Charles Ross Jefferys was born in 1918 in Los Angeles, California to Edwin James and Anna Margaret Jefferies. His father, a civil engineer by trade, served in the Canadian Field Artillery during the First World War but returned to Winnipeg after being wounded in France. His family moved to back to Canada when he was a toddler and lived in Toronto. He attended Ridley College and Upper Canada College. After high school, he attended Michigan College of Mining and Technology, graduating in Mining Engineering in 1939.
He was working as a junior mining engineer for the Buffalo Amherite Gold Mines in Timmins, Ontario doing work in survey and mapping, costs and calculations, and design. On 14 January 1940, he enlisted as a gunner in the 1st Survey Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery in Noranda, Ontario. He had previously served in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in Michigan while at university, and for a short time in 1939, served in the Governor General’s Horse Guard, a non-permanent active militia unit based in Toronto. Due to his past profession and education in Mining, Charles was already a qualified Surveyor and an ideal recruit for the Artillery.
Charles was immediately sent to the United Kingdom for training at Larkhill, home of the artillery in England. At one point, he was promoted to Acting Bombardier but reverted to gunner due to a minor disciplinary matter. In October 1940, and likely based more on his hard rock mining experience than his survey qualifications, Charles was posted to Number 1 Canadian Tunnelling Company in Borden, Kent. He quickly rose to the rank of Acting Sergeant and was he was sent to 1 Canadian Holding Unit as an officer cadet ($4 per day) in the spring of 1941, assigned to the Engineer Company. In June, he was sent to 142 (Royal Engineer) Officer Training Unit, Malta Barracks, Aldershot. He graduated as a lieutenant on 11 October. He bounced around the 5th Canadian Armoured Division and No. 1 Canadian Tunnelling Company for most of 1942, before being posted to the 1st Field Company, RCE in December.
Most of the training over the next couple of months was based at the Combined Arms Training Centre in Scotland. Sappers practiced assault landings, beach clearance, mountain warfare, enemy mines and a myriad of other subjects needed to support a rapid advance. In June, the 1st Division’s Engineer HQ and units were taking part in what would be their final amphibious exercises when they learned they would soon go into action. Field Companies worked closely with their affiliated brigades, with the 1st Field Company supporting the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade. While the Division Engineer HQ worked out the loading tables for men, equipment, supplies, and reinforcements that would be needed to support an assault. Troops began exchanging their woollen battledress for tropical clothing and trained to waterproof their vehicles. Every soldier was on edge with tensions rising and rumours spreading about where and when they would see action. Would it be Greece? Crete? Sicily? As training wrapped up, they changed into their tropical clothing and loaded on ships. Oscar would have been among the soldiers given a 48-hour leave in groups of 50 at a time starting on 5 June.
The final embarkation took place on 11 and 12 June when the two assault brigades of the 1st Canadian Division took part in an assault landing Exercise STYMIE II in Scotland as a final practice of what they would face in the upcoming assault. Once the landing was complete by LSTs (Landing Ship, Tank), the remainder of the exercise was cancelled due to poor weather conditions and damaged landing craft. All personnel were re-embarked on the ships and the convoy remained near the Ayrshire coast waiting for decent weather to re-attempt the exercise. Troops made frequent trips back to shore by use of LSTs. Once ashore, they conducted physical training and route marches to maintain readiness. When weather permitted, troops were allowed to end their training days with a swim or sunbathing.
The total strength of Canadian units that would embark on Operation HUSKY was over 26,000 officers and men with tanks, guns, and enough supplies to sustain three weeks of fighting. The main invasion force would sail in two convoys with the combat units divided between the "Fast Assault Convoy" carrying the landing force and the "Slow Assault Convoy" carrying the follow-on troops. The Slow Assault Convoy sailed first in two groups on 19 and 24 June 1943 carrying troops, equipment and supplies not needed for the initial assault. Taking different sea routes for reasons and security and safety, the two slow convoys would meet near Algiers and late and meet the Fast Assault Convoy off Malta on D minus 1. The ‘Fast Assault Convoy’ sailed down the River Clyde on 28 June 1943 and started its long journey to the Mediterranean. Charles travelled in the Fast Assault Convoy and landed in the assault wave along with the 3rd Field Company, as planned on 10 July at Pachino.
Luckily, the beaches weren’t very well defended and were easily captured by Allied forces. The greatest challenge of the landing came from conducting earthworks to allow the mass of vehicles to exit the beaches. The Company cleared multiple small minefields in the surrounding area. An excerpt from the war diary on the night of July 10th, 1943, “The unit was treated to one of the most amazing demonstrations of Ack Ack fire as evening drew on and attempts were made to bomb vessels on the beach.” This went on for another day and the company took on tasks aimed at repairing of the nearby airfield. By 12 July, all three Field Companies were advancing into the hills with their affiliated brigades. It was the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade that first met with German troops at Grammichele on 15 July. Alone the battle was fierce, the Sappers were fortunate in not taking any casualties. They in fact spent "a hectic evening slugging dirt into a huge road crater".
The rest of the advance was slow due to German obstacles, mines and booby traps. The 2nd Brigade took the lead on 15 July, and the 3rd Brigade took the lead from them on 17 July Meanwhile, the sappers would likely have been following behind the leading troops improving the way ahead. The 1st Brigade moved on Assoro, while the 3rd Brigade moved on to Leonforte. These objectives were taken and the next objectives, Agira, Regalbuto, and Catenanuova, were assigned. Resistance from reinforced German troops became increasingly stiffer as they found the noose tightening. On July 26th, the 2nd Brigade took over the attack on Agira, which gave the men of the 1st Field Company a chance to recover and improve roads leading to the front.
During the first few days of August, the 1st Field Company was working in support of the advance east of Regalbuto. The town was finally cleared by noon on 3 August and the sapper platoons were assigned route repair tasks. Charles’ 3 Platoon was assigned the route south of the town, including filling craters and building a 70-foot Bailey bridge three miles south of Regalbuto. The work did not progress quickly due to continuous shelling by the Axis forces and two minefields conveniently laid on the bypass route chosen for the bridge site. On 4 August, while the bridging equipment was being moved forward, the minefield clearance task began. He and Spr Frank Foster were working on one of the many booby-trapped mines in a field. The next morning at 0730 hours, a Dispatch Ricer informed the company HQ that they were both killed when the mine detonated. They were buried in a temporary grave near the place where they were killed and later reburied in the Agira Canadian War Cemetery.
Charles received the 1939-45 Star, the Italy Star, the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp, and the War Medal 1939-45. Charles’ estate was left to his wife, Martha Julia Jefferys, who resided in Toronto, ON at the time. She also received a memorial Cross.
* From research completed by Lt Connor Thomas, 2 CER and the CMEA of publically available sources.
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