Kenora's Contributions to World War 2
Up to the moment I have identified 38 individuals, who were born or lived in Kenora who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War 2. Those who were injured or damaged physically or mentally were countless more. In the early years of the war it was airman who made the sacrifice. In 1944 the loses shifted to the land armed forces particularly after D Day June 6 1944. Lives continued to be loss as the armed forces moved off the beaches towards Caen, then after July on to Falaise and then along the Northern regions of France, Belgiam, Holland and then Germany.
One of the earliest to die was Private Sidney Frederick Sutton who died in the infamous raid on Dieppe August 19 1942, receiving recognition in despatches after the war.
To date the largest regiment to suffer losses of Kenora Boys was Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), Royal Canadian Infantry Company (R.C.I.C):
Frederick Thomas White died 5 Aug 1944
Ernest Belair H45926 died 13 Oct 1944
Francis J. Smith H45888 died 23-Oct-44
Athur Vanance H46291 died 15 Feb 1945
Henry Wilfred Boucha H42356 died 8 Apr 1945
Royal V. Giving H45730 died 23 Apr 1945
Allen Muggaberg H45719 died 27 Apr 1945
For an overview you can't beat Lake Superior Regiment History Video https://www.thunderbaymuseum.com/exhibits/virtual-exhibits/lake-superior-regiment/ also gives a good history and a pdf file with resources at the end.
World War Two Solders From Killed in Action
Alcock, Wilfred Reginald, H54839, Royal Regiment of Canada, R.C.I.C. d. 19 Feb 1945
Armour, William Douglas J16462 RCAF Flying Officer 23-Mar-44
Begg, Raymond H14295, South Saskatchewan Regiment RCIC 14 Oct 1944
Belair, Ernest H45926, Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) d. 13 Oct 1944
Blair, Frederick Charles R123683, RCAF d. 28-Sep-42
Boucha, Henry Wilfred H42356, Lake Superior Reg. (Motor) R.C.I.C d. 8 Apr 1945
Bradley, Earnest William, H103409, Royal Winnipeg RCIC d. 8 Jun 1944
Campbell, George Albert, H17510, Canadian Service Battalion, RCIC d. 7 Jan 1944
Caron, Aime Leon R116332 RCAF d. 17 Sep 1942
Connett, Kenneth John H8964 General List, Canadian Army d. 20 May 1943
Elders, James H20664, Regina Rifle Regiment, RCIC d. 10 Jul 1944
Erskine, Charles Stewart, H70609, South Saskatchewan Regiment, R.C.I.C., Private, d. 25-Jul-44
Franchuk, Stefan R86255 RCAF d. 7 Dec 1942
Gibson, Rodney David R68762 RCAF 1 Aug 1942
Giving, Royal V. H45730 Lake Superior (Motor), RCIC d. 23 Apr 1945
Gordon, Donald Alexander J40766 RCAF Flying Officer 30-Aug-44
Gordon, Robert M. H51816 RCA Service Corps Seargeant 12-Aug-44
Grozik, Mark H9174 Canadian Regiment RCIC d. 8 Jun 1944
Guernsey, Lorne Stanley, RCAF, d. 31-Aug-44
Hakala, Allan Francis, J17267, RCAF Pilot Officer, d. 02-Apr-43
Hanton, Lloyd George R196069 RCAF d. 24 Nov 1943
Henderson, David Louden Sutherland J87259 RCAF d. 14 aug 1944
Jeffrey, John Kelly H54823
Jorgenson, G. Vincent, H26553, Fort Garry Horse, 10th Armd. RCAC, Sergeant, d. 23-Oct-44
Koytyl, Alex RCAF 25-Feb-45
Lacombe, Ralph James,H9304, Algonquin Regiment, R.C.I.C, Private, d. 11-Sep-44
Lavoie, George Wilfred, H11198, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps,d. 20-Dec-44
Mackie, John Wallace Allan J90349 R215883 RCAF d. 29 Jul 1944
Mackie, Victor Jim H54861 RCA d. 22 Jul 1944
Mamchur, Carl H33 Lord Strathcoma's Horse (Royal Canadian) RCAC 26 Sep 1944
Markham, Duncan H54839
MacDonald, Carman Leroy, H54801, Royal Canadian Artillery, Warrant Officer Class II, d.13-Jan-47
McLeod, Alexander Matheson, M55897, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, Sergeant, d. 14-May-46
Middleton, Melvin Cyril, H40668, 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, R.C.I.C, Sergeant, d. 29-Jun-44
Moore, Franklin Guy Moore, R119531,RCAF, Warrant Officer Class II, d. 28-Apr-43
Muggaberg, Allen H45719 Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) d. 27 Apr 1945
Ouellette, Stanley Joseph
R124429 RCAF d. 25 NOV 1943 • Turin, Italy
Park, Gilbert Earl, R213885,RCAF, Leading Aircraftman, d.15-May-43
Paulson, lloyd Leslie, H26710, Fort Garry Horse, d. 11 Jun 1944
Poirier, Joseph Alfred Raymond, J9147, RCAF, d. 20-Oct-43
Skead , Frederick Adolph H22201 Essex Scottish Regiment RCIC 19 Feb 1945
Smith, Andrew R. H20547 Royal Winnipeg Rifles, R.C.I. C. Rifleman 12-Aug-44
Smith, Francis J., H45888, Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C., d. 23-Oct-44
Sobiski, Victor, R191177, Royal Canadian Air Force, Sergeant, d.13-Sep-44
Swanson, Harry Walter, K47756, Westminster Regiment (Motors), R.C.I.C, Sergeant, d. 03-Sep-44
Sutton, Sidney Frederick H20143 Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, R.C.I.C. d. 19 Aug 1942
Tait, Charles H51871 RCA Service Corp Private 24-Aug-44
Usick, Michael H67214 South Saskatchewan Regiment, R.C.I.C. Lance Corporal 16-Aug-44
Usick, Peter H204482 Calgary Highlanders, R.C.I.C. Private 01-Nov-44
Vanance, Athur H46291 Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) RCIC 15 Feb 1945
Villeneuve, Leo Patrick, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps d. 19-Dec-42
White, Frederick Thomas Lake Superior (Motor), RCIC d. 5 Aug 1944
Wolfe, Esfeld H52102 RCA Gunner 30-Nov-43
Zimring, Bernard R207932 RCAF 04-Nov-44
Zurkan, Walter Andrew, R281949, RCAF,d. 06-Apr-47
Reference
Berton, Pierre, Marching as to War, Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 2001
Berton, Pierre, Vimy, Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1986
Brown, Angus and Richard Gimblett, In the Footsteps of First Canadian Army, Northwestern Europe 1942-1945
Cook, Tim, The Madman and the Burcher, The Sensation Wars of Sam Hughes and General Athur Currie,PenguinToronto: Penguin 2010
Cook, Tim, The Necessary War, Volume One, Canadians Fighting the Second World War 1939-1943
Cook, Tim, Fight to the Finnish, Canadians in the Second World War 1944-1945 Toronto: Allen Lane, 2015
Davies, Norman (2007) No Simple Victory, New York: Penguin Books
Granatstein, J.L, Bloody Victory, Canadians and the D-Day Campaign 1944, Toronto: Lester Publishing Limited, 1984
Grayling, A.C (2006/2007) Among the Dead Cities, Is the Targeting of Civilians in War Ever Justified, London: Bloomsbury
Morton, Desmond, A Military History of Canada, Edmonton: Hurtig Publisher,
O'Keefe, David, One Day in August, The Untold Story Behind Canada's Tragedy at Dieppe, Toronto: Vintage, 2014
Zuehlk, Mark, Ortona, Vancouver, BC: Douglas & McIntyre, 1999
Zuehlk, Mark, Juno Beach,Canada's D-Day Victory, Vancouver, BC: Douglas & McIntyre, 2012
Zuehlk, Mark, Tragedy at Dieppe, Maddeira Park, BC: Douglas & McIntyre, 1990
Other Soldiers of Interest
ANDREW CHARLES MYNARSKI Victoria Cross Winner age at dead 27 on 13/06/1944 Pilot Officer with Royal Canadian Airforce 419 Sqdn J/87544' MEHARICOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY Brit. Plot. Grave 40. SON OF ANNA MYNARSKI, OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.