B
Beryl M
Guest
Italian Campaign
It was an invasion Canada could have easily sat out. Indeed neither the Americans nor the British had requested Canadian participation. Prime Minister MacKenzie King and Lieutenant General Andrew McNaughton who commanded the Canadian army overseas both opposed any breakup of the quarter million strong contingent poised in Britain like a dagger pointed at the heart of Berlin . The first Canadian army was only to be unsheathed as part of Northwest Europe invasion. However, the British responded requesting McNaughton commit one infantry brigade and one tank brigade in certain operations based in Tunisia.. McNaughton then received briefing on Operation Husky – the forthcoming invasion of Sickly.
The Canadians were expanding the beachhead at a rapid pace, hampered more by the scorching heat than Italian resistance. By nightfall most of the Canadian force was ashore. The rapid collapse of the Italian army led to giddy predictions that Sicily could be easily won, but even as Allies were moving out from the beaches German divisions were establishing a series of defensive lines – and they rolled straight into a German ambush – The Germans broke off the attack at a cost of a few Canadian lives. I soon became clear that the German tactic was to establish a well entrenched using ridges mountains and river crossings to block the Allied advances. Then German Commanders knew they were too week to hurl the Allies back into the sea, so only sought to delay the inevitable defeat as long as possible.
Sicily was the obvious jumping off point for the invasion of Italy. Montgomery wanted them in the vanguard invading force – and McNaughton gave no resistance.
Again the opposition was mostly Italians – by September 8 brought Italian surrender -. Germans withdrew northward. Stubborn fighting bought withdrawal bought the Germans to create a heavy fortified line hinged on Monte Cassino 1.700 ft Mountain looming over the town of Cassino. The battle raged with many loses. It took another four days for the Canadian battalions to finally seize the vital Cider crossroads junction, after which the Germans withdrew from the Gully into the streets of Ortona.
Not until the night of December the 28th did the fight for Ortona finally end when the Germans quietly slipped away with the Hitler Line breached, the 8th army could fight its way up the Lira valley to Rome, it was soon joined by the U. S 5th army that broke the line elsewhere.. The Germans continued to offer fierce resistance frustrating hopes of the Canadian 6th Armoured Div.
The ever worsening winter brought the offensive to a stalemate on Senio. Although the offensive was to be renewed in the spring the Canadians were not to be a part of it. . . They were withdrawn from Italy and were reunited with the 1st Canadian army in Northwest Europe.
Of a total 92,757 Canadians who served in Italy 26,254 Canadians became casualties. And their long march was not yet ended they were soon to fight their way through Holland and Germany remaining in action till the war ended in Europe May 1945
.
It was an invasion Canada could have easily sat out. Indeed neither the Americans nor the British had requested Canadian participation. Prime Minister MacKenzie King and Lieutenant General Andrew McNaughton who commanded the Canadian army overseas both opposed any breakup of the quarter million strong contingent poised in Britain like a dagger pointed at the heart of Berlin . The first Canadian army was only to be unsheathed as part of Northwest Europe invasion. However, the British responded requesting McNaughton commit one infantry brigade and one tank brigade in certain operations based in Tunisia.. McNaughton then received briefing on Operation Husky – the forthcoming invasion of Sickly.
The Canadians were expanding the beachhead at a rapid pace, hampered more by the scorching heat than Italian resistance. By nightfall most of the Canadian force was ashore. The rapid collapse of the Italian army led to giddy predictions that Sicily could be easily won, but even as Allies were moving out from the beaches German divisions were establishing a series of defensive lines – and they rolled straight into a German ambush – The Germans broke off the attack at a cost of a few Canadian lives. I soon became clear that the German tactic was to establish a well entrenched using ridges mountains and river crossings to block the Allied advances. Then German Commanders knew they were too week to hurl the Allies back into the sea, so only sought to delay the inevitable defeat as long as possible.
Sicily was the obvious jumping off point for the invasion of Italy. Montgomery wanted them in the vanguard invading force – and McNaughton gave no resistance.
Again the opposition was mostly Italians – by September 8 brought Italian surrender -. Germans withdrew northward. Stubborn fighting bought withdrawal bought the Germans to create a heavy fortified line hinged on Monte Cassino 1.700 ft Mountain looming over the town of Cassino. The battle raged with many loses. It took another four days for the Canadian battalions to finally seize the vital Cider crossroads junction, after which the Germans withdrew from the Gully into the streets of Ortona.
Not until the night of December the 28th did the fight for Ortona finally end when the Germans quietly slipped away with the Hitler Line breached, the 8th army could fight its way up the Lira valley to Rome, it was soon joined by the U. S 5th army that broke the line elsewhere.. The Germans continued to offer fierce resistance frustrating hopes of the Canadian 6th Armoured Div.
The ever worsening winter brought the offensive to a stalemate on Senio. Although the offensive was to be renewed in the spring the Canadians were not to be a part of it. . . They were withdrawn from Italy and were reunited with the 1st Canadian army in Northwest Europe.
Of a total 92,757 Canadians who served in Italy 26,254 Canadians became casualties. And their long march was not yet ended they were soon to fight their way through Holland and Germany remaining in action till the war ended in Europe May 1945
.
