June 1944 began with the Ontario Regiment in a rest area while they focused on vehicle maintenance. There were also sports meets, shooting competitions and entertainment. A memorial service for the Ontarios lost in the recent fighting was held on 5 June. There was also welcome war news: Rome fell to the Allies on 5 June and word was received of the Normandy landings on 6 June.

On 11 June orders were received for the Regiment to move north, through Rome. The move began on the evening of 12 June. It was during this road move that the Ontarios lost another member. Trooper Hurst, a dispatch rider, did not arrive on the morning of 13 June with the rest of the Regiment. A search was conducted and his motorcycle and helmet were found. He was declared missing in action and there was a further search of hospitals in the area. It was discovered that he been in an accident and died soon after arriving at the hospital.

Trooper James Roy Hurst was born 15 September 1923 in Shanty Bay, ON. He was working as an attendant at Bower’s Service Station in Oshawa, ON when joined the Army on 8 May 1942. After his initial training he was taken on strength of the Ontario Regiment on 24 August 1943. His brother Allister was also a member of the Ontario Regiment and was killed a little over two weeks later.

The Ontarios and the infantry they supported had a successful day on 21 June. The towns of Sanfatucchio and Pucciarelli were cleared of German forces. Both of these towns are on the south west side of Lake Trasimeno. It was the beginning of the assault on the Gernan Trasimene Line, which was meant to slow the Allies while the Germans pulled back to the Gothic Line. Sanfatucchio was taken with little trouble in the morning. The tanks and infantry moved on and reached the outskirts of Pucciarelli in the afternoon, with the Ontarios losing several tanks knocked out by enemy fire along way. The Ontarios gave it back to the Germans, destroying many of their tanks and anti-tank guns. At this point the infantry hesitated in moving into Pucciarelli. Lieutenant J.A. MacIver led his troop into the town with the infantry following behind, forcing the Germans to withdraw due to this aggressive action. Two Ontarios were killed during the fighting on 21 June: Acting Captain Arthur Hawkins and Trooper Roy Boddington.

Acting Captain Arthur Ward Hawkins was the second-in-command of “A” Squadron at the time of his death. Nicknamed “Bud”, he was born on 23 February 1922 in Brantford, ON. He began his military career as an officer in the Militia, serving in both the 2^nd / 10^th Dragoons and the Dufferin & Haldimand Rifles of Canada. Both regiments were located in Brantford. Hawkins signed on for active service on 27 October 1941. He was working as an advertising clerk at the time. As he was already an officer, his training was comparatively short. He attended an armour course, arrived in England quite quickly and was taken on strength of the Ontarios on 10 May 1942. Hawkins was wounded in the legs by shrapnel while dismounted on 21 June and died later that day.

Trooper Roy Cartwright Boddington was born in Toronto on 7 December 1919 and lived there while growing up. He was working as a stock-keeper for Kahn Optical in Toronto at the outbreak of the war. He was one of several Torontonians who tried to join the local regiments in September 1939, but ended up signing with the Ontario Regiment on 18 September. Boddington was one of the originals as the Ontarios were recruiting up to full wartime establishment. He was part of the ski operation in February 1944; see the February 2024 article. He suffered a bullet wound to the knee during the Sicilian Campaign in August 1943 and returned to the Regiment in October.

It was quieter for the Ontarios on 22 June, but one more member was killed. Trooper Elgin Aylmer Hisey received head wounds from shrapnel and died the same day. Trooper Hisey was born 25 May 1917 in Markham, ON. He joined the Army on 19 January 1942 when he was living in Stouffville, ON and working on a farm. Hisey was taken on strength of the Ontario Regiment on 23 October 1942. He received his first wound in December 1943 and returned to the Regiment in April 1944.

The next target was the village of Pescia, about one kilometre north west of Pucciarelli on 24 June. The Germans were driven out by the late morning and the Ontarios continued north west to Ronciano. This second objective was also cleared by the late afternoon. In both cases the Ontarios supported the infantry of the British 38th Brigade, 78^th Division. The day also saw the Ontarios in their Sherman tanks slugging it out with German Panther and Mark IV tanks in numerous battles.

It was the deadliest day for the Ontarios in the war to date on 24 June, with four soldiers killed: Lance-Corporal William Drew and Troopers Howard Shaw, John Watson and Tom Widlake.

Lance Corporal William Frederick Drew was born in Belleville, ON on 3 August 1922. He was working as a lathe operator at Dominion Arsenal in Lindsay, ON and living in Havelock when he joined the Army on 20 August 1942. In June 1943 he was promoted to corporal, but reverted to trooper at his own request in January 1944 and then was promoted to lance corporal in April 1944. Drew was taken on strength of the Ontario Regiment on 23 June 1944 and was killed the following day.

Trooper Howard Joseph Shaw was born on 3 June 1922 In Timmins, ON. He joined the Army on 5 January 1942. At the time he was still living in Timmins and working as a mill mechanic’s helper. Shaw was taken on strength of the Ontario Regiment on 23 October 1942.

Trooper John William Watson was born in Inverness, NS on 14 December 1920. He was living in Toronto and working as a motor mechanic when he joined the Army on 9 May 1940. Watson originally joined the Royal Canadian Engineers, but remustered to armour in August 1942. After completing several courses he was taken on strength of the Ontario Regiment on 28 April 1944. He was declared missing in action after the combat of 24 June, but was later declared killed in action.

Trooper Tom Huntington Widlake was born in Transcona, MB on 27 February 1918 and was living there at the start of the war where he was a labourer for the Canadian National Railway. He joined the reserve battalion of the 2^nd Armoured Car Regiment in July 1940. In January 1941 he began an attachment to the tank school at Camp Borden where he signed on for active service on 13 March 1941. Given his previous training, he was taken on strength of the Ontario Regiment on 31 March.

During the last few days of June the Ontarios were on standby to support the British 78^th Division again, but the Germans continued to pull back, negating the need for any attacks. There were more moves to the north as part of the Allied advance to Florence. The battle for the Trasimene Line was over.

The Ontario Regiment received two battle honours for actions in late June: “Trasimene Line” and “Sanfatucchio.”

Rod Henderson

Rod Henderson is the Regimental Historian of the Ontario Regiment. He served as a Sergeant in the Regiment and is the author of “Fidelis Et Paratus: A History of The Ontario Regiment (RCAC), 1866-2016”.