Personal Profile Collections
Eric Alexander (Sandy) Johnston – Section 2
This section contains a series of four photographs taken in Italy on May 11, 1944. They show Cape Breton Highlanders from the Signals Platoon of Headquarters Company. The men are wearing newly issued tropical uniforms in various stages of dress. Not long after the photos were taken, the Cape Breton Highlanders were involved in heavy fighting with Germans entrenched in the Adolph Hitler Line defences south of Rome.
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Men From Signals Platoon
Cape Breton Highlanders
Italy
May 11, 1944
On the right is Pte. Eric Alexander (Sandy) Johnston from Sydney, NS. He also went by the nickname “Ickie”. He was killed in action in Italy on September 1, 1944.
The man on the left has not been positively identified. One source has identified him as Pte. Glendon G. Theakston from Barrie, Ontario, who died of wounds in Italy on September 15, 1944. A second source has identified him as Pte. O’Meara.
The caption on the back of the original photo read: “Eric & Myself. The best buddy you could ask for.”
Photographer: Unknown
Ref. Number: 0-3 (16-4.2)
Image Information: Scan of a photographic copy of original photo
Source: Robert MacLellan Collection (permission to copy original photo courtesy Enid Johnston, Sydney, NS, 1990’s)
Men From Signals Platoon
Cape Breton Highlanders
Italy
May 11, 1944
Front Row, Left to Right:
1. Joe MacNeil, Sydney Mines, NS
2. Jerry Campbell, Iona, NS
3. August William Meacham, Ontario (Awarded a Military Medal for his actions on August 30, 1944 during the battle for Hill 120, a part of the German Gothic Line defences in Italy.)
Back Row, Left to Right:
1. Walter Francis Briand, Lower L’Ardoise, NS
2. George Burke, Lower L’Ardoise, NS
3. Tom (Tommy) Courage, Sydney Mines, NS
4. Alex Morrison, Sydney, NS (nicknamed “The Boo”)
5. Eric Alexander (Sandy) Johnston, Sydney, NS (Killed in Action in Italy on September 1, 1944.)
6. (?)
7. Joe MacLean, Antigonish County, NS (?)
8. Walter J. Pottie (Pate), Lower L’Ardoise, NS
In the back row of the photo, Eric Johnston is holding a spray gun for insect repellent. The caption on the back of the original photo read: “Here he is with the fly spray.”
Photographer: Unknown
Ref. Number: 0-3 (16-1.2)
Image Information: Scan of a photographic copy of original photo
Source: Robert MacLellan Collection (permission to copy original photo courtesy Enid Johnston, Sydney, NS, 1990’s)
Men From Signal Platoon
Cape Breton Highlanders
Italy
May 11, 1944
Front Row, Left to Right:
1. (?)
2. (?)
3. Alex Morrison, Sydney, NS (nicknamed “The Boo”)
4. George Burke, Lower L’Ardoise, NS
5. Walter J. Pottie (Pate), Lower L’Ardoise, NS
Back Row, Left to Right:
1. Tom (Tommy) Courage, Sydney Mines, NS
2. Walter Francis Briand, Lower L’Ardoise, NS
3. Joe MacNeil, Sydney Mines, NS
4. Augus William Meacham, Ontario (Awarded a Military Medal for his actions on August 30, 1944, during the battle for Hill 120, a part of the German Gothic Line defenses in Italy.)
5. Sonny Marshall, Mulgrave, NS
The caption on the back of the original photo read: “Some of the boys in the Signal Platoon – Italy – Before the attack on the Hitler Line”
Photographer: Unknown
Ref. Number: 0-3 (16-2.2)
Image Information: Scan of a photographic copy of original photo
Source: Robert MacLellan Collection (permission to copy original photo courtesy Enid Johnston, Sydney, NS, 1990’s)
Men From Signals Platoon
Cape Breton Highlanders
Italy
May 11, 1944
Front, Laying Down, Left to Right:
1. (?), Winnipeg, Manitoba (?)
2. Walter “Zeke” Pasieka, Flin Flon, Manitoba
3. “Boots” Boutilier, Dominion, NS
Back, Crouching, Left to Right:
1. Augus William Meacham, Ontario (Awarded a Military Medal for his actions on August 30, 1944, during the battle for Hill 120, a part of the German Gothic Line defenses in Italy.)
2. Eric Alexander (Sandy) Johnston, Sydney, NS (Killed in Action in Italy on September 1, 1944.)
3. (?)
4. Joe MacNeil, Sydney Mines, NS
5. (?)
The caption on the back of the original photo read: “Here we are again. That’s a bridge game, not a crap game?”
Photographer: Unknown
Ref. Number: 0-3 (16-3.2)
Image Information: Scan of a photographic copy of original photo
Source: Robert MacLellan Collection (permission to copy original photo courtesy Enid Johnston, Sydney, NS, 1990’s)