A rose in blossom at Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, where 427 Canadians are buried in Italy. (Kathleen Harris/SUN MEDIA) Vet recalls daring WWII jailbreak Tribute paid to Quebec soldier in Italy Italian town pays tribute to Canuck soldiers Veterans commemorate 'our nation’s great loss' A tough trip back in time

RIMINI, Italy — Canadians must never forget the silent wounds war has left on generations of soldiers and their families, Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson said today.

Speaking during a ceremony at the sprawling Coriano Ridge War Cemetery where 427 Canadians are buried, Thompson said one in four soldiers were killed, injured or held prisoner during the Second World War. But many more returned home with what was then called "battle fatigue" — the invisible scars left from bloody combat.

Now called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it still afflicts modern-day soldiers fighting in Afghanistan today. "The true cost of this campaign — as with all wars — continued long after the guns fell silent," Thompson said of the Italian campaign. "That sacrifice continues today, because, as it has been said, 'there are no unwounded soldiers in war.'"
 A new book by John MacFarlane on Victoria Cross recipient Capt. Paul Triquet, Canada's first Victoria Cross recipient in Italy, reveals the war hero suffered from PTSD — what he called "the noise of the mind."
 He turned to alcohol to cope with emotional pain and grew estranged from his wife and children.
 "We grew up with the children of this generation of soldiers. Children who grew up in families with fathers who struggled with the invisible cost of war," Thompson said. "Children brought up by parents who suffered in silence — this is the very human side of war we must never forget."


Second World War nurse Betty Brown said back then, they called it "going 'round the bend" or "going over the top." Many became withdrawn or had drinking problems — a ritual that began when they drowned their sorrow over fallen comrades by downing drinks.

Many soldiers never spoke about the impact of what they saw or did, because there was a sense of pride about toughing it out.

"They're masculine, after all," she said.

Thompson is leading a group of veterans, youth and dignitaries who are wrapping up a trip to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Italian campaign. Earlier today, the veterans laid a wreath at the foot of a plaque marking the breach of the Gothic Line, the last defensive line dividing the Allies and the Germans.

kathleen.harris@sunmedia.ca