153 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca home and had sampled the wine cellar. They tied the donkey to an olive tree close to the tents, and the damned thing hollered all night and kept everyone awake. The donkey disappeared the next day. It didn’t end up in the kitchen. It went home. Up to this point, the squadron did patrolling. The front line was within half a mile of them. In May, they started to move up to the Melfa River. The Germans continued to bomb them at night. They lost a lot of their tanks and men and were very disorganized for a while. On July 17, 1944, Jim was made a staff sergeant. He had been a corporal and in charge of rations and clothing. His squadron was never far from the front line and then advanced to the Gothic Line. There were more tank battles with the Germans, but they didn’t see too many Italians. They had Gurkhas (famous Indian soldiers), the PPCLI, as well as some of the 1st Division fighting with them. At Coreanna Ridge, his brother Bert’s tank was hit. Two men were killed and three wounded. Bert was badly burned. He was sent to hospital behind the lines on September 9, 1944. Bert survived his wounds and would later return to Canada in 1946. That winter, Jim’s unit fought on the eastern side of Italy and were involved with the American forces that helped liberate Rome on June 5, 1944. “It was a piece of cake – very little resistance. The Germans had everything all wired but left too quickly. Never set it all off,” said Jim. The American Air Force came from the south with B-17’s and bombed Monte Cassino. The Germans had a lookout post at a monastery on top of the mountain where they had been able to see for miles. Once this high ground was abandoned, things started getting easier for the Allies, with the Germans offering little resistance in retreat. Jim’s squadron was sent to Leghorn (Livorno), boarded boats and sailed west to Marseilles, France, to help with the Northern Campaign. They drove their equipment through France to Izegem, Belgium. While there, Jim was asked to go to Vimy Ridge for a special anniversary celebration. He got to go as his father had served in World War I. The Canadians spent ten days preparing for the ceremony by doing rifle drills marching on the parade square. He then returned to his unit, and by this time, April 1945, they were on the move to the frontlines once more to force the Germans out and end the war by May. On June 14, 1945, Jim began his journey home. He boarded the Queen Mary at Greenock with fifteen thousand men: 9,000 Americans and 6,000 Canadians. Jim was discharged in Winnipeg on October 19, 1945. Jim married Gladys Fraser, from Clanwilliam, on August 18, 1951. Gladys worked as a telephone operator. Jim worked for the C.P.R. in Minnedosa for 34 years and retired in 1985 as Conductor. They raised a family of three children. Jim was a lifetime member of The Royal Canadian Legion Minnedosa Branch 138. He received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, Defence of Britain Medal, Italy Star, France and Germany Star, North Africa Star, 1939-1945 Star and War Medal 1939-1945. James passed away in 2012. MURRAY, James Alexander “Jim” (continued)
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