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.
AGIRA CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Italy
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.
Pour plus d’informations, visitez la Commission des sépultures de guerre du Commonwealth (site disponible en anglais seulement).
L’image du coquelicot est une marque déposée de la Légion royale canadienne (Direction nationale) et est utilisée avec sa permission. Cliquez ici pour en savoir plus sur le coquelicot.