"FATHER, IN THY GRACIOUS KEEPING LEAVE WE NOW OUR LOVED ONE SLEEPING"
Assigned to the Canadian Scottish Regiment on August 6, 1942, 1st Battalion.
To be Lance Corporal on July 10, 1944.
To be Corporal on August 22, 1944.
The Canadian Scottish Regiment war diary reports on October 21, 1944:
014006 (Rapenbrugstraat Noord/ Kwadestraat - Between Maldegem and Strobrugge, Belgium)
Total strength: Officers, 34 Other rank, 758.
Weather: Cloudy and cool.
The early pre-dawn darkness was still cut clearly by the numerous Arty flashes and flares. Enemy gun-fire and mortar-fire is almost continues on this front. He lays barrages down on the while of the narrow area with most attention paid to the bridges. To cross these is to run a gauntlet of fire. Rations have many times had to be ferried over the bullet-swept canal by willing crews and Company Quarter-Masters. The most forward Platoons of course endure the greatest discomfort and danger.
0945 hrs: "D" Coy reported that they were being sniped at by Bren guns (British 'Light' machine gun). Possibly these were the ones which were captured yesterday with "C" Company. Apparently the enemy like our L.M.G. They realize that it puts our men at unease when sniping is recognised as being done with our own weapons and our "G1098" ammo.
1200 hrs: "C" Coy remnants were withdrawn from "B" Coy area and were sent to Battalion H.Q. which was again located near CELIE 039002 (Roodwegelken / Lievestraat, Celie, Belgium). "A" Coy took over the former "C" Coy position us once more three Companies forwarded along the Leopold Canal front. (1025 hrs) A/OC D.G. Crofton went to Brigade with the Brigade Major, J.G. Stevens, to give our picture to the meeting. The bridgehead remains firm at terrific expense to the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade (Canadian Scottish Regiment, Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Regina Rifle Regiment) and the enemy in manpower, ammo and nerves. The battle log for this afternoon read as a series of reports on enemy shelling from our O.P. "CLARA". Counter battery fire from friendly Artillery returns ten shells for every one the enemy sends us. If a gun position still gives us trouble he is attacked by Typhoons (Fighter Aircraft). That makes the gun members wish they had no Feuhrer! The Arty FOO's working with the 'Scottish' are most cooperative and enjoy sending HATE to enemy-occupied Holland (The Netherlands).
1500 hrs: Admin Battalion H.Q. and "F" Echelon moved from Celie to Adegem (Waleweg, Adegem, Belgium - 1 mile West of Adegem Canadian War Cemetery) in order to cut shorter our Lines of Communication.
1700 hrs: The 'Winnipegs' (Royal Winnipeg Rifles) launched an attack and were successful in deepening the bridgehead another couple of hundred yards. This is all part of the plan for the moving of the bridgehead to astride the Maldegem-Aardenburg road where a Class 40 bridge will then be built by the Engineers.
2200 hrs: Coy positions were reported to Brigade as follows: Battalion H.Q. 039002 (Waleweg, Adegem, Belgium), "A" Coy 032022 (Belgium/Netherlands border about 500 metres East of Blindeweg, Netherlands), "B" Coy 035022 (a couple of hundred meteres East of "A" Coy), "C" Coy 045997 (Kochuystraat/ Ganzenstraat, Celie, Belgium), "D" Coy 044022 (Belgium/Netherlands border about 500 metres East of Vuilpanstraat, Belgium).
Casualties: Officers: NIL Other ranks killed: 3 Wounded 5.
