On many summer Sunday afternoons, Michele Facchini would typically not be found in the scorching flat fields northwest of Ravenna, Italy, using a metal detector. However, an unexpected connection to Cape Breton’s Hector McDonald, a soldier who perished in 1944, was made during one such excursion.
Facchini, a 49-year-old Second World War researcher and educator, usually spends his weekends at home reading diaries of Canadian soldiers and studying battle maps. Yet, on a cooler July 6, he ventured to the outskirts of Russi, near the Lamone River, where nearly 10,000 Canadian troops had fought in December 1944 to drive out Nazi forces from northern Italy.
While scanning the area with his metal detector, Facchini stumbled upon remnants of bullets and shrapnel from high-explosive bombs. Prompted by the landowner, he discovered a duffel bag buried in a warehouse on the property, bearing a name and regiment number. This chance find rekindled a long-forgotten tale and reconnected McDonald with his family.
Hector Colin McDonald, a lance-sergeant, was a wiry five-foot-nine man weighing 137 pounds with hazel eyes and light-brown hair. He hailed from New Aberdeen, Cape Breton, and joined the war effort at 25, serving in the North Nova Scotia Highlanders and later the West Nova Scotia Regiment. McDonald partook in significant battles, including the Sicily invasion, Ortona combat, and the arduous push towards the Lamone River.
Tragically, McDonald met his end at the age of 29 when a mine planted by retreating German forces claimed his life on a small bridge over the Lamone River. His personal effects, including a rosary from his fiancée Elizabeth Wales, reflected his unwavering commitment to the cause.
Facchini’s remarkable discovery of McDonald’s duffel bag, 81 years after his death, serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers during World War II. The bag, once belonging to a valiant soldier who fought against dictatorship and fascism, holds deep historical significance, emphasizing the importance of preserving such stories.