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Can anyone here help me with the details of Canada in Sicily? All I know is that we kicked ass......But I would like a clearer idea of what happened.

   

We were part of an Allied force that dislodged a dug in, well equipped army fighting a defensive battle.
What else do you want to know?

   

Check out my page on Sicily...
http://www.wwii.ca/index.php?page=Page& ... page&id=25

   

   

Great page and a very good over view!

The first thing that always comes to mind when I think Sicily is the Hasty P's assault on Assoro. If you ever saw the movie the Devil's Brigade about the 1st SSF, well the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment carried out an identical assault as they show in the movie but months earlier in Sicily. Here was a line infantry regiment that carried out an assault that took commando level troops to carry out in Italy.

Assoro was a defensive point that had not been taken by an invading army in hundreds of years. Two hundered men of the Hasty P's took it in one night, not a bad night's work. Oh and btw one of the officers that went up the reverse slope of the Assoro was none other than Farley Mowat. Both of his books about his experiences there are well worth reading.

The first, "The Regiment" has the point of view of a young and recently home from the war Mowat, while the second "And no Brids Sang" is a much more reflective account of an older man coming to terms with war and what was required of him during it.

   

Cool. Nice overview.

   

That is a dam fine site.......congrats, it's made it to my "Fav" folder......I now have 4 in there. A very elite club.

   

D Day Dodgers.... a song that was written and sung by hamish henderson...
Sung to the tune Lili Marlene... by soldiers of the British Canadian Even the US forces in Italy while the real show was happening in Northern Europe......

Story behind it:
It is generally believed that it was Lady Astor MP who first called the men of the 8th Army who were fighting in the Italian Campaign 'D-Day Dodgers'. But then, she was known to say many things she must have regretted. She was the one who once famously chided Winston Churchill for being drunk - to which he countered that she was ugly, and at least he would be sober in the morning! During another encounter with the Prime Minister she said that if he were her husband, she would give him poison. He replied that if he were her husband, he would drink it.

Sing along with the tune.. to the song Lili Marlene:



We are the D-Day Dodgers, out in Italy,
Always on the vino, always on a spree,
8th Army skivers and their tanks,
We go to war, in ties and slacks,
We are the D-Day Dodgers, in sunny Italy.

We fought into Agira, a holiday with pay,
Jerry brought his bands out to cheer us on our way,
Showed us the sights and gave us tea,
We all sang songs, the beer was free,
We are the D-Day Dodgers, in sunny Italy.

The Moro and Ortona were taken in our stride,
We didn't really fight there, we went there for the ride,
Sleeping 'til noon and playing games,
We live in Rome with lots of dames,
We are the D-Day Dodgers, in sunny Italy.

On our way to Florence, we had a lovely time,
We drove a bus from Rimini, right through the Gothic Line,
Then to Bologna we did go,
We all went swimming in the Po,
We are the D-Day Dodgers, in sunny Italy.

We hear the boys in France are going home on leave,
After six months service, such a shame they're not relieved.
We were told to carry on a few more years,
Because our wives don't shed no tears,
We are the D-Day Dodgers, in sunny Italy.

We are the D-Day Dodgers, way out in Italy.
We're always tight, we cannot fight.
What bloody use are we?

Dday dodgers song -- video real player

   

Wasn't she also the one who said: "Winston, if you were my husband, I'd poison your tea."

To which he replied: "Madame, if I were your husband, I would drink it."

   

yes indeed...
make sure you watch the Real video file... Cliff Chadderton from the War Amps

   

I've added a few newspaper articles to the bottom of the link I posted above, for anyone interested.

   

A friend of mine told me today that Canadians went onto mainland Italy, and we also marched into Rome with the Allies. Is this true?


Because I thought we were just in Sicily, and then we were called back to begin preparing for D-Day.

   

Artic if you ever get a chance to see anything on "Smokey" Smith.. he died last year
True Canadian Hero

Sept 03 1943 the Canadians landed in Italy.. (proud to say I share that day as my birthday.. many years later)
Jun 6th 1944 while other stuff (D-Day) was going on the Allies marched into Rome.

In Italy up the Adriatic Coast.. Canadians are held in high esteem... The French Dutch Belgians and Italians (sicilians as well) have a lot of deep heart felt feelings towards us.

   

The first allied troops on the mainland of Europe ( to stay ) was the First Div when they crossed the Straits of Messina.

   

I believe Canadains were ordered (by an American General, or rather, warned) not to enter Rome, because he wanted Americans to enter first... yet, Canadians were among the first to March into Rome, apart of the "Devils Brigade."

Canada's most famous battle in Italy was Ortona ("Bloody Ortona"). You can find a whole lot of info about the battle on my site.

   

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