Exceptional 1943-1945 Original Handwritten Autograph Book Compiled by a Canadian World War II Soldier in the Italian Campaign As the Allies Advanced North

On offer is a truly remarkable find from World War II: a small autograph book kept by a Canadian soldier named Herbert John Busch while he served in Italy. Busch was born in 1919 in Calgary, Alberta. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) and served in the Italian Campaign as part of the Central Mediterranean Force (CMF). After the war, he returned to Alberta where he lived until passing away in 2002 at the age of 83. This autograph book contains pages with dates, signatures, brief comments, addresses, and sometimes even short poems or songs by numerous soldiers from across Canada who were serving in Italy. At the top of many pages there are Italian town names written in a different hand than the autographs (we presume these were added later by Busch). For example: "Gravina / Some where in Italy 16/12/43 / Dear Herbie / I cook for tomorrow so you can look forward to some Flapper Jacks / Bdr [Bombardier] Blake Ft, McCallum Newfoundland." Several entries were dated in Ortona, Italy, where the Canadian 1st Division fought a brutal eight-day battle in December 1943, which took many casualties. "Ortona / Some where in Italy. 1./3./44. / Dear Herbie. Here we are in Italy with all its mud and snow. On to Berlin we hope to go. But when the leaves fall again I hope we are back home where we wont have to dig in. / Bill Saunders." "March 1/44. Somewhere else in Italy. Ortona / Dear Herb / Take us back to Canada, The place we long to be; To get us clear of Italy. Would be good enough for me. / Sgt M Neil T. A. C. / Spryfield PO / Halifax NS / Canada." This book measures 4 inches by 5.75 inches and contains 44 pages. It is 100 percent complete. The soft leather cover is in excellent condition. It bears an embossed and colourfully painted head of an Indigenous man wearing a traditional feathered headdress of the First Nations peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies. The cover and the pages are punched with two holes and they are all secured with a lace. The pages are in good condition and the handwriting is legible. This is a superb artefact of Canadian World War II history. With the words and handwriting of over three dozen young men, the pages of this book bring to life the experiences of soldiers who fought to liberate Italy from the Germans. The names, dates, and mailing addresses contained within offer an abundance of detail about the specific Canadian individuals who served in the Italian Campaign at the time. ; Manuscripts; 4" x 5.75"; 44 pages; Keywords: Herbert J Busch; Royal Canadian Artillery; Battle of Ortona; Canadians in WWII; World War Two; Alberta; D-Day; Gravina; Godo; Italy; RCA; Central Mediterranean Force; CMF; Italian Campaign; Allied Forces; Handwritten; Manuscript; Document; Letter; Autograph; Writer; Hand Written; Documents; Signed; Letters; Manuscripts; Diary; Diaries; Journal; Personal History; Social History; Memoir; Memorial; HANDWRITTEN; MANUSCRIPT; ANTIQUIT, CONTRAT; VLIN; DOCUMENT; MANUSCRIT; PAPIER ANTIKE; BRIEF; PERGAMENT; DOKUMENT; MANUSKRIPT; PAPIER OGGETTO D'ANTIQUARIATO; ATTO; VELINA; DOCUMENTO; MANOSCRITTO; CARTA ANTIGEDAD; HECHO; VITELA; DOCUMENTO; MANUSCRITO; PAPEL