10 July 1943 - February 1945

The Invasion of Sicily and the Italian Campaign

By May 1943, the Allies had defeated the Germans and Italians in North Africa. Capturing their next target, the Italian island of Sicily, would help secure the Mediterranean for Allied shipping and perhaps even knock Italy out of the war.

At this time, Canadian forces in Britain had grown to about 250,000, organized into First Canadian Army, divided into I and II Canadian Corps; the full force combined three infantry divisions, two armoured divisions, and two independent armoured brigades. Outside of the the ill-fated Dieppe Raid in August 1942, these forces had seen no combat and the Canadian public and military clamoured for action. At Canadian request, Allied planners included the 1st Canadian Infantry Division and the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade in the initial assault force, a total of 26,000 troops including supporting arms and ancillary units. The campaign in Sicily would be Canada’s first sustained land operation, after nearly four years of war.

A printed text containing amateur poems written by Canadians in Italy. — Rhyme and Reason: Canadian Soldier Poets

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The military newspaper *The Maple Leaf* compiled this collection of poems written by amateur Canadian soldier-poets in during the Italian Campaign. Select excerpts are shared here and transcribed below. Many themes are repeated - including the loss of their comrades, justification for war, and Canadian pride.
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OPERATION HUSKY: THE INVASION OF SICILY

On 10 July 1943, the Americans, British, and Canadians launched Operation HUSKY and landed in southern Sicily. The Canadians, serving as part of the British Eighth Army, landed at Pachino and faced very little resistance from the poorly-equipped and dispirited Italians. Moving inland, they encountered seasoned German troops who skilfully used Sicily’s mountainous terrain and deep ravines to slow the advance. Sicily’s notoriously poor roads and other terrain impassable to vehicles meant that many supplies were brought forward by mules.

Canadian infantry and tanks quickly advanced more than 150 kilometres in the sweltering heat and began fighting the Germans in a series of costly hill-top engagements for the control of central Sicily. Seizing Valguernera on 17 July proved a bitter, exhausting struggle during which the Canadians suffered nearly 150 casualties. By 5 August, nearby Assoro, Leonforte, Agira, and Regalbuto had all fallen to the Canadians in the same grim manner. Monte Assoro fell following the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment’s daring night-time scaling of the steep cliffs protecting German defences there. The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) contributed a total of four squadrons to the Battle of Sicily. Three Wellington night bomber squadrons bombed Axis airfields, marshalling yards, ports, and towns while Spitfires from 417 Squadron patrolled the airspace above and beyond the advancing army. Additional members of the RCAF served with Royal Air Force units throughout Operation HUSKY.

On 6 August, the Canadian infantry units were withdrawn from active operations following 27 consecutive days of campaigning. By 17 August all of Sicily was in Allied hands. But the cost had been high: Canadian casualties alone totalled 2,310, including 562 killed. The RCAF suffered a further 154 fatalities in operations supporting the campaign.

A map of the island of Sicily shows where the Allied forces landed and proceeded before continuing to the Italian mainland. — Sicily, 10 July to 17 August 1943

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This map of Sicily from C.P. Stacey's *Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War* shows where the Canadians, British, and Americans advanced through Sicily.

Green lines (US Forces – Seventh Army), dashed red lines (British Forces – Eighth Army, 30th Corps, 13th Corps) and solid red lines (Canadian Forces – 1st Canadian Brigade, 2nd Canadian Brigade, and 3rd Canadian Brigade) show the allied progression through Sicily from 10 July to 17 August 1943. The initial landings are marked by arrows on the coast.

Beginning at the left of the map, the United States Seventh Army (green lines) landed at three southern ports, including Licata and Gela. They then pushed through western and northeastern Sicily.

The Canadian Forces (solid red lines) landed to the right of the Americans, at the southern tip of Sicily. Following the arc of American progression, the Canadians occupied a section of eastern Sicily.

The remainder of eastern Sicily was advanced upon by the British Forces (dashed red lines). They landed at seven different ports along the eastern coast.

The map provides further basic topographical information and identifies major towns and bodies of water for context.
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FIGHTING ON THE ITALIAN MAINLAND

Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was overthrown in July 1943 and Italy teetered on the brink of surrender. The Germans occupied the country and prepared a series of stout defensive lines, taking advantage of dominating high ground and numerous river lines, to stall Allied progression up the boot of Italy. On 3 September, the British Eighth Army, including the Canadians, crossed from Sicily and landed in the toe of Italy while the U.S. Fifth Army invaded further north at Salerno. The 1st Canadian Division and the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade landed near Reggio di Calabria, their progress slowed by difficult terrain and determined German delaying tactics. By October the Canadians had progressed one-third the length of Italy and reached Campobasso, south of the German's peninsula-wide Gustav Line a dense network of linked fixed defences designed to slow the Allied advance.

In early December, the Canadians assaulted German defences at the Moro River, south of Ortona. The 1st Division crossed the river and seized San Leonardo after a desperate fight. Progress was slow and casualties high as the Canadians moved on Ortona, protected from the south by a deep ravine. After some failed attempts to cross this gully, Canadian troops from the Royal 22e Regiment, supported by tanks of the Ontario Regiment, captured Casa Berardi and held it in the face of fierce German counter-attacks; Captain Paul Triquet of the Royal 22e Regiment would earn the Victoria Cross for his inspiring leadership here.

On 21 December, the Canadians began their assault against Ortona. The city would only be fully captured on 28 December, mainly by the Seaforth Highlanders and the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, following gruelling and harrowing days of fighting block by block, street by street, and house to house. The 1st Division was left shattered and seriously depleted, having suffered more than 2,300 casualties since arriving at the Moro, exclusive of a further 1,600 men suffering illness or battle exhaustion.

Audio recording of veteran Bill Teleske. — Bill Teleske

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Bill Teleske took part in the liberation of Ortona. He shared some of his experience with The Memory Project. This audio excerpt (circa 2008-2014) is transcribed below.
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An audio recording of Ernest Alec Bagstad. — Ernest Alec Bagstad

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Ernest Alec Bagstad describes his experiences during the battle for Ortona and as a prisoner of war in this Memory Project interview. The audio excerpt (circa 2008-2014) is transcribed below.
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Black and white photograph. A dirt road cuts through the hills, covered sparsely with trees. At the edge of the road, Canadian soldiers investigate an overturned vehicle. Other military vehicles line the road. — From Gustav to Hitler

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Black and white photograph. A soldier poses in front of a sign reading "Canada Town", which provides directions to various clubs in the area. — Canada Town

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Black and white photograph. Rectangular tables are set up in a large square, viewed from above. Men in military clothing sit on all sides of the tables. — Christmas Dinner

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Black and white photograph. A Canadian soldier crouches underneath a tree, his body sheltered by a rise in the rocky, brush covered ground. His sleeves are rolled up. He holds his gun at ready, and his eyes are squinted in concentration. — Canadian Sniper

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Black and white photograph. 4 white crosses with names lean against a stone wall beside a metal gate. Two men lean over a small wooden table preparing more crosses. — Preparing Grave Crosses

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Black and white photograph. A tank is partially covered in branches as camouflage. A soldier peeks out of the top of the tank, and another stands in front. A gas can is on the ground. — Tank in Camouflage

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Black and white photograph. A broken rail track runs past a large building and into the mountains. A Canadian kneels beside the rails examining the broken wooden ties, which the camera is focused on. All the ties have been cut in half. — Ruined Rails

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Black and white photograph. Canadian soldiers crouch and aim against a wall on a narrow street. A casualty is visible in front of them. — Machine Gun Fire

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In early 1944, the 5th Canadian Armoured Division joined 1st Canadian Infantry Division and the (recently renamed) 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade in Italy, forming I Canadian Corps. That spring, in an effort to capture Rome, the British Eighth Army was tasked with assaulting the Gustav Line and the formidable Hitler Line just to its north in the Liri Valley. The Canadians attacked the Hitler Line on 23 May with other allied forces. This daunting position consisted of concrete bunkers, tank turrets serving as fixed artillery, a heavy concentration of machine guns and mortars, constructed earthworks, and dense bands of land mines and barbed wire. Despite this, I Canadian Corps successfully breached the Hitler Line and crossed the Melfa River, where Major J.K. Mahoney of the Westminster Regiment won a Victoria Cross for his role in beating back a powerful German counterattack.

On 4 June, the Allies entered Rome. The Canadians had been placed in reserve for a rest and to integrate thousands of desperately needed reinforcements. The allies advanced northward, capturing Florence (with the support of 1st Canadian Division) and Pisa. The Germans had established yet another powerful defensive line – the Gothic Line – to protect Italy’s industrial north. The refreshed Canadians led this Allied assault which began on 25 August. The Canadian objective was to breach the Gothic Line along the Adriatic coast at Pesaro and advance to Rimini beyond. It was slow going and losses were heavy as the Germans stoutly defended the six river lines that lay in the Canadians’ path. At the Savio River, Private Ernest “Smokey” Smith of the Seaforth Highlanders won the Victoria Cross for a legendary feat of courage by single-handedly defeating a cluster of German infantry and tanks in very close combat. Although the Gothic Line had been penetrated, it took until 22 September to fully pierce the Germans’ defensive barrier. The Canadians suffered more than 2,500 casualties in the process.

A rainy autumn slowed further significant advances. The Canadians captured Ravenna in early December before harsh weather put a stop to offensive operations. The Italian campaign had come to an end for the Canadians. In February 1945, I Canadian Corps transferred to Northwest Europe and reunited with First Canadian Army. More than 92,000 Canadians served in Italy at a cost of 26,000 casualties, including more than 5,400 dead.