Passages: Canadians on D-Day, Sicily

Little More Than Sardine Cans

Most books about WW2 contain descriptions of scenes the average reader will never behold in their lifetime. But poignant, powerful scenes, the likes of which would be more familiar to our parents and grandparents, can become a part of our collective memories as we thoughtfully read good books written by men who were there.

"He slumped in his chair like a hung-over walrus,

but even in the queasy grip of seasickness his presence

still dominated the heaving room."

"And the great invasion fleet - that irresistible weapon -

was in total and almost helpless disarray"

Above and below are excerpts from AND NO BIRDS SANG by well-respected Canadian writer Farley Mowat (now deceased). He was aboard the heaving Derbyshire in July, 1943 as the largest armada in history, i.e., up to that time, approached the island of Sicily, itself slumbering and unaware of an impending invasion. Official start time of Operation Husky was but hours away.

Those Metal Boxes Would Have Swamped

    Beyond the ship

    the scene was something to behold.

    The sky was as harshly bright and clear as ever,

    for the sirocco brought no clouds in its train.

    The sun streamed down

    upon a waste of heaving seas,

    foaming white to the horizon.

    And the great invasion fleet

    - that irresistible weapon -

    was in total and almost helpless disarray.

    The largest warships were being swept

    by breaking seas until they looked like

    half-awash submarines. The big troopers

    were being staggered by the impact of the 

    greybeards that broke over their heaving sterns.

    Most of the smaller vessels had turned about

    and were hove-to, head to the sea and wind,

    and some of them - particularly the square-nosed

    tank landing craft - were obviously nearing

    the limits of their endurance. If the gale had

    increased its strength only a little more, many of

    those metal boxes would have swamped and sunk.

    I thanked my stars I wasn't aboard one of them...

    and then remembered that in less than twenty-four 

    hours we were due to be cast into that turmoil

    of white waters in tiny assault boats which were

    little more than sardine cans and

    not much more seaworthy. Page 51

British troops in a landing craft assault (LCA), 9 July 1943

Photo Credit to World War II Today

Instructions being signalled to waiting landing craft by

semaphore at dawn of the opening day of the invasion of Sicily.

One is LCI (L) 124 the other is an unidentified LCT. 

Please link to Passages: Canadians Train with Commandos

Unattributed Photos by GH