Through the Hitler Line

Laurence F. Wilmot, M.C., was Warden Emeritus of St. John's College, Winnipeg, Manitoba. During a pre-engineering year at university, he decided to train for the ministry. He served as a chaplain in the Canadian army from 1942-45, and was in Italy during the 1944-45 campaign. He was awarded the Military Cross in August 1944 and has received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from Trinity College, Toronto, and St. John's College, Winnipeg. Laurence Wilmot passed away in December 2003 at the age of 96.

"This book will become a classic on conflict from the perspective of a chaplain....Padre Wilmot's story provides...personalities that bring this story to life, where other histories provide only dry statistics and commentary....For padres and other support professionals, this book is thought provoking, as the essence of the challenges and coping strategies remain the same sixty years later. If nothing else, this book should serve as a catalyst to discussions on the roles of these professionals and the relationships with the chain of command at all levels." -- Captain R.D. Tesselaar -- Canadian Army Journal, Volume 8.3, 200606

• Through the Hitler Line: Memoirs of an Infantry Chaplain by Lawrence F. Wilmot, MCList of PhotographsList of MapsForewordAcknowledgemnetsIntroductionChapter 1. Treading Cautiously into the UnknownChapter 2. Ministry on the Arielli FrontChapter 3. Taking Up God's ArmourChapter 4. Breaking the Hitler LineChapter 5. A Tourist in WartimeChapter 6. Preparing for the AttackChapter 7. Tragedy at Foglia RiverChapter 8. Fierce Fighting and Close CallChapter 9. A Time of Stress and a Moment of RestChapter 10. Roman Holiday, Russi RoadChapter 11. Prayers for the FallenChapter 12. Liberating HollandChapter 13. The Guns Fall SilentGlossary