It’s been about 72 years, but some actions aren’t forgotten.
Qualicum Beach veteran Jack Rossiter, now 92 years old, was recognized on Friday, July 14, for his role in the Italian Campaign during the Second World War.
The Italian Campaign took place from 1943-45, with Canada committing 93,000 soldiers to fight the Nazis in Italy.
More than 25,000 Canadians were either injured or killed, 7,000 of whom are now buried in military cemeteries throughout Italy, reads a news release from Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns.
Johns presented Rossiter with a glass replica of a monument erected in Toronto City Hall’s Nathan Phillips Square last summer, which honours Canadians who took part in the Italian Campaign. The ceremony presenting Rossiter with the replica took place at the Qualicum Beach legion.
The monument depicts the destruction of war in the City of Ortona, where a Commonwealth Cemetery holds the remains of nearly 1,400 Canadian soldiers.
“I am deeply appreciative of Mr. Rossiter’s valour, bravery, courage and commitment to our country,” said Johns at the ceremony, according to the news release. “The Canadian Forces played an integral role in the liberation of Italy and the pursuit for world peace.”
— Office of Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns