Canadian Minister of National Defence, Colonel Ralston and Brigadier Bertram M. Hoffmeister, Commanding General 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade at the graves of three Canadians killed near Casaleiprano (Castelpriano?), Italy on 26 November 1943. Note: The censor's have blocked out General Hoffmeister's cap badge. A check of the CWGC database revealed that three Canadians were killed on 26 November 1943 in Italy. They were originally buried in the Ortona Military Cemetery (GR Sh. 141 / II 344147 - 1/50,000 scale). They were later moved to the The Moro River Canadian War Cemetery in the locality of San Donato in the Commune of Ortona, Province of Chieti, and is sited on high ground near the sea just east of the main Adriatic coast road (SS16). ORIGINAL CAPTION: "26999-N - COL . RALSTON IN ITALY / The graves of three Canadian soldiers who were killed in action in Italy near Casaleiprano are seen here by Col . the Hon. J . L. Ralston in the course of his recent tour of Canadian units on the Italian front . With the Minister of National Defence here is a Canadian Brigadier from Vancouver . · 26999-R - Unit - Unknown / Brig . - Brig . B.M. Hoffmeister, Comd 2 Inf Bde Location - near Casaleiprano, Italy / Date - 26 Nov 43 / Operation: Visit by Col . Ralston" CWGC details attached. GET MORE DETAILS FROM THE MEMORY PROJECT They were: G5300 Gunner Harold Hale, 2nd Field Regiment, RCA. Lt Emile Roger Pellerin, Royal 22nd Regiment E5874 LCpl Joseph Georges Morrisset (also written as Morrissette), Royal 22nd Regiment. James Layton Ralston, lawyer, politician, soldier (Born at Amherst, NS 27 Sept 1881 and died at Montréal 21 May 1948). He was the battalion commander of the 85th (Cape Breton Highlanders) Battalion, CEF Ralston had a reputation for bravery and competence. He was awarded the DSO and bar and mentioned in Despatches. He was wounded at Lens on 29/6/1917, Amiens on 8/8/1918, Cambrai on 1/10/1918 and Valenciennes on 23/10/1918. Ralston was twice Minister of National Defence, 1926-30 and 1940-44. Intense, scrupulously honest, and an able representative of the political interests of the Maritime provinces, he was a stalwart in Prime Minister Mackenzie King's WW II Cabinet, serving briefly as minister of finance, 1939-40, before becoming defence minister. Despite a tendency to become mired in administrative detail, he was a fine judge of generalship and a devoted defender of Canada's fighting men. King forced Ralston's resignation in 1944 because of his outspoken support of overseas conscription. Other numbers: DND 26999-N and 26999-R; 353-3; 296837;