22 Wing/CFB North Bay

From November 28 to December 5, 2019, Sergeant Terry Gibbins, the wing chief warrant officer’s assistant at 22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base North Bay, Ontario, was part of contingent of more than 180 Canadian Armed Forces members who participated in commemoration ceremonies to remember the 96,000 Canadians who served in the Italian Campaign of the Second World War.

“It was a very humbling experience, one which I will never forget,” he said. “To be able to commemorate the Italian Campaign where so many Canadians played a significant role, and then to stand with veterans who fought in the campaign, along with the Italian community who were freed by the military effort, was truly amazing.”

The Italian Campaign was a gruelling military effort for Canada and its allies during the Second World War. Canadian military members played a crucial role and suffered causalities in the Italian Campaign, which totalled more than 26,000, nearly 6,000 Canadians died. The campaign began on the island of Sicily in July 1943 and moved north up the Italian mainland through to the end of the war in Europe in May 1945. Canadians fought for 20 months in the heat of summer, the cold of winter, and the rain of spring and fall.

The Canadian Armed Forces’ Operation Distinction supports the Government of Canada’s Military History Commemoration Program. This program, led by Veterans Affairs Canada, reminds and teaches Canadians about the significant sacrifices and achievements made by those who served and who currently serve while preserving their legacy for future generations.