The Congressional Medal is one of the highest honours the US can bestow on a non-American citizen.
The award is given to “persons that have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement.”
Canadian commando unit that fought in Europe known
as the Devil’s Brigade. © CBC
Arthur Pottle, will soon be receiving the gold medal, as one of the surviving members of an elite US-Canadian commando unit in the Second World War. It was the first international commando unit, and has served as a model for later special service units.
Now aged 92, he was a sergeant in the 1st Special Service Force, (FSSF) that fought in Europe.
The unit was given the nickname ‘the Devil’s Brigade” by the Germans during fighting in the mountains of Italy, particularly Monte La Difensa in 1943.
“[We] climbed up a section that the Germans thought no one could get up and surprised them,” Pottle said of the famous capture that was later dramatized in the 1968 war film, The Devil’s Brigade. “It was raining and pretty muddy. The old movie … that was all sunshine … I don’t think the actors wanted to get wet or walk in mud.”
Later, the unit would be among the first to reach Rome, and then later were fighting in southern France
Mr Pottle originally was advised by his father not to go into the infantry as they march too much. He was told, go into the artillery “they ride”. But as the artillery was full, and he was a top marksman, he volunteered for a new unit, the Special Service Force.
We had to work like sons of guns in order to try to catch up to their training,” said Pottle. “They worked us from early morning to 9 o’clock at night, six days a week.”
Soldiers underwent intensive hand-to-hand combat, parachuting and mountain warfare training that would later come to define the unit.
Mr Pottle said he learned this month that the surviving members of the unit will receive the US Congressional Gold Medal for their service.
US President Obama signed the bill on Friday and a design is being created.
Arther Pottle said he hopes to receive his Congressional Gold Medal in September, when he plans to attend the Devil’s Brigade’s 67th anniversary reunion in Windsor, Ont.
YouTube excerpt from the 1968 film “The Devil’s Brigade”: segment, the Canadians arrive
CBC’s “As it Happens” Interview with 91-year-old Charles Mann, of Kincardine, Ontario, one of members of the Devil’s Brigade.
Canada at War First Special Service Force- the Devils Brigade
Col(ret) Brum 1stSSF Toronto Sun story
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