1000 Men, 1000 Stories : Editor's Research: Invasion of Italy (31)

About Seven More Months to Endure in Italy

German troops are in reverse but know how to play defence very well.

Introduction:

I am continuing to search microfilm concerning late 1943 because I am hoping to find details re the homecoming of members of the 80th Canadian Flotilla of Landing Craft. Earlier, after finding an article or two about the return of the 55th and 61st Flotillas, I thought that "anything is possible."

I know, thanks to my father's memoirs, that the 80th Flotilla left Italy behind in October, returned to England via North Africa and then Gibraltar. Because many of the Canadian Navy men had already served two years overseas, they were given back pay, followed by 'home leave'. Dad mentions coming home on the Aquitania in early December, 1943.

Photo of Canadians in Combined Ops aboard the Aquitania:

Dad wrote 'Rosie, Westy' to indicate Chuck Rose (front left) and Don Westbrook

(front centre) in the centre knot of five Canadian sailors. Al Kirby is on the right

of that same group, with a big laugh starting, his Mae West over his shoulder.

Straightening his collar is Joe Watson (to the right of the group of five, and

behind Joe is Doug H. (Dad), with his cap hiding his wavy red-blond hair.

The back of the same photo. Dad names the ship, and I provide

other details. From the collection of Doug Harrison.

Even if I soon find details related to the 80th's and my father's return to Canada, I will keep on scanning microfilm re Dec. 1943 because it does provide a wealth of good information about the progress of Canadian troops, and a variety of other articles, photos, editorial cartoons, etc. Each source gives readers a good deal of context for the work of those Canadians in Combined Operations who performed assorted, necessary and valued duties in the name of God and Country.

Occasionally, someone drops the ball, or haggis(!), and you'll hear about it here first, thanks to the wealthy archive of The Montreal Star newspaper found at Weldon Library on the University of Western Ontario (UWO) campus in London, Ontario.

This post covers ground within the pages of issues from December 1 - 4, 1943:

I was not fibbing about the haggis:

Haggis was not the only item that was dropped!

And now, a word from our sponsors:

If you were made of money, you could buy boneless chuck for 27 cents per pound

War correspondent Sholto Watt continues to submit news articles to The Montreal Star. He was my main target when I began my search of the paper on microfilm, and I believed he would provide early stories of the progress of Canadians in Combined Ops as they toiled between Messina (Sicily) and Reggio (Italy). I continue to look for his columns in that regard in other newspapers, and I have the sense that he travelled in and around Messina before heading toward the Adriatic Sea. As more information about Mr. Watt is located, I will add it to this set of entries re The Star.

Goering's progress and reputation is falling from the skies

I don't think we'll hear much more about the 'Patton Affair' after this. The last word on the matter may go to U.S. President Roosevelt's wife, Elaenor:

I have read that RCNVR stokers attached to Combined Operations were valued for their work ethic, and ability (often creative and outside the box) to keep landing craft in action during very trying circumstances. The stoker featured below (not a member of Comb. Ops) wanted to get into some action... and had to keep trying:

Canadians are busy on land and sea and in the air:

The Dieppe Raid took place over a year before this story appeared in The Star. And books are still being written about it!

The Air Officer featured was aboard the command ship (HMS Calpe, I believe) with the Canadian Commander, Major-Gen. J.H. (Ham) Roberts

War correspondent Sholto Watt appears again! He is everywhere except where I thought he'd be back in September, 1943:

Form my father's memoirs and Norwich Gazette columns (written many years after the war) I know that he celebrated the Christmas of 1943 back in Canada with his mother, siblings and girl friends. However, he spent the previous Christmas in London, England and wartime Christmas pudding was a brightly-lit feature.

He writes:

After Dieppe we regrouped and went back to H.M.S. Quebec for further training, this time on LCMs or Landing Craft Mobile or Mechanized. H.M.S. Quebec was in Scotland on Loch Long*.

During the odd times we had leave I visited London and saw my mother’s sister and brother and nephews and had many gay times with them. One Christmas time I took a whole kit bag full of food and clothes to London, and what a time we had because they were on short rations. Our mail caught up with us from time to time and when it did it was tremendous both in amount and content.

One memory sticks in my mind and it was a happy time. They call raisins sultanas in England and Mum’s sister, Aunt Nellie, had written Mum about some. Mum sent some over and also sent a Christmas pudding. It arrived on Saturday and Christmas was on the following Monday, so Aunt Nellie cried. One tradition was to pour rum on the pudding, close the blinds, and then light it afire. I had never seen it before and it was a sight to behold and remember.

"Dad, Well Done", Page 23

*Loch Long - One of Dad's few mistakes re time and place. HMS Quebec (No. 1 Combined Operations Training Camp was actually on Loch Fyne, a couple of miles south of Inveraray, and still is. One can visit a significant Combined Ops memorial there, but the barracks, cabins, etc., have been replaced by vacationers' caravans.