Private Gordon Melvin Newell—Died of Wounds May 20, 1944

Gordon Melvin Newell was born in Canso, Guysborough County, on May 14, 1924, the son of Mansfield and Lila Louella (Feltmate) Newell. Mansfield was also a Canso native, the son of James Reynolds and Agnes J. (Rossong) Newell, while Lila was the daughter of Walter and Ellen Feltmate, Whitehead. Mansfield and Lila were married in Canso on November 5, 1912, and established residence along the Tickle, a two-kilometer channel between the mainland and Durrell’s Island, located on the outskirts of Canso.

Private Gordon Melvin Newell

The Newell household gradually expanded to include nine children—sons Coleman, Gordon, Stanley, and Douglas, and daughters Edna, Amanda, Leona, Bertha and Jean. Gordon, the second-oldest of the boys, completed five years of school before leaving to work in the local fishery. At the time of his military enlistment, he was working as a fish cutter in a Canso plant operated by Harry James.

On December 3, 1942, Gordon enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force at No 6 District Depot, Halifax. At that time, the 18-year-old indicated that he was “sole support” for his mother. In late January 1943, Gordon was assigned to No. 61 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre, New Glasgow. Upon completing the six-week introductory infantry program, he reported to Camp Aldershot for advanced training on April 14, 1943.

In early July 1943, a large Allied force landed on the southern shores of Sicily, an event that marked the commencement of a major military campaign against Italy, Germany’s Axis ally. The 1st Canadian Division was part of the invading force. Initially attached to the British Army, its units proceeded across the Italian island throughout the summer of 1943.

The first major Allied campaign of the war quickly created a significant demand for infantry reinforcements. As a “general list” soldier, Gordon was not attached to a specific unit. As a result, he became one of thousands of young Canadians placed in the reinforcement stream.

Gordon departed for overseas on July 18, 1943, and disembarked in the United Kingdom 10 days later. He was immediately assigned to No. 7 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU), where he continued to train while awaiting a transfer to an active combat unit. While Gordon initially selected his father Mansfield as next of kin, he changed this designation to his mother Lila in early August.

After four months’ training in the UK, Gordon was assigned to the Mediterranean Force’s reinforcement pool on October 25, 1943. He departed for the region the following day and set foot in Italy on November 9. By that time, his name had been added to the reinforcement list for the Carleton & York Regiment (New Brunswick).

In 1937, two New Brunswick militia units—the Carleton Light Infantry and the York Regiment—amalgamated to form the Carleton & York Regiment. The new unit drew its members from the counties of Carleton and York, which included the Woodstock and Fredericton areas respectively. The regiment mobilized at Woodstock on September 1, 1939. Following Canada’s declaration of war on Nazi Germany, the Carleton & Yorks were assigned to the 1st Canadian Division’s 3rd Infantry Brigade, where they served alongside the West Nova Scotia Regiment and the Royal 22e Régiment, Quebec’s famous “Vandoos.”

The Carleton & Yorks departed for overseas on December 9, 1939. After three and a half long years of training and defensive duties in the UK, its soldiers headed for the Mediterranean theatre, landing on the shores of Sicily with Allied forces on July 10, 1943. Canadian units fought alongside British and American forces throughout the following month, pushing German and Italian troops from the island by mid-August.

On September 3, 1943, Canadian units were the first Allied soldiers to cross the Strait of Messina to the Italian mainland, landing at Reggio on the peninsula’s southern tip. Within a week, a second, larger British and American force came ashore at Salerno, south of Naples. Over the next four months, the two Allied armies fought their way northward across mountainous terrain. While Italian forces officially surrendered in mid-September, German reinforcements quickly dispatched to the Italian peninsula fiercely resisted the Allied invasion.

The Carleton & York Regiment and its 3rd Brigade mates initially advanced with Canadian forces up the centre of the Italian peninsula, veering eastward toward the Adriatic Sea in early December. The landscape along the coastal plain differed significantly from the mountainous terrain the Canadians had encountered after landing on the mainland. Rivers running from the peninsula’s central mountains to the Adriatic carved deep gullies into the terrain, which was covered by farmland and vineyards. Stone houses and structures were spread across the landscape, providing ideal cover for enemy positions.

By the time the 1st Canadian Division arrived in the area, Allied forces had crossed the Sangro River, forcing German units to retreat to the Moro River, 16 kilometers to the north. The area saw the fiercest fighting the Canadians had experienced since landing in Italy. It took 12 days to dislodge German forces from a location known as “the Gully,” west of the coastal town of Ortona. All of the 3rd Infantry Brigade’s regiments saw combat, suffering their worst casualties to date.

Altogether, the Carleton & York Regiment reported a total of 88 casualties—19 soldiers killed and 69 wounded—from its September 3 landing at Reggio to its December 5 deployment in the Moro River sector. By comparison, four weeks of service in the Gully cost the regiment 248 men—77 killed and 171 wounded.

Throughout the month of December 1943, the 1st Canadian Division received approximately 2,400 reinforcements. While that number replaced most of the month’s battlefield casualties, it did not address pre-existing shortages or losses due to sickness. The Division found itself 1,000 soldiers short of full strength as the New Year arrived and was particularly lacking in non-commissioned officers. The new arrivals required additional training before they would be effective in the field, limiting the Division’s effectiveness.

The Carleton & Yorks were relieved from front line duty on January 4, 1944, and remained in reserve until mid-month, when the entire 3rd Brigade retired to the San Vito - Treglio area for rest and training. While Private Gordon Newell was officially transferred to the regiment on December 31, 1943, he likely joined its ranks sometime during the first weeks of January 1944.

The next four months were divided between training and holding the existing line during a period of static operations that stretched through the winter into early spring. During this time, both sides dispatched nightly patrols, probing one another’s defences. Occasionally, the small groups sought to capture prisoners in an effort to identify the units occupying the opposite line.

During this time, the 1st Canadian Division was attached to I Canadian Corps, which was responsible for a 12 kilometre section of the front line north of Ortona. As spring approached, Allied commanders turned their attention to a planned offensive on the Italian peninsula’s western coast. Prior to its commencement, however, it was important to maintain a regular routine in the Adriatic sectors, to prevent the transfer of German units to the western sectors of the line.

The Carleton & Yorks returned to front line duty along the Arielli River on February 7. The 3rd Brigade battalions rotated in and out of the line approximately every five days, their operations confined to patrolling in snow or rain into mid-March. The heavy clay under foot soon became a muddy quagmire. Water filled slit trenches and temperatures regularly dropped below freezing at night.

Conditions improved during the last two weeks of March and the mud gradually diminished. The better weather allowed battalions in reserve to complete route marches for physical conditioning, as the men had been largely inactive throughout the winter. April brought warm and sunny weather as Canadian units prepared to leave the eastern Adriatic sectors for an assignment on the Italian peninsula’s western coast.

While Canadian and British forces spent the winter on the eastern Arielli front, a stalemate had also emerged in the western sectors. A large American force had landed at Anzio Beach on January 2, 1944, hoping to outflank German forces and force their retreat. While the Allied units successfully established a beach-head, they were unable to advance inland. Efforts in March to break through the German line in the Liri Valley to the east of Anzoio also failed.

In response, Allied commanders planned to concentrate the bulk of their forces in western sectors, with the goal of breaking through German defences and advancing toward the Italian capital of Rome. The focus was an area in front of the town of Cassino and the entrance to the Liri Valley to its west, a stretch of flat agricultural land several kilometers in width flanked by steep mountains on either side.

The valley extended in a northwesterly direction parallel to the coast, the main road to Rome passing through its centre. At its entrance lay the Gustav Line, a series of defensive positions situated along three sections of the same river—the Rapido, Gari and Garigliano—running from Cassino in the east to the Liri River in the west. Above the town of Cassino sat a monastery called Monte Cassino. The location provided German forces with a vantage point from which they could observe the movement of Allied units as they assembled along the valley’s entrance.

Approximately 12 kilometers behind the Gustav defences lay the Hitler Line, a second system that ran from Pontecorvo on the western side to Aquino and Piedemonte in the east. Between the two lines lay the Forme d’Aquino, a deep gully with two streams at its bottom. It was hoped that successful penetration of the Gustav and Hitler Lines would break the stalemate along the coastline, allowing American forces to advance inland from Anzio Beach.

Prior to its deployment in the Liri Valley, the Carleton & York Regiment enjoyed a three-week break from active operations, training with its 3rd Brigade mates in the Campobasso and Lucera areas. On May 8, personnel moved to a location near Montesarchio, where the 3rd Brigade assembled for a final series of maneuvers. Meanwhile, the Allied offensive into the Liri Valley commenced with a preparatory artillery bombardment on May 11. That same day, the Carleton & Yorks set off for their final training exercise—a mock attack on a ridge northeast of Aurora—at 0530 hours.

British and Commonwealth forces occupied the central sectors of the line, with II US Corps on their left flank. To their right, II Polish Corps, was given the unenviable task of dislodging German forces from their positions atop Monte Cassino. As the operation commenced, I Canadian Corps waited in reserve. Once British and Indian units breached the Gustav defences, the Canadians would move forward and press onward to the Hitler Line.

By May 15, only sectors of the Gustav Line around the town of Cassino and the monastery above it remained in German hands. As British and Indian forces had made significant progress, I Canadian Corps was ordered into the line to exploit the gains. On the night of May 15/16, 1st Canadian Division infantry units relieved British and Indian soldiers in the left portion of the line. The following night—May 16/17—the 3rd Infantry Brigade occupied the remaining sectors on the right.

After moving forward to the vicinity of Pignatoro by transport on May 15, the Carleton & York Regiment relieved the 8th Indian Division’s Maratha Light infantry on the evening of May 16. German artillery and mortar fire struck the unit’s sectors periodically as the men settled into the line. The 3rd Brigade had received orders to prepare for a three-battalion attack, which would involve a “triple leap frog” maneuver. The Carleton & Yorks were the third component, assigned the objective of establishing control of a road running north-south about 800 meters in front of the Forme d’Aquino.

At 0630 hours May 17, the Royal 22e Régiment, supported by a 12th Canadian Tank Regiment squadron, commenced the attack and reached its objective by 0940 hours. The West Nova Regiment then passed through the VanDoo’s line and continued the advance, securing its objective by mid-afternoon. The Carleton & Yorks joined the fighting around 1600 hours and secured its objective “against light opposition” by 1900 hours, suffering only four casualties.

Allied commanders then instructed the Carleton & Yorks to continue the advance throughout the night. Its soldiers pushed across the Forme d’Aquino under cover of darkness and established a new position on the gully’s western side by first light May 18. As the 3rd Brigade had advanced beyond the formations on each  of its flanks, its units held their positions until 0900 hours, by which time Allied forces had once again established a straight defensive line.

The attack then resumed, the Royal 22e Régiment and the Carleton & Yorks advancing toward an area of high ground four kilometers west of the Forme d”Aquino. Control of the area was essential prior to an Allied attack on the Hitler Line. The operation commenced at 1130 hours May 18, the VanDoos leading the way with the Carleton & Yorks on their left and the West Novas in reserve.

While the New Brunswickers advanced through several vantage points with little opposition, they soon encountered heavy mortar, artillery and machine gun fire, which wounded three “other ranks” (OR). As evening arrived, the unit consolidated its position and awaited the arrival of tank support. Throughout the night, the location was subjected to steady artillery and mortar fire.

The attack resumed at 0800 hours May 19, the Carleton & Yorks once again on the left and the VanDoos on the right. A squadron from the 51st Royal Tank Regiment supported each battalion as it moved forward. The first stage of the operation called for the two units to advance to a north - south track about one kilometre in front of the Hitler Line. Once the German defences were breached, the second phase called for the 3rd Brigade to secure the Pontecorvo - Aquino Road behind the Hitler Line.

After an opening bombardment, the Carleton& Yorks’ “A” and “C” Companies led the attack’s first phase, securing the first objective with little resistance. As the men prepared for the second stage, heavy artillery. mortar and rocket fire struck their location. When the soldiers attempted to move forward, they encountered stiff resistance from snipers in trees and riflemen in a wooded area through which they had to pass.

Despite incurring casualties, the battalion continued forward, “B” and “D” Companies spearheading the attack with support from a tank squadron. As the two battalions emerged from woods in front of the Hitler Line, both were greeted by heavy, accurate machine gun fire. While the Carleton & Yorks prepared to resume the attack, the Royal 22e’s soldiers on the right encountered significant enemy resistance. In response, Allied commanders postponed any further advance.

The Carleton & Yorks set about consolidating their position atop the last ridge in front of the Hitler Line, approximately 800 meters from the first German defences. It was apparent that enemy forces intended to strongly resist any attempt to breach their positions, meaning that a significant artillery bombardment prior to an infantry attack would be required.

Meanwhile, German artillery and mortar fire rained down on the Carleton & Yorks’ location throughout the night. The unit later reported one officer wounded, eight “other ranks” (OR) killed and 20 OR wounded during the day’s action. The next two days were devoted to reorganization, patrolling, and reconnaissance as the Carleton & Yorks prepared for the attack’s final phase.

The unit’s war diary noted that May 20 was “particularly hard on the nerves, as the whole battalion area was plastered from dawn to dusk by mortars, “Nebelwerfers” [rocket-propelled explosives] and artillery of all calibres, killing five ORs and wounding 14.” The bombardment disrupted the evacuation of the previous day’s fatalities, as well as the day’s wounded.

Private Gordon Newell was among the day’s casualties, suffering a severe shrapnel  wound in the abdomen. Captain E. W. MacQuarrie, Carleton & York Chaplain, later sent a letter, dated May 31, 1944, to Mansfield and Lila, providing a detailed description of what transpired that day:

“During the day of the 20th of May, we had been brought to a halt a few hundred yards from the Hitler Line, which… we stormed and broke on the 23rd. The companies were ‘dug in’ in shallow slit trenches where they were mercilessly shelled all day long, as they had been also on the previous day.

“Rather late in the afternoon of the 20th, your son was brought in on a stretcher. I was just coming in, carrying a lad who had been killed and near the R. A. P. [Regimental Aid Post] we met the bearers with your son. One of those lads came over and whispered to me that if I wanted to see your son before he died, I had better hurry right in. I did so… [and later] learned that even when the lads were lifting him out of his slit trench, before he had had any morphine or sedative, he never so much as whispered.

“Entering the R. A. P., I went to him, and as soon as he saw me, he grasped me by the hand and said, ‘I believe every word you say.’ Well, I knew at once [what] he meant by that. He was referring, of course, to the beliefs deep within his soul, which he found represented so weakly by me, as a minister of Christ. I consoled him as best I could. Such a time is no time for trivialities, and our words on both sides were simple, deep and sincere. I tried to reassure him, a labour that I know was unnecessary, that he who died doing his duty, serving high and noble ideals, need have no fear….

“By and by he murmured to me, ‘I know I am not going to live.’ It would have been cruel to make light of his wounds and deny it. So I said, ‘If you do not live, is there anyone to whom you would like me to remember you?’ ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘my mother.’ ‘Is there special message you would want me to tell her?’ ’Tell her I love her.’

“On his birthday, May 14, we had had our last church service together. On Mother’s Day. And how his concern was for you. What a gallant little hero he was. Never a whisper, never a cry, never a restless movement. He knew whom he trusted and whom he loved and seemed content….

“Just then the doctor had to put a man to sleep in order to set and bandage his shattered arm. When he came to, we asked if he had a good sleep. He was surprised to learn that he had been under. His stretcher lay next to your son’s and your son overheard the words. He murmured something, and I turned around, and he said, so quiet and pathetically, ‘I wish you would put me to sleep too.’ Almost I longed to be able to do so….

“A few minutes later, the doctor [said] he was ready to evacuate him to the Field Ambulance. I was a bit surprised as I felt he had no chance, but the doctors helplessly and notably replied, ‘Far be it from me to decide if a man has a chance to live.’ Certainly he had no chance if we held him. So off he went quietly, and I am sure inwardly at peace, on his last ride. When he got to the Field Ambulance, a mile or so away. his spirit had gone home.

“A fellow padre, Captain Larry Wilmot… of the West Nova Scotia Regiment, buried him at the care post [near Pontecorvo] that evening. From there, his body will be later taken to a proper Canadian Military Cemetery and re-buried alongside his fellow soldiers.”

Enemy shelling diminished on May 21, allowing hot meals to be brought forward. Monte Cassino had fallen to Polish forces three days earlier and French units managed to penetrate the Gustav Line’s western flanks during the previous night, setting the stage for an Allied assault on the Hitler Line that commenced with a massive artillery bombardment at 0500 hours May 23.

The Carleton & Yorks crossed the start line 30 minutes later, following in the wake of an artillery barrage. By day’s end, the 3rd Infantry Brigade’s units had broken through the Hitler Line, creating a breach for the 5th Canadian Armoured Division to exploit. The 1st Canadian Infantry Division later reported 42 officer and 832 OR casualties during the day’s fighting. The Carleton & Yorks suffered one officer and 13 OR fatalities, along with 46 wounded OR. Two other soldiers later died of wounds received in the breakthrough.

On February 8, 1945, Private Gordon Newell was re-interred in Cassino Military Cemetery, Casino, Italy. His death at age 20 was the first of two losses for the family that year. Gordon’s father Mansfield passed away in a Dartmouth, NS, hospital on July 12, 1944, the cause of death identified as “chronic nephritis.”

Gordon’s younger brother Stanley served as a military policeman with the Canadian Provost Corps during the Second World War. He later married Elizabeth Janie “Beth” Hattie and established residence in New Glasgow, where Stan worked as a commercial painter and meat cutter. He passed away in Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow, on September 7, 2009.

Photograph of Private Gordon Melvin Newell and letter from Chaplain E. W. MacQuarrie to his parents courtesy of Gordon's niece, Sheila Newell-Fagan, New Glasgow, NS.

Private Bert MacIntosh Hattie—Killed in Action May 20, 1944

 Bert MacIntosh Hattie was born on July 12, 1918, the second of Robert Cumming and Margaret Ross (MacDonald) Hattie’s five children. While several documents in Bert’s service file identify his birthplace as Barney’s River, the estate form completed by his mother Margaret after his death states that he was born in St. Martha’s Hospital, Antigonish.

Private Bert MacIntosh Hattie

Nova Scotia’s Hattie families trace their roots to three MacHattie brothers—Alexander, George and William—who emigrated from Scotland to Nova Scotia in 1786. While the trio all landed in Halifax, they headed to different parts of the British colony. William settled in Barney’s River, Pictou County, while George made his way to Newport, Hants County.

Alexander, born around 1757, dropped the “Mac” from his surname sometime after arriving in British North America. He initially followed his brother William to Pictou County, where he settled in West River. Alexander later purchased a piece of land along the Antigonish - Sherbrooke Road and close to the St. Mary’s Cross Roads, a location known today as Aspen. A stonemason by trade, Alexander also operated a farm and lumber mill in the community.

In 1790, Alexander married Catherine McDonald, daughter of Joseph McDonald, a native of Crofton, Perthshire, Scotland. The McDonald family had initially immigrated to Rhode Island before relocating to Nova Scotia. Alexander and Catherine raised a family of 12 children—eight sons and four daughters—in their East River St. Marys home. In their later years, the couple resided in Glenelg with their youngest daughter Janet and her husband, David McKeen. Catherine passed away there on May 30, 1839, while Alexander died in 1842 at 85 years of age.

One of Alexander and Catherine’s sons, Daniel, was born in West River, Pictou County, on April 6, 1810, and married Mary MacQuarrie, a native of Scotland, on October 24, 1833. (Coincidentally, Mary’s sister Anne married Daniel’s brother John.) Daniel was also a stonemason by trade. He initially built a house in Denver but later relocated to Caledonia, where he constructed a second residence in 1844. Daniel passed away there on June 1, 1898.

Daniel and Mary’s son John Lauchlin Hattie was born in Upper Caledonia on August 19, 1826, and married Elizabeth Sutherland, Lower Caledonia, on February 13, 1862. One of John Lauchlin and Elizabeth’s sons, James Blake Hattie, entered the Presbyterian ministry and served as a missionary in China for a number of years. During his adult life, James restored the “Mac” to his surname. One of James Blake’s sons, Harvey Donald MacHattie, served as a Lieutenant with the West Nova Scotia Regiment during the Second World War.

Robert Cumming Hattie, the sixth of John Lauchlin and Elizabeth’s children and a brother to James Blake, was born on February 1, 1875. Robert learned the blacksmith’s trade and lived in Kenzieville, Pictou County, for a number of years. While working there, he met Margaret Ross MacDonald. The daughter of Janet “Jennie” (Gerrard) and Duncan MacDonald, Margaret was born in Rossfield on January 19, 1886.

Upon completing nursing studies in Jamaica Plains, MA, Margaret had returned to Nova Scotia, where she worked as a nurse midwife in Pictou, Guysborough and Antigonish Counties, often in the company of a Dr. Chisholm. Robert and Margaret were married on June 16, 1915, and first established residence in the Barney’s River area. Their eldest son, James Homer, was born there on August 7, 1916.

Over the following years, four more children joined the Hattie household—Bert, Robert Gerrard (June 11, 1922), John Duncan “Jack” (August 2, 1924), and Jean Elizabeth (April 19, 1929). Sometime prior to the 1931 Canadian census, Robert Sr. moved the family back to Upper Caledonia, where he pursued farming and lumbering. The Hatties resided in a large house that formerly served as the Presbyterian Manse. Sadly, young Jean Elizabeth passed away there on April 30, 1936, the cause identified on her death certificate as “acute nephritis.”

Bert MacIntosh Hattie left school at age 16, and worked on the family farm and in the local woods for several years. In the spring of 1941, “truckman” Lloyd Chestnut, Stellarton, hired Bert as a “helper.” Bert’s age at the time—he celebrated his 23nd birthday in early 1941—made him an ideal candidate for military service. On July 31, 1941, he completed a National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA) enlistment form at New Glasgow, NS, and was attached to No. 61 Training Centre, New Glasgow, for basic training.

Upon completing his introduction to military service, Bert reported to Camp Aldershot for advanced infantry training on October 1, 1941. In early December 1941, he was assigned to the Pictou Highlanders’ active personnel list. As a Canadian militia unit, its soldiers were eligible for service in Canada only.

On February 3, 1942, Bert enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force, making him eligible for overseas service, He completed a Class III wheeled drivers’ course in the spring of 1942 and spent four months in Halifax before travelling to Sussex Camp, NB, for further training on December 3, 1942.

Bert returned to Halifax in early January 1943 and remained there for nine months, On October 8, 1943, he was “struck off strength” by the Pictou Highlanders and reported to No. 1 Transit Camp, Windsor, NS. He departed for overseas on November 25, 1943, and landed in the United Kingdom six days later. Shortly afterward, he changed his “next of kin” from his father Robert to his mother, Mrs. Margaret Hattie, Caledonia, Guysborough County.

Canadian infantry units had been fighting in Italy since July 1943. Allied progress in the campaign was a slow, grinding affair that created an increasing demand for reinforcements. On February 17, 1944, Bert was assigned to the Mediterranean Theatre reinforcement pool and departed for Italy the following day. Placed on the West Nova Scotia Regiment’s reinforcement list, he was assigned to its active combat roster on March 11, 1944, and joined the unit in the field shortly afterward.

In 1936, the Lunenburg and Annapolis Regiments—two local militia units—amalgamated to form the West Nova Scotia Regiment. The unit officially mobilized for overseas service on September 1, 1939, and was assigned to the 1st Canadian Division’s 3rd Brigade. Throughout the war, the “West Novas” served alongside the Royal 22e Régiment (Quebec’s VanDoos) and the Carleton & York Regiment (New Brunswick).

The West Novas departed for the United Kingdom in December 1939 and spent three and a half years training and serving in various “home defence” roles. In early July 1943, the 1st Canadian Division departed for the Mediterranean theatre as part of a large Allied force that landed in Sicily on July 10. Throughout the following month, Canadian soldiers fought alongside British, Commonwealth and American units, clearing Italian and German forces from the island by mid-August.

On September 3, 1943, the 1st Canadian Division landed at Reggio on the Italian mainland’s southernmost tip. Throughout the autumn of 1943, its units fought its way northward through the central area of the Italian peninsula. Before year’s end, tts Canadians liberated the town of Ortona, located on the Adriatic coast. The West Nova Scotia Regiment served in sectors north of Ortona throughout the early months of 1944, a time period during which both sides held their positions. Each side dispatched regular night-time patrols, probing their opponent’s defences and seeking to capture prisoners for interrogation.

Private Bert MacIntosh Hattie joined the West Novas’ ranks in mid-March and spent five weeks in the Adriatic sector. On April 21, 1944, an Indian army unit relieved the battalion and its soldiers moved out to the Campobasso region, approximately 150 kilometers northeast of Naples, for a period of rest and training. Early the following month, personnel exchanged their winter battle-dress for khaki denims as temperatures began to rise.

On May 12, 1944, Bert wrote a letter to his mother Margaret during the break from front line service. Its content makes no mention of his military circumstances at the time. Rather, Bert focused on recent communication with family members:

“The day before yesterday, I got a big parcel from you and I think that calls for a letter anyway, or for as much as time will permit. And yesterday along came another big parcel from Jack [Bert’s younger brother] so you see the mailman has been pretty good to me. They couldn’t have come at a better time….

“I had a lot of mail when I got around to answer[ing] any this time and there are still quite a few coming in so the pile is coming down slowly…. I have three air graphs and an ordinary letter from Dad to answer yet. I hope he doesn’t think I’ve given up writing but I’ll look after them real soon.

“The parcel, Mother, was in very good shape when it got here. Only the crackers were broken a little and that didn’t hurt them any, and oh boy is the honey ever good. It’s a long time since I had honey in the army ha ha. In fact it is… heard tell of only when someone is wishing they had some.

“I hope Homer [Bert’s oldest brother] likes it in Moncton. He said Newfie was a rocky, barren-looking place, well it is all of that in lots of places…. Well Mother thanks a million for the nice parcel and the best in the world to you. Love, Bert.”

The West Novas soldiers resting and training in the Campobasso area were unaware of impending war plans. Canadian units would soon be engaged in their first campaign on the Italian peninsula’s western side. While American units had landed at Anzio Beach in late January 1944, hoping to outflank their German opponents and force their retreat, a superior enemy force prevented them from expanding beyond a small beach-head. In response, Allied commanders decided to have British, Canadian and Commonwealth forces pursue a second path northward, toward the Italian capital of Rome.

The Liri Valley lies approximately 75 kilometers inland from the Tyrrhenian Sea, which is located along Italy’s western coast. The Liri  River runs through the valley’s western edge in a northwesterly direction toward Rome. The entrance to the valley stretches for approximately 30 kilometers from the Lepini Mountains on its western side to the main chain of the Apennine Mountains on its eastern side. Atop the eastern ridge sat a  monastery, named after the town of Cassino below it. “Monte Cassino” provided German forces with an excellent view of Allied forces as they assembled along the valley entrance.

In anticipation of an Allied offensive, German forces had constructed two defensive lines in the Liri Valley. The first, called the Gustav Line, was located in the region of Pignatoro, while a second major series of fortifications, located several kilometres up the valley near Pontecorvo, formed the Hitler Line. Streams ran from the mountains into the valley on both sides, carving deep gullies that impeded the progress of tanks and armoured vehicles. Thick shrubs and bushes along their banks provided perfect cover for anti-tank and anti-personnel weapons.

The Allied attack commenced on May 11, 1944, with French, British and Indian units advancing as far as the Gustav Line on the first day. While Polish forces on the eastern flank struggled to dislodge German units atop Monte Cassino, Allied commanders focused on the central and western sections of the line, where further progress appeared possible.

On May 15, Canadian units made their way into support areas behind the Allied line’s western sector. The West Nova Scotia Regiment travelled from Bucciano aboard motor transport and arrived in an assembly area near Pignatoro around midnight May 15/16. Shortly afterward, the unit received orders to enter the front lines in relief of two Indian and two British companies the following day.

The West Nova war diary described the situation on the morning of May 16:

”The Liri valley and especially Monte Cassino and the Monastery were well smoked [by Allied artillery smoke shells] and some difficulty was experienced by everyone in finding the location of the battalion we were to relieve…. [U]nder heavy shelling and mortar fire[,] the relief was successfully completed by 2100 hours [May 16]. Morale was high and everyone in good spirits at the thought of really getting going again after the long weary months on the Ortona front.”

Spread out in front of the West Novas’ position lay the remainder of the Gustav Line’s defences—a series of slit trenches, fortified houses, machine-gun and mortar pits. The unit prepared to attack the enemy positions at 0630 hours May 17. “A hot breakfast was brought up and under intermittent shelling and mortar fire the rifle companies formed up along the Pignatoro road…. At 1030 hours [May 17] the order at last came through to attack.”

All four West Nova companies crossed the start line in perfect order and captured numerous prisoners during the advance’s first few hundred meters. One “D” Company platoon lost its bearings and two others “overshot the objective,” luckily passing through a supporting artillery barrage with few casualties. The remaining platoons quickly reached their targets and consolidated their positions.

Tanks supporting the advance had encountered a ditch about 300 meters from the start line and lagged behind the infantry. The vehicles soon caught up and assisted in establishing a new front line. “Resistance was slight and most of the casualties were caused by shelling and mortar fire….” According to the unit’s war diary, “fairly heavy shelling… continued until after dark, at which time the rifle companies moved forward about two miles [three kilometers] to form a firm base from where the Carleton and Yorks [their New Brunswick Brigade mates] could advance the next morning.”

The following day—May 18—German forces quickly withdrew to the Hitler Line. The 3rd Brigade moved forward with little resistance, encountering only artillery and mortar fire. Upon reaching a designated location, the West Novas once again dug in under mortar fire, forming a line through which the Carleton and York Regiment could once again pass and continue the advance.

On May 19, the West Novas withdrew to the vicinity of the 3rd Brigade’s rear battalion, where the men received a hot meal. At 0830 hours, the unit formed up once more and moved out under heavy mortar and artillery shelling, relieving the Royal 22e Régiment, whose men had endured heavy enfilade throughout the morning. The West Novas once again dug in under intense mortar, artillery and machine gun fire. Rain commenced around 1600 hours, making conditions increasingly uncomfortable.

The rain and enemy fire continued into the following day as hot meals were once again brought forward to the men in the morning. By early afternoon, the sun broke through as the battalion continued to hold its position. While rumours of imminent relief circulated on May 21, no such instructions arrived. As the day passed, mortar and artillery shells continued to bombard the West Novas’ location.

Finally, on May 22, the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) relieved the West Novas during the afternoon hours as German forces withdrew to the Hitler Line. The Nova Scotians had spent six hard days in the line. During that time, the battalion recorded 23 fatalities among its ranks. While the majority occurred during the May 17 advance, persistent mortar and artillery shelling inflicted daily losses. Private Bert MacIntosh Hattie was one of the men lost during the combat tour, killed by enemy shelling on May 20, 1944.

Bert was initially buried in a Pontecorvo cemetery on the day of his death, his grave marked by a wooden cross. Several days later, Margaret received a telegram from military authorities, informing her that her son had been killed in action. On February 8, 1945, Bert’s remains were re-interred in Cassino Military Cemetery, Cassino, Italy.

Two of Bert’s Hattie cousins were in uniform overseas at the time of his death. Harvey Donald MacHattie, son of Janet Sutherland Macdonald and Reverend James Blake MacHattie—a younger brother to Robert Cumming Hattie—enlisted with the Royal Canadian Engineers Corps on June 6, 1942—by coincidence, his 22nd birthday—and commenced service with the commissioned rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Harvey departed from the United Kingdom in late March 1943 and was initially assigned to an engineering field squadron attached to the 4th Canadian Armoured Division.

In late July 1944, Harvey returned to the 1st Canadian Engineers Reinforcement Unit and was placed on the Mediterranean Theater reinforcement list two months later. Assigned to the West Nova Scotia Regiment on November 21, 1944, he joined the unit in Italy in mid-December.  Tragically, Harvey died of wounds received while on duty on January 27, 1945. Harvey's story is available elsewhere on this blog.

A second cousin, Edna Christina Margaret Hattie, was also in the United Kingdom at the time of Bert’s death. Edna was the daughter of Joseph Wilfred Hattie, another of John Lauchlin and Elizabeth Hattie’s sons. Wilfred married Isabel MacGregor Keir. Their daughter Edna was born in Caledonia, Guysborough County, on October 13, 1914. Edna completed nursing studies at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, QC, graduating in 1937. After working at the “Royal Vic” for several years, Edna returned to university, earning a certificate in Public Health Nursing from McGill University in 1940.

Edna worked as a Public Health nurse at the Royal Vic for two years. On September 18, 1942, she enlisted  with the Canadian Army Medical Corps at Halifax and received the commissioned rank of Lieutenant. Edna served in Canada for 18 months and departed for overseas on January 22, 1944. Upon arriving in the United Kingdom, she spent time on with No. 12 and No. 13 Canadian General Hospitals before departing for the Mediterranean Theatre on July 16, 1944.

Upon arriving in Italy, Edna was assigned to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital (CGH), whose initial personnel were recruited in Montreal, QC. With the exception of a week’s service with No. 5 CGH, she remained with No. 14 for the duration of her time in the Mediterranean theatre.

No. 14 CGH had arrived in Italy in mid-November 1943 after a harrowing journey. German U-boats sunk the vessel on which its personnel were travelling, forcing all passengers to abandon ship. Fortunately, all on board survived the experience. After landing in Naples, the unit established operations at Caserta, where it remained for eight months. From August 1944 to March 1945—the time period that corresponded with Edna’s Italian service—No. 14 CGH established operations in an abandoned tobacco factory located in Perugia, north of Rome.

In early April 1945, the hospital’s personnel returned to the United Kingdom. Edna departed for Canada on July 20, 1945, and joined the staff of Montreal Military Hospital after her arrival. On August 19, 1946, she was officially discharged from the RCAMC, but remained part of the unit’s reserve. She worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for several years and later taught in the Royal Vic’s nurse training program. Late in life, Edna married Claude Fairfield, an American soldier whom she met while nursing overseas. She passed away in St. Petersburg, Florida, on November 24, 1976.

Bert’s younger brother Robert Gerrard “Bob” Hattie also served in uniform. Bob enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force and completed pilot training in Canada. Upon arriving overseas, Bob was assigned to 440 Squadron (RCAF), a fighter bomber unit based in Ayr, Scotland. The unit’s pilots flew Typhoon aircraft and were given the task of “softening up” German defenses in France prior to D-Day. After the Normandy invasion, the squadron provided close support to ground forces, dive-bombing and strafing German strong points, bridges, rail and road traffic.

On two occasions, Bob was forced to evacuate his aircraft after it was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire. A news item in the August 3, 1944 edition of the Antigonish Casket described one of the incidents:

“A recent news report from the Normandy front contains the story of a Guysborough County airman who was forced to bail out of his burning aircraft while flying over Normandy. He is Flying Officer Robert G. Hattie, Lower Caledonia, who is flying in a Typhoon fighter-bomber squadron. The squadron was in a dive-bombing operation against heavily defended railway marshalling yards at Aunay-sur-Odon, far behind the German lines. Hattie, however, landed behind the Allied lines and within twelve hours was on his way back to England to rejoin his squadron.”

After returning to Canada, Bob married and raised a family in Rivière Qui Barre, northwest of Edmonton, AB. He passed away there on September 24, 2009.

James Homer, the oldest of the Hattie brothers, commenced a career in civil aviation prior to the outbreak of war in Europe. Hired by Trans Canada Airlines, Winnipeg, MB, as a “helper” in 1938, Homer advanced to the position of mechanic in 1939. He subsequently completed pilot training at Parks Air College, St. Louis, MO, and returned to Canada.

In February 1941, Homer was promoted to First Officer. Transferred to TCA’s Toronto operations in April 1942, he advanced to the rank of Captain in September 1943. Homer was stationed in Newfoundland for short period of time, after which he was transferred to TCA’s Moncton, NB, operations in February 1944.

On September 2, 1946, Homer and First Officer Kenneth David Moreland, Saul Ste., Marie, ON, were conducting a test flight on a twin-engine Lodestar aircraft. After take-off, the plane climbed to a height of 60 meters when it suddenly lost altitude and crashed to the ground. Eye-witnesses reported that one of the aircraft’s two motors appeared to stall as the plane was gaining altitude, causing it to plunge to earth. The two pilots, the aircraft’s only occupants, were killed in the incident.

Margaret Ross Hattie passed away at Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, on April 5, 1958, after a year-long battle with cancer. Her husband Robert lived in the Caledonia family home from spring to autumn and spent the winter months with his youngest son Jack in Kentville. Robert passed away in Blanchard Fraser Memorial Hospital, Kentville, on December 16, 1963. Both Margaret and Robert were laid to rest in a family plot in Bethel Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Caledonia, alongside their son Homer and daughter Jean.

Special thanks to Brenda Hattie, Salmon River Bridge, NS, who provided a picture of her uncle Bert and extensive information on the Second World War service of Bert's siblings and cousins.

Acting Corporal John Whitney Williams—Killed in Action May 17, 1944

 John Whitney Williams was born in Halfway Cove, Guysborough County, on August 12, 1912. Whitney was the second child and oldest son of George Henry and Gertrude Cordella (Dickey) Williams. George, a native of Halfway Cove, was the son of Daniel P. and Almira Williams, while his wife Gertrude was the daughter of Cookson and Agnes Dickey, West Cook’s Cove. The couple were married at Lower Salmon River, Guysborough County, on August 17, 1910.

Acting Corporal John Whitney Williams

Whitney was raised in a busy household that grew to include five boys and six girls. He left school at age 13, having completed Grade 5. Whitney’s service file provides no details on his early employment. As the oldest boy, he may have worked in the local fishery with his father George. Whitney later worked as a lumberjack in camps around the province. On occasion, he was “cookie”—head cook—a skill he learned from his mother, who had held the same position in local lumber camps.

Prior to his military enlistment, Whitney worked for four years as a truck driver. Immediately before joining the army, he had been employed for eight months by Arthur Kennedy, Guysborough, who operated a local trucking business. A document in his service file states that he was interested in pursuing a mechanic’s trade after military service.

Whitney enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force at Halifax, NS, on August 21, 1942. At 30 years of age, he was several years older than the typical Second World War recruit. One week later, Whitney headed to Yarmouth, NS, where he completed basic training. On October 28, he was transferred to No. 14 Infantry Training Centre, Aldershot, NS, for advanced instruction.

On March 10, 1943, Whitney departed for overseas and set foot in the United Kingdom one week later. After a two-month wait, he was assigned to No. 7 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit and placed on the West Nova Scotia Regiment’s reinforcement list the following day.

Established when the Lunenburg and Annapolis Regiments amalgamated in 1936, the West Nova Scotia Regiment mobilized on September 1, 1939, and recruited its initial personnel from the Halifax, South Shore and Annapolis Valley regions. The West Novas departed for overseas in late December 1939 and was assigned to the 1st Canadian Division’s 3rd Brigade, where it served alongside the Royal 22nd Regiment (Quebec’s “Van Doos”) and the Carleton & York Regiment (New Brunswick).

Personnel spent three and half years in the United Kingdom before heading to the Mediterranean theatre in late June 1943. The 1st Canadian Infantry Division was part of a massive Allied invasion force that invaded Sicily on July 10, 1943. After liberating the island, the Allied units crossed the Strait of Messina to the Italian mainland in early September 1943 and commenced a push northward.

As a reinforcement, Whitney did not see combat during the early months of the Allied campaign to liberate Italy. He came ashore in Sicily on the day after the invasion force and followed the infantry’s advance across the island to the Italian mainland. On October 15, Whitney was promoted to the rank of Acting Lance Corporal, an indication that he had demonstrated leadership potential.

Two weeks later, Whitney was transferred from the West Nova’s Base Depot to its 4th Reserve Battalion, another step toward front-line service. On December 14, 1943, he reverted to the rank of Private and was officially taken on strength by the West Nova Scotia Regiment. By that time, the unit was in the line near Berardi, a small village located on the outskirts of Ortona, on Italy’s Adriatic coast.

While American forces landed at Salerno, south of Naples, in early September and pushed northward along Italy’s western coastline, British and Allied units first proceeded up the centre of the Italian peninsula before veering eastward onto the plains and rolling hills of the Adriatic coastline. While Italian forces had officially surrendered in early September, German units firmly resisted the Allies’ northward advance.

At the time of Whitney’s transfer to active combat duty, Canadian units were engaged in fierce fighting near a strategic crossroads for several days. Its fighting strength reduced to 217 men “all ranks,” the West Novas nevertheless continued to serve in the front line. During the night of December 16, “a small draft of reinforcements arrived and the Regiment was further reorganized.” Whitney was likely among the new arrivals, although it is unlikely that the inexperienced soldiers were immediately sent into combat.

The following afternoon, the remaining West Novas in the front line participated in a final attempt to capture a well-defended German position, located in a gully below their objective. The attack failed to break through the enemy line. The unit remained in the trenches for several more days before being relieved.

The West Novas had suffered 44 fatalities and another 150 men wounded during a 16-day tour near Berardi. The battalion retired to nearby San Leonardo, where its soldiers spent several days resting and re-organizing while 1st and 2nd Brigade infantry units continued the assault. The Canadians finally broke through the German line and advanced to the village of Ortona, which was cleared of enemy soldiers shortly after Christmas Day.

Throughout the winter of 1943-44, the West Novas remained in the Adriatic sector north of Ortona. During that time, both sides settled into their established positions, conducting night-time patrols to probe their opponents’ defenses and occasionally capture enemy prisoners for interrogation. With the arrival of spring, the combatants prepared for the resumption of fighting.

On March 29, 1944, Whitney was promoted to the rank of Acting Corporal. Three days later, he found a few minutes to write a letter to his younger brother Russell:

“Dear Brother, you will think it funny to hear from me. I have been trying for a long time to get your address so Mary [Whitney’s younger sister] sent it to me and I thought I would drop you a few lines today, for there is not much doing. How do you like your new uniform and your job? [Russell had recently enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force in Canada.] I would like to be in your place but I would not want to see you in mine.

“You have heard tell of sunny Italy. It has not been very sunny the last four months, but the weather is a little better the last few days…. [W]hen it gets hot it is hot and you don’t see any rain for months. That will bake on the mud that we got on us the last while back. I would like to tell you of something that I saw and happened, but we will talk about that next fall when we are in deer hunting and they can’t shoot back at you.

“Did you know Johnnie O’Connor from Riverside? He is here in the same platoon with me. He is quite a lad and so is his sister. He he. I had a letter and parcel from Mary not long ago. She is well. The same as ever I suppose. I would like to see her so we could have a good laugh.

“Well, Russ as my news is getting scarce, I must bring this short letter to a close. Hoping to hear from you soon, from your brother Whitney.”

On April 21, 1944, an Indian Army unit relieved the West Novas and its soldiers set off for Riccia, near Campobasso, approximately 150 kilometers northeast of Naples, for a few days’ rest. Early the following month, the men exchanged their battle-dress for khaki denims as temperatures began to rise. The area around their camp was soon infested with mosquitoes, raising concerns over malaria. As a result, the unit relocated to Lucera, where there were fewer insects.

With the arrival of spring, Canadian forces prepared for their first campaign on the western side of the Italian peninsula. While British and Canadian forces had advanced northward through its central and eastern regions, American forces had conducted a parallel campaign along the western coast. At the time of the West Novas’ arrival in the Campobasso region, American units were pinned down on beach-heads near Anzio and Nettuo.

A second path northward to Rome, the Italian capital, lay through the Liri Valley. German forces entrenched in mountains near Cassino guarded its southern entrance. A military position atop the mountain near the town, called Monte Cassino, provided enemy forces with a view of the valley entrance below, providing a strategic advantage.

The valley entrance stretched for approximately 25 kilometers, from the Lepini Mountains on the left side to the main chain of the Apennines, where Monte Cassino was located.. The Liri River ran in a northwesterly direction through a valley between the mountains, providing a route to the Alban Hills and Rome.

In preparation for an Allied assault, German forces had established two strong lines of defence in the valley. The first, known as the Gustav Line, was located near Pignatoro, while the HItler Line, a second defensive network several kilometers to the north, was established near Pontecorvo. Polish forces on the right flank were assigned the difficult task of securing Monte Cassino, while French, British, and Indian forces concentrated on the central and left sectors.

Canadian units were not in the line for the initial attack on the night of May 12/13. While Polish forces made little headway on the western flank, British and Indian forces managed to penetrate the Gustav Line and secure the town of Pignatoro. On May 15, Canadian units were on the move northward toward the valley. 

The West Novas, now located at Bucciano, boarded motor transport and travelled through mountainous terrain, arriving in an assembly area near Pignatoro by midnight. The terrain was similar to what the battalion had faced on the Adriatic coast. The remainder of the Gustav Line consisted of slit trenches, machine gun and mortar pits, with fortified houses scattered across the landscape. Streams ran from the mountains into the valley, creating deep gullies that were difficult for tanks to cross. Thick shrubs and trees along their banks provided excellent cover for enemy positions equipped with machine guns and anti-tank weapons.

During the late evening of May 16, the West Novas entered positions in their assigned sector, relieving an Indian Division battalion. The following morning, Whitney and his comrades received an early hot breakfast. At 0630 hours, personnel assembled along the Pignatoro - Pontecorvo Road and awaited orders to advance. German artillery and mortar fire struck the area as they waited, wounding several men. At 1030 hours, the West Novas received orders to pass through their Royal 22nd Régiment comrades, who were holding the line in front of them, and continue the Allied advance into the Liri Valley.
The unit’s A and D Companies moved forward, assisted by British tanks, while B and C Companies followed in support. The men advanced at a steady pace, taking a considerable number of German prisoners. Occasionally, enemy forces entrenched in fortified houses offered resistance but were quickly over-run. German snipers in leafy trees along the edges of cultivated fields presented a more serious obstacle, but for the most part enemy resistance collapsed without much of a fight.

The majority of the West Novas’ casualties that day were the result of mortar and artillery fire on their position as the men advanced. At one point, elements of D Company became lost amidst the smoke and confusion of combat. On the unit’s flank, one platoon was ambushed and most of its men taken prisoner.

By nightfall, the West Novas were dug in among fields surrounding a farmhouse called Casa di George, located alongside a bend in the highway running from Pignatoro into the valley. Heavy enemy shelling continued until dark, at which time the unit’s rifle companies pushed forward a distance of three kilometers, establishing a base for the Carleton & York Regiment to pass through their line and continue the advance the following day.

In the aftermath of the day’s events, Acting Corporal John Whitney Williams was first listed as “missing.” Later records indicate that a total of 12 West Novas perished that day. According to the unit’s war diary entry, “most of the casualties were caused by [artillery] shelling and mortar fire.” Whitney was one of the day’s fatalities, a later entry in his service file officially stating that he was “killed in action” on May 17, 1944.

In a letter to Whitney’s father George dated June 17, 1944, Major-General H. F. G. Letson, Adjutant-General, expressed his condolences on the loss of his son. Whitney was initially buried in a temporary military cemetery. On February 6, 1945, his remains were re-interred in Cassino British Military Cemetery, Cassino, Italy.

Hartley (left) and Charlie Williams

Russell Williams

All of Whitney’s brothers served in some capacity during the Second World War. Oscar and Hartley also enlisted with the Canadian Army and saw action overseas. Charles "Charlie" served in Halifax with the Canadian Dental Corps. Russell enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force, where he worked as a carpenter at bases located in Newfoundland. All four men safely returned home.

Special thanks to Whitney’s niece Marie (Williams) Brymer, Guysborough, NS, for providing background information on the family, a copy of Whitney’s letter to his brother Russell, and photos of Whitney, Hartley, Charlie and Russell Williams. Some information on Whitney’s pre-war employment was obtained from “Remembering Whitney Williams,” Guysborough Journal, November 9, 2005, by Diana Lynn Tibert, Milford, NS.