Du Major-général Terry Liston, MBE, CD
La
Citadelle, Québec
Le
juin 2004
TRANSLATION
I hasten to congratulate you for the excellent ceremonies
commemorating the Normandy landings. Your effort was fully justified and the
results were most satisfying to the veterans of the units that participated
in this campaign.
However, while the Normandy landings were being launched, a large part of
the Canadian Army had already been in combat in Italy for close to a year.
The fighting was intense and the losses heavy. These units included
virtually all those of the Regular Force as well as many others. The 1st
Division was the first to mobilize in 1939, leaving for England shortly
afterwards. It goes without saying that these veterans were NOT in Normandy
in 1944 nor at the commeration ceremonies in 2004.
So far, Canada has not celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Italian
campaign. The 2003 anniversary of the Sicily landings went unnoticed. The
Christmas battles in and around Ortona in 1943 were solemnly commemorated by
several Italian communities with no Canadian participation other than
groups of veterans acting on their own initiative. I received a letter from
Ortona advising my regiment that its sacrifice in liberating Italy had been
commemorated at Casa Berardi by the Italian population on the 60th
anniversary of the battle that took place on that site, earning a Victoria
Cross for Captain Triquet. The letter also adds, perplexedly, that Canada
and its veterans were sadly absent.
Our Italian campaign veterans are getting on in age. They have been waiting
since early 2003 for word of the plan to commemorate their contribution to
victory and the supreme sacrifice made by their comrades in arms. I am sure
that the Department of Veterans Affairs fully intends to commemorate the
Italian campaign since, as I write this letter, a Department communiqué has
been issued referring to the possibility of official ceremonies in October
2004 i.e. in three months. However, your officers are unable to provide
details about an official delegation, place of the ceremonies, etc.
Please allow me to advise you, in the name of the veterans of the many
regiments who fought in the Italian campaign, that the details of the plan
to commemorate their contribution are awaited with much anticipation.
The following colonels commandant join me in thanking you and in assuring
you that an official commemoration of the Italian campaign will be very well
received by their veterans :
Lgén Jim Fox (ret.), « Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC)»
Mgén Clive Addy (ret.), Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD)
Lgén Paul Addy (ret.) 12e Régiment Blindé (12eRBC)
Mgén Alain Forand (ret.), Royal Canadian Infantry Corps (RCIC)
Mgén Tom De Faye (ret.), Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR)
Mgén Robert Stewart (ret.), Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry
Your truly,
Major-général
Terry Liston (ret)
Le Colonel du Royal 22e Régiment
Lhonorable
McCALLUM John, C.P., B.A., Ph.D.
Ministre des Anciens combattants
Chambre des communes
Édifice du Parlement
Ottawa ON K1A 0A6