Allied Forces Dig In. Long Winter Ahead.
Introduction:
Readers will know I have been focussed on articles and photographs (etc.) from The Montreal Star for three months. Readers will know that I started with the hope I'd find articles by war correspondent Sholto Watt, about Operation Baytown and the Canadians in Combined Ops who were closely involved in that enterprise, beginning on D-Day Italy, September 3, 1943.
I have found many articles by Mr. Watt, all well written, including another on the first issue presented in this post from The Star, published on November 26, 1943.
That being said, I did not find what I was really looking for, i.e., an article by Sholto that linked him to the 80th Flotilla of Canadian Landing Crafts and its crews (which included my father in Italy). Drat.
Issues of The Ottawa Citizen or another Canadian newspaper might hold more promise. A September 5th (1943) story by Richard L. Sanburn appeared on microfiche recently (while I conducted research at the University of Western Ontario re The Citizen) and the names of 7 Canadians in Combined Ops were mentioned (not including Doug Harrison. Drat!). So, more stories might be out there.
Below, please find more news, views and editorial cartoons from The Star, along with a picture of an MGM Star in her own right, Lucille Ball.
"Nazi Attacks..." by Sholto Watt of The Montreal Star:
Yes, I Love Lucy:
And I really like stories that feature members of RCNVR!
A few memoirs by Canadians in Combined Operations mentions that saw the destruction of a hospital ship off the eastern coast of Sicily in July, 1943. Norm Bowen, a member of RCNVR and Comb. Ops, recalls the event in an audio file that is listed on this site.
The fine print below, under the sub-heading that begins "Girls Report Lifeboat trip...", is very difficult to read. It says the following: Courageous behaviour of Canadian Nursing Sisters when their ship was torpedoed in the Mediterranean is reported in the following delayed dispatch from William Stewart, Canadian Press war correspondent. The torpedoing previously was reported in a dispatch published Nov. 16 from Douglas Amaron, who was on the ship en route to Italy as an addition to the Canadian Press corps of war correspondents. [Amaron's dispatch was presented in an earlier post on this site. His first few paragraphs are re-posted below and the rest of his story can be found by clicking here.]
Patton was a warrior of great reputation on the battle field. However, his visits to field hospitals did not always earn him accolades:
More news about Allied advances in other areas (required reading for General "B and G" Patton?):
Repatriation of Canadian POWs continues:
Exterminate the Rat!
One of the reasons why the Allies were able to make up ground quickly at various times during WWII is connected to American productivity. Landing Ship, Tanks (LSTs) were needed and produced in high numbers.
Hitler's 'Fortress Europe' is growing darker and smaller:
What would General "B and G" Patton have to say about this article?
"A Netherlands submarine" is featured in this rare story below:
I found the following story - "of a man and a machine" - to be very interesting, one that raises (at the end of it) raises questions about the German mindset.
Built in 1923, eh? I can see the train being used to rip up old lines before putting in new ones.
What were the Germans thinking? Were they just wanting to slow down the advance of the Allies or cripple the Italian economy or... ?
I could have ended the post with the above article. It mentioned the RCNVR and was an easy read. However, I had clipped the one below because it described some of the most punishing features of World War II, and should not be forgotten or swept under any carpet.
I suggest that this is for mature eyes only:
"For mature eyes only" GH
The article depicts attitudes and behaviours that unfortunately still exist in the world today. I do not wonder why the effects of war continue on - like a fierce ripple over the surface of still water - through the generations of families that were hit, for example, by World War II. Tragedy cannot completely be forgotten or erased. Its intergenerational pain and shadow remain over our world to this day.
Please link to Editor's Research: Invasion of Italy (29) - Montreal Star (Nov. 23-25, '43)
Unattributed Photos GH
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