To The Beach In Sicily
Heroes Remember
To The Beach In Sicily
Transcript
Description
Seas are very rough as ships reach the area of Sicily. Just getting from the vessel to the troop carrier and then on to the shore has dangerous moments.
Sam Lenko
Mr. Lenko enlisted in the army in Edmonton of February 14, 1940. He took basic infantry training in Calgary and then travelled to Halifax by train where he boarded the Duchess of Bedford, where he sailed in convoy to England. The ship arrived in the port of Liverpool and he was sent immediately to Aldershot for further training.His service included Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium and Holland. He returned to Canada and to Calgary on August 29, 1945, eventually training as a barber. He ran a barber shop for 20 years before changing his job to an unspecified occupation. He spent his working civilian life in Sangudo, Alberta.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 02:07
- Person Interviewed:
- Sam Lenko
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- Second World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Italy
- Battle/Campaign:
- Italian
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- Loyal Edmonton Regiment / D Company / 17th Platoon
- Occupation:
- Rifleman
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Canada Goes To War
Mr. Lenko, employed aboard the Hudson's Bay stern-wheeler, SS MacKenzie, learns that Canada has declared war on Germany.
Failed attempt to Enlist
Mr. Lenko's first attempt to enlist doesn't succeed as he's not old enough to serve. He tells the story.
Second Attempt to Enlist Succeeds
Mr. Lenko eventually finds himself in England as a member of D Company of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. He and his company remain in England through the end of the Battle of Britain. In September 1941, Mr. Lenko's company is put aboard the Empress of Canada to be taken to Spitsbergen, off the far north coast of Norway. They had a very specific task to perform there.
Destroying the Village
The ship returns from Russia to pick up the soldiers who had been put off on Spitsbergen. The village they had occupied and its coal mines become the casualties of war.
The Italian Campaign Begins At Sicily
Mr. Lenko and "D" Company, now in Scotland, leave Glasgow harbour on their way to take part in the Sicily landing. He recalls stormy seas and one encounter with a German submarine along the way.
A Quick Decision
Finally on shore and beyond the beach, Mr. Lenko is faced with making a difficult decision that can mean life or death to a Sicilian resident - or to him.
The Deadly Price Of War
Some experiences during his time in Sicily were gruesome and sad. They were also very difficult for Mr. Lenko to talk about.
More From Sicily
Mr. Lenko continues his dramatic account of the experience of a single day in Sicily - the day he describes as the most critical.
Death And Life
In the midst of the battle for Monte Cassino, Mr. Lenko has to deal with finding bodies of other Canadian soldiers and relates a remarkable chain of events that takes the lives of three of his comrades while sparing his own.
D-Day in Italy - The War Goes On
It's D-Day, June 6, 1944. Lady Astor has referred to the troops in Italy as "The D-Day Dodgers". Mr. Lenko is asked how he and his comrades in Italy - near Rome at the time - reacted to her words.
A Close Call With A Mortar Shell
Mr. Lenko gets separated from his unit near San Fortunato. He tells a story of a very close call with a mortar shell.
Germans - Up Close
Mr. Lenko was among five men chosen to carry a supply of ammunition to soldiers engaging the Germans across a valley. It's a harrowing experience for him when he separates from the rest of the group on the way to the site of the fighting.
The Rest Of The Story
Mr. Lenko completes the story of his encounter with members of the German Army as he attempts to deliver a supply of ammunition to Canadian soldiers.
On To France-And Eventually The War's End
The Italian Campaign is over and the Loyal Edmonton Regiment has moved into the French City of Marseilles.
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