Alfred Vincent Gammon was born in Tor Bay, Guysborough County, on August 25, 1917, the fourth of Albert Alexander and Harriet Lucretia “Hattie” (Gammon) Gammon’s five children. Both of Alfred’s parents were Tor Bay natives. Albert was the son of William and Sarah (Kirby) Gammon, while Hattie was the daughter of James Gammon, Tor Bay, and Catherine Creamer, Queensport.
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| Private Alfred Vincent Gammon (Source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial) |
Albert and Hattie were married in Tor Bay on December 28, 1899, and established residence there. Their first child, Elva, was born in January 1901, while a second daughter, Stella, joined the family in October 1905. Mabel Gertie was born in Tor Bay on April 2, 1914. Alfred arrived in August 1917, while Nelson, the youngest child, was born around March 1921.
By the time of the 1931 Canadian census, only Alfred and Nelson were living at home. Stella married Lewis McLean, a native of Inverness, NS, in Truro on April 5, 1927. Elva married James Roy Williams, Tor Bay, on November 20, 1929. Mabel, the youngest of the three girls, moved to Truro, where she lived with her sister Stella while working as a “machine operator” at the local Stanfield factory. She later married John Bradley Barker, a native of Windsor, NS, in Truro on December 1, 1933.
Alfred attended public school for seven years, leaving at age 16 “as he had to go to work.” From 1933 to 1939, he held a variety of resource-based jobs in the local area—shelling lobsters in a local factory; offshore, hand-line and sword fishing; and lumbering. Around 1939, he relocated to Truro, where he drove a truck, hauling logs for a lumbering company.
On May 20, 1939, Alfred married Ruby Tucker, daughter of Alexander Tucker and Mary Campbell, Nutty, Colchester County, in a ceremony held in St. George’s Rectory, New Glasgow. The couple settled in Truro, where their first child, Mary Evelyn, was born before year’s end. Around 1942, Alfred went to work in a “tar factory” operated by CanTar Chemical Co., Truro. He also purchased a property at the corner of Farnham Road and Main St., Bible Hill.
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| Alfred Gammon with Mary (date and location unknown) |
During his time in Truro, Alfred’s mother Hattie passed away in Tor Bay on January 19, 1942, at 64 years of age. She had been diagnosed with “acute nephritis” and became seriously ill following a bout of influenza. Hattie was laid to rest in Tor Bay Cemetery.
Married with a young child, Alfred was not a likely candidate for conscription under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA). Nevertheless, given the time and circumstances, he likely felt a sense of duty to serve his country. On June 22, 1943, he enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) at Halifax.
In early July, Alfred reported to No. 60 (Basic) Training Centre, Yarmouth, and moved on to A14 (Advanced) Training Centre, Aldershot, on September 2. That same day, Ruby gave birth to the couple’s second child, Vincent Robert Gammon. In late October, Alfred was awarded a 14-day, pre-embarkation furlough. Shortly after returning to duty, he was transferred to No. 1 Transit Camp, Windsor, where he awaited orders to depart for overseas.
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| Ruby Gammon with Mary and Vincent, 1944 |
Alfred left Canada on November 24 and landed in the United Kingdom one week later. His time there was brief, as there was considerable demand for infantry reinforcements in Italy. Assigned to the Mediterranean reinforcement pool on February 17, 1944, he departed the following day and arrived in Naples on March 3, 1944. Alfred was immediately placed on the West Nova Scotia Regiment’s reinforcement list. On April 8, he was “taken on strength” in the field.
The West Nova Scotia Regiment was created in 1936 when the Lunenburg and Annapolis Regiments amalgamated to form one militia unit. The battalion officially mobilized for service on September 1, 1939, and departed for overseas in December 1939. Military officials assigned the “West Novas” to the 1st Canadian Division’s 3rd Brigade, where its soldiers served alongside the Carleton & York Regiment (New Brunswick) and the Royal 22e Régiment (Quebec’s “VanDoos”).
The 1st Canadian Division was part of the Allied force that invaded Sicily in early July 1943 and crossed the Strait of Messina to the southern tip of the Italian peninsula two months later. The West Novas spent the winter of 1943-44 in sectors north of Ortona along Italy’s Adriatic coast. On the evening of April 13, 1944, the unit withdrew to reserve positions after its most recent tour. Four days later, a party of reinforcements that likely included Private Alfred Vincent Gammon—three officers and 90 “other ranks” (OR)—reported to its camp.
The arrival of spring brought with it a renewal of combat, with Allied forces focusing on breaking through German defences on the western side of the Italian peninsula. Their specific target was the Liri Valley, which ran in a northwesterly direction toward Rome. Within its boundaries lay two German defensive networks, known as the Gustav and Hitler Lines. If Allied forces could seize control of the valley, the Italian capital would be close at hand.
On April 22, the West Nova Regiment moved out to a concentration area north of Lanciano, the first step on its journey to the western sectors of the front line. Two days later, personnel established camp three kilometers north of Riccia, where they trained for 10 days before moving on to Lucerno and Bucciano, northeast of Naples, for military exercises. On May 15, the battalion travelled northward to Pignatoro, where the 1st Canadian Division prepared to enter the front line.
The Liri Valley campaign had commenced four days earlier, with British, Indian and Polish units breaking through the Gustav Line and pushing northward toward the Hitler Line. The West Novas moved forward on the evening of May 16 and continued the Allied advance toward the German defensive network over the next seven days.
The final stage commenced on May 23, as the West Nova’s 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade (3rd CIB) and several other Canadian units broke through sectors of the Hitler Line between Pontecorvo and Aquino. The West Novas spent three hard days in the line before being relieved on May 26. During its 10-day tour in the Liri Valley, the unit recorded 48 fatalities among its ranks.
The tour provided Private Alfred Vincent Gammon with his first combat experience. On June 1, the West Novas retired to a rest camp near Pofi as losses in the western sectors and constant pressure in the Adriatic sectors forced German units to retreat to northern areas of the Italian peninsula, abandoning the Italian capital without a fight.
On June 4, British and American forces entered Rome. Two days later, news of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, signalled the start of an important new phase of the war. Meanwhile, the entire Canadian Corps retired to the Volturno Valley for an extended period of rest and training. The West Novas’ 1st Canadian Division gathered near the town of Piedimont d’Alife, in the foothills of the Appenines.
The West Novas arrived in the area by motor transport on June 9. Personnel spent the next six weeks training and participating in a variety of recreational activities in the hot summer weather. The Knights of Columbus and other auxiliary organizations sponsored “picture shows” while soldiers were given leaves to Naples, Pompeii, Salerno and Rome. July’s drills focused on infantry-tank co-operation, the West Novas training alongside the 48th Royal Tank Regiment’s C Squadron. During the process, the two units formed a strong bond as the young Nova Scotians learned the intricacies of tank operation.
On July 29, the 1st Canadian Division set out for its next assignment, briefly encamping south of Rome before passing through the city and on to open country near Foligno and Assisi. After a brief pause, the units moved out on August 4, travelling to Castelllna, where its units encamped amongst the vineyards of the Chianti hills, a location famous for its red wine.
During the Canadian’s time out of the line, Allied units had pursued retreating German forces into northern Italy, where they had constructed a new defensive network. The Gothic Line crossed the entire Italian peninsula, running from a location near Rimini on the Adriatic coast to an area north of Pisa on the Ligurian Sea. The western portion lay north of the deep Arno River, which flowed out of the Apennine Mountains through Florence and on to the western coast.
The eastern portion extended through the Appenines north of Florence to a coastal plain on the Adriatic coast. The area was covered with rolling farms and vineyards, through which a series of small rivers ran to the sea. Four main water courses—the Metauro, Foglia, Marano and Ausa—ran through the area roughly parallel to the Allied front line. Between each river were parallel ridges that German forces had fortified.
In assessing their options, Allied commanders decided to break through the Gothic Line’s Adriatic sector, as its rivers were low and easily crossed by infantry and tanks following the summer drought. To deceive the Germans, some 1st Canadian Division units were dispatched to western sectors in early August to complete their training, while the remainder awaited orders to depart for the Adriatic coastline.
In early August, the West Nova Scotia Regiment moved to a location near Florence, then travelled onto Perugia, where personnel spent one week rehearsing river crossings. The 1st Canadian Division gradually assembled in the same area, its officers receiving details on the upcoming Adriatic operation.
The British 8th Army, to which Canadian forces were attached, was given the task of breaking through the Gothic Line and capturing Rimini. A strategically valuable railway line to Bologna and Milan ran through the coastal town. An Allied breakthrough would force German forces to retreat into the plains along the Po River. The long-range Allied goal was to proceed across the plains, through the Tyrolese Alps and into southern Germany.
During the last two weeks of August, the West Novas gradually made their way to the Adriatic sector, finally establishing camp several kilometers north of Ancona on August 27. The Polish Division had already commenced clearing German forces from an area in front of the Gothic Line. Canadian units completed the task two days before the West Novas’ arrival, the 1st and 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigades crossing the Metauro River and forcing German units to retreat across the Foglia River, which was believed to be the location of their main defensive positions.
In fact, the Gothic Line was constructed in considerable depth, stretching northward across the ridge behind the Foglia to a series of ridges behind the Marano and Ausa Rivers. The task of driving German forces from the area proved far more formidable and costly than Allied commanders had anticipated.
On August 28, the West Novas entered the ruins of the recently captured town of Cartoceto and prepared to return to the line. During the night of August 29/30, its personnel relieved the 48th Highlanders of Canada along an area of high ground facing the Foglia River valley. A scout patrol easily crossed the shallow watercourse during daylight hours without drawing enemy fire, creating the impression that enemy forces had withdrawn from the area.
In fact, this was not the case. The entire slope across the Foglia was heavily fortified with machine-gun, mortar and anti-tank gun positions, providing enemy soldiers with a field of fire that covered both banks of the river. The West Novas had no idea that they were about to enter a “killing field.”
At 1600 hours August 30, the West Novas’ B Company crossed the Foglia and commenced an advance toward an area of high ground near the village of Borgo San Maria. A Company followed in its wake with instructions to establish a bridgehead on the river’s northern bank. As soon the soldiers crossed the river, they were met with a hail of mortar and artillery fire. While some B Company soldiers managed to reach a road running parallel to the river, they faced a hail of machine gun and mortar fire and found themselves in the midst of a minefield.
The fierce fire forced both Companies to the ground, the soldiers clinging to their positions throughout the evening hours. At dawn August 31, C and D Companies moved through B Company’s positions and advanced along a gully north of the road. As soon as they emerged from the depression, they found themselves under heavy fire in the midst of a minefield.
A smoke screen laid down by supporting artillery allowed the forward Companies to pull back to the bridgehead with their wounded by 0900 hours. Still exposed to fierce enemy fire, the unit retreated across the Foglia under cover of a second smokescreen at 1400 hours. Personnel dug in on the southern side of the river and reorganized in preparation for another crossing, scheduled for the following day.
Subsequent developments further upstream made a second attack unnecessary. The 5th Canadian Armoured Division (5th CAD) managed to break through German defences, allowing the 22e Régiment (Quebec) to secure Borgo San Maria. When the West Novas crossed the Foglia again during the afternoon of September 1, German forces had abandoned the area.
The fighting along the banks of the Foglia inflicted 19 West Nova fatalities and wounded another 59 soldiers. Unfortunately, this was only the start of significant combat losses connected to Canadian units’ efforts to break through the Rimini Line.
The initial Allied advance across the Foglia forced German units to fall back to an area around Riccione while its engineers bolstered defences along the Marano River. Over the next several days, the West Novas made their way northward behind the Allied advance, crossing the Conca River on September 5 and establishing camp south of Riccione while 1st Canadian Brigade units secured the village by day’s end.
On the night of September 7/8, the West Novas returned to the line, relieving the Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment (Belleville, ON) near the village of San Lorenzo-in-Strada. Personnel moved out to positions south of Riccione the following day, then on to a section of the front line near the village of Sant’Andrea in Besanigo on the evening of September 10. The unit spent the next three days preparing to attack German positions across the Marano River. Little did the soldiers realize that the assignment would be among the most difficult of its Italian service.
Rimini was a popular Adriatic seaside resort, located on the northern edge of a narrow coastal plain. To the south, steep slopes rose into the Apennine Mountains. Along its eastern and south-eastern approaches, two parallel rivers—the Marano and Ausa—cut through approaches to the town. Usually shallow during the summer months, their water levels rose steadily throughout the autumn months.
A ridge containing the village of San Lorenzo-in-Corregiano lay between the Marano and Ausa river valleys, while the San Fortunato Ridge was located beyond the Ausa, the last area of high ground protecting the approaches to Rimini. While the two ridges were not massive, units from five German Divisions were concentrated on and around both features.
The West Novas’ 3rd CIB was given the task of crossing the Marano River and securing the San Lorenzo-in-Corregiano ridge. Before the attack could take place, 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade units first had to clear enemy forces from Coriano Ridge on the West Novas’ left flank. On the night of September 12, Royal Air Force bombers executed a spectacular night-time bombing raid on the elevated area, softening German defences prior to an infantry and tank assault. The following day, 11th Brigade units pushed German forces off the high ground.
Its left flank now secure, the West Novas prepared to launch their attack on the San Lorenzo feature. During the night of September 13, tanks from the British 12th Royal Tank Regiment moved into position, ready to support the infantry advance. At 0300 hours September 14, two 3rd CIB units—the 22e Régiment on the right and the West Novas on the left—advanced toward the Marano River in the aftermath of a massive artillery barrage. Within two hours, the West Novas’ A and B Companies were exchanging fire with German soldiers along the river’s southern bank while C and D Companies followed in support.
It was quickly apparent that German units held the southern bank in strength. Enemy machine guns, mortars and self-propelled guns in well-concealed positions rained fire down on the attacking units, with support from German positions across the river. Fighting continued throughout the morning, the two 3rd CIB units gradually clearing enemy soldiers from the river’s southern bank in all but two locations.
At 1430 hours, a group of B Company soldiers made a dash for a bridge that remained intact and successfully disconnected demolition charges. As the West Novas crossed to the northern bank, they found themselves on the southern slope of the ridge, the village of San Lorenzo-in-Corregiano above them. With the exception of scattered clumps of olive trees, the landscape was barren, providing the attackers with no protection.
As the West Nova soldiers advanced up the ridge, the remaining tanks behind them, German artillery targeted the entire area. One by one, the anti-tank guns eliminated each of the supporting tanks. As afternoon gave way to evening, promised tank reinforcements had still not reached the location. Fighting continued in the dwindling light, two West Nova Companies finally reaching the outskirts of the village by 2000 hours.
As enemy forces had established positions inside the village’s stone structures, it was impossible to advance further without tank support. With the last light of day gradually fading, the West Nova’s Commanding Officer decided it was best to consolidate the unit’s forces along the northern river bank. After 17 hours of fierce fighting, the Companies dug in there for the night as fresh supplies and weaponry arrived during the night.
At 0200 hours September 15, the West Novas’ officers gathered for a meeting. They were informed that their 22e Régiment comrades had reached the crest of the ridge on their right and that the West Novas were to resume the attack at once, with or without tank support. Thirty minutes later. personnel once again moved up the slope. On this occasion, B and C Companies led the way, with A and D Companies following in support.
The lack of tank support virtually eliminated a chance of success, as it was impossible to penetrate the stone structures. Enemy fire soon pinned the attacking soldiers to the ground along the approaches to the village. At 0345 hours, the unit’s personnel once again withdrew to re-organize, still with no sign of tank support. Finally, at 0800 hours, tank reinforcements reached the area and 30 minutes later the West Novas once again climbed the slope to the village. B and C Companies led the way, with support from three tank troops.
The attack took place in the sweltering heat of a summer morning. At 0930 hours, C Company’s soldiers were “caught in a cone of bursting mortar bombs and lost all… [remaining] officers.” A Company quickly moved forward in their place and the advance continued. Progress was slow as machine gun fire and a self-propelled gun halted the advance at mid-morning.
Supporting anti-tank guns were hauled forward and neutralized enemy resistance, allowing the advance to resume. In the midst of the attack, German artillery observers pinpointed the location of Battalion Headquarters (HQ) and heavily shelled the position, temporarily cutting off communication with Brigade HQ until another Battalion HQ was esetablished nearby.
By mid-afternoon, B Company finally managed to create a foothold in the village as fighting raged from house to house. Attacking forces cleared enemy soldiers from the village by 1700 hours, allowing the unit to secure the area during the evening. Meanwhile, German artillery guns shelled what remained of the village’s structures throughout the night. The West Novas took shelter in the same deep dugouts and thick stone structured that had previously protected their opponents.
While the attacking force had achieved its objective, the larger battle had only just begun. Behind the San Lorenzo ridge lay the Ausa River and beyond it San Fortunato Ridge. A West Nova patrol dispatched down the ridge’s northern slope at 0200 hours September 16 was immediately driven back by enemy fire. Throughout the day, German artillery shelled the ridge and rear areas leading to the Marano River.
Meanwhile, the West Novas reorganized, gathering their dead as a pioneer platoon “cleared ground for a cemetery on the gently rising flank of the ridge looking back towards the Marano and the heights of Coriano.” Enemy artillery occasionally interrupted the process, which continued until 0300 hours September 17.
Private Alfred Vincent Gammon was among the West Nova soldiers killed during the September 15, 1944 fighting and interred in the temporary cemetery. An Official Canadian Army Overseas Casualty Notification form bearing his name was completed on October 5, suggesting that his widow Ruby received a telegram concerning her husband’s death on or shortly after that date. On September 24, 1945, Alfred’s remains were re-interred in British Empire Cemetery, Coriano Ridge, Italy.
On July 8, 1946, Ruby Gammon married Allister Currie Duncan, a native of Tatamagouche, Colchester County, in a ceremony held in Truro. The couple raised a family of two sons and seven daughters. Ruby passed away in Truro in 1983. Ruby and Alfred’s two children relocated to Ontario in adulthood. Mary married Terry Blanks but never had children. Vincent, a lifelong bachelor, worked for the City of Toronto.
Alfred’s father Albert Alexander Gammon passed away in St. Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish, on August 10, 1970, at 94 years of age, and was laid to rest in Tor Bay Cemetery, beside his wife Hattie.
Photographs of Alfred and Mary Gammon, Ruby Gammon with Mary and Vincent, courtesy of Ellen Ashley Cormier, Lantz, NS.
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