Maple Leaf newspaper Volume Number 3, Number 71, dated 6 June 1945 Maple Leaf Newspaper The Maple Leaf, a personal initiative of the Minister of National Defence, Colonel J.L. Ralston, a veteran of the Great War, was the daily newspaper of the Canadian Army Overseas from January 1944 until May 1946. Headed up by a professional journalist Captain J.D. MacFarlane (Essex Scottish Regiment attached to 1st Canadian Corps Headquarters in Taorminia, Sicily) later Major MacFarlane M.B.E, the Maple Leaf covered the Canadian Army from the Italian Campaign through France and the Low Countries until the surrender of the German Army in Holland. The editors had complete editorial freedom with no obligation to or direction from high command; in return, the Maple Leaf would not print opinions on domestic issues or internal military problems that might have a negative effect on morale. The Maple Leaf started production in Naples, Italy (January 1944) then after it fell, moved to Rome (until March 1945). In Northwest Europe, production started in Caen (July to September 1944), then moved to Brussels (September 1944 to September 1945), shifted to Amsterdam (September 1945 to November 1945), finally settling in Delmenhorst (November 1945 to May 1946) in order to service the needs of the those Canadians still serving in Europe. An English edition was run out of London (July 1945 to February 1946) during the demobilization and downsizing of the Canadian Army after the War. The WWII editions ran 8 pages.