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.

Private James Gordon MacDonald—Killed in Action May 17, 1944

 James Gordon MacDonald was born in Greenwood, near Thorburn, Pictou County, on June 12, 1922, the only child of Alexander “Sanders” and Vera Gladys (Jordan) MacDonald. Alexander was a native of Stellarton, NS, the son of David and Lydia Ann “Annie” (Marshall) MacDonald. Gladys was born in Goldenville, Guysborough County, the daughter of James Gordon and Ella May (Helpard) Jordan.

Private James Gordon MacDonald

 

Gladys and Alexander were married at the Presbyterian Manse, Thorburn, on January 23, 1922. At the time of his wedding, Alexander was working as a “brakeman.” The 1931 Canadian census lists “Sanders,” Gladys and their nine-year-old son James Gordon living in Thorburn. At that time, Alexander was working in the local coal mines.

Gordon attended school for nine years, leaving at age 16 to work at a variety of jobs. He was employed as a “tire adjuster” at Dominion Rubber Company for a year and a half. He also drove a truck and did “service station work” for two years. At the time of his 1942 enlistment, he had been working as a service station attendant for Mr. Harold March, Halifax, for two years. While employed, Gordon learned to drive cars and trucks, was capable of completing “minor repairs” to vehicles, and had “supervised men.”

Gordon was active in a number of sports—baseball, hockey, softball, swimming and tennis—and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He also played the violin and sang. His pastimes included reading, attending dances and shows, and playing his violin.

On November 10, 1942, Gordon enlisted with the Canadian Active Service Force. He was residing at 32 Inglis St., Halifax. It appears that his parents had parted ways some time earlier, as Gladys was living at the same address. Meanwhile, Sanders resided in Greenwood. Gordon stated that he was his mother’s “sole support,” providing her with the sum of $40.00 a month. While he initially listed his father as next of kin, he later re-assigned this role to his mother.

A Personnel Selection Record interview with Gordon, conducted shortly after his enlistment, described him in these words:

“Well-built, healthy young man, Neat, tidy appearance. Pleasant, friendly and willing. Capable, co-operative and dependable. Held responsible position with Dominion Rubber Company as air adjuster for the Maritime Provinces. Likes the army and would like to work on cars or trucks in any unit.”

The interviewer recommended an “Infantry (Motor)” placement, as this was in keeping with his work experience and interests.

On November 20, Gordon was posted to No. 60 Basic Training Centre, Yarmouth, NS, for the initial stage of military training. In late January 1943, he was transferred to No. 14 Infantry Training Centre, Aldershot, for advanced instruction. Gordon remained there until mid-May, when he departed for overseas, arriving in the United Kingdom on May 22, 1943.

Gordon was immediately assigned to No. 7 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU) and awaited orders to report to an infantry unit. After a nine-day leave in mid-June, he was assigned to the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade’s reinforcement list on July 22, 1943. He remained in the UK for the rest of the year, spending five days in mid-December working with 12 Field Hygiene Section, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, before returning to No. 7 CIRU.

The New Year saw several important developments in Gordon’s military career. On February 4, 1944, he was transferred to No. 3 CIRU. Shortly afterward, he changed his next of kin from his father Alexander to his mother Gladys, an indication that active military service was imminent. On February 18, Gordon was assigned to the Canadian Army’s Mediterranean Force. Shortly afterward, he departed for the region, disembarking in Italy on March 3, 1944. He was immediately placed on the Royal Canadian Regiment’s reinforcement list.

The Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) was initially established as the Infantry School Corps on December 21, 1883, and formed the infantry portion of Canada’s permanent military force. After transitioning through several name changes, the unit was officially designated the Royal Canadian Regiment on November 1, 1901.

The RCR was called to active duty on August 6, 1914, and served overseas for the duration of the First World War. Once again mobilized after the September 10, 1939 Canadian declaration of war on Germany, the RCR departed Halifax on December 22, 1939, and arrived in the United Kingdom eight days later.

The unit briefly deployed in France from June 13 to 17, 1940, landing at Brest and advancing inland as far as Chateaubriand before the rapid collapse of French forces in the face of a massive German invasion resulted in a quick retreat to Brest and return to the UK. The RCR’s personnel spent the next three years training and fulfilling various defensive roles in England and Scotland.

On June 28, 1943, the RCR departed from Gourock, Scotland, as part of an Allied Mediterranean Force destined for Italy. The unit was part of the 1st Canadian Division’s 1st Brigade, where it served alongside two Ontario units, the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment and the 48th Highlanders of Canada (Toronto).

On July 10, the RCR’s soldiers were among the Allied units that landed at Pachino, Sicily, as the Allied invasion of Italy commenced. In less than two months, the invading forces had liberated the island. On September 3, the RCR crossed the Strait of Messina to a beach north of Riggio as part of a Canadian invasion of the southernmost portion of the Italian mainland. Over the next eight months, the Canadians pushed northward, moving up the mountainous central region of the Italian peninsula before veering east to coastal plains along the Adriatic Sea.

Meanwhile, a large Allied force led by the United States landed south of Naples, Italy, one week after the Canadians and proceeded northward along the western coast. By year’s end, the Canadians were anchoring the eastern portions of an Allied line north of the recently liberated town of Ortona. Both sides settled into their positions for the winter months, awaiting the resumption of active combat in the spring of 1944.

In late April 1944, Canadian units in the Adriatic sectors north of Ortona were relieved and quietly made their way inland. The RCR arrived in the Oratino area, north of Campobasso, Italy, on April 22 and encamped for several days’ rest. Before month’s end, the soldiers exchanged their winter battledress for bush shorts and slacks. On April 30, the unit relocated to a location 16 kilometers north of Lucera.

Several days of training in conjunction with a British tank regiment followed. On May 4, the unit was on the move again, heading southwest through mountainous terrain to billets 16 kilometers east of Caserta. Personnel carefully camouflaged their vehicles and equipment to avoid enemy identification. As far as German commanders were concerned, the Canadians were still on the Adriatic coast.

The following day, a short journey brought the RCR to Limatola, near the upper waters of the Volturno River, about 50 kilometers inland from the city of Naples and the same distance south of Cassino, where the unit had fought months earlier. An abundance of insects raised concerns over malaria and prompted relocation to a camp on higher ground. For several days, the soldiers rehearsed river crossings in preparation for upcoming operations.

Private James Gordon MacDonald joined the RCR’s ranks during its time near Limatola. On May 8, he was officially “taken on strength” by the unit, which was busy preparing for its next combat assignment—an Allied assault on the strategically important Liri Valley, a passageway to the Italian capital of Rome.

The Liri Valley ran northwesterly for approximately 30 kilometers, stretching from the Garigliano - Bari - Rapido river system to a German defensive network known as the Gustav Line. 10 kilometers wide at its mouth, the valley gradually narrowed into a canyon in the Abruzzi Apennines. A massive promontory known as Monte Cassino rose above its eastern opening. Atop the heights sat a monastery that provided German forces with a clear view of Allied units spread out across the valley’s entrance. Any movement or concentration of forces prompted a fierce response from enemy artillery.

The Canadian Corps was in reserve at 2300 hours May 11, when a massive bombardment to the north of its location signalled the commencement of the Liri Valley offensive. British and Commonwealth units commenced their push into the valley while American forces to the west launched a similar offensive along the Italian coast.

Progress was slow during the offensive’s opening hours, British units barely managing to cross the Gari River and establish small beach-heads on its northern shores. Canadian units, under the command of the British XIII Corps, moved forward the following day and “recce” parties visited the sectors they would soon occupy, 20 kilometers southwest of Cassino.

On May 13, the RCR began its journey into the line, reaching its assigned position by 0200 hours May 14. Young Private Gordon MacDonald was among the soldiers settling into a section of the line located on the Canadian sector’s left flank. To their left was the Liri River, while Monte Cassino rose on the horizon to the north. The British 78th Division and 8th Indian Division occupied the centre of the line.

Eight kilometers to the northwest lay the beginning of a second German defensive network called the Hitler Line. It consisted of defensive positions built into mountain walls on both sides of the valley, 14 kilometers north of the village of Pignatoro. While Polish forces on the right flank failed to make significant progress in their efforts to dislodge German forces from Monte Cassino, moderate success on the left flank prompted Allied commanders to move Canadian units forward in an effort to take advantage of progress made by the 8th Indian Division.

On the afternoon of May 15, the RCR crossed the Gari River and passed through the remnants of the Gustav Line into positions behind the 6th Bengal Lancers. Its companies dug in under persistent mortar and artillery fire as Canadian units prepared to relieved Indian forces in the front line.

At 0700 hours May 16, the RCR passed through Indian reserve positions and advanced almost five kilometers in the face of light opposition. As the soldiers attempted to push forward into an area between the Liri River on their left and the village of Pignatoro on their right, they encountered strong resistance from German positions atop a low ridge.

The RCR’s A Company moved forward, attacked the enemy position and successfully captured the ridge. As its soldiers set about consolidating the location, a torrent of mortar and artillery fire struck the area, indicating that the enemy had deliberately withdrawn to set up a trap.

C Company, which had moved forward in support of their A Company comrades, was driven to the ground by the enemy bombardment. As the shelling continued, A Company’s was forced to withdraw from the ridge. A total of 12 RCR soldiers were killed and another 20 wounded during the day’s fighting.

On the morning of May 17, the RCR received orders to resume the advance. Allied forces were unaware of a dried watercourse that ran across the line of advance at an angle. While little more than a deep ditch, the natural feature was a perfect “tank trap,” preventing armoured units from supporting the advance. Beyond the obstacle, German forces had placed a minefield. Their soldiers lay in wait in small wooded areas and tall grain fields beyond the personnel mines.

On the afternoon of May 17, the RCR resumed the advance. Despite harassing enemy fire and several obstacles in their path, the soldiers captured German positions five kilometers west of Pignatoro. By nightfall, 1st Canadian Division forces had established a continuous front line along the Allied left flank. The following day, the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade’s soldiers advanced to the outskirts at Pontecarro and established a new defensive line.

The RCR’s May 17, 1944 advance came at considerable cost. The unit suffered a total of 18 fatalities as it secured the area west of Pignatoro. Among the soldiers lost that day was Private James Gordon MacDonald, killed in action during his first tour in the front line. The following day, Gordon and his fallen RCR comrades were buried in temporary graves located at map reference MR/805132, sheet 160, Cassino, “100 yards north on side road, west side of road.”

On May 24, military officials sent a telegram to Gladys MacDonald, informing her that “F/75989 Private James Gordon MacDonald [was] officially reported killed in action 17th May 1944.” Nine days later, Canadian officials sent a letter of condolence. Gordon’s remains were re-interred in Cassino War Cemetery, Cassino, Italy, on January 3, 1945.

Gordon’s father Alexander passed away in Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow, on October 29, 1949. He was 47 years and six months old at the time of his death. Alexander was interred alongside his father David in Mount William Cemetery, Pictou County. Gladys (Jordan) MacDonald died in the Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, on March 31, 1965, and was laid to rest in Fairview Cemetery.

Alexander’s mother Lydia Ann “Annie” (Marshall) MaDonald outlived her son, grandson and daughter-in-law. She passed away in Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow, on June 14, 1968, and was laid to rest in Mount William Cemetery beside her husband and son.

Two of Gladys (Jordan) MacDonald’s cousins—sons of her uncle, John Abner Jordan—also served during the Second World War. Frank Wendell Jordan, born inSherbrooke on November 17, 1916. enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force on July 30, 1941, and served at airfields across eastern Canada. During his time in uniform, Frank advanced to the non-commissioned rank of Sergeant.

Discharged from military service on September 11, 1945, Frank returned to Sherbrooke, where he married Joan Frances Armstrong and raised a family of two daughters. He owned and operated a store in the community for more than two decades and was also postmaster for a period of time. An active member of Royal Canadian Legion Branch #56, Sherbrooke, Frank passed away on May 31, 2012.

Frank’s older brother Stanley Arthur Jordan was born in Sherbrooke on February 26, 1906, and enlisted with the Royal Canadian Engineers (RCE) in Winnipeg, MB, on June 3, 1940. Stanley spent five years overseas, serving in the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany with the RCE. Following his October 11, 1945 discharge, he returned to Churchill, Manitoba, where he owned and operated a barber shop. Stanley never marred and passed away on April 27, 1985.

Special thanks to Kelly Kaiser, Sherbrooke, NS, for contributing a picture of Private Gordon MacDonald on display in the Royal Canadian Legion, Sherbrooke, and providing information on the Jordan brothers’ military service.