Operation Husky ... WW2

Visited the WW2 Museum in down-town Catania a few years ago ..small, but has excellent exhibits.
Well worth visiting.

WW2 Canadian Cemetary

Private Sabblut was one of many lost during Operation Husky.
This is in the Canadian Cementary near Triona in Catania province.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE YOUNG MEN GONE?...

As Peter Seeger's folk song goes....

Where have all the young men gone? 

They've gone to graveyards everyone.

 

AGIRA CEMETERY

This cemetery is on a hilltop ... a quiet place to think and reflect ...

AGIRA CANADIAN WWII MEMORIAL

Looking up at the central memorial ...

CANADIAN WWII CEMETERY IN AGIRA

DH and I went for a drive last Sunday in a direction we hadn't been before ... we saw some signs for war cemetery and found a Canadian WW2 cemetary near Agira.  It's small -less than 500 graves, but well kept.

BUNKERS

                                                Two bunkers in a farmer's field near Gela...

MUSSOLINI HOUSES

A reminder of pre-WW2 -- this is one of the many Mussolini houses found on the plain of Catania. Mussolini promoted an ambious plan called "Battle for Grain" where families were to live on/near small plots of land in order to grow wheat and grains. The plots were generally too small for the large-scale production desired and the peasant relocation was never very successful. Italian law prohibits the removal or razing of buildings over 50 years old -- they are considered historical relics.

WW2 BATTLE AT DIRETTO

Plaque in honor of the battle at Diretto ... this is actually on the side of a family's home.  The husband was an infant living in this very home at the time of the battle ... and the family maintains the site.