MACHAN, Ross Elwood

NAME                  MACHAN          Ross Elwood
RANK                  Lance Sergeant            71143                                                                                                                                      I Canadian Corps - 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade - 12th Infantry Brigade 
REGIMENT         4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards.                                                                                                                        4th Reserve Reconnaissance Regiment
                            “for our altars and our home
                            Royal Canadian Armoured Corp.
Born                    July 21, 1922 - Township of Grey - County of Huron                                                      Residence           Toronto - Ontario                                                                                                                        Died                     December 13, 1944          22 years   5 months
Cemetery             Villanova Canadian War Cemetery - Villanova - Bugnacavallo - Ravenna - Italy
                            I A 9
Parents               Mr. James and Jean Machan - Monkton.                                                                                        Brothers              Lawson, Ivan, Keith and Clayton were all living on family homestead - Monkton                            Sisters                 Elaine, Donelda, Mona, Karen and Wilma all lived at home - Monkton                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Ross was born July 21, 1922. He and the family probably attended Knox Presbyterian Church in Monkton.
He worked at the McCarthy Milling Company of Streetsville in the shipping department prior to his enlistment.  Growing up he enjoyed playing football and softball. His hobby was woodworking. He left school at the age of 13 after completing public school which was located in Moncrief.

Canada

He travelled the short distance to Toronto on September 1, 1942 to enlist into the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps  of the Canadian Army. At that time he was 5' 8" tall and weighed 129 pounds. He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and light brown hair. He was sent to No. 2 District Depot with the rank of Trooper. His first posting was on September 19 to No. 70 Basic Training Centre in Fredrickton - New Brunswick. On November 18 it was to the western prairies to No. 27 Canadian Reconnaissance Training Centre at Camp Dundern in Dundern - Saskatchewan. While posted here he qualified as a Driver of wheeled vehicles Class III. He remained here until the spring and on May 9 was sent east to the point of embarkation.

Overseas

Once in Halifax he was there just a short period before being Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada on May 13, 1943 and on that same day he embarked from Halifax and Canada for overseas. The following day at sea Trooper Machan was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army overseas. He disembarked in the United Kingdom on May 22 and reported to the Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit.

In the Field

On June 28 he was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army overseas and embarked from the United Kingdom and the following day Trooper Machan was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army in the Mediterranean Theatre. On July 10 he disembarked onto the shores of Sicily.

In the Filed

On November 13 Trooper Machan was Taken on Service with the 4th Reconnaissance Regiment  of the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards. Originally re-designated to the 4th Reconnaissance Regiment during 1942 and used Light Otter recon vehicles with 303 calibre guns along with Heavy Fox recon vehicles with 50 calibre guns and they used universal carriers.                                                                                                                            On April 20, 1944 Trooper Machan received the rank of Lance Corporal. Six months later on October 27 he received the rank of Corporal. 
Then on July 13, 1944 they became part of the Canadian Infantry. He was involved in the fight for the Liri Valley, the Hitler Line, the Melfa Crossings and the Gothic Line On November 30 he was given the rank of Lance Sergeant.
On December 10th the Princess Louise established a bridgehead on the Lamone River. West of that area there was very heavy fighting as attempts were made to cross the three canals running from Faenza to the sea. The 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards along with the 5th Infantry Brigade were at the Naviglio Canal on December 12th. For the next three days the casualties would be very heavy because of strong enemy resistance. The fierce German counter attacks splintered the Princess Louise into isolated groups. At 11:50 am “D” Squadron begins to engage with their artillery. “B” Squadron moves in behind to protect “D” Squadron at 1 pm. There is a report at 3:40 pm that there are German tanks in the Canal and at 3:50 pm “D & B” Squadrons are together. At 10:12 pm “A & C” Squadrons pass through. Then at 10:20 pm “A” Squadron reports they are alone facing heavy machine gun fire. They have crossed the Naviglio Canal and have found it dry. Shortly after that they report and that they are now located in some buildings. At 10:26 pm “C” Squadron is 100 yards past the Canal. At 10:43 pm “A” Squadron reports they are under fire. At 11:30 pm “B” Squadron begins to move forward to assist “A” Squadron. At 11:45 pm “D” Squadron is providing right flank protection and are out 400 yards. At 11:55 pm “D” Squadron reports that the area is very flat with no cover and that all the firepower the
Germans have is now falling in that area.
Shortly after midnight on the night of December 13/14th Headquarters loses contact with the leading Squadrons. “B” Squadron is ready to begin their advance and then shortly after Headquarters is informed “A” Squadron had seen their command enter a house. Then 30 men from “A” joined “C”. The Germans were now approaching and these were men of the Kesselring Machine Gun Battalion. There were 3 companies of 110 men each and they were armed with 16 machine guns, 40 sub machine guns along with 20 bazookas. “D” Squadron was the only aid available and were to advance and take their positions and stand fast even when they were under fire. In the forward area over the Naviglio Canal the three Squadrons were now engaged in a desperate fight against increasing enemy strength and fierceness, but that were able to hold on. “A” Squadron had only 20 men remaining and the other three Squadrons numbered 43 men alive between them.
• It was during this day of bitter and bloody fighting when Lance Sergeant Machan lost his life for his country. Lance Sergeant Machan was originally buried in the 5th Canadian Army Division Cemetery located in Ravena.

In March of 1945 his mother Jean received the Memorial Cross and some time later the family received the awards of Lance Sergeant Machan which included the 1939-45 Star, the Italy Star, the War Medal along with the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.

Lance Sergeant Machan is honoured and remembered in the Books of Remembrance on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on the Memorial Plaque of the 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards in Ottawa, on the Memorial Plaque of Knox Presbyterian Church in Monkton, and on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.