In Memory of
NORTON JOSEPH ERNEST
Corporal, A/3628
Royal Canadian Regiment
who died 23 age
26 July 1943
Remembered with honour
AGIRA WAR CEMETERY, SICILY
AGIRA WAR CEMETERY, SICILY
Son of William Henry and Martha Mary Norton; husband of Ethel Edna Norton, of Toronto, Ontario.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, 2009-08-06
JACK NORTON
Both Joe and John landed in Sicily on 10 July 1943. Joe got wounded in action in the abdomen by mortar shells on 21 July 1943 when the Germans counterattacked on the Canadian positions on Monte Assoro where the RCR had reached the Hasty P's who took the hill in the wellknown daring night attack. The RCR suffered three casualties and Joe was one of them. He was rushed to No. 1 Field Dressing Station which was in the Dittaino Valley, but his injuries were that bad that No. 4 Field Ambulance transported him to the hospital in Valguarnera. Here Joe succumbed of his wounds five days later. He was buried in the temporary cemetery in Valguarnera and later reburied at AgirAgira Canadian War Cemetery. In the meanwhile his brother John continued the Sicilian Campaign where their younger brother Ralph was most likely also involved in. Ralph served as a Lance Corporal in the 48th Highlanders of Canada.
John and Ralph both went up the Italian mainland and were involved in the Battle for Ortona in December 1943. Here Ralph got wounded in action twice, on 20 December 1943 and again on 27 December 1943. John was missing in action on 24 December 1943 when 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion had to cut of the northern road towards Ortona. Heavy counterattacks and close quarter fighting took place. Here John got missing in action and later that same day he was found dead. John is buried at Moro River Canadian War Cemetery.
Ralph survived the war and back home their younger brother Kennet lived with one of their sisters. Their parents had deceased before the war and they had four sons and four daughters. Joe enlisted on 22 January 1940 in London, Ontario and John one week later also in London.
Joe was married to Ethel Edna Norton and together they lived in Toronto.
Jimbo Jimmy, 2024-09-29
Information courtesy of the 