Francis “Frank” Drew Trist was born to Richard and Maggie Trist in Dryden.
Raised in Dryden, he attended both elementary and high school.
Frank enlisted at Port Arthur in 1941 and went overseas in 1942.During the Italian Campaign, Frank served in the ‘Royal Canadian Artillery 2 Medium Regt.’
He was a “Bren Gun Carrier” driver during the Battle of Monte Casino.
On 29 May, 1944, Trist was positioned with a crew on a hilltop where they were acting as artillery spotters. Their job was to pinpoint German positions and radio the coordinates to the Artillery. Unfortunately, the Germans also had spotters who searched out the Canadian position and ordered fire on it. Frank and crew were killed by German artillery returning fire.
Frank Drew Trist is buried in the Casino War Cemetery, 139 kilometres south-east of Rome.
(Ruins of Monte Casino battle)
(“Universal” or “Bren Gun” Carrier similar to the one Trist was operating when he was killed.
Images of Frank provided by Trist family of Dryden, supplied courtesy of Spuro Sourtzis. All other images courtesy DND
