P.A. vet readies for return to battle sites

Ed Laird says he is not sure what to expect when he arrives in Italy this weekend.

The 91-year-old Prince Albert man will join a group of veterans from across Canada who have been invited to take part in the festivities marking the 70th anniversary of the Second World War’s Italian campaign.

The veterans will revisit the places where they once fought.

“I had never seen anything that devastating in all my life, but I imagine it’s quite beautiful there now,” said Laird.

Laird was only 21 years old when he went to Italy. Although he had expressed an interest in driving tanks, he was given a different job. He was trained as a signaller.

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“Somehow, they found out that I was adapted for that and I was. I took an 11-week course and I could read Morse code faster than I could write it; which a lot of people couldn’t do after two or three years,” said Laird.

In addition to his work as a signaller, Laird also spent three months in Scotland where he completed a rigorous commando course.  In the summer of 1943, he set sail with his regiment.  After 30 days, they were told they would be invading Sicily.

Laird said he has many memories from the war years, but he does not like to talk about the details too much. In his words, he does not like to talk about the bad stuff.

“The stuff I did, I am not very proud of,” he said. “I was told to do it and I had to do it.”

The Italian campaign was both very important and very difficult for Canada during the Second World War. Canadian casualties during the campaign totalled more than 26,000, and close to 6,000 Canadians died.

This will be Laird’s third return trip to Italy. He said a lot has changed since his first visit.

“They never had public education in Italy in 1943. You talked about Canada to the Italians and they didn’t know if Canada was a little town in Africa, or what Canada was,” said Laird.

Laird said it’s a real honour to be asked to go on the trip. He is the only veteran from the Prince Albert area going to Italy — two from Regina are attending as well.

The eight-day trip begins on Saturday.

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell