SMITH, Harold G.
NAME SMITH Harold George
RANK Private 108379
I Canadian Corps - 1st Canadian Division - 1st Infantry Brigade REGIMENT Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
“prepared”
Royal Canadian Infantry Corp Residence Windsor - Ontario Born November 6, 1924 - Zurich - Township of Hay - County of Huron- Ontario Died August 26,1944 19 years 9 months Cemetery Ancona War Cemetery - Ancona - Ancona - Le Marche - Italy
I G 15
Parents Mr. John and Clarissa Smith - Zurich / Windsor Brothers Donald and Orville lived in the family home in Windsor. Clarence was serving overseas in the Royal Canadian Air Force Roy was serving with the Canadian Merchant Navy Leonard was living in Zurich. Hubert, Wellan and Wilfred were all serving overseas with the Canadian Army
Harold was born on November 6, 1924 in Zurich. Harold left school at age 15 after completing Grade 8. He would have attended St Boniface Roman Catholic Church in Zurich. He was employed in a canning factory and then as an egg grader who earned $18.00 per week. While in Windsor the family would have attended Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church
Canada
Harold enlisted in London on September 30, 1943 and upon enlistment he stood 5' 7" tall and weighed 120 pounds. He had brown eyes and black hair. He was posted to No. 1 District Depot for a month and at that time he was posted to No. 12 Basic Training Centre in Chatham. On December 18 he was Taken on Service at A29 Canadian Infantry Training Centre - No. 4Company at Camp Ipperwash. At the end of the year he received leave. Between February 25-March 9, 1944 he received embarkation Leave and then on March 25 he was posted to No. 1 Transit Camp in Debert, Nova Scotia. The next day Private Smith was Taken on Service the Training Brigade Command Post.
Overseas
On April 11 he was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army Canada and embarked from Canada. The following day he was Taken on Command with the Canadian Army Overseas. On April18 he disembarked in the United Kingdom and reported to No. 3 Canadian Reinforcement Depot. Two weeks later on May 3 he was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army UK and embarked from Scotland. The next day while onboard ship he was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army in the Mediterranean Theatre. He disembarked in Italy on May 16. Approximately six weeks later Private Smith was Taken on Service with the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment.
In the field
The objective of the 1st Canadian Division along with the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment was the
east end of the Gothic Line that separated them from the Po Valley / Lombard Plain. Running roughly
between Pisa in the west and Pesaro in the east, this defence line was made up of machine gun posts, antitank
guns, mortars and assault positions, tank turrets set in concrete along with mines, wire obstacles and
anti-tank ditches. After the Metauro River was the Foglia River where the Germans had concentrated
formidable defences and it took four days of bitter fighting to soften the Germans so that the Foglia could be
reached.
The advance began on the night of the 25th when the Canadians crossed the Metauro River and this was the
first step in liberating Rimini. For the next days the Germans retreated to their Gothic Line.
This next operation was known as “Operation Olive” and it began with a massive bombardment. The
Germans were aware this attack was coming, but they did not have the time, nor the manpower to mount
any quick defence. This heavy bombardment was not a “creeping barrage” but instead was a series of fire
concentrations and linear targets selected and targeted with the concentrations scheduled to fall in belts 400-
500 yards in depth and advancing 100 yards every six minutes. Surprise was the objective of the Metauro
crossing with the 1st and 2nd Brigades crossing in silence and then moving to the Via Flamina and at this
point the artillery would begin. Late on the 25th of August the Hasty P’s began to cross the Metauro and on
the 26th they had to assault a clump of three heights directly in their path. On the summit of Monte della
Monattera was their objective the Convento Beato Sante. There was little opposition until mid afternoon
when the German shelling had increased as they closed in on the objective.
Somewhere in the area of noon the Hasty P’s cook trucks arrived and the advance was halted while
the men received a hot meal. Five minutes later the food line was covered in flames and smoke from dozens
of artillery shells that had exploded in a single and violent salvo from enemy shelling. Seventeen men were
wounded and Private Harold Smith was gravely during this accident. He had received what would be a mortal shrapnel wound to the chest. They were able with the help of the 12th Royal tanks “B” Squadron to clear out the German resistance after a brief but sharp engagement. Private Smith received immediate attention and was then moved to the Field Ambulance where he received 1 1/2 bottles of plasma and a 1/2 dose of morphine. He was then moved to the medical facilities of the 5th Polish Infantry Division. He succumbed to his wounds here and was originally buried at Castelvecchio
Harold's mother Clarissa received the Memorial Cross and in August 1946 the family received the medals awarded to Harold which included the 1939-45 Star, the Italy Star, the War Medal along with the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.
Harold is honoured and remembered on the Windsor Cenotaph and on the Memorial Plaques of St Boniface Roman Catholic Church and Our Lady of Assumption Roman Catholic Church. He is honoured and remembered on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial. He is honoured and remembered on the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment Memorial in Belleville - Ontario.
