Military service
Burial/memorial information
Digital gallery of Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Entrance - Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013
Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Grave marker - Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013
Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013
Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Cross of Sacrifice - Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
WO 2 Steenson was commanding a patrol of Canadian soldiers which was trapped in a village in Sicily when an enemy tank suddenly appeared. Bill Steenson calmy gave orders that extracted the soldiers from the village under heavy enemy fire. When all of his soldiers had reached safety Steenson attempted to leave the village but the surprise appearance of a second enemy tank led to him being killed in action. Steenson received no decoration or commandation for his action. WO 2 Steenson was a member of the pre-war regular army, the Permanent Force, and the photo was taken at Niagara-on-the-Lake camp in 1938.
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Bill Steenson's Ontario death register. Born on 19 October 1913 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Digital gallery of
Warrant Officer Class II William Steenson
Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Image gallery
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Entrance - Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Grave marker - Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Cross of Sacrifice - Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013
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WO 2 Steenson was commanding a patrol of Canadian soldiers which was trapped in a village in Sicily when an enemy tank suddenly appeared. Bill Steenson calmy gave orders that extracted the soldiers from the village under heavy enemy fire. When all of his soldiers had reached safety Steenson attempted to leave the village but the surprise appearance of a second enemy tank led to him being killed in action. Steenson received no decoration or commandation for his action. WO 2 Steenson was a member of the pre-war regular army, the Permanent Force, and the photo was taken at Niagara-on-the-Lake camp in 1938.
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Bill Steenson's Ontario death register. Born on 19 October 1913 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
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Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 216 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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AGIRA CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Italy
Agira Canadian War Cemetery lies in the Commune of Agira, Province of Enna, in the centre of Sicily. From the autostrada A19, Catania-Palermo, take the exit to Catenanuova. Follow signposts to Regalbuto, then pass Regalbuto, going in the direction of Agira. The Cemetery is then signposted about 12 kilometres from Regalbuto.
On 10 July 1943, following the successful conclusion of the north African campaign in mid May, a combined allied force of 160,000 Commonwealth and American troops invaded Sicily as a prelude to the assault on mainland Italy. The Italians, who would shortly make peace with the Allies and re-enter the war on their side, offered little determined resistance but German opposition was vigorous and stubborn. The campaign in Sicily came to an end on 17 August when the two allied forces came together at Messina, but failed to cut off the retreating Axis lines. Agira was taken by the 1st Canadian Division of 28 July and the site for the war cemetery was chosen in September for the burial of all Canadians who had been killed in the Sicily campaign. Agira Canadian War Cemetery contains 491 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Poppy Design is a trademark of The Royal Canadian Legion (Dominion Command) and is used with permission. Click here to learn more about the poppy.
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