Shooter in the Steeple

Heroes Remember

Shooter in the Steeple

Transcript

Interviewer: So you were involved in, your tank was the second tank into Falaise? No, it ended up that I was the first in there because the first one went in and the Germans had a nice little road for them to follow to get across the ditch, eh? And they took it, of course, and they had no tracks on them the next thing ya knew. So while the so while the settlers were there using their bayonets on the rifles to knock the mines out of the road and that, I was watching the ground. I could see the bullets hitting it you know I started thinking to myself, "Now where are they coming from?" And I looked up and here's this church steeple I can remember it 1200 yards. And I said to the commander, I said "There's somebody up there shooting down here." He said, "Put a shot in it, John." So I told the gunner operator to put an HE (high explosive) into her, something that will blow it to pieces. And there was no steeple on it after I fired the shot, set the thing afire. I've been back there three or four times. Interviewer: Have they rebuilt the steeple? They rebuilt the steeple, yeah. The signs were even up in there. I was back there last summer and I was in to have a look at it. I did talk to a fellow that had a black robe on and when he found out that I put the bullet in the steeple he wouldn't talk to me anymore, he left.

Description

Mr. Giovannetti recalls being shot at while driving into Falaise with his armoured unit, and blowing up the shooters hiding spot. He also describes seeing the same location during a post-war visit.

John Lawrence Giovannetti

Mr. Giovannetti was born October 1, 1921, in Port Morien, Nova Scotia. He worked with his father as a carpenter and fisherman until joining the army. After basic training in Fredericton and armoured vehicle training in Camp Borden, he and the rest of the Fort Garry Horse unit were shipped to Scotland to prepare for the D-Day invasion. After landing in France during the D-Day invasion, Mr Giovannetti's unit continued to engage the enemy across the French countryside. After participating in action at the Carpiquet Airport, and Falaise, he was severely wounded when his Sherman tank was ambushed by a German Panther in Goirlie. The injuries he suffered in that attack cost him his left arm and ended his fighting days. After recuperating for months in hospitals in Belgium and England, he returned to Canada.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 02:01
Person Interviewed:: John Lawrence Giovannetti
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: France
Battle/Campaign:: Falaise Pocket
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Fort Garry Horse (Armoured Vehicle Unit)
Occupation:: Wireless Operator

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Shooter in the Steeple

Heroes Remember