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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

William Guy Rosenthal

In memory of:

Gunner William Guy Rosenthal

July 25, 1943
Sicily, Italy

Military Service

Service Number:

D/131028

Age:

20

Force:

Army

Unit:

Royal Canadian Artillery

Division:

1 Anti-Tank Regt.

Citation(s):

1939-45 Star, Italy Star,Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp, War Medal 1939-45, Memorial Bar GRVI.

Additional Information

Born:

November 3, 1922
Montreal, Quebec

Son of Mr. and Mrs. Saul Rosenthal of Hutchison Street, Montreal, Quebec. Known as Velvel Ben Shimon Zeileg (Hebrew name). Died: July 25, 1943. Tamuz 22, 5704 (Hebrew date).

Gunner Rosenthal enlisted in the army in February 1942 and went overseas with the Royal Canadian Artillery of Montreal in June of the same year. Prior to his enlistment, he had worked for The Canadian Press. He had been an editor of the Fortnightly Review.

In one of his last reports to the Y.M.H.A. Beacon, he had written:

And when the air is once again clear from the smoky dust of fire, and when the blood of the dead and the wounded is dry, and the stench of human bodies is pure,

The men who are alive after victory is achieved, with God's aid, will return... For they (the dead) shall not have fallen in vain.

Not in a world where our holy sanctuaries are safe and unmolested, in a world where organizations, institutions of culture and learning and education are respected and upheld and supported.

No price is too great to pay. No life too precious, to enforce our beliefs and ideals.

(Canadian Jewish Congress publication: Canadian Jews in World War II, Part II Casualties)

Commemorated on the Baron de Hirsch Cemetery Monument.

Commemorated on Page 209 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

AGIRA CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Italy

Grave Reference:

D, A, 392.

Location:

Agira Canadian War Cemetery lies in the Commune of Agira, Province of Enna, in the centre of Sicily. From the autostrada A19, Catania-Palermo, take the exit to Catenanuova. Follow signposts to Regalbuto, then pass Regalbuto, going in the direction of Agira. The Cemetery is then signposted about 12 kilometres from Regalbuto. On 10 July 1943, following the successful conclusion of the north African campaign in mid May, a combined allied force of 160,000 Commonwealth and American troops invaded Sicily as a prelude to the assault on mainland Italy. The Italians, who would shortly make peace with the Allies and re-enter the war on their side, offered little determined resistance but German opposition was vigorous and stubborn. The campaign in Sicily came to an end on 17 August when the two allied forces came together at Messina, but failed to cut off the retreating Axis lines. Agira was taken by the 1st Canadian Division of 28 July and the site for the war cemetery was chosen in September for the burial of all Canadians who had been killed in the Sicily campaign. Agira Canadian War Cemetery contains 491 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • William Rosenthal

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    William Rosenthal
    William Rosenthal
  • Photo of William Rosenthal– William Rosenthal is honoured on page 62 of the memorial book, CANADIAN JEWS IN WORLD WAR II, Part II: Casualties, compiled by David Rome for the Canadian Jewish Congress, Montreal, 1948. This extract is provided courtesy of the Canadian Jewish Congress which holds the copyright for this volume. For additional information about these archival records, please contact: The Canadian Jewish Congress National Archives 1590 Ave. Docteur Penfield, Montreal, Que. H3G 1C5 (Canada) telephone: 514-931-7531 ex. 2 facsimile: 514-931-0548 website: www.cjc.ca

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    Photo of William Rosenthal
    Photo of William Rosenthal – William Rosenthal is honoured on page 62 of the memorial book, CANADIAN JEWS IN WORLD WAR II, Part II: Casualties, compiled by David Rome for the Canadian Jewish Congress, Montreal, 1948. This extract is provided courtesy of the Canadian Jewish Congress which holds the copyright for this volume. For additional information about these archival records, please contact: The Canadian Jewish Congress National Archives 1590 Ave. Docteur Penfield, Montreal, Que. H3G 1C5 (Canada) telephone: 514-931-7531 ex. 2 facsimile: 514-931-0548 website: www.cjc.ca
  • Newspaper Clipping– From the Montreal Gazette. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me

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    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – From the Montreal Gazette. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
  • Entrance

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    Entrance
    Entrance
  • Cemetery– Entrance - Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Cemetery
    Cemetery – Entrance - Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Agira Canadian War Cemetery

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    Agira Canadian War Cemetery
    Agira Canadian War Cemetery
  • Agira Canadian War Cemetery

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    Agira Canadian War Cemetery
    Agira Canadian War Cemetery
  • View of Mt. Enna

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    View of Mt. Enna
    View of Mt. Enna
  • Cemetery– Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Cemetery
    Cemetery – Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Grave Marker– Grave marker - Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Grave Marker
    Grave Marker – Grave marker - Agira Canadian War Cemetery - 2013 Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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