| Notes |
- Elwin became known as "Red" because of his fiery red hair. Red never married or had children, as he died too young. Red was a Sergeant during WWII with Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, RCIC. He died inthe European theatre on 20 December1944. According to the memorial for him in the Protestant Cemetery in Waubaushene, he was buried in Ortona, Italy. However, according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission,Red was buried in the Ravenna War Cemetery near Piangipane, Italy, inRavenna Province. According to FindAGrave.com: Ravenna War Cemetery in Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy;Plot: VI. D. 30.
Toronto Star (ON) -- 25 Jan 1945
LIST 46 DEAD, 57 WOUNDED IN 779TH ARMY CASUALTIES
Ottawa, 25 Jan -- The Canadian (Active) Army released today its 779th official casualty list:
Manitoba Regiment
ARBOUR, Elwin, Sergt; Miss Lila Arbour (sister), 430 Winona Drive, Toronto
___
From FindAGrave,com:
The Ravenna War Cemetery lies on a communal road 1 kilometre south of the SS16 from Ravenna to Ferrara near the village of Piangipane in the Commune and Province of Ravenna. The turnoff from the mainroad is at the143 km stone, 12 km west ofRavennaand is marked with a CWGC sign pointing in the direction of the cemetery and a road sign marked 'Piangipane4 kilometres'. Continue along the minor road until a further CWGC signis seen. The entrance to the cemetery is located on theleft hand sideof the road. On 3 September 1943 the Allies invaded the Italian mainland, the invasion coinciding with an armistice made with the Italians who then re-entered the war on the Allied side. Following the fall of Rome to the Alliesin June 1944, the Germanretreat became ordered and successive stands were made on a series of defensive lines. In the northern Appenine mountains the last of these, the Gothic Line, was breached by the Allies during the Autumn campaign andthe front inched forward asfar asRavenna in the Adratic sector, but with divisions transferred to support the new offensive in France, and the Germans dug in to a number ofkey defensive positions, the advance stalled as winterset in. Ravennawas taken by the Canadian Corpsatthe beginning of December 1944. Burialsin Ravenna War Cemetery reflect the fighting for the Senio line and the period of relative quiet during the first three months of 1945. Many of the men buried there were Canadians; one of the last tasks of theCanadian Corps before being moved to north-west Europe was the clearing ofthe area between Ravenna and the Comacchio lagoon. Others are Indians from the 10th Indian Division and New Zealanders.Thesite for the cemetery was selected by the Army in 1945 forburials from the surrounding battlefields. Ravenna War Cemetery contains 955 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 63 of them unidentified. There are also 33 First World War burials, 30 of them brought in from Gradisca Communal Cemeteryin1973, the others from communal cemeteries at Arzigano, Fano and Monterosso al Mare. Among those buried in the cemetery are 33 men of the Jewish Infantry Brigade Group whichwas formed in September 1944, chieflyby volunteers from Palestine;the burialsatRavenna form the largest concentration of casualties from the Brigade
|
1915 - 1944 (29 ans)