Canadian Army, First

This account is based upon (i) Li Cot W. R. Sawyer, GSO i Rpt on Smoke Screens Carried Out by First Canadian Army (R) (printed in the field by i Canadian Mobile Printing Sec RCASC, IS Jut 4S), pp. 33-J4 (a) ai Army Group, Cml Warfare Liaison Ltrs, No. >, as Mar 45, No. j, a4 Jul 4S, CmlC School 46i/asi4 (s) Interv, Hist Off with Col Harold Walmsley (formerly... 

On lo July 1943 American, British, and Canadian forces landed on the southern and eastern coasts of Sicily, and in the ensuing 3 8-day campaign the 4.2-inch chemical mortar met its first test in combat. This CWS weapon, still untried in battle nineteen months after the entry of the United States into the war, by 1945 was to become an important part of the Army s arsenal. 

The French Army (in this case, mostly made up of Algerian troops) and Canadian soldiers suffered thousands of casualties at this first attack. Although probably not the 5000 or so usually claimed in the histories, the effects were no doubt impressive, with at least 800 dead and 2000 wounded. 

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