B74895 Pte Hart, Stanley Lloyd attested at Militia District #2 with the 48th Highlanders in Toronto on 31 October 1940.

NOK: Mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Hart, 187 De Grassi Street, Toronto.

Our records of sailing lists from Halifax don’t list him so he may have sailed with soldiers assigned to other units. He is most likely to have been with the 1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders for the time in England up to June 1943. He was promoted A/LCpl on 19 June 1942 then reverted to Private on 17 December 1942.

He was taken on strength in Sicily rejoining the 1st Battalion, from the 48th Highlanders’ X-4 list on 11 August 1943.  This timing indicates he joined up with the 1st Battalion at the end of the Sicilian campaign and while the battalion was at rest prior to crossing the Straits of Messina at Reggio di Calabria on 3 September. He may have sailed just after the battalion sailed as there was a “slow convoy” with additional troops and supplies following the ships of the 1st Canadian Division who landed at Pachino, Sicily on 9 July 1943. Pte Hart was with the battalion as they chased the Germans up the Adriatic coast to Campobasso, the advance to Ortona and the battle of The Gully.

He was wounded on 31 December 1943 as the 48th Highlanders who had penetrated on 24 December in single file at night almost 2 miles behind the German lines to threaten the roads exiting Ortona that the Germans relied upon for reinforcements or retreat. On the night of 27/28 the Germans abandoned Ortona and the 48th advanced on the 30th, chasing the Germans. Pte Hart was wounded on the advance in which the Highlanders suffered five times (41 vs 8) the casualties that they had during the 3 days the Germans had tried to dislodge them. The wound is recorded as GSW (gun shot wound) to the left upper arm and right hip. On that day he was Struck Off Strength to the X-3 list, 48th Highrs. The X-3 list is for those Highlanders in hospital, or aid station. Pte Hart returned to Canada where he was discharged due to medical reasons on 03 June 1944. He received a pension at the disability rate of 60%.

In Toronto he married Annie Robinson at Woodgreen United Church on 24 November 1945.