From May 31 to June 2, 2019, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, attended ceremonies and events to commemorate the contributions of Canadian soldiers during the Second World War’s Italian Campaign.

Canadian participation in the Italian Campaign began with the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 – codenamed Operation Husky. Our troops would fight in Italy until February 1945, when  they began being transferred to Northwest Europe to be re-united with the First Canadian Army for the eventual liberation of the Netherlands and the final defeat of Germany.

While in Italy, the Minister attended the unveiling of a commemorative plaque at the Official Residence in Rome, laid a wreath at the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery and attended a commemorative ceremony at the Cassino War Cemetery along with 400 Canadian high school students and cadets.

The Minister also visited the town of Ortona, a place where Canadians faced some of the fiercest fighting of the Second World War. He joined the Mayor of Ortona, Leo Castiglione, for the renaming of its main square to “Canadian Heroes Square” in honour of the brave Canadians who fought during the Italian Campaign. The Minister committed $50,000 to help fund the square as it pays tribute to Canada’s contributions in Ortona, which was liberated by Canadian soldiers in December 1943. The Minister was joined by members of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, one of the Canadian units that fought in Ortona.

The Italian Campaign was a key chapter in the liberation of Europe, with Allied troops marching into Rome on June 4, 1944 – two days before the D-Day landings in France.