Campobasso Italy April 1944.
The reason I relate back to Campobasso is that here one of our original gunners, as a result of an altercation in this city, was wounded, not by enemy fire, but in the following manner. Norman Parisien was walking down a dark street in Campobasso along with some other 17th RCA members when he saw a gang of civilian youths beating up on a Canadian service man. As Norman bent down to assist the soldier an Italian shoved a shiv into Norman's back, slicing a kidney. It was the quick response of some Polish soldiers, some of them women, that rushed Norman to a Field Dressing station and to a Polish military hospital. Norman's life was saved by our allies. Norman making some recovery was sent to England on a hospital ship.
While in England he made a remarkable recovery and, during his recovery, wished to get back into action. Every move to get into action was thwarted, to the extent they were going to promote him to a sergeant , and keep him around this holding unit to be able to give his first hand knowledge of battle experience. Norman kept parading on every draft to get back into action and was told no, you're an artillery man and all these drafts just need infantry men. Word was out to keep Norman as a Sgt in charge of men erecting facilities for a new hospital. Norman thought that over and on the next draft parade insisted in going back into action as an infantry man. Norman took a short training course in the infantry and was assigned to the Black Watch. Here Norman was promoted to Corporal and served with honor the rest of the war in Holland and Germany. Norman survived raised a great family and passed away at Nanaimo BC a short time ago.
How did Norman get in my Memoirs? Well I will tell you he was a remarkable fellow. Also I do not recall much of what inspired my memory of Campobasso other than Norman.