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R E M E M B R A N C E D A Y S P E C I A LTRIDENT, NOVEMBER 1, 2004 13get around behind him and fire ashot into the back of him. You’d killhis engine.”At Rimini, a flat open area, Buzzaparticipated in another ferocious tankbattle. “There were 52 tanks in ourregiment, 52 tanks in the 8th NewBrunswick Hussars. That’s 104 tanksat the start of the battle and the Germanshad somewhere in the order of50 or 60.”Again, Buzza believes that itwas the tank’s power training thatgave them the advantage overthe Germans.As they approached Rome, Buzzarecalls that the Canadians weresuddenly overtaken. In he speechhe wrote “When the 5th Divisionreached Frosinone (about 30 Kmssouth of Rome) the Canadians wereordered to pull over to the side of thehighway, in their beat-up and dustytanks, and the US 5th Army roaredpast us and into Rome in their shinyclean tanks and scores of photographersand “took” Rome! Hardly ashot was fired.”All in all, Buzza was in Italy fromthe spring of 1943 until the fall of1944. He would then travel to Marseillesin southern France, and acrossFrance to Belgium, joining otherCanadian troops for the final victoriouspush into Germany.When Buzza returned to Canadaafter the war he decided to attend university.Upon learning that the Navywould pay for higher education, hejoined the Royal Canadian Navy VolunteerReserve (RCNVR) and wasselected for officer training. Heserved with the Navy during theKorean conflict and during that timewas seconded to the United StatesMarine Corps. “I spent about fourmonths with them,” he recalls.Buzza retired from the Navy in1968 as a Lieutenant Commanderand received a commendation fromthe Flag Officer “for bringing a highlysophisticated submarine detectionsystem into operational use.”Five years ago, Buzza returned toItaly for the first time since the war.It brought back many memories andas Buzza says simply “It brought alump to my throat.”He visited the cemetery where hisfriend George Mills was buried, “inthe second row from the top.” Thevisitors were warned that they shouldonly attempt the climb if they were ingood shape. “But I had to go and seehis grave so I climbed the hill.”Buzza put a poppy on Mills’gravesite but it wasn’t until after hedescended that Buzza realized that hehadn’t taken a photo. “So I climbedup the hill again, took a picture andcame down.” He says emotionally“George would have thought thatwas funny.”Percy Buzza now resides atCamp Hill Veterans Memorial Hospital(CHVMH).At the hospital’s Candlelight Servicein the early evening of November10, he will give an address aboutthe Italian Campaign.Canadian Cemeteries and Memorials in ItalyVeterans Affairs CanadaCanada’s over 5,900 identifiedwar dead in Italy are buriedmainly in 17 Commonwealth WarCemeteries or commemorated on theCassino Memorial.The only Second World War cemeterythat is exclusively Canadian isthe Agira Canadian War Cemetery inthe heart of Sicily, 71 kilometresfrom Catania, where 490 Canadiansare buried.In Bari War Cemetery on Italy’sAdriatic coast, are 2,245 Commonwealthheadstones, of which 210 areCanadian.The Moro River Canadian WarCemetery, located about 5 kilometressouth of Ortona, contains1,615 graves, of which 1,375 arefor Canadians.The River Sangro War Cemetery,located at almost five kilometersbefore the River Moro Cemetery,contains the remains of two Canadianaviators buried amongst some2600 aviators of the British RoyalAir Force.Most of the Canadians who fell inthe Liri Valley are buried in twocemeteries in the area south of Rome:Caserta War Cemetery, where 98Canadian soldiers and one Canadianairman are buried, and Cassino WarCemetery, farther north and just offthe road to Rome. The latter is thelargest Second World War Cemeteryin Italy. Among the over 4,200 headstoneslocated here are those of 855Canadians who died during the battlesof the Hitler Line and theadvance towards Rome. Also foundin this cemetery is the CassinoMemorial, which lists the names of4,054 men who died in the Sicilianand Italian campaigns and have noknown grave, and includes the namesof 192 Canadians.At Beach Head War Cemetery inAnzio on Italy’s west coast, 68 Canadianslie among the 2,313 war dead.Rome War Cemetery has 22 Canadiangraves—those of administrativestaff and prisoners who died in captivity.In Florence War Cemetery,east of the city on the north bank ofthe Arno, the graves of 50 Canadianscan be found among those of 1,637Commonwealth soldiers who died inaction before the city was captured.Two cemeteries near the AdriaticSea were begun during the fighting tobreach the Gothic Line: Ancona WarCemetery, where over a thousandCommonwealth soldiers and airmenare buried, including 161 Canadians;and Montecchio War Cemetery, furthernorth and 13 kilometres inlandfrom Pesaro, where 289 graves, of atotal of 582, belong to Canadians.In Gradara War Cemetery, the1,192 Commonwealth headstones,including those of 369 Canadians,are mute testimony of the Allied sacrificein the advance from Ancona toRimini. Coriano Ridge War Cemeteryalso contains 1,940 graves ofthose killed on the advance to Rimini,including 427 Canadian graves.Atotal of 937 Commonwealth soldierswho died in the winter of 1944-45 are buried in Ravenna War Cemetery,including 438 Canadians.A half-hour drive from Ravenna isthe Casena War Cemetery where 307Canadian graves can be foundamong the 775 graves dating fromNovember 1944.In Villanova Canadian War Cemetery,206 of the 212 graves belong toCanadians. This cemetery has beendescribed as a memorial to the fallenof the 5th division as 85 members oftwo battalions of this division areburied here. There are also 75 Canadiansoldiers and airmen in ArgentaGap War Cemetery who werebrought here from battlefield gravesfarther south.Joiner Systems’ management & staff Salute Canada’s veterans.We honour those who served and those who fell in the defenceof Canada and freedom for all.• Joiner Bulkhead Panels & Support System• A-Class Fire Rated Doors• B-Class Cabin Doors• Weathertight Doors• Pneumatically Controlled Sliding Firedoors• Structural, Watertight Steel Plate Doors, Hatches, Scuttles• Furniture - Metal and Wood• Gaskets & Door Hardware• Toilet and Shower UnitsJOINER SYSTEMS INC. Environmental & Marine Products1925, 52 Avenue, Lachine (Québec), Canada H8T 3C3www.joinersystems.comTel.: (514) 636-5555Fax: (514) 636-54108 1/2 x 11 • Hard Cover200 photos • 336 pages.Price $50 + $5.75 postageand handling, if applicable.The blockbuster saga of HMCS Bonaventure,Canada’s last aircraft carrier, the sailors whomanned her and the aircrew who flew fromher deck. Profits from this reprinting will goto the Shearwater Aviation Museum FoundationShearwater Aviation Museum FoundationP.O. Box 5000 Stn Main, Shearwater,NS B0J 3A0 or PHONE: 902-461-0062TOLL FREE: 1-888-497-7779 FAX: 902-461-1610