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IntroductionParks Canada to unveil three Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaques in honour of the Canadian contribution to the Italian Campaign during the Second World War
In 2004, Canada pays special tribute to the Italian Campaign of the Second World War, which began more than 60 years ago. Canadian troops played a crucial role in this 20-month campaign to liberate Italy. It was the first major land operation in which the Canadian Army stationed in Great Britain took part. A large delegation of veterans, representing all units and services that participated in the Italian Campaign, will return to former battle sites and visit the war cemeteries where some of the nearly 6,000 Canadians who died in Italy are buried. Parks Canada, in collaboration with Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence, has organized Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque unveiling ceremonies to commemorate three decisive events that took place during the Italian Campaign. The first ceremony will commemorate the Battle of Ortona, which began in early December 1943, when the 1st Canadian Infantry Division and 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade entered into their most brutal battle of the Italian Campaign. With extraordinary bravery the Canadians prevailed, and just after Christmas finally secured the town. The Breaching of the Gothic Line, which will be commemorated in the second ceremony, occurred in the summer of 1944, when I Canadian Corps broke through the last and most formidable of the German defence lines. Victory here opened the way to the liberation of Rimini and the valley of the Po. The third ceremony will commemorate the Canadian Campaign in Sicily, which saw Canadian soldiers land on the beaches of Sicily in July 1943 as part of Operation Husky, the largest sea invasion in history to that date. Schedule of Events Wednesday, October 27, 2004 Saturday, October 30, 2004 Tuesday, November 2, 2004
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