Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1945-01-04, Page 2A WHITE CHRISTMAS IN KRINKELTER FITTING TRIBUTE to the men who fight on far-off fronts this Christmas is this striking photograph of Allied infantrymen moving up over the snowy wastes of no-man's-land. James Thrasher's editorial expresses our deep appreciation for the selfless service of our fighting men. • BY JAMES THRASHER, NEA Staff Writer They had plenty of snow for a white Christmas in Krinkelter — snow that stung your face as the North Sea swept it across the. Belgian lowlands; snow that made walking slow and heavy; snow in gray clouds that pinned air support to the ground and left things pretty much up to the infantry; snow that made you a sitting -duck target in your OD uniform; snow that melted and soaked and froze if you fell in it. A white. Christmas, and back home some Iuckier guys were having a hot turkey dinner, and a cigar afterwards, and dryy clothes and a fire. But up here the Krauts had forgotten to take time off for the holiday. They were hell-bent on going places and somebody had to stop them, Christmas or no Christmas. So they walked across the fields outside of Krinkelter on Christ- mas, with guns slung over their shoulders and cold feet in their boots. And some of them, thought., "Well, maybe next year." DREGS OF GERMAN MANPOWER While Germany apparently was massing its "crack" troops behind the lines for the current counter -offensive, the Volkssturm — Ger- man People's Army comprising old men and boys — was dispatched to defend the Siegfried Line. But the above members didn't stay in the fight for long — they were captured by Allied Army Forces. 82 ... AND STILL SWINGING Connie Mack celebrates 82nd birthday in Los Angeles, where he is enjoying one of hie rare vacations. The only manager the Philadel- phia Athletics ever had gives signs behind' a catcher's mitt just as he uc� q0 years ago, an indication, no doubt, that he willstill run the works at Shibe Park in 19411. JOYOUS JAILBREAK Pushing joyously from jail in the Alsatian border town of Hague- nau,'whero they had been imprisoned by the Nazis for political of- fenses, the French women above were some of 300 freed when the Nazis left town as the Allies moved in. Many had been in jail two years. CANADA'S 8TH. WINNER OF V.C. Canada's Eighth and British Columbia's Fifth winner of the coveted Victoria Cross is Pte. Ernest Alvia (Smoky) Smith, 30, the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. "Smoky", The one man Army as he is known, showed outstanding courage and determination in establishing a bridgehead over the Savio River which led to the capture of the Town of Cesena. At point black range, he destroyed two German tanks, and shot it out with the tank borne infantry. Eighth Canadian in this war to win the highest award for valour in the British Empire, Pte. Smith 13 the first Canadian V.C. of the pre- sent War below the rank of commis- sioned officer. He hails from the sante town, New Westminster, B.C., as Major ?ohn Mahony, who was awarded the V.C. in July. 'Twice Wounded Twice wounded before the bril- liatn action which won him the Victoria Cross, Smith had been in action with the Seaforth High- lander throughout their long and tough campaign in Sicily and Italy, with the exception of two months spent in hospital in North Africa, He was first wounded in. -Sicily on August 4, 1943, and was shipped to North Africa for hospitalization. He was wounded again in February 1044, when the Scaforths crossed the shell -torn Moro river, blocking the road to Ortona. Pte. Smith was born at New Westminister on )fay 3, 1014, and lived there until he enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada on March 5, 1440. He has been over- seas since July 18, 1940. "Smolcy" and his two brothers are serving in the Canadian Active Army, Jack, aged 25, is with the Canadian Scottish "somewhere in Europe," and Burton, father, of three children is- with the Saint John Fusiliers. Text of Citation Following is the complete citation covering the award of the Victoria Cross to Pte. Smith: "In Italy on the night of 21-22 October, 10.4, a Canadian infantry WHY REDS ARE SLOWED ON POLISH FRONT .11111111.. rii'. rllw Lola rad g:° eningran o GRE' 4 ?.4 The nearer the Russians drive to Be;lin; the tougher they find the going because (1) -the German supply ines have thus been shortened and,_ by the same token, the Reds'' supply routes, some of which run all the way back to the Urals, have been le,;g'iiened, as shown on map above; (2) muddy terrain in Po- land, where, freezing weather cornea se al wee ns later than on the Steppes, causes mechanized trans- port to bog down,as in inset n9.'ur : f i'ordor to shorten their supply lines, Russians are moving whole factories nearer the front, r.. ...e r":hoads to reach up to the fighting lines. O brigade was ordered to establish a bridgehead across the Savio river. The Seaforth Highlanders of Can- ada were selected as the spearhead of the attack and in weather most unfavorable to the operation they crossed the river andcaptured their objective„in spite of strong opposi- tion from tite enemy. `'”"Torrential rain had caused the Savio river to rise 'six feet in five hours and as the soft vertical banks. made it impossible to bridge the river no tanks or anti-tank guns could be taken across the raging .stream to the support of the rifle companies. "As the right forward company was consolidating its objective it was suddenly counter -attacked by a troop of three Mark Five Pan- ther tanks supported by two self- propelled guns and about thirty in- fantry. The situation appeared al, most hopeless. - Inspiring Leadership "Under heavy fire from the ap- proaching enemy tanks, Pte. Smith showing great initiative and 'inspir- ing leadership led his Plat group of two men across an open field to a position from which the Pict could best be employed. Leaving one man on the weapon, Pte. Smith crossed the road with a companion and ob- tained another Piet. Almost im- mediately an enemy tank came down the road firing its machine- guns along the line of the ditches. - Pte. Smith's comrade was wounded: At arrange of 30 feet and having. to expose himself to the full viety of 'the enemy, Pte. Smiith fired the Plat and hit the tank, putting it out of action. Ten German infantry immediately jumped off the back of the tank and charged him with schmeissers and grenades. Without hesitation Pte. Smith moved out onto the road and at, point blank range with his tommy gun killed four Germans and drove the re- mainder back. Almost immediately another tank opened fire and more enemy infantry closed in on Smith's postion. Obtaining some aban- doned. tommy gun magazine's from a ditch, ile steadfastly held his pori tions protecting his comrade and fighting the enemy with his tommy gun until they finally -gave up .and withdrew in disorder: "One tank and both self -propel- led guns had been destroyed by this time but another tank swept the area with fire from a longer range. Pte. Smith still showing utter. con- tempt for enemy fire helped his wounded comrade to cover and ob- tained. medical aid for him behind a nearby' building. He then return- ' ed to his position beside the road to await the possibility of a further enemy attack, Bridgehead Held "No further immediate attack de- veloped and as a result the battal- ion was able to consolidate the bridgehead, portion so, vital to the success of the whole operation which led to the eventual capture of an Lorgio Cosene and a.further • advance to the Ronco river. "Thus by dogged determination outstanding devotion to duty and superb gallantry of this private sol- Bier,' his comrades were so inspired that the 'bridgehead 'was held against all enemy attacks pending the arrival of tanks and anti-tank guns some hours. later."