Dan Aykroyd | The Fight for Italy

2018 marks the 75th anniversary of the start of Canada’s Italian Campaign of the Second World War waged from July 10, 1943, to February 4, 1945. See more:

By the end of the Italian Campaign, more than 92,000 Canadians had played a part. Yet it remains relatively unheralded, overshadowed by the drama of D-Day. To commemorate the sacrifice made in Italy 75 years ago, Legion Magazine and Canada’s Ultimate Story present Military Moments | The Fight for Italy. Narrated by Canadian actor, comedian, musician and filmmaker Dan Aykroyd, the video explores critical Allied victories on Sicily and the Italian mainland which set the stage for the fight that would lead to the end of the war.

Narrated by Dan Aykroyd
Directed & edited by Adam Tindal
Written by Don Gillmor
Graphics and animation by Julia Paddick
Produced by Jason Duprau, Jennifer McGill, Eric Harris
Executive Producer Jennifer Morse
Recorded by Aaron Holmberg
Special thanks to Susan Patricola and Lisa Garelick

Special thanks to Library and Archives Canada

[jaredmay]

My great grandfather fought in the battle of Monte Cassino and is buried in the war memorial there. I am visiting next week and am honored to learn about the sacrifices the Canadian army made to win the war against evil in WWII. Thanks for making this video and showing me his place in history.

[rudegarami]

My grandfather Sgt David Sheets served in the Italian campaign, driving a Sherman tank with the British Columbia Dragoons. He was wounded in action in October ‘44, contracted TB at an Italian field hospital, and had to have one of his lungs amputated, which ended his wartime service.

I served with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment from 2009-2015, as an instructor in B Coy. I was selected to represent the unit in the last Canadian tour to Kandahar in 2011. I met Maurice White, who is mentioned in the video, at a couple regimental functions. He went on to serve with the First Special Service Force.

[FrankyBlack]

my Grandfather fought in the italian campaign with Princess Patricias!
he had so many medals he used to show me when i was little... he was a stoic and stern man.. never elaborated on how he earned those medals.. miss him . RIP Grampa..so proud of you and love you so much. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦💪💪💪💪

[icegypsy]

Thank you for this...My grandfather took part in that battle. He was A Cameron Highlander out of Ottawa.

[stuartbrear]

My Dad fought in this campaign. He had been a farm boy from northern Ontario when he joined up. His unit was the Irish Regiment of Canada and he seldom spoke of his experiences until the day that I put on a CF uniform. I believe he felt that I would better understand his recounting the fears, human suffering and horror and in a way I think he made a peace with himself that was long overdue. He told me long ago that he would like to go back, to see for himself that Italy and its people were now ok.
Sadly, his health began taking a toll on him that prevented his return there and he died in 2006. I made a personal promise in my own way, to make that trip for him

[robertz]

My Great Uncle Lloyd Gilmore was with the Loyal Eddies. I was the only one in my family to visit his grave in Ortona.

[kevintheman]

My great grandfather was a part of this invasion. My mother said he never talked about the war, except for a few times. He found a book on the Italian invasion. He saw the second picture here, with all the men sitting around the table and all he said was "I'm in that picture, in the corner you just can't see."

[laertica]

They fought bravely while most of the equipment and supplies went in support of the D-Day Landing. They were forgotten, their efforts overshadowed and all of the hype continues to be towards the D-Day Landing to this day. They were even called D-Day doggers but they made a marching song out of it and took it in stride, One needs to appreciate the terrain that they had to go trough while battling a fierce and carefully retreating army all along the Adriatic coast. Ortona took a whole new meaning after they fought their fiercest battle there. I am glad they are being recognized here.

[engineco.]

The canadians cleared the Road to Rome. Veterans said they were moving so fast that command told them to stop because the Americans had to liberate Rome.

[chrismooy]

my dad was there 1 1/2 years, then went on to Belgium and Holland

[brettcurtis]

New Zealand's campaign in Italy was eerily similar to the Canadians - the 2d NZ Division had fought from Greece/Crete through Nth Africa and then onto the bloody Italian Campaign to the bitter end at Monte Cassino and Florence and finally Trieste, becoming the longest serving division in the 8th Army . Sadly our story in Italy has yet to be fully told.

[JohnDoucet-vg]

this was great...and i love Dan's voice

[phillipsmith]

Mr. Aykroyd, not a bad effort for such a short video. However, I think that a more accurate title would be something along the lines of “The Canadians in the Fight for Italy”.

Also, I disagree that the Allies thought it would be an easy fight. I’m currently reading a history of it now and read other history books about the Italian campaign and none of them say or imply that the allies thought it would be easy. Just the opposite. The Ultra decrypts as well as other intel info clearly showed the allies that the Germans were reinforcing their armies in Italy and preparing for a hard fight.
Also, Italy was a defender’s dream with too many rugged mountains, too many rivers and weather that was miserable all year long, going from very cold, wet, snowy winters, hot dry summers and malaria infested areas that incapacitated thousands of soldiers.

Good to have the Canadian efforts spotlighted.

Thanks

[mitchellgunnells]

My grandpa died in Italy. He was American. Someone in his platoon stepped on a land mine and it killed everyone except for one person.

[palmergriffiths]

My Grandfather landed on The Anzio Beachhead. He was on The Mussolini Canal and The Battle for Monte La Difensa. He fought his way up The Boot into Rome. He was a Canadian member of The First Special Service Force aka The Black Devils.

[t.paquet]

My dad was injured in Leonforte . He was Major A.E.T. Pâquet of the PPCLI.

[justanotherarmy]

POV: You're still working on an assignment for your Canadian History Class. Don't worry, you've got this, and NO PROCRASTINATING!!!

[aquariumhobbyist]

Impressive and salute to them all can you also do the British raj india that also fought and deployed a tremendous amount of soldiers and pay tribute to?

[r.williamcomm]

They should’ve had Patton more involved. Strategically he was probably the best & if he lost lives we’d take ground instead of sitting & waiting for orders to move & letting the high ground go to the Germans. That campaign also resulted in needless destruction in Italy with scars that can be seen to this day. One historian who’s occasionally labeled a conspiracy nut has a good point when he said that this & other campaigns only make sense if there was objective to destroy as much of Europe as possible.

[MaoriMan]

My grandfather was part of 28 Maori Battalion, 2 NZ Division. He was wounded there😊