George Albert Ardagh, the son of Oscar Prior, enlisted with the 48th Highlanders, 1st Battalion on 8 September 1939 and was given the service number B73234. . He went overseas with the battalion on the Reina del Pacifico in December 1939. He remained with the battalion in England, briefly in France in 1940. In June of 1943 he was on board a ship bound for Sicily His ship was in the “Slow Convoy” with supplies and equipment while the main body of the 1st battalion sailed and landing at Pachino, Sicily on 9 July 1943. His ship was torpedoed on 4 July 1943, and he caught up with the battalion after they had landed at Pachino. He had been made L/Cpl on 28 July 1942 while in England and promoted to Corporal on 29 July 1943 in Sicily.

Cpl Ardagh was part of a 5-man patrol at night to scout the defenses and crossings for the Biferno River in preparation for the crossing and attack on Torella, Italy after the battalion and the brigade had taken Campobasso. The 48th were tasked with taking Torella which the Germans occupied and were using to shell Campobasso. The patrol began forward from the position of the RCR’s D Company at Oratino. ” Cpl. Ardagh tripped a wire of an “S” mine (Jumping Jack) which blew up with a flash. A phosphorous bomb Ardagh was carrying then exploded, likely killing him instantly. His Sgt. Major, the patrol leader, attempted to unfasten the Corporal’s equipment and was badly burned by the phosphorous and then was wounded as other mines exploded in swift succession.” Dileas – page 389

Cpl Ardagh was buried in a temporary grave near Campobasso – Map Campobasso 162-4 1/50.000 MR 466313 – grave on creek, location bank 150 yards from bend on main river. His permanent grave-site is in the Moro River Cemetery.

NOK: Son of Oscar Pryor Ardagh, M.B.E., and Rose Ardagh, of  292 Wellesley Street, Toronto, Ontario.