Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 69 continued ... On 23 May the Allied forces commenced their breakout from the Anzio beachhead. Twenty-three-yearold Staff Sergeant Daniel Serrick was killed in action on 29 May near Artena. He is buried in the Anzio Beach Head Cemetery, Anzio, Italy. Dannie was 23 years old. Dannie had been recommended for the Bronze Star for his actions of 23 April near a farm known as Cerro Alta just south of Anzio (the citation erroneously notes “Cerreto Alto, Italy" which is over 300 Km away). That recommendation was amended, and he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. Silver Star (posthumous) citation: “By direction of the President, under Army Regulations 600-45, as amended, the Silver Star was posthumously awarded by the Theater Commander to the following enlisted man: DANIEL SERRICK, U1805, Canadian Army, 2nd Company, First Regiment, First Special Service Force, for gallantry in action near Cerreto Alto, Italy, on 23 April 1944. Leading a patrol within enemy firing range while attempting to rescue a wounded comrade, Staff Sergeant Serrick left his patrol in the protection of a canal and began the search with the assistance of a medical aid man, who being unarmed, caused Staff Sergeant to also go weaponless. Proceeding across flat mine-covered terrain towards enemy positions, the two men were suddenly fired upon by a machine gun which wounded the aid man. Staff Sergeant Serrick, in the face of a hail of machine gun bullets, assisted the wounded man to the protection of the canal. He then returned to the field alone and continued the search while enemy artillery fire fell upon his position. Returning at darkness to his patrol, he went out a third time and did not return until convinced the search was in vain. During subsequent operations in Italy, Staff Sergeant Serrick was killed as a result of enemy actions. His inspiring courage, loyalty and devotion to duty reflected great upon himself and the military service.” Richard 'Rick’ Charles Serrick grew up in the Jollimore community of Halifax. He was born in Harbour Grace, NL, on 1 February 1919 to Daniel and Mabel (Bourne) Serrick. Rick was two months old when his family moved to Jollimore. He travelled to England and enlisted in 2/Mancs on 17 November 1938. Rick was wounded (shrapnel) during the fighting in France in May 1940 and was evacuated back to England from the beaches at Dunkirk. In late 1941 Rick was transferred to the Royal Artillery and served in the 30th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment. His regiment served in North Africa, Syria, and Italy supporting various British and Indian Divisions. He was discharged from the British Army in 1946 and returned home to Canada. In 1949 he enlisted in the Canadian Army and served until 1956. He settled in Six Mile Brook and worked for Brink's Security until his retirement. Richard Serrick died, at age 88, on 3 April 2007 in New Glasgow and is buried in the Gladstone Cemetery, Four Mile Brook. Arthur John Caleb Smale was born on 6 March 1915 in Halifax and grew up in Dartmouth. His parents, Silas John Smale and Charlotte Lazenby Smale, were both born in England. At the time of his birth his father was serving in Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery in Halifax, having transferred from the British Army in 1913. Arthur served in the militia with the 88th Field Battery, RCA, before he left Halifax in the company of Clyde Cruickshanks, Gordon Grant and Macks Hall. Arthur enlisted in the 2/Mancs on 21 March 1939. He was with the regiment during the evacuation from Dunkirk and opted to stay with them for the duration of the war. Arthur arrived in India in June 1942. continued ...
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