The Italian Campaign: How Canada Beat The Germans Out Of Italy | Greatest Tank Battles | Timeline
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2021
- This is the story of the Canadian Armored Corps making their combat debut on the European mainland.
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This is the *FIRST TIME* I have seen the Canadian story in Italy told _BY CANADIANS,_ and I *LOVE* it!! One historian is enough, if it’s a _CANADIAN_ historian, and the Canadian soldiers are just awesome!! I’m an American who’s studied WWII off and on for 40 years, mostly bc my father was a Marine who fought in the Pacific island hopping campaign, but for the better part of 3 decades very little interest was shown to this theater by historians. So, by default, I read books about Europe and the USSR, and I’ve always been fascinated with the Commonwealth Allies and their many incredibly important contributions. So this documentary is a real treat! I have no idea when this was made, but I have a sinking feeling that the brave soldiers featured here have gone to their reward….if so, I know they were honored by their families, their communities, and I hope by their country!
Sadly no, they were not honoured. Not many Canadians know this, and in the day they were called the DDay dodgers.
Sadly most in the world know the truth but when you have America claiming the did everything history gets changed.
@@wocookie2277 yes but it was a name they gave themselves...they would sing it to lighten the mood
I have all of my great uncles war medals and his POW cards. And 2 other grandparents ww2 belongings. How do I find out? My Uncle was only known when he died as an unsung hero. No family stories or next of kin.
Is there people that help with this sort of thing?
@@kristenashenden5277 I would suggest someone like Acedestroyer to you help you in ur quest. Norm Christie is Canada's war historian, but he is old now. Dan Snow is another, born Canadian, raised in UK.
We all like Canadians....greetz from The Netherlands!!!
As a Canadian I have such respect for our Veterans, they are so modest and humble. Merci a tous nos Anciens Combattants!!! 🇨🇦
Bienvenue
The same as good English men.
What would they all of said about the despicable direction our respective countrys are taking.
@@samkohen4589 1
My great grandpa served on this front for Canada. I never knew him but I know he was awarded the military cross.
Victoria Cross
The military cross? Ok bud.
DSC maybe?
My grandpopa had like 8 medels including the victory an service in intaly medel
@@yoggz The Military Cross was a medal awarded to Canadians.
_"A warring nation Canada is not, though a nation of warriors she has sometimes been forced to become."_ -Pierre Berton
Led by zoolander
I have the fourtune of knowing Pierre Burtons grandchildren. What an accomplished Canadian author.
As a Canadian on Rememberance Day, I am so thankful and grateful to all those who fought for our freedoms during WW2. I am also thanful for the Americans, British and so many other allies who lost their lives in a war that should never have happened. Indeed Canadians seemed to have been wiped from history, but many of us understand the sacrifices they made.
I love our northern friends, at home they make the best neighbors you could ask for, and over seas they make the best shock troops you can find.
Thank you kindly 🇨🇦
Canadians may be very polite in peacetime, but damn they are ferocious in the heat of battle! As they should, they have rightly earned their place as some of the best in military history.
@Don ADAMSON A number of Canadian prisoners were gunned down in cold blood in a churchyard in Tilly. After that Canadians very often did not take prisoners...atleast among SS troops.
Thank you. But what do you expect from a country where even our geese are terrifying
As a Canadian, we didn't learn much about our military in school, but as I've gotten older I'm fascinated how a peaceful country had and continues to have such a vital impact in one way or another in nearly every major conflict.
Knew an old vet from little of Grand Castapedia, Quebec. He'd been an early volunteer just like all the boys in town. Trained to be a tank driver. Survived the destruction of 4 Sherman tanks. The skin of his arms was scarred and mottled white-brown from finger tips to well past his elbows from burns suffered so often. They were not a disability . . . only a reminder, surer proof than a medal, of what he did for his country and kept doing till till the end.
i have read that a British nickname for Shermans was Tommycookers
@@HunterPeale The Germans did it, considered a myth and or propaganda by some experts in the field. The Germans would keep shooting at tanks until they burned so they couldn't be recovered.
@@TheAtomicSpoon thanks! what did you think of the film Fury? not enough working Shermans to be technically perfect, i would guess, however as war films go i think it's a better than decent Red Badge Of Courage in a tank.
@@HunterPeale There are a surprising amount of operational Shermans still about. Problem with Fury is the tiger fight. Fury's 76 would have been able to punch the front of that tiger fairly easily from that range. Making the charge and loss of the other 75mm Shermans unnecessary really.
Hmm, Red Badge of Courage in a tank... I suppose it’s an obvious parallel but the plot and even thematically... Yeah, I’d say no. The kid in Fury didn’t come into the war with idealized notions of war, wanting to be a hero like Henry from RBoC. He didn’t really want to be there. He was just some late war draftee who got tossed into a tank with minimal training. Not a volunteer marching gloriously off to battle. He never had his moment of shame and cowardice, really just moments of compassion. He learns that there is no room for compassion in war and becomes a soldier and “hero” despite himself. Henry more moves from one self deception to another. From romanticizing war and wanting to be a hero to him believing that he has become a man who understands war and the world. Fury ends with the kid basically destroyed mentally by the carnage around him and the deaths of the man and men he was really starting to look up to. RBoC ends with Henry feeling pretty much at peace with himself and his place in the world. There are hints that his mental fall may come later. The kid in Fury starts out the movie more cynical than Henry is by the end of RBoC. I’d say they are pretty different apart from a few surface level similarities. The direct character and storyline I’d compare to Fury, and from where the writer(s) certainly got a ton of inspiration, was that of Corporal Upham in Saving Private Ryan. Those two are practically the same character. Smart kids, probably in the middle of their education. Both have ideas about how they can get ttrough the war, keeping who they are intact. Both come to realize that is impossible. Both become soldiers by the end. Both accept that killing is a necessary part of war. One they will not avoid. Both come to understand vengeance and hatred in ways they didn’t before. Both are sole survivors or close to it. In SPR, Upham, Ryan, and Reiban survive out of their original group and the paratroop company they run into. Very similar characters and stories...
Belize central America sending love to 🇨🇦!!
🌴🌲🍻🌞
As a Canadian I send love back 🇨🇦
Sending Canadian love back!
As a Canadian we thank you and send love back to your country 🇧🇿❤🇨🇦
@@anormalyoungster3661 You're welcome!! We're both Commonwealth nations!!✌🏽🙏🌎☮️💯🤗🇧🇿🇨🇦
Geese...the more I read and watch about these Canadians, the more I see how good they are at fighting wars. They're always on the attack.
Patton would have loved these guys.
Canadians had no love for Patton after he deserted their left flank to go on his " end around " stunt in Sicily.
@@alanmacification nor Montgomery for that matter!
Or Mark Clark
As a Canadian, I am so proud of their contribution to ending the war.
@@sergeboudreault1627 Merci c'est gentile!
As u should be 🇺🇸 🇨🇦🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇸🇨🇦
Canada rocks. Your history will be told.
the men who fought in these battles are rolling in their graves seeing what canada has become today.
@@breezyrides6829 buddy stfu with your politics, if anything their rolling in their graves seeing you whining on your monitor non stop just because a PM hurt you.
Love hearing about the considerable contributions made by other allies
In WW2 especially the Aussies and Canadians. God bless them all.
Like the Russians and all the casualties they had
Only in the Airforce did Canada and Australia mingle We had gone back to fight the Japs after El Alamein
To my northern brothers….some of us Yanks know the truth. I will always have the utmost respect for the Canadian troops.
I have done my history homework and know what the Americans have done also. Respect from Canada.
Thank you brother love to you from Canada
Much respect brother!
@@mediumdoubledouble9012 No.m no I'm moo moo to had mmk mm l MI n lol l
@Zachary Durocher
Britain salutes brave Canadian soldiers. RIP heroes.
My Dad was on the HMCS Sackville in WWII in the North Atlantic. It was a very dangerous assignment and he never wanted to talk about the war nor did he want to go to parades or the veterans parties. Some of his friends were in the Essex-Kent Scottish Regiment and were killed at Dieppe. The mission was a complete fiasco due to poor leadership and planning. This was a good and informative documentary about a successful Canadian drive through Italy. I am sure the men endured extreme hardship and and danger everyday. RIP to those lost and thanks to everyone for their service! The freedoms we enjoy are due to their sacrifices.
Oh, yeah !!!!
Raid on Dieppe in France, it was a total military disaster !!!!
its a cool ship, I've been aboard a few times. glad it survived
@@dasboot5903 and provided crucial lessons for the D-Day campaign.
@@Conn30Mtenor Probably ... yes & probably not !!
It was the Essex Scottish Regiment, no Kent, in 1942. My dad was a sergeant in the Essex Scottish and captured at Dieppe.
To our Canadian brothers who served, thank you for your service. What a great neighbor country to have.
My grandfather, a Canadian from Albert County , NB . Drove a Sherman through these battles. rip. I'll never forget what you gave for us in Canada. Thinking of you in 2022. rip .
My grand-uncle Bill Saunders, from Carleton County N.B., was a part of the infantry support in the Italian campaign. My grand-dad and his brothers served in WW1 (brother Eric remains there in a military cemetery in France). My Dad served in South Korea as part of the Canadian U.N. forces during the Korean War. My mother's N.B. uncles (the Hannigan boys) also served in WW2.
@@donskuse2194 bless your family and their service brother.
As a Canadian whose great uncle fought with Canadian army during DDAY and gave his life; I am touched by all the warm comments and support in theses comments from our allies all over the world- thx so much
❤️🇨🇦
As an American, we never learn about any of the theaters we werent directly involved with (ie, This, the Jungle War, etc.) Extremely Interesting!! Thank you!
Thank you for this video. Here in the States we hear mainly about the American forces. Any mention of our allies is when they are part of our campaign.
Evidently the Canadians are a tough lot.
Thank you for your service all Canadian service men and women.
There are many stories of Canadian accomplishments in all the wars that go unnoticed by most. Can I tweak your curiosity enough for you to research the story of Leo Major, a French Canadian who served and survived as a soldier in WW2 as well as Korea. Hollywood would never tell the story because he was not American.
Pound for pound some of the best trained soldiers in the 🌎
Much respect 🙏🏻
@@scallywag6768 Why are you depending on Hollywood to tell your story? Do you not have your own film industry in Canada? If you can't get your own story out there don't blame America for it.
@@kwd3109 Canadians with any interest in history are very much aware of Canada's heroes and accomplishments in all the conflicts Canada was involved in. John, an American I presume, was unaware. I merely suggested if he was truly interested, to research Leo Major. The man is certainly remembered in Canada and Europe. Americans in general are not known for watching Canadian films. Hollywood is only interested in American heroes, sometimes taking credit for other nations accomplishments. An example is taking credit for secretly acquiring a German egnigma machine from a sinking German submarine. Apparently that was the RN.
As a Scot, I see the Scottish tradition of warfare and more imbued in these brave Canadian men. This action in Italy is not that well known in the U.K. Thanks for bringing it alive for us in this excellent production.
Some of the Canadians in Italy were highland regiments from Nova Scotia ( New Scotland).
Thank you Canada. We love ya mate (Australia).
Right back at ya 55...''EVERY DAY''🏉🏒🍻
Cousins & Allies Forever!
And from the UK
Brothers from the same mother, with a little bit of a French mistress ❤ in Canada.
Very brave soldiers. Respect from England 🇬🇧, Canada 🇨🇦. Has always fought with toughness.
...this was my Dad's campaign..very proud, as they were all volunteers...
Thanks for covering the Canadian corps in Italy .Read about their battles up to the Gothic line. We owe the freedoms we have to their sacrifices.
My grandparents served with Canadian forces. Makes me proud of them and their generation who did what we couldn't imagine in todays world. They saved us all from a terrible possible bleak future of nazism. Lest us all never forget their sacrifice.
i thank them all often
My Great Uncle was one of the BC Dragoons who fell on the 31-Aug attack on the Gothic line. Thank you so much for this, it's the first detailed account I've been able to find on it. It's heartwarming to know that the effort in which he gave is life ended up being an important victory.
My uncle was a sergeant with the Royal Canadian Artillery, 11th field regiment. Sadly, he was also killed in action in December, 1944. Our heroes must never be forgotten ❤
MY uncle Hubert Carrier served with the Seaforth Highlanders of Vancouver during in the Italian campaign and survived . He was amoung the luck ones. As the setting of the sun and in the morning we will remember them .
My father was also in the BC Dragoons throughout the war.
It's actually really cool to hear the German side of the story too. Well done.
My mom had 2 brothers on the front lines for a year in Italy. I was an adult when she told me this and I was speechless cuz the first thing I thought was how could anyone be on the front lines that long and survive. She also said they were never the same after they came home and never talked to anyone about it all. Ha, my mom was about 14/15 and when they grabbed a train to Toronto to sign up. She thought, if they can do it so can I. She was turned down twice for the Army so she ended up working in a bomb factory for 5 years.
My father was in B Sqd 8th Canadian Hussars. He was in all these battles and his tank was hit with an 88 at Corriano Ridge. He was the only on who got out.
My father joined the Calgary tank regiment of the 1st Armoured Brigade in front of Monte Cassina and fought up through Italy into the Gothic line and then the regiment was transferred to Belgium and then Holland. Wish he could have seen some of the footage.
Flew polar bears from south pole too churchill Canada, help with aliens, first c5 pilot.
Also Trudeau, see artifacts, from titanic, secret diving crew, the glomar explorer group.
@@kenford6163 must be the cheap drugs you are using
We never forget those brave soldiers who defended us !!
Royal Canadian Armour Corp.
R.C.A.C.
Thank you.
Excellent documentary. Well done Canada!!! (From Australia)
So proud of our brave Canadian men. The bravest of them all. 😢😢🍁🍁❤️🇨🇦
Heroes of their day. The most underrated allied force of the war by far.
Here, here! Excellent combat troopers!😎🇺🇸👍
I have so much respect for these guys.
My father was an air gunner on a Lancaster bomber in the RCAF. He shared many stories with me but mostly were on the light side about being stationed in Britain and the friendships he developed.
Love love love when the Canadians in WW11 are showcased ! Thank you 🙏
The 11th World War is my favorite!!!
My uncle from Kent in the uk went ashore on d-day with the Canadians
@Cam MacMaster : It might be a good time for you to learn roman numerals : I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1000.
How do you read them ? When a numeral stands right to a higher rank numeral it is summed. When it stands left to a higher rank numeral it is substracted.
So LV reads 55 while VL reads 45.
Number 4 can be written two ways : IV or IIII although the latter is very uncommon and a probable mistake originally.
Never use arab numerals in place of roman numerals or everybody gets confused...
@@Cadadadry Interesting. Thanks 😊
@@coldstonecanc3rgang994 Great minds think alike!
Canadian troops were always given the toughest assignments and took the heaviest casualties. Much respect from your neighbors to the south.
Thank you very much for your comment. A Canadian
Np lazy Americans who always came late!
Also canadian
Btw, your welcome for the red, and the black baron,don't worrie nbd we gottim
Canadians were not required to serve outside Canada (which did not include Newfoundland at that time) unless they volunteered to do so before November 1944.
search Canadian Encyclopedia Second World War
@@nickdanger3802 lol, ya your smart, typical amarican
That is one of the best doco's I have ever seen. Good on the Canadians. Their spirit really shines through.
I think you mean, “documentaries.”
@@voraciousreader3341 I think some people express their opinions in a way they are comfortable with. Concentrating on his choice to say ‘doco’s’ instead of documentaries…..You missed the point. For someone trying to be so smart, the message went right over your head.
Aussies are allowed to hang "Os" on the end of everything mate
For an excellent description of live as a Canadian infantry soldier in Sicily, do read "And No Birds Sang" by Farley Mowat. He describes his frustration about the length of the campaign and of not having any break from the fighting and monotony. The war really screwed him up which required him to get away from civilization to spend time in the arctic. His other war books are also worth reading.
I read it ,excellent book.
I had an Uncle who was seriously emotionally damaged by the war and after his return, like Mowat, could not adjust back into Toronto life and before he raged against innocents here, he took off for a few years to the lumber camps in Northers Ontario until he could face others properly again.
He had been one of the elite Commandos, behind the lines much of the time. It took its toll.
One of my good friends dad drove a Sherman through Italy.He told me his dad would never talk about what he had seen or did during the war.
It was fiercely war during 2WW...Canadian armoured wrote most Bravely legendary among valleys and mountains of Italy
RIP brave Canadian soldiers, Britain salutes you.
My grandfather was a sapper in the 5th canadian armored division. He was a corporal who fought under lieutenant Graham in the Italian theater. His outfit were a part of and key components of famous battles like the Gothic line battle and Coriano ridge. Crazy to think what he was up to when he was 20 years old compared to what j was up to at 20. Never forget
The commonwealth countries don't get a lot of recognition for their contributions. Thanks for the history lesson 🇨🇦👍
When you look 'round the mountains, through the mud and rain
You'll find the crosses, some which bear no name.
Heartbreak, and toil and suffering gone
The boys beneath them slumber on
They were the D-Day Dodgers, who'll stay in Italy
Had a great uncle, who served in Newfoundland field artillery, he served through Italy. He almost lost his life when a German shell hit a mess facility he was at, after he had been there. He lost many friends in blink of an eye
Like some below, I'm an American who has looked at a lot of WWII history. Canadians punched way above their weight in that war, especially in the Italian campaign and at D-day and thereafter in the north. They deserve recognition for all of that.
I deliver to a town called Halliburton,they have a Sherman in town that was in Italy now I know what that tank and crew went threw thank you to all veterans
As a Canadian I have such respect for our Veterans. Merci à tous ceux qui ont combattus pour la liberté.
Let us hope that one day we can be united as human beings and look back on wars as a distant past in history. We owe it to all the great men and women who fought for peace and a greater future for all of us. War is the ultimat insanity..
We need to change the concept of war. War should only be conducted in order to save lives but never to take lives in the process. Right now, we need a world war on COVID for instance. How about a world war on climate change? In wars like these, the enemy becomes clear right away. Anti-Vaxxers have allied themselves with the deadly serial killer called COVID. Fossil fuel producers have allied themselves with some politicians or vice versa. etc.
@@captnkirk6180 Bad move because "He who controls the supply chain controls the war " and a war like that would depend on how much military manufacturing each side can do. The China belt and road initiative is a major factor for China. If there is a war ,it will likely occur and be fought in North America.
@@captnkirk6180 lol no.
Thank you putting this together. My uncle was a tank driver in the BC Dra goons from Monte Casino onwards. Got hepatitis bad just before Coriano and was sent out to Rome. His crewmates did not make it. Said hepatitis wasn't fun but saved his life. Back into the tank as they left Italy to go through the Netherlands in 1945. Have to show this to my grandchildren.
Very happy to watch this video, there is very little credit given to the Canadians, especially by the US. As regards the comment about American bashing, read the bashing without any bias and you will see that the comments is usually justified. Good examples, Clark first into Rome instead trapping the retreating Germans, and Macarthur boasting about Allied victories in New Guinea when there were few and NO fighting Americans in the early stages and then later on any American victory became an American victory ant not an Allied one. Both Generals far too self promoting
That’s odd, I grew up in B’ham Alabama and was in Grade School during the 60’s and we learned about all of the Allies
We even learned it was the Polish who finally took Monte Casino and General Clark sneaking around the Canadians to take Rome only for the next days news to be about the DDay invasion
Nobody denies the crucial and enormous role played by Uncle Sam, but I think it's the whole thing about showing up to 2 wars (ww1 ww2)2 years after they both had started and then taking full credit for the whole win was probably a little off putting to all the other allies 😢
Excellent Video.. makes me proud to be a Canadian and live in the country where these brave men came from.
So much respect for these vets...they are so courageous
Thanks for making and posting this doc highlighting Canada's contribution in Italy. Watch most documentaries and you'd think Canada was not even in WWII.
The Canadian people are wonderful. Their soldiers are some of the best in the world.
The Canucks are fierce fighting men just like their Aussie, Kiwi, and British brothers. The Canadians in WW2 had their own beach to land in, on DDay. Many times the Aussies and Kiwis were combined and called the AnZac Army. Matter of fact, when you think about it all the countries founded by the British produce fierce fighters! Why you may ask? I say because when these countries go to war it is because someone, the Nazis, Imperial Japan, we’re trying to take our freedom!
So now you fight your PM?
@@tonyromano6220 Excuse me? What are you trying to say? I was plain speaking in what I said. So what is your question?
We don’t have a PM. We have a President. Get it straight.
@@lyndondellis298 I think he mistook you for a Canadian, Lyndon. It was an honest mistake, I believe; but I think he was picking a fight on a totally different arguement (Canadians being dissatisfied with their Prime Minister in the recent election). As far as freedom goes, I know that the Canadians were automatically at war in WWI when Britain declared war. In WWII, we volunteered to fight with Britain when war was declared. All members of the Commonwealth did. So that would have made it for the same reasons as England was declaring.
@@karenburrows9184 Indeed. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I mean I knew it but it took me a minute. I enjoy conversations on history as I am somewhat, a military history buff. Thanks again.😎
My dad was in Three Rivers Tank and all my uncles were in the Black Watch. I will always be very proud of them. Plus they sang at my wedding.
What a top feller! He seems like a really really nice man. Thank you for your service :)
Grandfather fought in Italy with the Ontario Regiment out of Oshawa On. Wouldnt doubt he was involved in his Sherman
Canadians were put together with Polish forces cause Brits didn't want to deal with Poles. Maczek Division was absolute disaster for Germans, but you don't hear about it here.
German troops always prepared for the worst when confronting Canadian troops
Dr Goof, too bad he got away.
My New Brunswick Canadian-born grand-uncle Bill Saunders was a much-decorated soldier who fought with his fellow Canadians in the Allie's Italian campaign.
Yeah my late Dad was one of the Canadians over there . He just shook his head telling Me the story about the Americans being given the right to claim Rome . Nothings really changed . Canadians have never been keen to wear the hero badge . To this day loud mouthed boastful people make me sick .
Totally understand what you're saying!!
I hear ya
There is a small memorial outside my home town in England to a Canadian crew who crash landed there after a mission over Europe. Some have never forgot what the Canadians did. Superb Allies. The very best.
@@aaropajari7058 People in those days saw a huge threat and then really put in everything they had for a cause that was enormous beyond belief Thanks for that message .
According to America THEY won WW2 all by themselves. Pffft !
Thanks for these videos I haven't been watching these things non-stop for like two and a half weeks keep them coming they're great
Honorable mention to the 12th Canadian Armoured Regiment (12 CAR) or Three Rivers Regiment/Régiment de Trois-Rivières now known as the 12e Régiment Blindé du Canada (12 RBC).
They hold the Canadian army record for the most numbers of days spent on the front line without reinforcements (68 days).
They also hold the Canadian Army WWII armoured regiment record for the most Battle Honours.
Adsum
If the narrators ever saw how much road a good operator on a D8 cat can build in the mountains in a day, they wouldnt be surprised by what they did in Italy.
They weren't building roads.
@@MrLoobu Of course they were. Watch the video, idiot. I knew about this surprise move by the Canadians 50 years ago. Remember this is a BC regiment, some of those men were experienced in building logging roads in the mountains.
@@MrLoobu 24:00 minutes in the video. Look it up! They built a road and moved 11,000 tanks and vehicles to the eastern side of Italy.
@@johnkidd1226 feel better calling names? Most stopped that in 3rd grade but I’m thinking that was a tough period in your life.
@@kaptainkaos1202 Toughest 3 years of your life, I'll bet.
My grandfather was a tank mechanic for the Canadian Armored Corps in WW2.
Thank-you for this video. My dad's Uncle, Tpr. Fred C. Harrison, fought with the British Columbia Dragoons in Italy and was killed near Coriano on 10 September 1944. The story that came down to the family years later was that he and his tank-mates had dug a foxhole and parked their tank over it for the night, near the village of Besanigo. German artillery in Coriano picked out the tank in the night and destroyed it, killing the sleeping crew underneath. Fred is buried in Gradara War Cemetery not too far away from where he died, but so very far from the little town of Kinley, Saskatchewan, where he grew up.
The video gave me a sense of Fred's experiences in Italy, and I'm very grateful.
This film is very realistic and powerful.
Thanks for your video.
Its nice to finally get some recognician for canadas part in the war, so many people just over look canadas contributions to ww2
a family friend gregg trout was an engineer captain during the italian offensive. they were a forward unit repairing combat vehicles and were often under fire. the Germans had everything zeroed in. as they pulled back the canadians would move in and the Germans would artillery the canadian positions. he told me how he jumped out a window one time when shelling started and a shell came in the other window and destroyed his pot of coffee. first coffee in 2 weeks. he was annoyed.
Some of these guys never liked to talk about their experiences .
Thank you for this documentary
With good reason the Wehrmacht referred to the Canadian Army as “ Queen Elizabeth’s SS”…..
I’m named after an uncle who was in the Royal Regiment of Canada at the Dieppe landing in 1942.
If you google Dieppe and go to Images you’ll see a chilling sight. A German sentry walking along the beach at Dieppe .
To his right ,along the seawall stacked as neatly as firewood, were dozens of men from the R.R.C..
I’m certain my uncle was one of them as he came ashore at that end of the beach.
In Italy they spoke of those who liked Italy so much they never came back……the greatest generation indeed.
Remember Canada had no conscription, they all volunteered for this. ✊🏼
I very much doubt that “Queen Elizabeth’s SS” claim, given that Queen Elizabeth had been dead for 340 years by the time the first Canadian soldier set foot on Italian soil, and the current Queen Elizabeth II was a 17-year-old princess uncertain of ever even ascending the throne.
She became Queen in 1953.
How bout King George VI instead.
History not your strong point.
I think you should modify your statement. There was a Conscription in Canada and there were riots in Quebec because of that. Since the British Canadians had the habit of using the French Canadians as cannon fodder, even despite their extraordinary contribution in Verdun in WW1,....let's just say they didn't want to pitch in anymore. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription_Crisis_of_1944
I find these ol' war boys quite comical the way they talk its unbelievable how they done what they done
Sad that now most of them likely passed away these are at least 10 year old videos from back in the day
I am from india but wow i love all these stories
There are great stories to be told of how the great Indian & the young Canadian Regiments fought together... till the end, at Hong Kong in 41'
My dad fought in Ortona!
Amazing how much of a contribution the Canadians made to the allies war effort.
As an American, I am sorry you had to hold back to let the Americans appear to take Rome. The politics of war, I suspect. You were brave and strong. Glad we have neighbors like you.
My understanding is that Roosevelt didn't want to have much to do with defense of Italy, but Churchill very much wanted to.
sweeeet. ive been wanting to learn more about this subject. I never got to ask my grandpa about his time fighting the nazis in italy. apparently he fought in Sicily,Rome,Cassino,Firenze,Livorno and Naples.
My Grandfather Served in the Canadian Armored Corps as a driver for he's tank In Italy.
Excellent in all respects ! Thank you.
Every allied country has stories of determined fearless, skilled, badass troops that fought for our freedoms. Thank you for this amazing documentary about Canada's role in the Italian campaign. As a 60 yr old Canadian, I had no idea.
The Canadians were the most undervalued force historically.
In terms of the impact they had on the field, we Brits and the Yanks could not have seen had the outcome that was had.
Patterns much lauded dash across Europe was only possible because of the war of attrition fought around Caen by
The Brits and particularly the Canadian tank regiments, who fought a massive war of attrition that sucked in German tank regiments and cost them dearly.
You should read about what they did in the last 100 days of WW 1. Hint: plausible to suggest they won it.
In WWI Canada was instrumental in introducing a lot of infantry & artillery tactics in use today. Been using final protective fire since WWII & Korea.
I have every respect to the Canadians, but they were heavily supplemented by British divisions. Just go look at the order of battle for many of their campaigns.
@@TheFreshman321 So why were the Germans so keen to know where they were?
We Canadians are a relaxed, civilized,peaceful people. Two things you never do, hand us a hockey stick or a rifle in times of conflict, you will NOT enjoy the result. 🍁🇨🇦🍁🍻🍻🍻
Hear, Hear!
_"A warring nation Canada is not, though a nation of warriors she has sometimes been forced to become."_ -Pierre Berton
Nyahahaha.. love what u said.😀😀
You fight when your daddy tells you to,
My grandfather was underaged 15-16 when he enlisted and went overseas. He became a lance corporal and was part of the 427th. He was able to repair and fly aircraft betore his 17th birthday. I know teenagers nowadays that cant read a analog clock. I think maybe folks like my Pop, truly were part of the the greater generation. Bless them all
For King and Country! 🇨🇦🍁
What a great episode. My Dad had landed in Naples, was sent to the Adriatic by train and for the rest of the campaign he drove a truck with the Canadian Army Service Corps hauling supplies through those mountains. I was unable to get him to reminisce much, but he did tell me of driving the primitive mountain roads at night with no headlights.
He did relate some humorous stories though, one while at the very unfunny place of Monte Casino.
He told me of one time, he had to pull up, lift the hood and adjust something there on the engine, when a passing British Officer stopped in his jeep to ask if Dad needed assistance as the Officer had a radio. Dad declined the help as he had it fixed but thanked the officer for his offer. It was General Montgomery, often pegged in biographies as an aloof, snooty son of a gun, but here, a mere private was not beneath his concern.
Dad finished out the war in the Netherlands and saw the liberation of the Dutch.
I remember buying the model Sherman tank and the Panzer tank . Glue them up and put on all the decals.
Dejavu! In WWI, the Canadians were secretly moved from Flanders to Amiens for the same reason outlined in this WWII doc.; the Germans knew that wherever they were amassed, that is where the main thrust of attack would come. The battle of Amiens blind sighted the Germans on their "black day" as they were indeed tricked into thinking the Canadians were still up in Flanders. Here too, the same shenanigans were at work -- this time along the Adriatic coast -- to devastating effect. Love it when history repeats itself.
US: WE DID ALL THE WORK
Everyone else in the allied forces: Literally doing all the work.
?
The USA spent more than Britain and the USSR combined including over 17,000 free "Lend Lease" M4's to Britain and over 4,000 to USSR.
The USA was not selling oil, wheat and manganese ore to Germany to 22 June 1941.
No one ever said that
I like your stuff so so much.. I try never to miss anyone.
I love history
It's nice to see some German perspective from some German veterans.
God bless the “Greatest Generation!” 🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸
Right, but this documentary is about those who were NOT late.
@Dingle Berry Do I indeed! Did I say anything inaccurate?
My Grandfather fought from the very south of Italy all the up North. He would never talk about it untill he had a beer or two. the things they did . was surprising. I understand now why he didnt talk about it.
I have heard of one from the Second world war, it happened in Greece in a mountain fort. They did not stop fighting when Greece fell to the Germans. The Germans had to bring Greek Generals to prove what the Gremans where saying was true.
But just one of many.
Thanks you!
👍 Respect to all these great warriors. Thank you ❤