Gordon Henry Charles Cass was born on the 29th of October, 1923, to a working-class family in Parkdale. He was the son of Harry Cass, a labourer and a veteran of the First World War (Canadian Forestry Corps), who also had short pre-war militia service with the 48th Highlanders of Canada. His mother Ruby was a homemaker, and he grew up the eldest sibling to brother Bruce and sister Jean. Cass enjoyed the outdoors, hunting and fishing, and played baseball and soccer.
Gordon went into the workforce after the 8th Grade to support his family and was employed as a Drill Press Operator when he enlisted in the Canadian Army for Active Service on November 9th, 1942, aged 19 years. Cass was slotted as Motorized Infantry due to his ability to drive and desire to be a driver. After a period of training, CASS sailed to England and was posted to 4 Canadian Reinforcement Unit and, in June 1943, was posted to the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. After a summer of intensive training, Cass was posted to the 24 Field Ambulance, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (24 Fd Amb, RCAMC) destined for the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations.
Cass landed at Naples on 8 Nov 1943 with 24 Fd Amb and moved up to the line. His unit had a busy time in Italy, first seeing action near Ortona in January 1944, then to Monte Cassino, and against the Gustav and Hitler Lines. In these battles, the difficult terrain meant tough work for stretcher-bearer parties and ambulances, and the men often supported Regimental Aid Posts and worked the Casualty Collection Points and Advanced Dressing Stations.
“The first time in action is the worst because you see things that turn your stomach… fingers, toes, arms, head blown off… you see that right off the bat and that’s what turns you right away… Oh my God, what am I doing here…once you get over that initial shock… it’s very difficult… once you go through it…it’s like this is your job… you know you have to do it.” – Cpl Howey, 24 Fd Amb, RCAMC
In July 1944, Cass was sent to the Salerno Rest Camp in Southern Italy for a period of recuperation. By October 1944, he was transferred to a reinforcement camp and requalified as an Infantryman. Afterwards, Private Cass was transferred to the 48th Highlanders of Canada in late January 1945, and was assigned to A Company. With his new unit, Cass held the winter line in the Ravenna Marshes.
On 11 March 1945, Cass, along with the rest of the 48th left Italy, and travelled from Southern France to Northwest Europe for what would be the final phase of the war. On 11 April 1945, Operation CANNONSHOT began. Private Cass took part in the crossing of the IJssel River and, as part of the breakout, A Company received orders to attack west on an axis south of the town of Wilp, swinging north to seize important crossroads. At 3pm, A Company’s attack near Wilp faced difficulty in an open field facing a wood containing 3 Self-Propelled guns and 6 machine guns. Major Beal ordered a smoke screen in front of the wood and a platoon from Able cleared the German machine gun posts and the wood.
Later, A and B Coys passed through C & D which had taken Hoven and Steenenkamer. At 5:30pm, A Coy was again in action in the taking of Twello. They were met with German resistance on the outskirts of the town before B Coy made a daring capture of the town square on the back of Sherman tanks. It was on this long day that Private Cass was killed in action. It’s not clear exactly at which point during those actions Cass fell, but Dileas explains:
“The Highlanders’ casualties were largely caused by ambushing, and aimed fire in daylight from Jerry positions which were either dug-in or in houses. Six men were killed, and 2 died that night…”
Private Cass was 21.
NOK: Son of Harry and Ruby Cass, of Toronto, Ontario.