British 8th Army, to which the Canadians were attached, was given the task of penetrating the line’s eastern sectors adjacent to the Adriatic Sea. The mission proved to be one of the Italian campaign’s most challenging assignments. While Allied forces managed to break through the Gothic Line during the last week of August, combat losses were significant. During a three-day tour in late August, CBH suffered 19 soldiers killed and another 44 wounded.

Canadian units then advanced northward toward the Rimini Line, a new defensive system hastily established by retreating German forces. While CBH was involved in a successful September 5 attack on San Andreas Ridge, the unit suffered another 11 fatalities and 40 wounded during its four days on the ridge. After a brief rest, personnel returned to the line on the night of September 12/13, its soldiers launching an early morning attack on Coriano Ridge.

CBH and its 11th Brigade mates successfully secured the ridge by late afternoon September 13 and retired to a rest camp near San Giovanni on the evening of September 14. Two and a half weeks of combat in the Rimini area had taken a severe toll on its ranks. CBH had suffered a total of 57 fatalities, while another 241 men were wounded during that time. As a result, the battalion commenced the process of rebuilding its depleted companies as soon as it withdrew from the line.

Private Henry Edward Smith was among the reinforcements who joined CBH’s ranks during its nine-day stay in rest camp. Harry commenced his first tour in the front line when the unit briefly relieved British units near Santa Giustina in the early hours of September 23. Prior to that date, the 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade managed to cross the Usi River and establish defensive positions to the left and right of the village of San Vito. Upon relieving its 12th Brigade comrades, CBH’s 11th CIB received orders to advance to the Rubicone River and establish a bridgehead at Fiumicino. Its units were then instructed to seize control of crossings over the Scolo Rigosso, a large drainage ditch, at Sant’ Angelo.

At 1340 hours September 26, CBH’s A Company led its personnel to a concentration area, from where the soldiers proceeded to relieve 12th CIB’s Westminster Regiment (British Columbia) at La Torre, near the Usi River. The Cape Bretoners now found themselves 20 kilometers north of their last combat assignment at Coriano Ridge. The battalion’s D Company moved into position at 2210 hours, the entire unit settled into the line by 0400 hours September 27.

Night patrols soon reported that a bridge across the Salto River at La Torre had been destroyed and the river was not fordable at that location. During the afternoon of September 27, CBH personnel advanced through severe artillery and mortar fire to the Vena River, where German small arms fire prevented further progress. By 1800 hours, the entire unit had managed to cross the Salto River at another location and held its ground in the face of heavy machine gun fire.

Throughout the night of September 27/28, German mortar and artillery fire struck CBH’s location, impacting B and D Companies in particular. Around 0700 hours September 28, D Company commenced a move forward toward the Rubicone, with orders to “consolidate along the river and secure [a] bridge” that was still believed to be intact. The soldiers “had not gone too far when they met considerable mortar and machine gun fire.”

At 0915 hours, CBH received word that enemy forces had destroyed the bridge. Artillery and mortar shelling continued throughout the morning as officers re-assessed the situation. While the unit initially received orders to conduct a night-time crossing of the Rubicone, the operation was cancelled in late afternoon. Meanwhile, D Company continued its advance toward the river, reaching its banks before midnight and establishing a defensive position. During that time, B Company also encountered significant enemy fire and called the unit’s Medical Officer forward “to attend to some casualties.”

For the remainder of September, CBH held its positions along the Rubicone River. The unit reported a total of 352 casualties during the month—two officers and 50 “other ranks” (OR) were killed, while 14 officers and 286 OR were wounded. Losses on September 28, 1944, were particularly severe. According to Commonwealth War Graves Commission records, a total of 10 CBH soldiers died that day.

Private Henry Edward Smith was one of the September 28, 1944 fatalities, killed in the exchanges of fire as CBH personnel advanced to the banks of the Rubicone. The exact circumstances of his death are unknown. Harry was initially buried in the 5th Canadian Armoured Division Cemetery, Cesena, Italy. In early October 1944, Harry’s mother Teresa received official notice of his death in combat. His remains were re-interred in Cesena British Cemetery, Cesena, Italy, on June 5, 1945.

Harry father’ James died at Boylston, NS, on October 13, 1956. He had resided in the community for approximately 16 years and was 77 years old at the time of his passing. James was laid to rest in St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Guysborough. His wife Teresa passed away in 1984 and was buried beside her husband.

Three of Harry’s brothers were in uniform at the time of his death. William George “Bill” was serving overseas with the Canadian Army. Bill had enlisted during the first months of the war and was stationed in Halifax when he married Lavinia Armsworthy, daughter of William A. Armsworthy and Hannah L. Feltmate, Queensport, in a ceremony that took place in the Baptist Parsonage, Halifax, on October 11, 1940.

The details of Bill’s overseas service are unknown, although it appears that he served in Western Europe. After the war, he and Lavinia established residence in Côte-Saint-Luc, Montreal, QC. No information is available on his civilian life. Bill passed away in Montreal on October 14, 1996, at 81 years of age.

Gunner Howard James Smith (kneeling) and unidentified comrade

Howard James Smith served in Canada with a Royal Canadian Artillery unit during the war. After his discharge, he returned to Canso, where he worked in the local fishery. Howard fell ill in early 1955 and was diagnosed with reticulo-sarcoma, a form of malignant lymphoma. He died in Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, on March 2, 1955, two months shy of his thirty-second birthday. Single at the time of his passing, Howard was interred in Star of the Sea Cemetery, Canso, NS.

Private Robert Lawrence "Bob" Smith (left) and unidentified soldier

 

Robert Lawrence “Bob” also enlisted with the Canadian Armed Forces during the war. On June 4, 1946, Bob marriage Evelyn May Swaine, daughter of Walter Swaine and Mary Spears, Upper Tickle, in a ceremony held in Canso. While Bob was working in a local fish plant at the time, he later re-enlisted with the Canadian Armed Forces and served for 24 years. After retirement, he and Evelyn resided in Dartmouth. Bob passed away in the Halifax Infirmary on April 24, 2011, at age 81.

Special thanks to Wendy (Smith) Wellwood, New Bandon, NB, for providing photographs of Harry, Howard and Bob Smith for this post.

Private Douglas Albert Hadley—Killed in Action September 28, 1944

 Douglas Albert Hadley was born in New Waterford, NS., on December 26, 1920. Both of Douglas’s parents were natives of Oyster Ponds, Guysborough County. His father Lewis Osborne was the son of Joseph and Eliza (Grant) Hadley, while his mother Elizabeth May “Lizzie” was the daughter of Joseph and Catherine “Kate” Jamieson. Lewis and Lizzie were married in Glace Bay, NS, on January 22, 1914. At the time, Lewis was living in Dominion, where he was employed as a section foreman on the local railway.

Private Douglas Albert Hadley

The young couple established residence in Dominion, where five children joined the household over the next seven years. Their first child, Charles Joseph, was born on January 25, 1915. A daughter Dorothy Evelyn joined the family on December 18, 1915, while a second daughter, Hilda May, arrived on August 13. 1917. Douglas, the couple’s fourth child and second son, was born on December 26, 1920, while Lillian Jemima, the youngest of the Hadley children, arrived on July 17, 1921.

Tragedy struck the young family on August 2, 1923, when Lewis passed away in Glace Bay General Hospital. Only 43 years old at the time of his death, he had been under medical care for three months before succumbing to osteomyelitis. After her husband’s untimely death, Lizzie remained in Dominion, where she somehow managed to care for her five young children.

Four years after Lewis’s death, Lizzie developed an ovarian cyst that required medical attention. While the problem subsided, another cyst was detected in early May 1929 and became cancerous. Lizzie’s health quickly deteriorated and she passed away in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Glace Bay, on July 29, 1929. She was 35 years old at the time of her death.

In the aftermath of their mother’s passing, the Hadley children were dispersed to various locations. Charles was taken in by Fenwick Hadley and his wife Annie. A native of Manchester, Guysborough County, Fenwick was working as a carpenter in New Waterford at the time of Lizzie’s passing. While he may have know Lizzie and Lewis prior to their deaths, there are no genealogical documents that connect him to either of Charles’ parents.

Dorothy was taken in by Hugh Jameson, Melford. Also in the home at the time of the 1931 Canadian census was Hugh’s mother, Mary Catherine, age 60. The census entry identified Dorothy as Hugh’s “cousin,” but census and marriage records suggest that Hugh may have been her mother Lizzie’s first cousin. For unknown reasons, Dorothy’s sibling Hilda was sent to the Nova Scotia Training School, Bible Hill. Lillian, the youngest of the sisters, was taken in by James Joseph Wallace Carr, age 68, Mulgrave, and his wife Martha Clarice Grant. Census records also describe Lillian as a “cousin,” but no clear relationship can be established.

Douglas Hadley initially resided in the home of Joseph Delbert Hunson, Milford, and his wife Harriet Marcella “Hattie” Grant. Once again, census records refer to Douglas as a “cousin.” Hattie was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Grant, Oyster Pond, and thus may have been a relative of Douglas’s paternal grandmother, Eliza (Grant) Hadley. However, there are no documents to support this connection.

Sometime after 1931, Douglas relocated to West River, Pictou County, where he was taken in as a foster child by George and Bertha Seaman. He attended public school for seven years, completing Grade VI. He left school at age 13 and worked as a farm labourer for four years, quite possibly on the Seaman family farm. Douglas then found employment with a lumbering operation in the Charlos Cove area. In late 1940, he moved to Oxford, Cumberland County, where he worked as an “edger” in a local lumber mill.

In the spring of 1941, Douglas was “called up” under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA). Upon completing a mandatory training program, he enlisted with the Canadian militia at Halifax on May 20, 1941. He completed his basic training in Yarmouth and proceeded to Camp Aldershot in late July for advanced infantry instruction.

Private Douglas Albert Hadley at the time of his enlistment

On December 5, 1941, Douglas was assigned to the Pictou Highlanders, a Canadian militia unit. Three days later, he was posted to the garrison at Devil’s Battery, located near the entrance to Halifax harbour. After only six weeks of militia service, Douglas attested with the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) at Dartmouth on January 19, 1942. At that time, he listed his older brother Charles Hadley, Melford, as his next of kin.

Under the terms of his NRMA enlistment, Douglas could be assigned only to “home defence” duties. His CASF enlistment meant that he was now eligible for overseas service. Despite the change in status, he remained in Canada for almost two years. Posted once again to the Pictou Highlanders’ “D” Company, he was assigned to one of its officers as a “batman.” In early May, he was transferred to the Lawlor’s Island battery, located off Eastern Passage, near the mouth of Halifax Harbour. Briefly hospitalized on June 9 for treatment of cellulitis in his left thumb—probably the result of a cut—he returned to duty 10 days later.

On August 9, 1942, Douglas was transferred to the Pictou Highlanders’ Halifax detachment. In early December, he proceeded to Sussex Camp, NB, for training. On March 2, 1943, he was once again assigned to “batman” duty and shortly afterward departed for coastal fence duty in Newfoundland with a detachment of Pictou Highlanders. He spent six months on the island before returning to Nova Scotia.

On September 14, Douglas reported to Camp Debert on September 14 and received the standard two-week pre-embarkation leave. Upon returning to duty, he remained in Debert for one week before relocating to No. 1 Transit Camp, Windsor, on October 8. He waited there for six weeks before departing for overseas on November 25. One week later, he disembarked in the United Kingdom and was immediately assigned to No. 7 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU).

Douglas arrived overseas during a lull in the Allied Italian campaign. A large force of British, American and Commonwealth units had invaded Sicily in early June 1943 and moved on to the southern tip of the Italian mainland in early September. Canadian units were part of an Allied battle group that advanced up the central part of the Italian peninsula before swinging eastward to the coastal plain along the Adriatic Sea.

Following a costly but successful operation against German forces in the Moro River area and the capture of Ortona in late December 1943, Canadian units spent the winter of 1943-44 in the front lines north of the town. Both sides settled into a period of “static warfare” that extended into the spring of 1944. During that time, Allied reinforcements made their way to a camp at Avellino, approximately 100 kilometers east of Naples.

On February 18, 1944, Private Douglas Albert Hadley was assigned to the Mediterranean theatre’s reinforcement pool and departed for Italy the following day. He disembarked at Naples on March 3 and made his way to Avellino, where he awaited orders to report to an active unit. In mid-March, Douglas was placed on the Cape Breton Highlanders’ reinforcement list and was officially “taken on strength” in the field on April 7, 1944.

The Cape Breton Highlanders (CBH) regiment traces its roots to the Victoria Provisional Battalion of Infantry, established in Baddeck, NS, on October 13, 1871. Redesignated 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. While the 185th crossed the North Atlantic to the United Kingdom in October 1916, the unit never saw active service on the continent. It remained in the UK, where it served as a reinforcement unit for Nova Scotia battalions in France and Belgium.

Officially disbanded in November 29, 1918, CBH was reconstituted as a Canadian militia unit on November 1, 1920, and was called to active service on August 26, 1939. The regiment subsequently mobilized the 1st Battalion, Cape Breton Highlanders, for service with the Canadian Active Service Force on January 1, 1941, and departed for overseas on November 10, 1941

Upon arriving in the United Kingdom in late November, CBH was 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). Its soldiers spent two years training in the United Kingdom before arriving in Italy with the 5th Canadian Armoured Division (5th CAD) in November 1943.

CBH commenced active service in sectors north of Ortona in mid-January 1944 and relocated to the forward area near the entrance to the Liri Valley in early April. Private Douglas Albert Hadley likely joined its ranks there as personnel prepared for their role in the upcoming Allied offensive against the Gustav and Hitler Lines, two German defensive networks located in the strategically important valley.

5th CAD was not involved in the initial attacks on the defensive systems, which commenced on May 11. During two weeks of hard fighting, Allied forces broke through both lines. On May 25, 5th CAD entered the line during the “break out” phase as Allied forces advanced toward Rome. CBH’s week-long Liri Valley tour resulted in 30 combat fatalities and 126 soldiers wounded.

On June 3, CBH moved out to Ceprano for an extended period of rest and training. Three days later, news of the Allied landings in Normandy raised hopes that an end to the war was not far away. At mid-month, CBH relocated to Caiazzo, where the highlight of the summer was a July 30 visit to its camp by King George VI. Three days later, the unit travelled through Rome to a staging area along the shores of Lake Bolsena, 130 kilometers north of the Italian capital.

Over the next three days, 5th CAD units made their way northeastward to an area on the Adriatic coast south of Pesaro. The Canadians’ next assignment was an assault on the Gothic Line, a German defensive network that crossed the entire Italian peninsula, stretching from the Adriatic coast through mountains north of Florence to a location on the Tyrrhenian Sea south of Spezia. The British 8th Army, to which the Canadians were attached, was given the task of penetrating the line’s eastern sectors adjacent to the Adriatic Sea. The mission proved to be one of the Italian campaign’s most challenging assignments.

The attack’s first phase commenced on August 26 as British, Polish and 1st Canadian Division units crossed the Metauro River and advanced northward to the Foglia River during three days of hard fighting. Beyond the Foglia lay the Gothic line itself, an objective assigned to 5th CAD and its 1st Canadian Division comrades.

In the early morning hours of August 29, CBH personnel entered front line positions north of Monteciccardo and crossed the Foglia at 1730 hours. During the following two days, the unit made three unsuccessful attempts to break through the German line. Its Perth Regiment comrades to the unit’s right finally reached their objective during the morning of August 31. Later in the day, the Irish Regiment of Canada passed through the Perths’ line and secured CBH’s objective. CBH was relieved in the line that evening, having suffered 19 fatalities and another 44 soldiers wounded during its first Gothic Line engagement.

Canadian units continued their advance northward toward the Rimini Line, a new line of defence hastily established behind the Gothic Line by retreating German forces. On September 4, 5th CAD assembled in a concentration area in preparation for an attack on San Andreas Ridge, one of several strategic areas of high ground located in front of the Rimini Line.

At 0200 hours September 5, two CBH Companies moved forward with support from a troop of New Brunswick Hussars tanks and successfully secured the ridge three hours later. The soldiers quickly dug slit trenches for shelter before first light. They spent the next three days on a downward slope, in full view of the town of Coriano, which was still in German hands. During that time, personnel endured relentless mortar and artillery fire that inflicted 11 fatalities and wounded 40 others. By the time the unit withdrew from the position at 2355 hours September 9, the soldiers had nicknamed the location “Graveyard Hill.”

CBH personnel retired to a rest camp near San Giovanni for a much-needed rest. No further advance was possible in its sector until Coriano Ridge and the town of the same name atop the feature was in Allied hands. During the unit’s time in rest camp, British soldiers launched a series of unsuccessful attacks on the location. In response, Allied commanders selected 5th CAD and its 11th Brigade units to complete the task.

The plan called for a night-time attack on the ridge along a two-battalion front. CBH would occupy the right flank, with the Perth Regiment on its left. The operation was scheduled for 0100 hours September 13 and would be supported by a squadron of New Brunswick Hussars tanks and several mobile artillery units. During the initial stage, the two units were to isolate the town of Coriano by securing the areas on its flanks. The Irish Regiment of Canada would then pass through CBH’s lines at first light and clear enemy forces from the town.

At 2230 hours September 12, CBH’s soldiers commenced a three-kilometre trek to their assembly area. All units were in position by midnight, the advance commencing one hour later. Despite significant enemy fire and a perilous anti-personnel minefield, two CBH Companies advanced up the slope, arriving at the top of the ridge around 0400 hours. Thirty minutes later, the Perths had secured their objective, allowing the Irish Regiment to move forward at 0600 hours and reach the ridge one hour later.

With assistance from the Westminster Regiment (British Columbia), the Irish secured the town by late afternoon. That night, the units dispatched patrols down the ridge’s slopes as German artillery and mortars targeted the entire ridge. The three regiments nevertheless held their ground, finally commencing relief procedures at 1700 hours September 14.

CBH once again retired to the San Giovanni rest camp, where it began rebuilding its ranks. During 17 days along the Gothic Line, the unit had suffered 57 fatalities, while another 241 men had been wounded. The soldiers enjoyed nine days of much-needed rest before relieving British units near Santa Giustina in the early hours of September 23.

Prior to CBH’s return to the line, the 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade managed to cross the Usi River and establish defensive positions to the left and right of San Vito. Upon relieving its 12th Brigade comrades, 11th CIB received orders to advance to the Rubicone River and establish a bridgehead at Fiumicino. Its units were then instructed to seize control of crossings over the Scolo Rigosso, a large drainage ditch, at Sant’ Angelo.

At 1340 hours September 26, CBH’s A Company led the unit’s personnel to a concentration area prior to relieving the 12th CIB’s Westminsters at La Torre, near the Usi River. The soldiers now found themselves 20 kilometers north of Coriano Ridge. D Company moved into position at 2210 hours and the entire unit had settled into the line by 0400 hours September 27.

Night patrols soon reported that a bridge across the Salto River at La Torre had been destroyed and the river was not fordable at that location. During the afternoon of September 27, CBH advanced through severe artillery and mortar fire to the Vena River, where German small arms fire halted further progress. By 1800 hours, the entire unit had managed to cross the Salto River at another location and held its ground in the face of heavy machine gun fire.

Throughout the night of September 27/28, German mortar and artillery fire struck CBH’s positions, impacting B and D Companies in particular. Around 0700 hours, D Company moved forward toward the Rubicone with orders to “consolidate along the river and secure [a] bridge” that was still believed to be intact. The soldiers “had not gone too far when they met considerable mortar and machine gun fire.”

At 0915 hours, CBH was informed that enemy forces had destroyed the bridge. Artillery and mortar shelling continued throughout the morning as officers assessed the situation. While the unit initially received orders to prepare for a night-time crossing of the Rubicone, the action was cancelled in late afternoon. Meanwhile, D Company continued to advance toward the river, reaching its banks before midnight and consolidating their position. In the meantime, B Company also encountered enemy fire and called the unit’s Medical Officer forward “to attend to some casualties.”

For the remainder of the month, CBH held its positions along the Rubicone River. The unit suffered a total of 352 casualties during September—two officers and 50 “other ranks” (OR) were killed, while 14 officers and 286 “other ranks” were wounded. The losses on September 28, 1944, were particularly severe. According to Commonwealth War Graves Commission records, a total of 10 CBH soldiers died that day.

Private Douglas Albert Hadley was one of the September 28, 1944 fatalities, killed in combat as CBH soldiers advanced to the banks of the Rubicone. The exact circumstances of his death are unknown. Douglas was initially buried in the 5th Canadian Armoured Division Cemetery, Cesena, Italy. On June 5, 1945, his remains were re-interred in Cesena British Cemetery, Cesena, Italy.

All of Douglas’s siblings married and remained in Nova Scotia. Charles, Dorothy and Lillian established residence within minutes of one another in or near Mulgrave, while Hilda made her home in Dartmouth. Despite being separated for several years after their mother’s tragic death, the Hadley siblings maintained close bonds with one another throughout their adult lives.

Special thanks to Angel Scott-Skinner, Port Hawkesbury, who provided pictures of her great-uncle, Private Douglas Albert Hadley, and reviewed the information on the Hadley family. In November 2024, eight decades after Douglas's death, Angel received his service medals from his foster family. The story of the medals' journey home to Hadley family descendants is available online at CBC News Nova Scotia's website.

Rifleman Garfield James Munroe—Killed in Action September 27, 1944

Garfield James Munroe was born in Little Dover, Guysborough County, on September 12, 1920. Garfield’s father, Daniel Munroe, was the son of Daniel Munroe Sr. and Elizabeth Horne, Dover. His mother, Annie Laura Harnish, was the daughter of James Harnish and Jane Horne, Sober Island, Halifax County.

Rifleman Garfield James Munroe's headstone, Calais Canadian Military Cemetery

Daniel and Annie were married in Dover on February 12, 1918. Before year’s end, their first child, Alonzo Vincent, was born. Garfield, the couple’s second child, arrived two years later. By the time of the 1931 Canadian census, five more children had joined the family—Mary Ada (YOB c. 1923); Lauchlin Daniel (YOB c. 1925); Marie Jane (YOB c. 1927); Kenneth Norman (YOB c. 1929); and Thomas Milton (YOB c. 1931).

Four more children—Ernest Eugene (YOB c. 1933); Valerie Ann (YOB c. 1935); Lawrence Francis (YOB c. 1939) and Franklin Patrick (YOB c. 1942)—were born after 1931. Two other children died in infancy or at birth during that time—Edward Lloyd died July 28, 1935, at age eight months, while “Baby Munroe” (no gender identified) died at birth on February 10, 1938.

Garfield Munroe attended public school for nine years. After completing Grade VII, he entered the work force at age 16. For five years, he worked in the local fishery. He then made his way to Halifax, where he worked as a labourer for Brookfield Construction, Ltd. He had been employed in that position for three months when he was “called up” under the terms of the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA).

The NRMA authorized the creation of a mandatory national registry of young men suitable for military service. Once registered, individuals were randomly selected for a basic training program. Upon completion, the young men could be conscripted into “home defence” service, (i.e., in Canada only). It was common, however, for trainees to voluntarily enlist upon completing the program.

On August 31, 1942, Garfield reported to the NRMS Clearing Depot, Halifax. In mid-September, he was “re-allocated” to the Royal Canadian Artillery, (RCA) A/A [Anti-Aircraft]. He  reported to A23 Coastal and Anti-Aircraft Centre, Halifax, for training on September 19, 1942. Upon completing the two-month program, Garfield was assigned to the 24th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RCA, Sydney, on November 18.

The 24th Light A/A Battery was part of the 16th Coastal Brigade, a group of militia units responsible for the defence of strategic locations along the Maritime coast. As one of several gathering places for Allied vessels heading overseas, Sydney harbour played a vital role in the trans-Atlantic convoy system. Garfield spent four months with the unit before deciding to enlist for overseas service.

On March 29, 1943, Garfield formally joined the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) at Halifax. The decision meant that he could be assigned to any active military unit—air force, artillery or infantry. Garfield spent the remainder of the year in Halifax. During that time, he received two weeks’ leave in late April and a five-day holiday leave in mid-December.
 
Shortly after returning to duty, Garfield was re-allocated to the Canadian Infantry Corps on January 12, 1944. The decision meant he would have to complete infantry training. Two days after the assignment change, Garfield was transferred to No 1 Transit Camp, Windsor, NS, where he remained for one month. In mid-February, he reported to No. 60 Canadian Infantry (Basic) Training Centre, Yarmouth, for the first component of training.

In early April, 1944, Garfield moved on to A14 (Advanced) Infantry Training Centre, Aldershot, NS, for the final phase of instruction. While there, he was briefly hospitalized for an unidentified illness in late May. Upon completing training, he was granted six days’ pre-embarkation leave on July 8. One week after returning to duty, he departed for overseas.

Garfield arrived in the United Kingdom on July 27, 1944, and reported to No. 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU). His overseas arrival coincided with a significant increase in the demand for infantry reinforcements. Canadian units had been fighting in Italy for one year and a second combat zone developed in Normandy after the June 6, 1944 Allied invasion of German-occupied France.

Within a matter of weeks, Garfield would be assigned to one of the two theatres of war. The decision was temporarily postponed when he was admitted to No. 19 Canadian General Hospital on August 3. Once again, the nature of his illness is not revealed in his service file. He remained under medical care for two weeks before returning to No. 4 CIRU.

On September 5, 1944, Garfield departed for France, and disembarked in Normandy the following day. He was immediately posted to No, 2 Canadian Base Reinforcement Group (CBRG) as an “unposted reinforcement.” Less than two weeks later, he was assigned to the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and joined the unit in the field on September 19, 1944.

The Royal Winnipeg Rifles trace their origin to the 90th Winnipeg Battalion of Rifles, a Canadian militia unit established in the city on November 9, 1833. The unit saw its first combat service during the 1885 North-West Rebellion, where its Métis opponents described the soldiers as “little black devils,” the colour their dark green uniforms when viewed from a distance. The battalion adopted the moniker, along with a crest displaying the silhouette of a black devil holding a trident in one hand and a chalice in the other.

During the First World War, the 90th recruited the 8th Battalion (90th Winnipeg Rifles), which served with the 1st Canadian Division in Belgium and northern France. During the inter-war years, the unit underwent a series of name changes before receiving the title of “Royal Winnipeg Rifles” (RWR) on June 3, 1935.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, the Winnipeg unit recruited a battalion for overseas service in July 1940. The volunteers trained at Camp Shilo, MB, for several weeks before relocating to Camp Debert, NS. In September 1940, The RWR arrived in the United Kingdom as part of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division’s 7th Brigade. The Winnipeg unit would eventually enter combat alongside the Regina Rifle Regiment and the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s).

The RWR set foot in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, during the first wave of D-Day landings. Its soldiers participated in the attack on Caen in early July and the fierce fighting that occurred south of the city after its fall. During the month of August, Canadian units participated in two major operations along the Caen - Falaise road as part of a plan to encircle German forces in Normandy.

While partially successful, a significant portion of enemy units were able to escape through the “Falaise gap” before it was completely closed in mid-August. Allied forces then pursued retreating German units northward toward the Seine River. Before month’s end, Canadian units received orders to clear enemy forces from the “Channel ports,” a collection of strategic locations along the French coast. After passing through the city of Rouen, the Canadians veered to the northwest, liberating the ports of Dunkirk and Le Tréport.

The units continued northward toward the area of Boulogne and Calais, where a group of coastal artillery batteries posed a major threat to Allied shipping in the English Channel. On September 6, the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade occupied an area of high ground seven miles southwest of Calais, cutting off communication with Boulogne. Having isolated the two ports, the attack on Boulogne, given the code name “Operation Well-hit,” commenced on September 17, and involved units from the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division’s 8th and 9th Brigades.

Meanwhile, the 7th Brigade prepared for an assault on Calais, which presented several unique challenges. A network of canals cut through the landward approaches to the fortified city, while marshy ground and “inundated [flooded] areas” presented obstacles to the south and east. A road and rail line eastward to Gravelines ran along a solitary, well-fortified ridge.

Calais itself still contained most of its historic fortifications. A bastioned wall and moat surrounded much of the city. Its modern defences, however, all faced toward the sea. A network of batteries, pillboxes, machine gun positions and concrete shelters for rail car-mounted artillery guns stretched along the coastline. Minefields and an anti-tank ditch connecting the flooded areas to the sea protected the coastal installations, while infantry positions and minefields, supported by field, anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns, guarded the land approaches to the south and east.

Fewer than 10,000 German personnel manned the city’s defences, one-third of whom were infantrymen. The remainder operated the coastal guns and port facilities. The majority of personnel were older men and their morale was low, characteristics that favoured the attacking forces.

The Allied plan called for a preliminary aerial and artillery bombardment of German positions, followed by a heavily-supported infantry attack. A smoke screen approximately 3,000 meters wide would be deployed to shield Allied artillery positions from observation at the Cape Gris Nez batteries, which still remained under German control.

The attack was to unfold in two stages. The initial phase focused on Cape Griz Nez and the western approaches to Calais. Once these areas were secured, Canadian units would concentrate on the city itself, simultaneously attacking the well-fortified location from the west, south and east.

Units from the 7th and 8th Brigades were selected to conduct the first stage of the operation, with support from the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade’s tanks. The 7th Brigade was to “capture or destroy” the garrisons at Belle Vue, Coquelles and Calais itself, while the 8th Brigade secured enemy positions at Escalles, near Cape Blanc Nez, and Noires Mottes on the city’s western flank.

In the midst of these preparations, Private Garfield James Munroe joined the Winnipeg Rifles’ ranks on September 20. It appears that he arrived in the same reinforcement draft that included Rifleman Charles Henry “Charlie” Snyder, Halfway Cove, who was assigned to the Regina Rifle Regiment on the same day. The two inexperienced Guysborough County men had little time to adjust to the front lines, as the attack on Calais, dubbed “Operation Undergo,” was imminent. Both would see combat for the first time during its initial stage.

While infantry units were ready to proceed, poor weather delayed the aerial bombardment until the afternoon of September 24, when approximately 200 Allied aircraft struck targets in the Calais area. A second air raid took place around 0815 hours September 25. While the bombing damaged German defences and further weakened morale, it was not a decisive blow.

Source: "The Victory Campaign" by C. P. Stacey

At 1015 hours September 25, soldiers from two 3rd Brigade units—the Regina Rifles and Winnipeg Rifles—moved forward toward their objectives. While the Reginas moved forward toward Coquelles, with support from the British 6th Armoured Regiment, the “Little Black Devils” advanced toward neighbouring Vieux Coquelles. Simultaneously, 8th Brigade units attacked Cape Gris Nez on the 3rd Brigade’s left flank.

The RWR encountered stiff resistance but succeeded in driving enemy forces from their bomb-proof shelters. Moving on toward Calais, they encountered mines, snipers and pockets of resistance as German artillery targeted their advance. Significant fighting occurred at Coquelles, where personnel engaged enemy soldiers in house to house combat. Despite the obstacles, the unit secured its objective by day’s end.

The Regina Rifle Regiment on the RWR’s left flank also gained its objective by nightfall. The 7th Brigade attack thus secured the area directly west of Calais. On its left flank, 8th Brigade units cleared enemy forces from the Cape Blanc Nez battery. The combined victories set the stage for a final assault on the city of Calais itself, scheduled to commence within 48 hours.

On the morning of September 26, Allied bombers conducted a raid on German defensive positions in and around Calais. 7th Brigade units crept forward throughout the day and were within striking distance of the city’s defences by nightfall.

The second phase of the operation was scheduled for September 27. The 7th Brigade’s Royal Winnipeg Rifles were to advance through Coquelles, cross a small flooded area and secure Fort Nieulay, west of the city. On their right flank, the Regina Rifle Regiment was to follow a rail line leading into the city, cross a flooded area adjacent to the tracks by boat and then advance toward a “Factory Area” along the city’s southern outskirts.

Meanwhile, the 1st Canadian Scottish Regiment, the 7th Brigade’s third unit, would capture Fort Lapin on the coast and prepare to advance toward the Citadel, the city’s main fortification. Once all objectives were secured, the three units would launch a final attack on the city itself.

Before the infantry attack commenced, Canadian units temporarily withdrew a short distance to allow Allied heavy bombers to conduct another raid on German defensive positions. Once the aircraft had completed their mission, the infantry attack commenced. The RWR made slow but steady progress toward Fort Nieulay in the face of strong resistance. The objective was secured only after further aerial bombing and assistance from regular and flame-throwing tanks.

Simultaneously, the Reginas managed to cross the flooded land and reach the Factory Area. That evening, the 1st Canadian Scottish secured Fort Lapin and prepared to launch an attack on the city’s coastal defences.

The advance continued on September 28, the Regina Rifles pushing northward through the Factory Area. Two 1st Canadian Scottish Companies managed to cross a canal on the city’s western edge but enemy fire forced the soldiers to the ground, preventing them from retreating. The soldiers were forced to take cover there until the city’s capture brought fighting to an end.

By this time, German forces inside the city found themselves in a desperate situation. Morale was low and increasing numbers of men were surrendering or abandoning their positions. On the evening of September 28, Lieutenant-Colonel Ludwig Schroeder, Commander of the German garrison, contacted Allied command, suggesting that Calais should be declared an “open city” and that all combat cease.

Allied leadership flatly rejected the suggestion, but subsequent discussions led to an agreement for a 24-hour truce, to commence at mid-day September 29. the purpose was to allow approximately 20,000 French civilians trapped in the city to leave. As residents streamed out of Calais, Allied commanders prepared for a final assault, with air support if necessary.

When the ceasefire expired at noon September 30, Canadian units immediately resumed the attack and German resistance quickly collapsed. At 2100 hours, Lt.-Col. Schroeder officially surrendered to 7th Brigade units and ordered his men to lay down their arms. By 0900 hours October 1, Calais was firmly in Canadian hands.

A total of approximately 7,500 German prisoners were taken during the Calais operation, while attacking forces reported a surprisingly light total of 300 casualties. The 7th Brigade bore the brunt of the losses, reporting 190 casualties. The Royal Winnipeg Rifles suffered 77 casualties, while the Regina Rifles incurred a total of 71 men killed or wounded.

There were 21 fatalities among the RWR’s casualties. The worst losses occurred on the first day of each stage. Nine soldiers died on September 25, while 10 were killed on September 27. Private Garfield James Munroe was among the men killed in action on September 27, 1944. Nine days later, Daniel Munroe received a telegram from Canadian military authorities. informing him of Garfield’s death.

On October 13, Garfield’s remains were interred in Hardinghen Canadian Military Cemetery, a temporary graveyard located 20 kilometers south of Calais. He was re-interred in Calais Canadian Military Cemetery, Saint-Inglevert, France, on August 6, 1945.

Garfield’s father Daniel died in Canso on September 9, 1962, and was interred in St. Agnes Cemetery, Little Dover. Daniel’s wife Annie passed away in Hazel Hill on January 13, 1984, and was laid to rest beside her husband.

Garfield’s older brother Alonzo Vincent “Lonnie” also enlisted for military service during the Second World War. He initially served with the Pictou Highlanders, a Nova Scotia militia unit, and later attested with the CASF. Lonnie was assigned to a Royal Canadian Army Service Corps unit that was attached to the 2nd Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery.

Lance Corporal Alonzo Vincent "Lonnie" Munroe

Lonnie’s RCASC unit served with 1st Canadian Army’s No. 1 Army Group, RCA, in Italy from July 1943 to early 1945, at which time the group relocated to the Netherlands and Germany for the final months of the war. During his time in uniform, Lonnie was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal and was Mentioned in Dispatches (MID) “in recognition of gallant and distinguished services” in the field.

Upon returning to Canada, Lonnie married Florence Alice Cohoon, daughter of Cecil James Cohoon and Rose Anne Eustace, at Canso on January 7, 1947. The couple initially settled in Sydney, but later moved to Toronto, ON, where Lonnie worked as a barber. Lonnie and Florence raised a family of four children. Later in life, they returned to Canso, where Lonnie passed away on June 21, 1993. He was laid to rest in Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Cemetery, Canso.

Special thanks to Jackie, Munroe, Woodstock, ON, for reviewing the Munroe family information and providing a picture of her father, Lance Corporal Alonzo Vincent Munroe.

Rifleman Charles Henry "Charlie" Snyder—Killed in Action September 25, 1944

Charles Henry “Charlie” Snyder was born in Halfway Cove, Guysborough County, on March 7, 1915. Charlie’s parents were also Halfway Cove natives. His father John James was the son of David Lewis Snyder and Almira Catherine George, while his mother Jerusha Elizabeth “Mary” was the daughter of John Jacob George and Margaret Elizabeth Jamieson.

Rifleman Charles Henry "Charlie" Snyder

John James and Jerusha Elizabeth were married in Guysborough on September 9, 1897. By the time of the 1911 Canadian census, three children had joined the family—Albert, age 11 (DOB April 1898); Lizzie, age eight (DOB January 1903); and Catherine Viola Odessa (YOB January 6, 1911). Over the following decade, four more children arrived—Amanda Jean “Manda” (DOB c. 1913); Charles Henry “Charlie”; Allan Seward (YOB c. 1918); and William E. “Willie” (YOB c. 1919).

Charlie Snyder completed Grade IV and left school at age 13 to go to work. He spent 10 years fishing with his father and five years in the woods as a “chopper.” Charlie was employed with the Standard Clay Co., New Glasgow, for two months but eventually returned to Halfway Cove. He had worked as a farm labourer for John James Sangster, Halfway Cove, for one month prior to entering military service.

On August 28, 1942, Charlie enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force at Halifax, NS. He commenced basic training in Yarmouth in mid-September and remained there until November 18, when he was transferred to the Coastal Defence and Anti-Aircraft Training Centre, Halifax. Upon completing a one-month artillery instruction program, Charlie was assigned to No. 36 Battery, 16th Coastal Brigade, Royal Canadian Artillery, Sydney.

The 16th Coastal Brigade consisted of several militia units—searchlight, anti-aircraft and coastal artillery batteries—responsible for defending strategic locations along the Maritime coastline. The Brigade was placed on active service on January 1, 1941, and its units deployed to such Nova Scotia locations as Sydney Harbour, Canso Strait and Halifax Harbour.

On December 20, 1942, Gunner Charlie Snyder commenced active duty with the 36th Battery. One month later, he was transferred to the 15th Coastal Battery, St. John, NB, where he logged three months’ service. In late April 1943, he was posted to the 16th Coastal Battery, Sydney, where he served into the following year.

During his time in Sydney, Charlie was admitted to hospital in mid-May 1943. He remained under medical care until July 9, at which time he received two weeks’ sick leave before returning to duty. His service file provides no details as to the nature of his illness.

As the first full year of Charlie’s service came to an end, Canadian military authorities were grappling with concerns of a possible shortage of infantry reinforcements. Canadian infantry units had been fighting in Italy since early July 1943 and plans for a massive Allied invasion of German-occupied France sometime in 1944 were well underway.

During the war’s first four years, a significant proportion of Canadian recruits had enlisted with or been assigned to other branches of military service, particularly artillery. Officials therefore began to re-assign personnel from branches with surplus manpower to infantry service.

As a result of this policy decision, Gunner Charlie Sydner was re-mustered to the Canadian Infantry Corps in January 1944. Early the following month, he was transferred to No. 1 Transit Camp, Windsor. In mid-March, he reported to No. 60 (Basic) Infantry Training Centre, Yarmouth. Upon completing its program, he received two weeks’ leave before reporting to No. 14A (Advanced) Infantry Training Centre, Aldershot, in late May.

Having completed training, Charlie was granted a six-day pre-embarkation leave on July 22. He departed for overseas on August 4 and arrived in the United Kingdom six days later. Charlie was immediately assigned to No. 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU). A note in his file stated that he “prefers GD [general duty] with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders.”

On September 5, 1944, Charlie was transferred to 2nd Canadian Base Reinforcement Group and immediately departed for France. He landed in Normandy the following day and awaited orders to join an active unit in the field. Two weeks later, he was transferred to the Regina Rifles Regiment (Saskatchewan).

The Regina Rifles Regiment traces its origins to the 95th Regiment, a militia unit created in the Northwest Territories’ Saskatchewan and Assiniboine Districts in 1905. Three years later, the 95th became a rifle regiment. The unit provided several drafts to Canadian Expeditionary Force battalions during the First World War.

On March 15, 1920, the 95th was re-designated the South Saskatchewan Regiment. Its 1st Battalion, located in Regina, was re-named the Regina Rifles Regiment on May 15, 1924. When the Second World War broke out in Europe, the Regiment was mobilized for home defence and recruited men from Regina, Battleford and Prince Albert to form a 1st Battalion for overseas service. As the majority of its personnel came from rural areas, the unit was referred to as the “Farmer Johns,” a nickname that was later shortened to the “Johns.”

The 1st Battalion, Regina Rifles Regiment, initially travelled to Debert, NS, for coastal defence service. On August 24, 1941, its personnel departed for overseas at part of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division’s 7th Brigade, alongside the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s). The Regina Rifles were assigned to coastal defence duties in southeastern England, where the threat of German invasion was greatest.

On June 6, 1944, the Regina Rifles came ashore in the “Nan” sector of Juno Beach in the first wave of Canadian landings. Its soldiers successfully destroyed German gun positions along the beach and cleared the village of Courselles-sur-Mer, allowing a second wave of Canadian units to come ashore before day’s end. The “Farmer Johns” suffered a total of 108 casualties during their first day of combat.

The Rifles participated in the capture of Caen in early July and advanced southward toward Falaise with Canadian units over the next six weeks. By late August, Allied forces had closed the Falaise gap and German units began a hasty retreat northward toward the Seine River.

Allied forces followed in pursuit, the three Canadian Divisions—2nd, 3rd and 4th Armoured—advancing to Rouen and then veering northward toward a series of strategically important “Channel Ports” located along the French coast in early September.

The 2nd Canadian Division, which had participated in the disastrous Dieppe Raid in August 1942, was assigned the task of liberating the town. Meanwhile, the Regina Rifles’ 3rd Canadian Infantry Division (3rd CID) moved forward on 2nd CID’s right flank, driving enemy forces from Le Tréport and advancing northward toward two key ports located along the narrowest stretch of the English Channel—Boulogne and Calais. Artillery batteries at both locations had to be neutralized to allow for safe pasage of vessels carrying supplies to the continent through the strait.

On September 6, the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade occupied an area of high ground seven miles southwest of Calais, cutting off communication with Boulogne. Having isolated the two ports, the attack on Boulogne, known as “Operation Wellhit,” commenced on September 17, and involved units from the 3rd CID’s 8th and 9th Brigades.

Meanwhile, the 7th Brigade focused on Calais, which presented unique challenges. A network of canals ran through the landward approaches to the fortified city. Marshy ground and “inundated [flooded] areas” presented obstacles to the south and east. A road and rail line eastward to Gravelines ran along a solitary, well-fortified ridge.

Calais itself still possessed much of its historical fortifications. A bastioned wall and moat surrounded most of the developed area. Its modern defences, however, all faced toward the sea. A network of batteries, pillboxes, machine gun positions and concrete shelters for rail car-mounted artillery guns stretched along the coastline. Minefields and an anti-tank ditch connecting the flooded areas to the sea protected the coastal installations, while infantry positions and more minefields, supported by field, anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns, protected the land approaches to the south and east.

Approximately 7,500 German personnel manned the city’s defences, approximately one-third of whom were infantrymen. The remainder were responsible for operating the coastal guns and port facilities. The majority of personnel were older men and morale was low, characteristics that favoured attacking forces.

The plan of attack called for a preliminary aerial and artillery bombardment of German positions, followed by a heavily-supported infantry attack. A smoke screen approximately 3,000 meters wide would be deployed to shield Allied artillery positions from observation at the Cape Gris Nez batteries, which still remained under German control.

The attack would unfold in two stages. The initial part focused on Cape Griz Nez and the western approaches to Calais. Once this area was secured, Canadian units would focus on the city itself, simultaneously attacking the well-fortified position from the west, south and east.

Source: C. P. Stacey's "The Victory Campaign"

Units from the 7th and 8th Brigades were selected to conduct the first stage of the operation, with support from the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade’s tanks. The 7th Brigade was to “capture or destroy” the garrisons at Belle Vue, Coquelles and Calais itself, while the 8th Brigade secured enemy positions at Escalles, near Cape Blanc Nez, and Noires Mottes on the western flank.

In the midst of these elaborate preparations, Private Charles Henry Snyder joined the Regina Rifles’ ranks on September 20. Charlie had little time to adjust to arriving in the front lines, as the attack on Calais, dubbed “Operation Undergo,” was imminent. He would see combat for the first time during its initial stage.

While infantry units were ready to proceed, poor weather delayed the aerial bombardment until the afternoon of September 24, when 188 Allied aircraft struck targets in the Calais area. A second air raid took place around 0815 hours September 25. While the bombing damaged German defences and morale, it was not a decisive blow.

At 0850 hours, the Regina Rifles’ A Company moved out, followed 10 minutes later by D Company. The aerial bombing had missed the unit’s objective—German positions atop Belle Vue Ridge—landing in an area to the west. At 1015 hours, soldiers from two 3rd Brigade units—the Regina Rifles and Winnipeg Rifles—moved forward toward their objectives. Simultaneously, 8th Brigade units advanced on Cape Gris Nez on the 3rd Brigade’s left flank.

The Regina Rifles’ Companies made slow but steady progress, fighting their way down the forward slope of a ridge west of Coquelles with the support of the British 6th Armoured Regiment. When the Farmer Johns encountered strong resistance, 3rd Brigade command ordered its third battalion, The Canadian Scottish Regiment, forward to assist on the Reginas’ immediate left flank. The Scots encountered numerous minefields but made their way forward and were soon advancing along a coastal road behind the Regina Rifles’ objective toward Calais.

By 1330 hours, the Regina Rifle’s soldiers were still “fighting hard for objectives and calling on tanks, flails [a military vehicle-mounted device that created a safe path through a minefield] and crocodiles [a British flame-throwing tank]” for assistance. With their help, the Companies were finally able to”to carry through to the [day’s] objective.”

On the Regina Rifles’ right flank, the Royal Winnipeg Rifles also met with stiff opposition at Vieux Coquelles but managed to drive enemy forces from their bomb-proof concrete shelters. The unit continued forward, encountering snipers, minefields and pockets of resistance as German artillery targeted the area. The toughest fighting occurred in Coquelles, where the Winnipegers engaged enemy soldiers in house-to-house fighting. By day’s end, the soldiers also secured their objective.

The 3rd Brigade attack successfully secured the area directly west of Calais. On its left flank, 8th Brigade units also cleared enemy forces from the Cape Blanc Nez battery. The combined successes set the stage for a final assault on the city of Calais itself, scheduled to commence within 48 hours.

The day’s successes, however, came at a cost. Commonwealth War Graves Commission records report a total of 13 Regina Rifles fatalities on September 25, 1944. Private Charles Henry Snyder was one of the fallen soldiers, killed sometime during the day’s attack on Belle Vue Ridge. Charlie was initially laid to rest in a temporary Canadian Military Cemetery in Hardinghen, 20 kilometers south of Calais, France.

In early October 1944, John James Snyder received a telegram from Canadian authorities, informing him that his second-oldest son had been killed in action in the Western European theatre. On August 6, 1945, Charlie’s remains were re-interred in Calais Canadian War Cemetery, Saint-Inglevert, France.

John James Snyder died in St. Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish, on February 9, 1948, and was laid to rest in St. James the Martyr Anglican Church Cemetery, Halfway Cove. His widow Jerusha Elizabeth passed away in Guysborough Memorial Hospital, Guysborough, on October 31, 1965, and was laid to rest in Halfway Cove beside her husband.

Photograph of Rifleman Charles Henry Snyder courtesy of Toby George, Halfway Cove, Guysborough County.