28 ~ Wednesday, December 15, 1993 -- North Shore News AVING STORMED the shores of Sicily, gathered medals from the steps of Hitler’s chancellory and in- § troduced the world to Lili Marlene, you might say West Vancouver writer and broadcaster Peter Stursberg has led life to the fullest. What’s even more remarkable is that he still is. - Now 80, he has just released his 13th book, The Sound of War, a chronicle of his days covering the Second World War for the CBC. “1 know J left it late,’ he says’ of the book. “But on the other hand, it was good to bring it out on the 50th anniversary of the first ‘real Canadian invasion — the in- vasion of Sicily in 1943.” As he reclines in the library of his West Van home — looking considerably younger than his years — it’s not hard to imagine that this is the same man who, as _ he puts it, “landed without get- ~ ting my feet wet,” on the Sicilian sands. ; But it’s that voice — a booming . leviathanof a voice — that is so arresting. It’s rich and sonorous “and commands attention. ° I's a voice you instinctively . know has something important and relevant to say. And it has said many important and relevant things. Born in China in 1913 where his father was a British bureaucrat, - Stursberg moved to Canada with his family when he was nine. He scored his first reporting job in / 1934 working for the Victoria Daily Times and moved to the Vancouver Province five years later. in. 1941,'he became news editor -for the CBC in Vancouver and, with the outbreak of war, became the first journalist to broadcast on Canadians in action. “Tl went to England at the beginning of 1943 where the CBC _ had an overseas unit,’ he says. - “There were only two cor- respondents: myself and Ross * Munro. of Canadian Press. We had “December AQ; 16 a RATING | Rehet fi - iz Guilty aS Sin (new) emer en enacaNEts We “Clitshanger, “a. Free Willy a PG- 13... Comedy | PG ' 7 Hck Finn "hetek Greg Potter SPOTLIGHT FEATURE priority positions.” Consequently, Stursberg was almost always in the right place at the right time, often scooping his British and American counterparts. Besides the landing at Sicily, he covered the invasion of southern France, the beginning of the Italian campaign and the final three months of the war on the Western Front. ’ “What was most thrilling for me was that first Canadian action -- landing in Sicily,’’ he says.’ “We were very scared that it might be a disaster like Dieppe, . which had eccurred about 10 months earlier. “There was a big storm on the day before the invasion, but they didn't call it off. 1 settled down a bit, but it meant a heavy swell and the assault troops didn’t get away on time. "So instead of coming in under the cover of darkness, we came in daylight. “Luckily, there turned out to be very litde apposition.’ The correspondents thenselves didn't fare quite so well with op- position. Ata time when loose lips sank ships, every word uttered or written by reporters was scruti- nized by military authorities. “We had total censorship,” MPAA | THEME. uence COARSE SEX & NUDITY “PG — “None “Mild None | Much | Some Some | ean 1pG- ay Action Hed palin Muc “Lots* Mild None Adventure Some Thritler Action Drama “| JUST CAN'T GET PASTA TUESDAY WITHOLT COMING IN TO BOSTON PIZZA!” Now, every -y Tuesday i is $4, 95 Posto Tuesday at Boston Pizza. § Come In, Sit Down, Enjoy a full portion of your favourite pasta, mix ‘n matched with your favourite pasta sauce, plus garlic bread, all for a price that’s just too good fo pasta up; just $4.95. Only on $4.95 Pasta Tuesday! 1078 MARINE DR. N.VAN. 984-0407 Stursberg says bluntly. “You couldn't evade it. If you tried, you were subject to very serious punishment. “You couldn't, for example, leave the front and go back to London with a story that you knew the censors wouldn't allow to be sent out. The same apptied in Canada." Naturally, the subject of the completely uncensored “‘living- room war,’ as typified by the Vietnam conflict, arises. “The principal difference is that the Second World War was total war,” he says. “The Viet- nam war was a sideshow. “There was no censorship — you could leave Vietnam and write anything you wanted. The Ameri- can military had to learn to control the press more. “So what happened in the Gulf war was that, although they had no censorship there, correspon- dents were manipulated by the military and only allowed to go in and write about what the military wanted them to write about.” Stursberg’s first book, journey Into Victory, published in England in 1944, suffered the same fate, though the experience hardly deterred him. Following the war, he travelled. extensively throughout Europe, ’ India, the West Indies and Africa as a roving correspondent for Lon- don’s Daily Heraid, He took on the post as the CBC's UN correspondent from 1950-1956 and went on to con- tribute to Maclean’s, Saturday Night and Newsweek, in addition to writing a series of books on John Diefenbaker and Lester Pear- son. Still, in many ways, he remembers the Second World War as a high point in both his life and career. . ; See Relief page 38 US LIGHT UP YOQuR CHRISTMAS! Come and enjoy an old fashioned Christmas at the Annual Christmas Light Display, complete with live, holiday entertainment! *Light Display* NEWS photo Mike Wakotletd WEST VANCOUVER journalist Peter Stursberg has just released his 13th book, The Sound of War, a chronicie of his daya ¢ cover- ing the Second World War for the CBC. “WIERES WALLO™ Martin Handfoas Licensed hy Copyrights, All Rights Reserved Waldo is hiding in 5 painted, store-front windows. _., Correctly locate his hiding places and be eligitie to WIN A TRIP FOR 4 TO DISNEYLAND! Coniest starts Decembar 4, 1993 and ends January 2, 1994. | Draw date is January 10, 1994, December 4, 1993 - January 2, 1994 Free Admission Open 9:30 am.to 9:30 pm 7 days a week See entry forms for detalls , Sponsored partly by: Enjoy live, family entertainment on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays i in the early evenings. For more information call 984-8200 Canadi>n Holidays 6# Marlin Travel PARK & TILFORD CENTRE 333 Brooksbank Avenue, North Vancouver __