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CPAC Documentaries
A War of Their Own: The D-Day Dodgers
A War of Their Own - PART II: The D-Day Dodgers Canada's role in the D-Day landings in Normandy is the stuff of legends. A War of Their Own tells the story of another D-Day almost a year earlier on July 10, 1943 when Canadian troops landed on the southern shores of Sicily. From there, the Canadians, as part of the famous British 8th Army, earned respect as a distinct force as they made their way over the mountainous island, across the Messina Strait and up the Italian mainland. A War of Their Own shows how the Canadians in Sicily and Italy faced tremendous odds never before experienced by the Canadian Army and developed innovative techniques to fight in an inhospitable terrain against an experienced enemy force during almost two years of steady fighting. At first, the Canadian battles in this theatre were front page news. Once the world turned its attention to the long-awaited storming of France, however, Italy became the forgotten front. Yet, almost 93,000 Canadians fought their way towards Rome and beyond; almost 6,000 are buried in cemeteries from Sicily to Northern Italy. A War of Their Own pays tribute to the 1st and 5th Canadian Divisions and the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, which formed the spearhead into the heart of Europe and held down some 20 German divisions that otherwise would have been able to defend Normandy. The Canadians in Italy, in a questionable jest, were called the D-Day Dodgers. The implication: they were avoiding the "real" war in France. A War of Their Own puts their achievements into perspective.
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