GILE, Glen Howard

NAME              GILE          Glen Howard
RANK              Private       103363                                                                                                                                                      I Canadian Corps     5th Canadian Armoured Division     12th Infantry Brigade                          REGIMENT     Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment     “do and hope”                                                            Born                March 26, 1922 - Palmerston - Township of Minto - County of Wellington - Ontario                                                                                                   Township of Wallace - County of Perth- Ontario                            Died                January 6, 1945          22 years  9 months                                                                            Cemetery        Villanova Canadian War Cemetery - Province of Ravenna - Bagnacavallo - Italy
                        I A 2
Parents           Mr. John and Olive Gile - Gowanstown - Ontario                                                                            Brothers          John lived in Gowanstown                                                                                                                                          Gerald lived in Listowel                                                                                                              Sisters             Ivy and Shirley lived in Gowanstown                                                                                                                          Beulah Lived in Listowel                                                                                                                                              Mrs. Lloyd Boyne lived in Listowel. 

Glen was born on March 26, 1922 in Palmerston and would have attended Zion United Church in Gowanstown or Palmerston United Church. Glen complete his high school education. He was employed by Mr. John Holland on the Holland farm near Palmerston. He also worked for various farmers in Huron County.

Canada

He the travelled to London on June 29, 1942 and enlisted into the Canadian Army. Upon enlistment he stood  5' 9" and weighed 140 pounds. He had a dark and ruddy complexion with brown eyes and hair. He was then posted to No. 1 District Depot where he stayed until June 29th when he was posted to Petawawa - Ontario and attached to the 9th Lite Anti-Aircraft Battery on July 21 and then a week later he was attached to the 10th Lite Anti-Aircraft Battery. He then moved on to Sussex - New Brunswick and while there he qualified as a Driver i/c Class III of wheeled vehicles. Between December 10-23 he received furlough and between December 24-28 he received leave.                                                                                                                                                                        On the 11 of January 1943 he was posted to A23 Coast Defence and Anti-Aircraft Advanced Training Centre - Eastern Passage and Camp Debert and took a Coast and Anti-Aircraft Artillery Course.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Overseas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Private Gile left Canada on September 13, 1943 arriving in the UK on September 20, 1943 and continued  with his training.

In the field

He then left the United Kingdom bound for Italy on February 19, 1944 arriving in the Mediterranean theatre on March 3, 1944. On June24 he was Taken on Service with the 1st Canadian Special Service Battalion. Private Gile then embarked from Italy on August 11 and arrived in southern France on August 14, 1944 and at the end of the month joins the 1st Canadian Special Service Battalion. On December 7 he embarks from southern France and arrives in Italy again on December 9. On Christmas Eve Private Gile is Taken on Strength with the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment.                                                                                                                            The Lanark and Renfrew overseas Battalion was named in midsummer of 1944. Previously they had been
known as the 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment and had arrived in Sicily in early November of 1943. The
regiment proceeded to Messina and remained there until January of 1944. They arrived in Italy in early
January of 1944 and were re-designated as infantry. They served at San Guistina, the Rubicone, and at the Savio River, and took part in the Ortona operations then crossed the Naviglio Canal and secured the Munio.        During the night of January 5/6, 1944 very early in the morning 2 small patrols were sent but retreated when they were fired upon and “C” Company was shelled about the same time. At 02:50 hours “D” Company reported that its right flank was under attack and artillery along with mortar fire was brought to bear where the enemy was which was between "D" Company and the bridge. At 03:15 hours “D” Company lost contact with its forward platoons and one house was burning after being hit by incendiary shells. It was also estimated that between 40-50 of the enemy had made their way into “D” Company’s area. They then radioed for assistance in digging out some men buried in the rubble of the house. About 03:37 hours word was received that the anti-tank platoon was in trouble but they denied this. The Germans had cut into the telephone lines and were asking the Canadian artillery to fire on Canadian troops. “D” Company was able to hold their position during the enemy raid and fired into the advancing enemy. They also threw grenades and this along with the support fire they were able to push the Germans back. In the afternoon at 14:20 hours Canadian armour shot a tower down to the ground at Fusignano as it was thought it was a suspected German outpost. They also shelled the bridge area along with the enemy trenches. At 14:40 hours the Canadian artillery shelled the bridge area, also struck a house that began to burn, and then the fire began spreading to other buildings. In these buildings were enemy snipers. Late on January 6th it was reported that the enemy was seen crossing the area heading to a house that was in the middle of an area that the artillery was about to engage.
It was during the events of the day at some point that Private Gile lost his life. Private Gile was originally buried in Villanova which lay 8 miles south-west of Ravenna.

On March 15, 1945 his mother was awarded the Memorial Cross and at the beginning of November 1949 Private Gile was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the Italy Star, the France and Germany Star, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Glen is honoured and remembered on the Listowel Cenotaph but should also be honoured and remembered on the Palmerston Cenotaph. He is in all probability honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaques of Palmerston United Church and Zion United Church in Gowanstown. He is honoured and remembered on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial.