Private Colin David Dort—Killed in Action September 16, 1944

 Colin David Dort was born on November 20, 1923, in Cole Harbour, Guysborough County, the fifth of Joseph Wilfred “Joe” and Mary Jane “Jennie” (Murray] Dort’s seven children. Jennie was the daughter of Colin and Mary Murray, Newton, Pictou County, while Joe was the son of David Alonzo and Lilia (O’Leary) Dort, Cole Harbour.

Private Colin David Dort

The oldest of his siblings, Joe left home sometime after 1911 and headed to Pictou County, where he found employment as a painter. On March 21, 1914, Joe and Jennie married in Trenton. Their first child, a son Everett Ellis, was born on May 25, 1915, but died at 16 months of age. A second tragedy struck the larger Dort family on July 4, 1917, when Joe’s younger brother, Private Leo Harold Dort, died of wounds received in combat near Avion, France, while serving with the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada).

By 1918, Joe and Jennie had relocated to Cole Harbour, where Joe went to work in the local fishery. Family sources state that he also maintained a local lighthouse, receiving a small stipend for lighting and extinguishing the lamp each evening. Joe and Jennie’s second child, a daughter May Isabelle, was born there on October 28, 1918. A second son, Leo Alexander, joined the family in May 1921, approximately one month prior to the decennial census. Frank, the couple’s fourth child, arrived the following year but died in infancy on August 28, 1922.

At the time of the 1931 census, the Dort household consisted of Joe, age 36, his wife Jennie, age 34, and their three surviving children—May, age 12; Leo, age 10; and Colin, age six. Two more children joined the family during the 1930s. Ella Theresa was born on July 18, 1932, while Patrick Joseph, the youngest of the Dort siblings, was born on March 17, 1936.

Colin David Dort completed Grade VII and left school at age 15, halfway through Grade VIII. For several years, he remained in the Cole Harbour area, where he fished seasonally with his father. Around 1939, Colin went to work for A. Logan, Trenton, NS, who operated a lumbering business. His job consisted of “snaking” and loading logs at lumber camps in northeastern Nova Scotia.

By early 1943, Colin’s age made him an ideal candidate for military service. On March 29, 1943, he enrolled with the Non-Permanent Active Militia of Canada at Halifax, NS. While his service file gives his birth year as 1923, family descendants state that he was actually born the following year and lied about his age at the time. Unfortunately, there is no official record of Colin’s birth.

At the time of Colin’s militia enrolment, he had already spent one month with a Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC) Company. Having few employment prospects at the time, his decision to enlist was perhaps not surprising. Colin’s older brother Leo had already enlisted with the West Nova Scotia Regiment and may have also played a role..

After three months of militia service, Colin enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) at Halifax on June 24, 1943, and thus became eligible for overseas service. In early July, he reported to No. 60 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre, Yarmouth, for initial infantry instruction. Two months later, he moved on to the Advanced Infantry Training Centre at Camp Aldershot, where he completed training. On October 30, Colin received a 14-day pre-embarkation furlough. In mid-November he reported to No. 1 Transit Camp, Windsor, NS, and departed for overseas on November 24. One week later, he set foot in the United Kingdom.

On December 2, Colin was assigned to No. 7 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU). By the time he arrived overseas, Canadian units had logged five months of combat service in the Italian  campaign, creating a significant demand for infantry reinforcements. As a result, Colin spent only two months in the UK before receiving a transfer to No. 3 CIRU in early February 1944.

The move was an indication that Colin would soon join an active infantry unit. At mid-month, he was placed on the Mediterranean theatre’s reinforcement list. He left the UK on February 17 and arrived in Naples, Italy, in early March. Colin spent one month in a reinforcement camp at Avellino, east of Naples, before he was assigned to the Royal Canadian Regiment on April 9, 1944.

The Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) was part of the Permanent Force of Canada. Initially established as the Infantry School Corps on December 21, 1883, the unit underwent several name changes before being designated the Royal Canadian Regiment on November 1, 1901. The RCR mobilized for active service on September 1, 1939, and was assigned to the 1st Canadian Division’s 1st Infantry Brigade, where it served alongside two other Ontario units—the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment (Belleville/Peterborough,) known as the “Hasty Ps,” and the 48th Highlanders of Canada (Toronto).

The 1st Canadian Division spent almost four years in the UK before it departed for the Mediterranean theatre with an Allied invasion force in early July 1943. The RCR landed at Pacchino, on the southern coast of Sicily, on July 10, and moved on to the Italian mainland’s southern tip with the 1st Canadian Division in early September. The Regiment fought its way northward throughout the autumn months and saw its first major combat during the Moro River campaign, near Ortona, in December 1943. By year’s end, 550 of the “original” RCR 756 soldiers who had landed in Sicily six months earlier were no longer among its ranks. The losses resulted in a steady stream of reinforcements from camps in the UK and Italy.

The Regiment spent the first four months of 1944 in sectors north of Ortona, near the Adriatic coast. It was a period of static warfare similar to First World War combat. Wet weather throughout the winter and early spring created muddy, uncomfortable conditions in the front lines. Private Colin David Dort joined the RCR’s ranks during the last weeks of its service in the Adriatic sectors.

On April 21, the unit commenced a journey toward the Italian peninsula’s west coast. Personnel trained near Oratino for several weeks before moving on to an area near Foggia for co-ordinated exercises with tank units at month’s end. On May 4, the soldiers established camp near the Volturno River, where they rehearsed river crossings.

The nature of the training suggested preparations for a new combat assignment. During the spring of 1944, Allied forces prepared for a major push into the Liri Valley, which ran in a northwestward direction toward Rome, parallel to Italy’s western coast. Within the valley, German forces had created two defensive networks. At its entrance lay the Gustav Line, which extended from the Liri River on the valley’s western side to Cassino in the east. Atop a steep hill behind the town stood Monte Cassino, a monastery that provided Germans with a clear view of the valley’s entrance.

The second network, called the Hitler Line, was established approximately 15 kilometers into the valley, stretching from Pontecorvo on its western side to Aquino in the east. Behind it lay the road to the Italian capital, the Allied spring offensive’s ultimate goal.

The attack on the Gustav Line commenced in the late evening hours of May 11. The RCR and 1st Canadian Division units were not involved in the initial assault. Three days later, the Canadians moved forward, entering the forward area on May 15 and pursuing German forces as they retreated toward the Hitler Line.

After a week’s hard fighting, Allied forces finally reached the second defensive network. The RCR’s 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade (1st CIB) was given the task of securing Pontecorvo, the line’s western anchor. While an initial May 22 attack failed to penetrate the town’s outer defences, a second push the following day secured the high ground in front of it. The RCR’s soldiers entered Pontecorvo at first light May 24 and secured the entire town by day’s end.

The Liri Valley campaign provided Private Colin Dort with his first combat experience. The inexperienced young soldier came through the tour without injury. After completing its Hitler Line tour, the RCR withdrew from the line for a week’s rest, returning at month’s end as Allied units pursued retreating German units northward.

On June 4, 1944, American and British forces liberated Rome, which German forces abandoned without a fight. Meanwhile, Canadian units retired from the line for a lengthy period of rest and training. The RCR first encamped at Anagni before relocating to a training area near Piedmont, where the 1st Canadian Division prepared for its role in the next Allied push. Exercises focused in particular on infantry - tank co-operation.

While Canadian units trained and rested, other Allied forces pursued German forces northward to the Apennine mountains north of Florence, where they established yet another defensive system. The Gothic Line stretched from a location near Pisa on the Italian west coast through the mountains to an area south of Rimini on the Adriatic Sea.

The Canadian Corps, which was attached to the British 8th Army, was given the task of breaking through the eastern sectors of the line south of Rimini. In early August, its units returned to active duty and relocated to the Adriatic coast at mid-month. By August 20, all units were in position, awaiting orders to attack.

The Gothic Line, the Canadians’ main objective, lay approximately 25 kilometers behind the Adriatic front line at the time of their arrival on the western coast. Two major rivers—the Metauro and Foglia—cut their way through the coastal plain from the Apennine Mountains to the sea. Behind each water course lay German forces, determined to prevent an attack on the major defensive system.

The initial Canadian assignment involved crossing the Metauro and establishing bridgeheads on its northern bank. Units would then push northward to the Foglia, which had to be crossed before an attack on the Gothic Line could take place. The RCR was involved in the initial stage of the operation, occupying front line positions north of Montemaggiore on August 23. Opposite its position lay the unit’s first objective—an area of high ground on the Metauro River’s northern bank.

The attack commenced with a massive artillery bombardment at 2315 hours August 25. As the barrage lifted, two RCR Companies crossed the river and established a beach-head before pushing on to the village of Saltara. The advance continued throughout the following day, the Regiment advancing toward Monteciccardo throughout the night of August 26/27 before retiring to an assembly area near San Vito for a short rest.

By dawn August 29, 1st CIB units had reached the southern bank of the Foglia River, behind which lay the approaches to the Gothic Line. The Division’s 3rd Infantry Brigade (3rd CIB) led the first attacks across the river as the RCR’s 1st CIB moved back for a brief rest. By the time its units returned to the line on September 2, two Canadian Infantry Brigades had broken through the Gothic Line and secured Monte Peloso and Monte Luro, two areas of high ground that dominated the surrounding landscape for several kilometers.

Meanwhile, German forces retreated across the Conca River to Misano Ridge, 13 kilometers north of the Foglia, where terrain was more suitable for a defensive stand. The RCR received orders to lead the attack’s next phase and took up positions on the Conca’s southern bank. On the night of September 2/3, its personnel crossed the river and established a bridge-head on the opposite bank by 0300 hours September 3. The soldiers continued to advance toward Misano Ridge until they encountered enemy forces as the sun rose.

In fact, the RCR’s lead forces had stumbled into a German strongpoint and were quickly pinned down by a hail of fire. The soldiers dug in and held on until darkness, the remainder of the battalion reaching the area throughout the day and providing support. Exchanges of fire continued throughout the following day as the soldiers made slow but steady progress toward their objective. In the early morning hours of September 5, supporting Allied artillery units launched a massive bombardment of German positions. When the RCR’s soldiers resumed the attach at 0600 hours, they discovered that enemy forces had abandoned their positions during the night.

The Canadians now controlled an elevated area known as the Dornier feature and continued their pursuit of retreating German units. Fierce fighting occurred in the village of San Lorenzo in Strada, southeast of Rimini and northwest of Riccione, as the RCR encountered another enemy strongpoint. At first light September 6, the unit attacked on a three-Company front but was unable to dislodge opposing forces. The unit suffered severe losses during the attack—31 soldiers killed, 108 wounded and 15 missing.

On the night of September 6/7, the RCR retired from the line after four days of heavy fighting. 1st CIB moved into reserve for five days, resting and reorganizing its ranks in the aftermath of the recent combat. Meanwhile, in an effort to block further Allied advance, German units concentrated their forces on and behind a series of ridge lines and mountain features, particularly in the Passano-Coriano and the San Lorenzo-San Martino areas.

1st CIB moved forward again of September 14, assembling in an area across the Marano River in preparation for a 24 kilometer-wide attack on the German line. 3rd CIB was ordered to attack the San Lorenzo-San Martino feature, while 1st CIB covered its flank, in full view of German forces atop San Martino Ridge to the west. As a result, its units would be subjected to heavy artillery shelling and mortar fire throughout the upcoming operation.

The RCR broke camp at 1745 hours September 15 and began the trek to its designated start line. During the pre-dawn hours of September 16, its personnel slowly moved forward in the face of stiff resistance from the German 1st Parachute Division’s soldiers, supported by a hail of artillery and mortar fire. As A Company attempted to cross open country, enemy fire forced its men to take shelter in a small irrigation ditch, inching their way forward. As dawn broke, the soldiers found themselves in a waist-high depression that offered little protection. In response, they took cover in a culvert beneath a road crossing. The Company subsequently received orders to abandon its efforts to reach the start line and fall back to a defensive position out of enemy view.

The other three RCR Companies followed a secondary road running from the Marano River to the north-west corner of an airfield on the outskirts of Rimini. A Greek unit was given the task of advancing across the airfield, while the 48th Highlanders of Canada was to proceed along the coastline beyond the airfield. Neither unit was able to keep pace with the RCR as its men slowly advanced.

Two lead RCR Companies—B on the left, D on the right—moved forward at 0630 hours. Within seconds, the soldiers lost sight of each other in thick vegetation and walked straight into a hail of bullets from German machine gun positions hidden in gullies beyond their location. Simultaneously, German guns atop San Martino saturated the area with artillery fire.

Despite the heavy enemy response, D Company managed to reach the airfield’s northwestern corner but were quickly pinned down and unable to move. The shelling from San Martino immediately forced B Company to the ground. Any effort to move provoked further fire, inflicting more casualties.

At 1100 hours, the RCR’s Headquarters ordered B and D Companies to attack the gullies in which German soldiers were firmly entrenched. The advance was to take place without artillery or tank support. The close proximity of the two sides made shelling too hazardous to shell, and enemy guns immediately disabled any tank that dared to move onto the battlefield.

The two Companies moved forward at 1430 hours but lost personnel at a steady rate as they advanced. B Company on the left was particularly hard hit. When A Company moved forward to support its comrades, it also suffered heavy losses. By late afternoon, the RCR had established a “tenuous hold” on the airfield’s northwest corner but were unable to advance any further. Units to its right had still not made their forward, leaving the flank exposed.

The fighting dragged on into the following day, the soldiers slowly making progress. Enemy personnel occupied stone structures throughout the area, requiring the attackers to clear buildings one at a time. While the RCR gradually made its way to a location approximately three kilometers south of Rimini, enemy resistance did not falter.

Meanwhile, events elsewhere along the line of attack gradually transformed the situation on the battlefield. British and Indian forces on the Canadians’ western flank made their way across the Marano River and broke through German resistance in the Apennines. Simultaneously, Allied artillery and aircraft bombarded the entire enemy line for 24 hours.

By the evening of September 18, Allied forces finally secured San Martino Ridge on 1st CIB’s left flank, bringing artillery shelling to an end. In the early hours of September 19, RCR patrols made no contact with enemy forces. Later in the day, Canadian units secured San Fortunato Ridge, allowing Allied forces to advance across the Marecchia River and effectively isolate the town of Rimini.

The RCR held its positions near the Rimini airfield until September 23, when its soldiers moved out to Riccione for rest and reorganization. The fighting from the Metauro River to Rimini had been costly—79 soldiers were killed in action, another 221 wounded and 12 were missing. Almost one-third of the fatalities—27 in total—occurred from September 15 to 19, and more than half of those deaths—a total of 14—took place on September 16.

Private Colin David Dort was one of September 16 fatalities. The exact circumstances of Colin’s death are unknown, as available records do not indicate the Company to which he belonged. Colin and his fallen comrades were buried in a temporary cemetery near the battlefield where they were killed.

In early October, Canadian military authorities sent a telegram to Jennie, informing her that Colin had been killed in action. On July 18, 1945, his remains and those of his fallen comrades were re-interred in the British Empire Cemetery, Coriano Ridge. Jennie passed away in Port Felix on June 7, 1976, at 80 years of age and was laid to rest in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Port Felix. Her husband Joe died in 1978 and was interred beside her.

Two of Colin’s siblings served overseas during the Second World War. May Isabelle, the oldest of Joe and Jennie’s children, attended the small one-room schoolhouse in Cole Harbour, travelling several kilometers to and from the building each day. As the family lived on the opposite side of the harbour, May and her siblings walked or skated across the ice in winter. In warmer months, they rowed an old dory across the water.

2nd Lieutenant May Isabelle Dort, CAMC

After progressing through all of the grades available in Cole Harbour, May moved on to a convent school in Arichat. She then completed nursing studies at New Waterford General Hospital. Financial contributions from a spinster godmother helped pay her education costs. By the time May received her nursing diploma, war was raging overseas, Without hesitation, she enlisted with the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC) and commenced service with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.

May completed her training in Debert and headed overseas aboard RMS Queen Mary. Upon arriving in the UK, she was assigned to the staff of Watford Military Hospital, located on the outskirts of London. There, she cared for incoming wounded soldiers from the Western European front. May soon became accustomed to the regular blackouts, air raid sirens, and the other inconveniences of service in wartime Britain.

In later years, May recalled the respect and appreciation given to Canadian nurses, as well as the sense of adventure that was part of the experience. At times, it was challenging to tend to the young soldiers, witnessing their combat injuries and pain. May recalled sitting at soldiers’ bedsides after a shift, writing out letters to parents, wives or girlfriends back home dictated by her patients. On her rare “days off,” she and her colleagues would take short trips into London or the surrounding countryside. After the cessation of hostilities, she was able to visit the Netherlands and France before returning to Canada.

May briefly returned home after her discharge and then headed to Montreal, where she joined the Royal Victoria Hospital’s staff. She later relocated to Camp Hill Hospital, Halifax. While working there, she met George LeBlanc, a Second World War Royal Canadian Air Force veteran who had spent his time in uniform patrolling the western coast of Canada.

May and George first resided in Tufts Cove before moving to Tracadie, Antigonish County, where they raised a family of five children—four boys and one girl. The couple was actively involved in the community, particularly with St. Peter’s Parish Church, Tracadie, and were members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Antigonish, participating in many Remembrance Day ceremonies. May passed away in the Port Hawkesbury Nursing Home on March 6, 2000.

Colin’s older brother Leo Alexander also enlisted for service, joining the ranks of the West Nova Scotia Regiment. He saw combat with the unit in Italy, the Netherlands and Germany. After returning to Canada, Leo remained in the armed forces. He later served with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, a Special Forces unit that was the first of three RCR units to arrive in Korea and served there from May 5, 1951, to April 25, 1952.

Lance Corporal Leo Alexander Dort, Royal Canadian Regiment

 

After returning to Canada, Leo settled in Ontario, where he married and raised a family of two boys while working as a painter. Later in life, Leo and his family returned to Cole Harbour, residing with his parents during their later years. He passed away there on January 26, 1979, and was laid to rest in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Charlos Cove.

Photographs of Colin David Dort, Leo Alexander Dort and May Isabelle (Dort) LeBlanc courtesy of May's daughter Linda Wood, Auld's Cove, NS. Wendy also contributed information on her mother's and Uncle Leo's lives and military service.

Private Alfred Vincent Gammon—Killed in Action September 15, 1944

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.

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.

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.

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.

Corporal Baxter Milton Edwin Jewers—Killed in Action September 8, 1944

Baxter Milton Edwin Jewers was born in Ecum Secum West, Halifax County, on February 26, 1920, to Milton Adam and Gertrude Alice (Rood) Jewers. Adam was the son of William and Serena Jewers, Ecum Secum West, while Gertrude was the daughter of David and Sophia Rood, Indian Harbour Lake, Guysborough County. The couple married at Indian Harbour Lake on October 1, 1919.

Cassino Memorial, Cassino, Italy (courtesy of the War Graves Photographic Project)

At the time of the 1921 Canadian census, Adam and Gertrude was living in the Smith’s Cove census district with their oldest child Baxter, age 11 months. Three more children joined the household during the following decade—Percy Herbert Alexander, born in Watts Section, Sheet Harbour, on March 17, 1923; David Seymour, born in Ecum Secum West on January 19, 1926; and Monica Ethel, born around 1927, location unknown. By 1931, the family was residing in the Port Dufferin area. Two more sons—Hector (c. 1931) and Gerald (c. 1936)—were born after the decennial census.

Baxter attended school in Port Dufferin, completing Grade VIII. He left school in 1934 and worked at “odd jobs in the local community—fishing, lumbering, etc.”—for five years. Sometime toward the end of the decade, the family relocated to Stewiacke, Colchester County, where Adam found employment as a “mill worker.” In 1939, Percy Toole, a Truro contractor, hired Baxter as a truck driver, a position he held for two years.

In the spring of 1941, Percy was “called up” for compulsory military training under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA). The 1940 law required all men of military service age to register, after which they could be randomly selected for a six-week compulsory training program. Individuals could then be conscripted into “home defence” service as required, but could not be sent overseas.

Baxter completed the required NRMA form on May 20, 1941, and was assigned to No. 60 (Basic) Training Center, Yarmouth. It was common for the young trainees to be enticed into enlisting with the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) upon completing NRMA training. Such was the case with Baxter, who reported to No. 14 (Advanced) Infantry Training Centre, Aldershot, on July 25, 1941, for further instruction. On the first day of August, he formally attested for overseas service with the CASF at Kentville.

Having completed his training, Baxter was assigned to the Cape Breton Highlanders on October 25, 1941. The regiment traced 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, which was authorized on July 15, 1916.

While the 185th crossed the North Atlantic to the United Kingdom in October 1916, the unit never saw active service on the continent. Officially disbanded in November 29, 1918, it was reconstituted as 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 (CBH), for service with the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) on January 1, 1941.

At the time of Baxter’s transfer, CBH was encamped at Debert, awaiting orders to depart for overseas. The unit left Halifax on November 10, 1941, and arrived in the United Kingdom two weeks later. CBH was subsequently assigned to the 5th Canadian Armoured Division’s 11th Infantry Brigade, where it served alongside the Perth Regiment (Ontario) and the Irish Regiment of Canada (Toronto, ON). Its soldiers spent two years training in the United Kingdom before commencing combat service in the Mediterranean theatre.

Private Baxter Jewers’ training continued after his overseas arrival. In January 1942, he completed his first Driver’s course at Aldershot. In mid-May, he commenced a Driver Mechanic’s Course and met the requirements for Driver Mechanic Class II (Wheeled), Group “C,” in mid-July. During the autumn months, he was granted two seven-day leaves. A promotion to the rank of Acting Lance Corporal on February 12, 1943, capped a busy 15 months.

A military promotion was not the only major development during Baxter’s time in the UK. On May 7, 1943, he applied for permission to marry Vera Kathleen Dugdale, a 22-year-old resident of Norwich, Norfolk. According to the application, the couple had known one another for 10 months. Six weeks later, military authorities consented. Baxter and Vera married in Vera’s hometown on August 22, 1943.

During the time prior to his marriage. Baxter continued his rise through the non-commissioned ranks. In mid-May, he advanced to the full rank of Lance Corporal and was appointed Acting Corporal one month later. In mid-September, however, he reverted to the rank of Private at his own request and was reinstated as a Driver Mechanic Class “C.”

Baxter’s decision was likely connected to a significant development in CBH’s situation during the summer months. During the spring of 1943, there was considerable discussion among Allied political leaders concerning a possible military campaign against German forces in Western Europe. While not yet prepared to support an invasion of France, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill was receptive to a campaign against Italy, Germany’s Axis ally. At the time, Churchill described the Mediterranean area as “the soft underbelly of Europe,” believing that Italian forces were substantially weaker than their German allies.

In early July 1943, an Allied invasion force consisting of American, British and Canadian units landed on the southern coast of Sicily and fought its way across the island throughout the summer months. The 5th Canadian Armoured Division (5th CAD) was not part of the Mediterranean Force. Instead, it remained in the United Kingdom, where it prepared for deployment in Italy before year’s end.

Canadian forces crossed the Strait of Messina to the southern tip of the Italian peninsula in early September. Shortly afterward, American forces landed south of Naples. During the autumn months, the two groups fought their way northward, with American forces concentrating on the western coast. Meanwhile, British and Canadian units advanced up the centre of the peninsula, swinging eastward to the coastal plains along the Adriatic coast in late September.

One month later, 5th CAD units gathered in several UK ports as part of a reinforcement contingent destined for Italy. Shortly after mid-day October 23, CBH personnel arrived in Liverpool and boarded SS Monterey. The vessel weighed anchor early the next morning with more than 4,000 Canadian soldiers aboard. CBH’s journey to Italy was not without drama. On November 6, two German fighter bombers attacked its convoy as it cruised into the Mediterranean Sea, sinking one vessel.

In the early hours of November 10, the Monterey entered Naples harbour, its passengers disembarking at 0800 hours. For CBH, the date was a significant one—exactly two years previously, it had left Halifax, NS, aboard SS Arcades. Once ashore, personnel marched to a staging area near Afragola, a suburb of Naples, approximately 50 kilometers from the Allied front line.

Baxter and his comrades spent two months training near Altimira before making their way to the Canadian sectors of the front line north of Ortona on January 10, 1944. Two days later, CBH personnel commenced their first combat tour. The unit saw its first action during the late afternoon hours of January 17, crossing the Riccio River in support of an attack by its Perth Regiment comrades. The outcome reflected the harsh realities of the Italian campaign. The unit recorded 51 casualties, including 13 fatalities, when its soldiers encountered fierce enemy resistance and were forced to retreat.

Throughout the remainder of the winter months, CBH completed regular rotations in sectors along the Adriatic coast. In early April, personnel followed Canadian forces westward to the front line along the entrance to the Liri Valley, where Allied forces planned to launch a major attack on the Gustav and Hitler Lines, two German defensive networks located in the strategically important valley.

5th CAD was not involved in the direct attacks on the two defensive positions, which commenced on May 11. During two weeks of hard fighting, Allied advanced through both lines. 5th CAD returned to the line on May 25 as its infantry units participated in the “break out” phase as Allied forces continued their advance toward Rome. CBH’s week-long Liri Valley tour resulted in 30 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 hope that an end to the war was drawing closer. At mid-month, personnel relocated to Caiazzo, where the highlight of the summer was a July 30 visit to CBH’s 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 of 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 south of Spezia on the western coast. The British 8th Army, to which the Canadians were attached, was given the job of penetrating the line’s eastern sectors adjacent to the Adriatic Sea. The task proved to be one of the Italian campaign’s most challenging assignments.

The attack’s first phase of attack 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. Just beyond the latter river lay the Gothic Line. 5th CAD and their 1st Canadian Division comrades were assigned the task of penetrating its defences.

On the same day that Allied forces advanced to the Foglia, CBH personnel began their move to forward area along heavily congested roads. The unit finally reached its first concentration area across the Metauro, south of Monte Della Mattera, at 1600 hours. The soldiers remained there for two days, finally occupying front line positions north of Monteciccardo after midnight August 29.

CBH personnel moved forward at 0430 hours, securing an area of high ground without opposition by mid-day and dispatching patrols across the Foglia River in search of German positions at 1500 hours. The soldiers returned without having encountered enemy resistance, prompting Brigade officers to move a planned night-time advance forward to the afternoon of August 30.

At 1730 hours, three CBH Companies crossed the Foglia and moved toward an area of high ground known as Point 120. As the first Company approached the objective, German forces opened fire from well-sited positions, forcing the soldiers to the ground. A support group of tanks was late in arriving, having been directed down the wrong trail. By the time they reached the area, failing light made it impossible for them to target enemy positions. Intense enemy fire forced the attackers to withdraw under cover of darkness as German artillery heavily shelled the unit’s positions.

A second attack in the early hours of August 31 once again encountered intense fire, as did a third effort later in the morning. The forward units withdrew before dawn, having suffered significant casualties. The Perth Regiment on CBH’s right flank, however, secured its objective later that morning, allowing the Irish Regiment passed through its lines and finally secure Point 120.

CBH’s first engagement along the Gothic Line resulted in 63 casualties, 19 of whom were fatalities. The losses were a premonition of what was to come as Canadian units struggled to remove German forces from several areas of high ground that lay in front of their positions. While Allied forces had broken through the Gothic Line, enemy units had quickly regrouped on several ridges, concentrating their forces along a new defensive network known as the Rimini Line, located southwest of the Adriatic coastal town by the same name.

There was no time for rest as Canadian forces continued the push northward toward the Rimini Line. In the late afternoon hours of August 31, CBH personnel moved out along congested roads that soon separated them from their tank support. When the unit paused in a concentration area, Brigade Headquarters ordered its personnel to continue toward its next objective—Point 182, also known as Mount Marrone—without tank support.

CBH moved out at 0300 hours September 1 and were “firm on the position” three hours later. Its tank support arrived shortly afterward and the soldiers set about establishing a defensive perimeter. While enemy resistance had been light throughout the advance, sniper fire persisted as 1st Division units on CBH’s right flank fought their way forward.

As day broke, the unit found itself on the forward slope of a wheat field, facing enemy forces and the rising sun. A German self-propelled gun soon made its way forward and disabled its three supporting tanks. Mortar and artillery shells struck the area throughout the morning as the men sought shelter in hastily constructed slit trenches.

The hostile fire forced the soldiers to move down the slope into a gully, in search of cover. As the morning progressed, personnel fell back from their forward positions to allow air support to strike enemy positions. Around 1100 hours, a group of Royal Air Force Spitfires targeted German gun positions, ending the shelling. Mortar fire, however, continued throughout the afternoon, finally ceasing around 1600 hours. At that time, the soldiers gathered near several farm buildings and prepared a hot meal.

On September 2, CBH personnel moved out to a concentration area, remaining there for two days while waiting further orders. During that time, other Canadian units crossed the Conca River and pushed on toward Rimini. 5th CAD was once again on the move on September 4, gathering in an assembly area where plans were laid out for an attack on San Andreas Ridge, one of the strategically important areas of high ground in front of the Rimini Line.

Two CBH Companies received orders to pass through the Irish Regiment’s positions and occupy the ridge, with support from a troop of New Brunswick Hussars tanks, a troop of M-10 anti-tank guns, and a troop of six pounders. The operation commenced at 0200 hours September 5, the soldiers encountering no opposition and occupying the ridge by 0500 hours. The men immediately dug slit trenches while a patrol attempting to move onto an adjacent area of high ground encountered immediate enemy resistance.

CBH spent the next three days atop San Andreas Ridge. During that time, its positions were in full view of the town of Coriano, which remained in German hands. As a result, German artillery guns and mortars relentlessly shelled the unit throughout the entire time. Private Ignatius MacNeil, a CBH soldier who survived the ordeal and safely returned home after the war, later described the experience:

“None of us realized as we dug our slit trenches and weapon pits that… we would receive the worst shelling any Canadians had received in the whole of the Italian campaign…. [For the next several days] we lay in our trenches hardly daring to move while artillery from 12 enemy Divisions shelled us unceasingly. During the nights under cover of darkness hot meals were brought in, the dead were buried and dozens of other jobs were attended to. Every move above ground was ‘on the double’ because it did not pay to linger about. As each day dawned we could see more crosses on the hill as our little cemetery began to fill up. Someone named it Graveyard Hill, [and] the name stuck.”

Finally, at 2355 hours September 9, the Irish Regiment relieved the unit, bringing the ordeal to an end. During its five days atop the ridge, CBH recorded 11 fatalities and evacuated 40 wounded soldiers, seven of whom appear to have later died from their injuries. The greatest losses occurred on two days—four deaths on September 5 and another four on September 8.

Private Baxter Milton Jewers was one of the four September 8, 1944 fatalities. While a Field Service card in Baxter’s service file provided a map reference for his grave, it appears to have been subsequently destroyed by artillery shelling. Of the unit’s 11 “Graveyard Hill” tour fatalities, Baxter is the only soldier whose remains were not interred in Coriano Ridge Cemetery. His name is engraved on the Cassino Memorial, erected in Cassino War Cemetery, Cassino, Italy, in memory of more than 4,000 Commonwealth military personnel who died during the Italian campaign and have no known graves.

Cpl. Baxter Jewers' name, Cassino War Memorial (courtesy of the War Graves Photographic Project)

Baxter’s father Milton Adam Jewers passed away in Halifax County Hospital, Cole Harbour, NS, on August 3, 1958, and was laid to rest in St. Paul’s Anglican Cemetery, Mitchell Bay. His mother Gertrude Alice died in Halifax on April 20, 1990, and was interred in Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax.