San Pietro

I’ve walked through some pretty hallowed grounds around the world – The Peace Park in Hiroshima, Pompeii (the ancient ruins that were covered and preserved by the eruption of a volcano (mount Vesuvius), and The DMZ in South Korea to name a few, but I’m not sure I’ve seen anywhere as difficult to walk through as San Pietro.

Being from Canada, we seldom understand the real effects of war. No doubt we all have some connection to war through relatives or history channel movies, but what happens when your town, your home, becomes the battleground. The residents of San Pietro know what that is like and their former village is a testament to the wrath of war.

For ten days civilians hid in holes, caves, anything that was not above ground. Women, Children, and the Elderly lasted on whatever they could find – seeds, muddy water. The town was blasted virtually back to the stone age with rubble and debris everywhere.

In one of the most amazing stories and truest anti-war statements of all time, the residents packed up and moved their whole village down the mountain, leaving the remnants of their town as living testament to the realities of warfare (the first photo shows a number of stone walls - those use to be houses and shops). What made San Pietro so difficult to grapple with was the realization that every town, village, and city along the the war path in the hills of Italy was destroyed and in a similar state as the Allies and the Germans battled for control of the boot…

War is real, people die, homes are destroyed, and communities are ripped apart. Sometimes it is difficult to visualize the destruction of war. The official photos and the ones you see on this blog give you but a glimpse of the whole – poignant images that only begin to tell the story.

Our visit concluded with a tour of the town’s museum. Though it was closed, an Italian citizen saw our convoy (when two van loads of English speaking students show up in a small town and your presence is immediately noticed) and arranged for the Museum to be opened – what a powerful statement inside.

Immediately you see a post-modern monument that highlights the construction of the city over a couple thousand of years only to see it destroyed in a matter of ten days. After you walk through the civilian experience, you end up in a theatre. An American Film crew led by Major Ford, captured the devastation of the town as the remaining San Pietro residents emerged from their hiding spots. The video filters through the devastation – Many of the residents, with nothing left from houses that had been the family for centuries, immigrated to the US and Canada following the war. The only element of hope comes from the toothy grins on the faces of the Italian children.

While we are largely here to study the operational and tactical level of operations, it’s the human condition and the ever lasting memory of the conflict that most interests me. The residents of San Pietro have provided a relic in the form of their preserved-destroyed village.

The last couple of posts have been a little intense and that is largely a reflection of this tour. It is academics that has brought us together and it is academics that dominates the inter-group discussions. That doesn’t mean we haven’t enjoyed the Italian delights. Every night we eat as a group and if there is one thing the Italians do better than any other country it’s cook! Last night I enjoyed a mushroom, spinach and cheese pizza, absolutely fantastic! For those of you who are wondering…I’ve been keeping up with my twice a day Gelato routine quite well and it’s only on the odd occasion that I don’t get at least two a day.

Leaving Sicily

I know it has been a long time since I wrote...but we have been without access so I will keep posting what I have written as we moved along...

As we made our way from the mountains of Sicily, through the plains of Catania across the straits of Messina to the toe of the Italian boot, it gave me a chance to reflect on the 38 day campaign to knock Italy out of the war and push at the “soft underbelly” of Nazi Germany’s fortress Europa.
For the Canadian, British, and Americans, Sicily was another training ground, after North Africa, for operations planned in the liberation of France; it is where the men and the commanders started to gain their fighting chops against an experienced foe. The campaign was chalk full of heroic acts.


During the assault on Leonforte, a platoon of PPCLI soldiers made their way through the town when a series of German Machine Guns opened fire. The barrage and sniper fire left only one man standing – Private Cousins. In a scene out of Hollywood, Private Cousins lowered his Bren Gun to his hip fired and stormed the German Machine Gun nest and dove in. When he got in he realized that he hadn’t killed all the men and single handedly took out the remaining Germans, before changing his clip and running for the next Machine Gun Nest. Single-handedly, Private Cousins took out another German Machine Gun installation in much the same manner before succumbing to enemy fire – his low rank and nationality meant that his heroic feat went largely unrecognized by superiors but not by his fellow soldiers.


At the risk of boring you with another heroic war story, if there is one tale that is emblematic of Canadian grit, the Italian campaign, and legend within the Canadian Forces, it’s the Assault on the German observation post at Assoro. The town of Assoro, like almost all Sicilian towns and cities, sits atop a mountain. It’s view and natural defense provided the perfect vantage point for the Germans to call down accurate fire on the Allied advance and for that reason had to be neutralized. For all intents and purposes there was only one way up and it was heavily defended. The backside of the mountain was considered insurmountable. The steep incline, an average kit size of more than 80lbs combined with the flat open ground for miles at the base added to the impossibility. The Lord Tweedsmuir, a mountaineer enthusiast selected 20 of the fittest, fastest, largest men in the famous Hasty P’s regiment to march in the dead of night through the open ground to the base and climb the “insurmountable” backside of Assoro. In 40 minutes, those 21 men, including Farley Mowat, scaled to the top and as the sun broke through the morning fog, the Hasty’s had achieved complete surprise, overwhelming the Germans and neutralizing the position – standing at the top of Assoro, looking down you can’t help but marvel at what these men accomplished – but it wasn’t without loss


Appropriately, after following the Canadian battles we ended at the Agira War Cemetery, where over 500 Canadian soldiers rest. The one presentation we had to prepare for this journey was a biography of one of the men buried in an Italian war cemetery. Too often, when we talk of war, we talk about large number of casualties and forget that each one of those men was a son, a father, a husband. These presentations personalize the war. As each student talks about their chosen soldier, his boyhood pursuits, his military service, where he met his fate, and ultimately the people he left behind, it adds life to conflict that can sometimes be too abstract. Overcome with emotion, many have trouble getting through their talks. It is a humbling experience – the white gravestones in perfect symmetry, bearing the names, regiment, and ages of each man. Even more touching, is the scripture chosen by family members. Personally, it’s the younger soldiers and those that are my age that always hit home. Walking through the Agira War Cemetery, the tomb of Private R.V. Smallwood, 18 years old, of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, caught my attention. His age hit me first, but what is written on his tomb really brought to the forefront the unparalleled love of mother. There are a number of Mother’s who are reading this now and I’m sure your feelings would be the same if you lost a son to war. “And while he lies, in Peaceful sleep, His memory, I will Always Keep.”

SiCHilia

Three Long days on this Island that seems to have no contact with the outside world and internet café’s that close whenever they want in spite of their posted hours (remember the endearing traits I talked about in my first e-mail…I’ll describe the first day since it’s mark the real beginning of the tour. It was a long day on the road… We traveled well over 300 km’s and 12 hours from Pachino to Enna in an arc that covered the first day of the amphibious assaults and the push inland.

After we drove to the beach in Pachino (one of Sicily’s roughest and toughest areas – Sicily is home to the Godfather if you watched the movies), we made our way to the American sector – but in between an important stop!

With still no news of luggage and over 70 hours in the same clothes, Lee Windsor (our historian and tour leader extraordinaire (featured in the photos above) was gracious enough to stop at an Italian shopping mall. I’m on 52 Euro for clothes and amenities until they find and deliver my bags (so they tell me…I just have to keep the receipts). Which meant Italian underwear shopping today – let’s just say I’m size Grande here and well grande could be a bit bigger…nevertheless, a day later my luggage arrived and I have a full wardrobe to amuse myself with now...it's almost difficult to pick what I'm going to wear...

back to the tour…

The discussion of the Italian campaign history (and what’s been written) takes on a new perspective from the ground up; decisions are analyzed, not from the comfort of an office with a map and war diaries, but from a bombed out German Pill Box defending the high ground or from the ground overlooking the ravine that the Canadians fought and beat their way through all night to out flank the Axis. It’s a different kettle of fish…

I’ve joked with Shan and those close that we are the all-geek squad (and in many ways it is very true) following the advance of the allied army all across Sicily as best we can. The problem, or perhaps the testament to human nature, is that people are incredible resilient and societies rebuild. As a result, the landscape changes and battlefields become more difficult if not impossible to understand

Case-in-point, where the US first Division landed is now a powerplant. Having said that, the territorial bowl where the US push the Italians and Germans back on their heels is very much in tact. Sitting beside one of the pivotal German Machine gun bunkers is a castle that was built by the nights Templar – though weapons have changed, controlling the high ground has always been a battle priority. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for seeing the terrain it is a real eye opener.

A former professor, Dr. Marc Milner, once said, “For those of you who have now walked the ground you are forever ruined.” He simply meant that we would no longer be able to read accounts without questioning the topographical circumstances that play perhaps the most important role in war. I’ve already thrown a few books down in disgust as another armchair general wants to re-fight the war over in a book without truly understanding the geographical realities of the battleground.

In this case I’m happy to be ruined!

One reality though, is absolutely clear. To control and knock the Axis from Sicily (pronounced SiCHilia here), controlling the HIGH ground was absolutely central and has been for as long as this fertile and desirable landscape has been a battleground – seeing a Nazi Machine Gun box sitting on the same high ground as an ancient castle that once belonged to the Templar Knights during the Crusades is an interesting testament to warfare: The weapons, machines and reasons for going to war have drastically changed but the pieces of land, the military objectives, have remained unchanged for centuries.

We’re a couple of days in and I have a new found respect for the men who climbed those mountains and fought their way through thick bush and ravines in the dead of night to “do what had to be done.” however thought invading this Island was a good idea was certainly sipping coffee somewhere in England...

Almost 65 years later, the views as we drive around this Italian Island are nothing short of spectacular. The mountainous terrain, I spoke of in my initial post, is even more stunning as we slalom up and down the hillside roads. The switchbacks (what we refer to as we the road makes a virtual 90 degree turn back the other way in a slow ascending/descending direction) as we returned to our hotel in Enna, provide one breathtaking view after another – eye candy around every corner and at the top of every mountain.

In Enna, where we have spent the last three nights there stands the ruins of an ancient castle. Standing 3000 feet above sea level, the former Castle, used from the Romans to the Middle Ages, offers a view like so many of hillside communities around this lovely Mediterranean province.

Tomorrow we will be back on the mainland where contact with the outside world is possible…expect a final post to sum up the island and the total cost!

Salute…

Syracusa

For those of you who are unaware, I have joined a group of students from across Canada and the US for a 10 day tour of the World War II Italian campaign.

It is nice because it complements well the guidebook I designed last year “Ortona and the Liri Valley” - Eric McGeer is the author. Together we will complete two more guides - we are currently working the Sicily and Southern Italy guide to come out in September of this year.

Though everyone was dead tired from the long journey to Catania, we still had time to visit the famous port of Syracusa this evening.















It’s best known during the Second World War for the heroics of a single platoon of British gliders who were able to hold off relentless counter attacks of the Italians for the better part of a day until finally, down to 15 men (from 84) and virtually out of ammunition were forced to surrender to the Italians. Their heroics tied up a good portion of the Italian Army and was crucial to the Allied success on D-Day (securing the beachhead).

For myself, however, I could help but be awestruck that this port, perhaps the most impressive natural harbour in the world, has been the naval battleground as far back as the written word. Case-in-point, it was from this very harbour that the Romans, in 146BC under Scipio Aemilianus (soon to be Africanus for his successful invasion) launched the famous assault on Carthage. For a former student of the classics, in fact for anyone with that tidbit of knowledge, you can’t help but feel slightly captivated by the history those waters have witnessed - Man and war have come and gone but this body of water sits idly as it did 2500 years ago.

To cap off a long day for everyone, we enjoyed some first-rate Sicilian cuisine on the edge of the famous port. I enjoyed some fresh muscles in garlic, butter, and wine sauce and then an Italian favourite of mine Pasta Carbonarra – a spaghetti dish made with eggs and bacon and a nice sauce. It’s delicious, like breakfast in spaghetti! Still fighting the Cankers, but I refuse to let them stand in the way of fine Italian dining...not to mention the Gelato!

Still waiting on the bags, wearing the same clothes...but I'm on a 52 Euro a day allowance for clothes and amenities...

I'm not the only one who lost their luggage enroute and pretty soon I'm sure the five of us without bags will be relegated to the stenchwagon while the others enjoy their clean shirts and fresh socks...

Buona Notte...