I stepped down from the bus at the end of a dusty path that led to double gates in a low wall. Here, 5 kilometeres from the Sicillian hill town of Agira, was the resting place of 490 Canadians who travelled so far to die so soon, in 1943. To the left and right inside the gates were two small buildings, the one on the left was locked and appeared to be a store. The one on the right was open-plan and here in a small alcove with a door I found the visitors book, which I signed and a folder containing the names of those buried here with the grave locations. On the up-slope of a small hill in front of me were rows of headstones and I traversed each of these rows reading names and inscriptions. On reaching the top of the hill the vista that greeted me was never to be forgotton. The reverse slope held more rows of headstones leading down to Lake Pozzillo and as a background to all this was Mount Etna ,white capped and slumbering in the distance. This surely must be one of the most beautiful settings for a war grave cemetery, anywhere. On returning to the top of the hill, I turned around to take in the view once more and Rupert Brooke's "corner of a foreign field" came to mind, only here it is forever Canada.
Wonderful posting Colin, thank you. Members should know that he kindly photographed the headstone of the only North Irish Horse casualty who lies forever in Sicily. Although the Regiment did not serve in Sicily, Lieutenant Anthony D.C. Butler did, being attached to 3 Commando, and is buried in Catania War Cemetery.
Great story. The Canadians who lie forever in Agira are members of the 1st Canadian Division, which was the first Canadian force to go to England after war broke out. They spent three years as the GHQ reserve, with a brief foray to France in 1940 as part of the Second BEF, being evacuated in Operation Ariel. They saw no combat and lost only eight men, but a good chunk of their vehicles. During the Battle of Britain, 1st Canadian was the GHQ reserve, because it was he best-equipped division in England. In 1943, with Canada having made limited showings in two defeats (Hong Kong and Dieppe), the 1st Canadians were assigned to the invasion of Sicily, and they sailed straight from England to their beaches, which were the western side of the triangle, down at the bottom. With less transport than the rest of the 8th Army, but a supporting tank brigade, they did pretty well. Their top generals got into some kind of argument with Montgomery over visiting them. 1st Canadian was led in Sicily by Gen. Guy Simonds, a very capable gunner. After that, it fought in Operation Baytown, the crossing over to Reggio, and up Italy through Ortona, the Liri, and the Gothic Line.
Recollections from one of the "Dodgers" http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/07/10/canadian_ww2_vet_looks_back_on_bloody_sicily_campaign.html
