What was the original comment and when was it made? This must have infuriated all the Vets!

Jim

Jim if you can, get hold of a copy of 'The D-Day Dodgers' by Daniel G. Dancocks

(McLelland & Stewart Inc) and see what a misnomer it was!

Colin.

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=D-Day+...roogle&ct=title click here

As the British would say, "Bloody good words, mate!"

Thanks for posting that Paul. Had never heard it before. Says it all doesn't it?

I can't tell you how many folks I talk to who say that their loved one was over there for the whole war. What they are referring to is from June 6th and on. The whole war I say? Nope baby that started a long time before that. I then happen to mention that the 540th landed in North Africa the 2nd week of November 1942. By the time D-Day Normandy occurred, they had already racked up 20 months in the ETO.

You then have to remind them that there was also fighting going on in the Pacific since Dec 7th, 1941. There were fierce battles fought through islands and on sea in 1942.

The book that Paul posted the link to says this:

When troops of the First Canadian Infantry Division waded ashore in southern Sicily in July 1943, it marked the first time- aside from the few bloody hours on the beach of Dieppe-that Canadian soldiers had gone into combat in Europe since the start of the war. This is their story.

My Uncle Rusty, for some darn reason enlisted in October of 1940 and stayed for the duration... He was one of those "arrive early, stay late" types I guess.

Jim

Talk about DURATION! He went through a lot of Army

Another fellow that was in for the long haul was my wife's Uncle Steve Gracan.I havent been able to find out when he first went in, but said he was tired of waitingon Roosevelt to do anything and ended up joining the Canadiain Army! When the US finally got in he was able to transfer to the US Army and becameone of Darby's 1st Bn. Rangers. After the 1st and 3rd Battallions were disbanded he returned to Texas to train a new Battallion.

Ranger Gracan was quite a story teller and I spoke to him several times on the phone before he passed away in 1978 my wife Karen, said that all the neighbor kids would gather when they heard he was in town to hear his great stories.

When troops of the First Canadian Infantry Division waded ashore in southern Sicily in July 1943, it marked the first time- aside from the few bloody hours on the beach of Dieppe-that Canadian soldiers had gone into combat in Europe since the start of the war.

The 1st Canadian Division was the first Canadian unit to be sent to Italy and was the first major deployment of Canadian troops in combat. By the time of the invasion of Sicily, the Canadians were getting anxious to see battle. They had been training in Britian for 2 years. The only combat that any Canadians had seen was a small contingent had participated in the failed Dieppe Raid on the coast of France. Also two battalions helped to defend Hong Kong in 1941 and an infantry brigade was employed against Kiska in 1943.

Now, the Canadian newspapers and politicians were calling for their troops to be used. One fear was that Canada would not be considered a part of the Allies, which could influence world opinion of them after the war. This long period of inactivity could cause the Canadian troops to loose their fighting ability.

At the last minute of the planning for Operation HUSKY, Churchill recommended that the Canadian troops be used in the invasion of Sicily. Eventually, the 1st Canadian Division was substituted for the 3rd British Division. The Chief of the Imperial General Staff immediately sent word of inclusion of Canadian troops in Operation HUSKY to the Allied commander in the Mediterranean Theatre. The 1st Canadian Division and the 3rd British Division met on all levels to transfer plans on the operation. Their cooperation went so well, that the 3rd British Division and the 2nd Canadian Division were used together in the Normandy invasion.

Reference Books:

Stacey, Col. C. P., "Six Years of War; The Army in Canada, Britian and the Pacific, Vol 1", Minister of National Defense, 1955.

Nicholson, G. W. L., "The Canadians in Italy, 1943-1945, Vol 2". Ottawa; Queen's Printer, 1956.

Steve

The resting place of 490 Canadians who died on Sicily 1n 1943. Surly one of the most beautiful locations for a military cemetery.

Agira, Central Sicily.

Colin.

Canadian_Cemetery_Agira..wps

Thanks Steve for the background on the Canadian troops. Excellent.

Colin: Do you have that file in any other form? Looks like it's a Word Perfect file and most people won't be able to open it including yours truly?

But wait, look what I found by doing some snooping on the Internet...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories.../a2108909.shtml

More links regarding the cemetery and the Canadian troops...

http://www.kenscott.com/sicily/cemetery_agira.htm

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/20...ute_041105.html

The resting place of some Canadian 'D-Day Dodgers'. The Canadian Military Cemetery at Agira, Sicily.

As I've said many times a beautiful location.

Colin.

Their resting spot is breathtaking. Yes, you were right.