Editor's Research: Invasion of Italy (4) - Montreal Star (Sept. 4, '43)

Finally. A Report From Montreal Star Reporter

Could This be Our Guy?

20-Mile Gains Are Reported by Sholto Watts, 1st news article (left)

The Star's War Correspondent at the Messina Strait

My research continues in hope of finding a news report by a Montreal Star reporter who travelled across the Messina Strait to mainland Italy with a Canadian landing craft crew, among which may have been my father, Doug Harrison, RCNVR, Combined Operations.

On this front page of The Star we see an article by Sholto Watt and I have known for some time he travelled to The Mediterranean Front with several other Canadian newspaper reporters. A news article - revealing the names of the reporters - was displayed on this website several months ago when I was sharing new articles found in The Winnipeg Tribune about the invasion of Sicily. What I do not know is if Mr. Watt was the Who in the reminiscences of a Canadian Navy Officer who mentioned his crew took a Star reporter aboard his vessel (When?) one day near the end of the stint performed by our Canadian 80th Flotilla of landing crafts.

But, we now know that Mr. Watt is in the right region and when the pace of ferrying troops and war supplies relaxes, perhaps he will step aboard a landing craft for the seven-mile ride to the toe of the boot.

New reports from along the way:

 Future landings will take place at Salerno and Anzio (right and left of Naples)

It is known Canadians will take part in Operation Avalanche at Salerno.

Ed Corbett, one of the members of the 80th Flotilla of Canadian landing crafts and whose name appears on the same Navy hammock that my father's was listed upon (in an earlier post in this series) kept a diary from July 1 - September 9 and took a few photographs as well that relate to the entries I am making on this site. 

There is more to the diary than I am listing below, and the diary can only be found in a pair of books created by Canadian veterans of Combined Ops. The books are mentioned on this site, are as rare as hens' teeth, but are available for viewing or on loan at a few libraries and archives, e.g., The War Museum in Ottawa, and public library system in Toronto, and a reader may be able to gain access through their local library by ordering them from Ottawa or Toronto. Occasionally a single volume or pair comes up for sale at AbeBooks.com and, on a trip to Vancouver Island, I found a pair at the Courtenay Museum and Archive, donated by Ed Corbett!! 

Here is an excerpt from Ed Corbett's diary, free of charge and with a lot less hassle:

As above - "Ed Corbett * photographs? *" Yes, I have two for you.

  

The diary and photos are as seen in St. Nazaire to Singapore:

Canadian Amphibious War 1941 - 1945

In the photo directly above we see nine Canadian members of the 80th LCM Flotilla, and though my father was a member and I have seen several photos of his mates, I can only say I see a bit of a familiar posture or facial appearance from two of the nine. The two are the farthest left, i.e., one rating standing, one officer - with a beard - sitting down at the makeshift table.

I make mention of who I recognize to some degree because the officer who wrote about his time in Sicily and Italy (two excerpts have been posted already here in this series of posts) mentioned he was trying to grow a beard* and was called "Ginger" as a result. Is Ginger the seated officer above, farthest left? Is Ginger the same officer seen in the photo below?

*Excerpt from the Officer's memoirs related to his beard:

It was at one of these (baseball) games (while stationed at HMS Saunders) that I acquired a nick name which has stayed with me to this day. I was coaxing along a fair growth of quite red hair on that portion of my anatomy where beards are usually grown. Someone shouted "strike Ginger" just at the wrong time. I struck alright, at the air, amid the loud boos from the gallery! So now when we are at a party or in a friendly gathering I have to answer to the name 'Ginger'. Oh well, I guess I deserve it for not being able to grow a real beard. (Page 92, Combined Operations  by Londoner Clayton Marks)

As well, another photo found in St. Nazaire to Singapore: Canadian Amphibious War 1941 - 1945, reveals that Chief Petty Officer of London, Ontario had sprouted a beard during the Italian campaign. He too was with the 80th Flotilla and had his name listed on the same Navy hammock as Ed Corbett and Doug Harrison. Hmmm... the plot thickens. 

Is Hugh Houston of London (my current hometown!)

the writer I am searching for now?

Navy hammock is found at the Navy Museum in Esquimalt, B.C.

I'm not sure if I can positively identify the writer of the article that mentions the delivery of a Montreal Star reporter to the Italian mainland, but I think I'm getting warmer. I'm looking for 'Ginger', a bearded officer, who had a hand in managing maintenance crews for landing crafts. Time will tell if I find some success in tracking him down, along with related stories from The Star.

More news reports from The Montreal Star will soon follow.

Please link to Editor's Research: Invasion of Italy (3) - Montreal Star (Sept. 3, '43)

Unattributed Photos GH