Government of Canada unveils 2019 Veterans' Week poster marking the 75th anniversary of the Italian Campaign

Poster honours the contributions of Canadians to the Allied war effort in Italy, as well as women in the military during the Second World War

HAMILTON, ON, July 27, 2019 /CNW/ - During the Second World War, Canadians from all walks of life accomplished much and sacrificed greatly in the fight for the rights and freedoms we enjoy today. This year's 75^th anniversary of the Italian Campaign recognizes and remembers the more than 93,000 Canadians who served in this bitter struggle—an important step in finally achieving victory in Europe in May 1945.

Today, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, unveiled the official poster for Veterans' Week to commemorate the Italian Campaign during the Second World War.

The poster features Lieutenant (retd) Maxine Llewelyn Bredt—a Nursing Sister in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps who helped treat the sick and wounded during the Italian Campaign. Ms. Bredt, in her former uniform, is superimposed on a photo showing soldiers of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in the Sicilian town of Agira after capturing it in July 1943.

Minister MacAulay unveiled the poster at HMCS Haida National Historic Site—a fitting site during the Parks Canada one-day Women of War exhibit honouring the women of the Second World War. Historic displays, photo exhibits and costumed interpreters celebrated the contributions of women in the military, munitions factories and on the homefront.

Quotes

"For more than a year and a half, Canadian soldiers battled from landings in Sicily to northern Italy. Their bravery, skill and endurance helped pave the way to the liberation of Europe. It is our responsibility to keep Veterans' stories alive—like Maxine Bredt's—and sustain their legacy for generations to come." 
The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

"Women were essential to the war effort, serving in the military, filling labour shortages, and leading on the home front. The Women of War exhibit on board HMCS Haida National Historic Site commemorates their significant contribution. I encourage all Canadians to learn more about our history, and pay tribute to the sacrifices of Canadian men and women during the First and Second World Wars, by visiting Parks Canada national historic sites across the country."
The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

Quick Facts

• 2019 marks the 75^th anniversary of Canada's participation in the Italian Campaign which was an important step in the liberation of Europe.
• Canadians fought for more than a year and a half in Italy, beginning with the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943.
• More than 93,000 Canadians served in Italy during the Second World War.
• By the end of Canada's participation in the Italian Campaign, nearly 6,000 Canadian soldiers had been killed.
• The brave Canadians who fought in Italy were among the more than one million Canadians who served during the Second World War.
• As well as the 75^th anniversary of the Italian Campaign during the Second World War, 2019 marks the 5^th anniversary of the end of Canada's Mission in Afghanistan, and the 75^th anniversaries of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy and the Battle of the Scheldt.

Associated Links

• Canada Remembers the Italian Campaign
• HMCS Haida National Historic Site
• Women and War

SOURCE Veterans Affairs Canada

For further information: Media Relations, Veterans Affairs Canada, 613-992-7468, [e-mail]; Alex Wellstead, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs, [e-mail]; Media Relations, Parks Canada Agency, 819-420-9292, [e-mail], Rae Kingdon, Communications Officer, Southwestern Ontario Field Unit, Parks Canada, 519-322-9218

Related Links

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/