On July 10, 1943 the 1st Canadian Infantry Division landed on the shores of Sicily at Pachino for what was code-named Operation Husky.
Among the Allied soldiers was my uncle, Norman Alan Walker.
Norman was born in Edmonton, Alta. on July 13, 1917 and moved with his family to North Vancouver when he was five years old. A member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 118, located in North Vancouver, he enlisted for the war effort in 1939 with the 6th Field Squadron Royal Canadian Engineers.
In June 1940 Norman sailed for England with the Canadian contingent. He was then transferred to the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and received intensive communications training.
In June 1943, the 1st Canadian Infantry Division embarked on Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. On July 10, they landed successfully on the beaches at Pachino, a town in the southeast corner of Sicily.
Eight days later, at age 26, Norman was killed.
Left to mourn Norman were his mother and father, Albert and Lilian Walker, and his five sisters and two brothers, all of North Vancouver.
In 2003 I began researching my uncle’s military history, and located a Seaforth Highlanders of Canada veteran named Bernie Ryan-Lewis of Richmond (and formerly of North Vancouver). I visited Bernie and he told me that not only had he known Norm, but that he had been with him during his final hours.
Bernie had been escorting Norman’s signals truck in a heavily wooded area of Valguarnera, in the centre of Sicily, north of Piazza Armerina, when they came under an intense mortar bombardment. Bernie dumped the motorcycle he was riding and rolled into a ditch, while Uncle Norman jumped out of the truck. As he headed for cover, a mortar bomb landed, exploding and sending shrapnel into his back. Norman yelled “I’m hit” and, mortally wounded, he fell near a tall thick tree.
Bernie ran over to Norman, but it was too late. He’d been killed by the shrapnel.
While Bernie was describing Uncle Norman’s last moments he was sketching a detailed map of the area where the attack took place. I kept the map in hopes that one day I would be able to visit Uncle Norman’s grave and the area where he was killed.
In April of this year my family and I were able to visit his grave at the Agira Canadian War Cemetery in Sicily, where we held a short but emotional memorial service for him. Prior to our visit, I contacted Stephen Gregory of the memorial campaign Operation Husky 2018 to tell him of our trip and of my hopes of finding the site where my uncle had been killed. He suggested we contact Prof. Vittorio Speranza, a teacher and author from Valguarnera, who might be able to help us. He had published a book in 2017, Valguarnera 18 luglio 1943: cronaca di una battaglia, which focused on the battle in Valguarnera and of those civilians and Canadian soldiers who were killed during this time.
We were able to meet with Prof. Speranza at the Valguarnera Cemetery, where he showed us the memorial for the local citizens who were killed during the war. I showed him the map, and he was able to locate the site where my uncle was killed.
We arrived at the location, and I was amazed and overwhelmed to be standing where my uncle died nearly 75 years ago. My thoughts were of Bernie Ryan-Lewis whose drawing of the map in 2003 led us to this very spot, and of my uncle’s last moments.
While it was difficult to leave Sicily knowing Uncle Norman was so far from home, we were able to take home with us a sense of peace after all these years.
Today is the 75th anniversary of the invasion of Sicily by the Allied forces. Little is known about the battle and few are even aware of it.
Operation Husky 2018 is a project of remembrance intended to honour and recognize those who lost their lives in Sicily 75 years ago.
Today, Canadians from all walks of life, as well as serving and retired members of the Canadian Forces, are starting a trek to follow in our soldiers’ footsteps from Pachino through Sicily. There will be participants from other nations commemorating their fallen as well.
On July 30, at the Agira Canadian War Cemetery there will be a calling from the list of names of those who are buried at the cemetery.
For every name that is called there will be a reply from one of the participating individuals.
