Seeking information – Do you have a relative who went to primary school at U.S.S. #17, Arthur and Minto Lot 19, Conc. 12 in the 1930s? Local military history enthusiast John McVicar is looking for stories about Victor Innanen (top row, far left).
“Just four years after this photo was taken, Victor conned his way into the army,” says McVicar. Innanen went through very specialized training and participated in the surprise attack on a German stronghold in Italy on the night of Dec. 2/3, 1943 (chronicled in the movie, The Devil’s Brigade). He was killed by a sniper the following month in the mountains south of Rome, three months short of his 18th birthday.
Stories about Victor, the brigade’s youngest member, will be on display on Oct. 24 at the Harriston auditorium in celebration of the 76th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. McVicar had planned an event for the 75th anniversary, but COVID-19 got in the way. McVicar is hoping to have 98-year-old Jack Callowhill from Hamilton attend the event. Callowhill is one of three remaining Canadian members of the brigade.
For more information about the celebration in October visit the Harriston Superior Monuments Facebook page.
