Charles Stewart Cann

CANN, Charles Stewart

War
2nd Word War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Toronto - Ontario
Original Unit
Regimental Number
105788
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
22years 8 months
Biographical Summary

NAME              CANN          Charles Stewart
RANK              Private         105788                                                                                                                                                    I Canadian Corps - 1st Canadian Infantry Division - 1st Brigade                                                        REGIMENT     Royal Canadian Regiment
                        “for country”
                        Royal Canadian Infantry Corp                                                                                                      Born                March 30, 1921 - Exeter - Stephen/ Usborne Townships - County of Huron - Ontario                        Died                December9, 1943          22 years   8 months                                                                        Cemetery        Moro River Canadian War Cemetery - San Donato - Ortona - Chieti - Italy
                        VI     E     3
Parents           Mr. Sylvanus and Mary Ellen Cann - Bayfield - Ontario                                                                      Brothers          Thomas in the Canadian Army Medical Corps with the No. 24 Field Ambulance,                                                      James Cann - Bayfield - Ontario                                                                                                                                Gordon Cann - Exeter - Ontario                                .                                                                          Sisters           Catharine Cann - Exeter - Ontario                                                                                                                              Mrs. Laura Cutting - Guelph - Ontario                                                                                                                        Mrs.Lillian Rockola - Guelph - Ontario                                                                                                                        Mrs. Mary Blanchard - Exeter - Ontario

Stewart was born in Exeter on March 30, 1921. Jim, his younger brother can recall his older brother taking him to the Pentecostal Church on Sundays and to the Canadian National Exhibition and also recalls his brother as being fearless. Stewart enjoyed music very much and was a trumpeter for the Salvation Army Band locally. His desire was to teach music. The Cann family owned a gas station, grocery store along with a cider mill and after he completed Grade 8, Stewart was sent to the family farm near Bayfield and tried to keep him there and prevent him from enlisting. When Stewart decided it was his time to act, he walked and hitchhiked to London. Along the way he was picked up by Aylmer Hunkin of Exeter who also lost his life on the Moro River. Stewart was raised Pentacostal and we are unaware of where they would have attended church.

Canada

Stewart enlisted in London on January 14, 1943. When He enlisted he stood 5' 11" tall and his weight was 175 pounds. He had a medium complexion with brown hair and eyes. He was posted to No. 1 District Depot in London until January 25 when he was posted to A 29 Canadian Infantry Training Camp at Camp Ipperwash. In May he received furlough prior to going overseas.

Overseas

Private Cann was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada on June 10 and embarked from Halifax. The next day while at sea he was Taken on Strength with the Canadian Army Overseas. June 18 was when he disembarked in the UK and the following day he reported to  No. 3 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit. Training then continued until September 12 when Private Cann was Struck off Strength of the Canadian Army in the UK. The following day following his embarkation from the UK he was Taken on Strength with the Canadian Army in the Mediterranean Theatre. He disembarked in Italy on September 24th. Upon his arrival overseas in England he was posted to No. 3 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit which was one of many Canadian army training facilities in Sussex and Scotland and prepared for the Mediterranean Campaign. While he was in Sussex he played for a large Salvation Army band from London. In addition, he was now the bugler for the Royal Canadian Regiment.

In the field

His training continued into September until he moved to the embarkation port and on September 12th he was Struck off Service with the Canadian Army in the United Kingdom and Taken on Service with the Canadian Army Mediterranean Theatre. While he was on his way to North Africa, his comrades decided they  had had enough of his bugle and tossed it overboard. He then disembarked in North Africa to a Reinforcement Depot on September 24, 1943 but was placed on the list for the Royal Canadian Regiment. On October 15th he was posted to the Royal Canadian Regiment and on October 28th he joined his regiment in the field just as the fight the 1st Brigade had for Torella ended.                                                                                                                                              On December 8 the objective for the Royal Canadian Regiment was to thrust to the south-west along the plateau against San Leonardo. At 4:30 pm they advanced but had just crossed their starting line when the enemy counter attacked and the RCR was caught in enemy artillery and mortar fire and men were dying and being wounded. The RCR beat the enemy back and this disorganized the advance and as a result "A" Company did not reach its first objective until 7 pm which was 1,000 yards from the start line and on the second reverse bend on the San Leonardo road. "B" Company moved at 4:40 pm and swung to the right avoiding the enemy fire and then lost its direction in the dense vineyards and then found they had moved too far west. They reached their objective about 400 yards east of "A" Company. "C" Company then passed through "A" Company and immediately were hit with enemy fire and when  an enemy armoured car and tank coming from San Leonardo swept the road with fire and they were forced back to a second bend in the road. The platoons were weakened and reorganized and then incorporated into "A" Company. "D" Company was not able to advance until 9:45 pm and the moon was up and it was bright. The leading platoon met little opposition until they reached the second jog in the road when there was a violent artillery and mortar barrage and when the second barrage came they found shelter on the reverse slope of a hill. There was a small farmhouse between "A & B" Companies and defences were prepared at this location. The advance was stopped and they were only half way to San Leonardo. The RCR was on exposed tableland and they had no armour or anti-tank guns. They began to dig in when the enemy armour moved toward them. The 1st Brigade artillery was called upon and eliminated the threat. They then withdrew to the reverse slope where the plateau dropped away toward the coast road and the Moro River.                                                  Private Cann had received wounds in the back and arm and would prove to be fatal and was taken to #5 Canadian Field Ambulance. He arrived there shortly before 7 pm. They gave him morphine at 7 pm, 9 pm and 11:30pm but he died at 00:06 am on December 9. He was originally buried about a 1/2 mile south of St Vinto which was near St Vito.                                                                                                                                          Jim Cann recalls being in Bayfield and getting the call from the telegraph office about Stewart being wounded and then the second call arrived informing the family of his death.   

Stewart's mother Mary received the Memorial Cross in February of 1944.. Stewart was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the Italy Star, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal which the family received at a later date.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Stewart is honoured and remembered on the Cenotaphs of Bayfield, Exeter and Goderich. He is honoured and remembered on the Royal Canadian Regiment World War II Memorial Plaque in the Regimental Museum in London - Ontario. He is honoured and remembered on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial.