D-Day Casualties Nova Scotia

Remembering World War II

Nova Scotia D-Day Casualties

D-Day June 6, 1944 On June 6, 1944, Allied forces invaded Western Europe along an 80-kilometre front in Normandy, France. Of the nearly 150,000 Allied troops who landed or parachuted into the invasion area, 14,000 were Canadians. At 7:55 am, the first Canadian assault wave landed along a beach front code-named “Juno”, while Canadian paratroopers landed just east of the assault beaches. Although the Allies encountered German defences bristling with artillery, machine guns, mines, and booby-traps, the invasion was a success. At 10.33 am Major General Keller, leading the Canadians at Juno, messaged Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) "Beach-head gained. Well on our way to our immediate objectives" Other Canadians helped achieve this victory. The Royal Canadian Navy contributed 110 ships and 10,000 sailors in support of the landings while the RCAF had helped prepare the invasion by bombing targets inland. On D- Day and during the ensuing campaign, 15 RCAF fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons helped control the skies over Normandy and attacked enemy targets. On June 6, the Canadians suffered 1074 casualties, including 359 killed.

Those with Nova Scotian Connection Killed in Action - June 6, 1944

Lloyd Elmer Bishop Corporal F/44964 North Nova Scotia Highlanders, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: January 15, 1920 Place of Birth: Sydney, NS Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 24 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Veterans Affairs Canada

Wendell James Clark Regimental Sergeant Major P/15392 Royal Canadian Regiment (1936-1939) 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: February 19, 1915 Place of Birth: Ottawa, Ontario Enlistment: Halifax, NS (1936) Date of Death: June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 29 Cemetery: Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados, France Veterans Affairs Canada

Joseph Earl Cuthbertson Lance Corporal F/5218 North Nova Scotia Highlanders, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: July 20, 1920 Place of Birth: Truro, NS Enlistment: October 20, 1939 North Sydney, Nova Scotia Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 23 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Veterans Affairs Canada

Bruce Franklin Elliott Sergeant G/19083 North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: March 6, 1918 Place of Birth: Florenceville, New Brunswick Enlistment: September 12, 1939 Woodstock, New Brunswick (Husband of Alfreda Marie Elliott, of Kentville, King's Co., NS) Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 26 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Veterans Affairs Canada

Irvine, Richard Reginald Flying Officer J/21536 426 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force Date of Birth: December 28, 1911 Place of Birth: Dublin, Leinster, Ireland Date of Enlistment: February 17, 1942 Place of Enlistment: RCAF Mobile Recruiting Unit, Yarmouth, NS Address at Enlistment: Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 32 Cemetery: Mount Jerome Cemetery, County Dublin, Irish Republic Veterans Affairs Canada

Arthur Thomas Jackson Sapper F/86600 Royal Canadian Engineers Date of Birth: December 7, 1912 Place of Birth: Shelburne, Nova Scotia Date of Enlistment: July 2, 1941 Bridgewater, Nova Scotia Place of Enlistment: Bridgewater, Nova Scotia Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 31 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Veterans Affairs Canada

Harold Thomas Lewis Private G/32609 North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: January 12, 1919 Place of Birth: Port Lorne, Annapolis Co., NS Date of Enlistment: July 10, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Saint John, NB Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 25 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Veterans Affairs Canada

Douglas Bertram MacDonald Corporal F/67695 Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, 22 Field Ambulance Date of Birth: March 17, 1017 Place of Birth: London, England (Resident of Halifax, NS for 18 years) Date of Enlistment: September 2, 1939 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, NS Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 27 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Honours and Awards: Military Medal Veterans Affairs Canada

Hugh Murray MacLeod Major 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: January 1, 1919 Place of Birth: Glace Bay, NS Date of Enlistment: December 26, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Amherst, NS Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 27 Cemetery: Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados, France Veterans Affairs Canada

Michael John Makichuk Corporal H/41223 Royal Winnipeg Rifles, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: September 24, 1920 Place of Birth: Mossey River, Manitoba (Husband of Elizabeth Amelia Makichuk, of Debert, NS Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 23 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Veterans Affairs Canada

Alexander Joseph McInnis Private F/31928 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: February 9, 1916 Place of Birth: Sydney, NS Date of Enlistment: July 21, 1942 Place of Enlistment: Sydney, NS Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 28 Cemetery: Bayeux Memorial, Calvados, France Veterans Affairs Canada

Harry Garnet Moore Private F/43861 Royal Canadian Army Service Corps 2nd Cdn. Armd. Bde. Coy. Date of Birth: April 18, 1911 Place of Birth: Kentville, NS Date of Enlistment: January 12, 1943 Place of Enlistment: Kentville, NS Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 33 Cemetery: Bayeux Memorial, Calvados, France Veterans Affairs Canada

Gavin Fraser Rainnie Major Royal Canadian Artillery Date of Birth: March 2, 1908 Place of Birth: Dartmouth, NS Date of Enlistment: October 18, 1939 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, NS Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 36 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Veterans Affairs Canada

Glendon Dwight Raymond Private F/89702 North Nova Scotia Highlanders, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: May 1, 1923 Place of Birth: Tidville, Digby Co., NS Date of Enlistment: November 27, 1941 Place of Enlistment: Kentville, NS Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 21 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Veterans Affairs Canada

Donald Thomas Rifleman L/27406 Regina Rifle Regiment Date of Birth: June 7, 1920 Place of Birth: Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan Date of Enlistment: June 14, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Regina, Saskatchewan (husband of Jean Ileen Thomas, and father of Donald Aubry Thomas of Truro, NS; served at Debert Military Camp (October 3, 1940 - August 22, 1941) Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 23 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Veterans Affairs Canada

Ralph Burton Tuttle Private F/49758 North Nova Scotia Highlanders, R.C.I.C. Date of Birth: January 17, 1916 Place of Birth: Salem, Nova Scotia Date of Enlistment: March 16, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Amherst, NS Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 28 Cemetery: Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery Veterans Affairs Canada

Francis Dernier Cosgrove Sergeant G/12254 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, RCIC Date of Birth: January 10, 1922 Place of Birth: Halifax, NS Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 22 Cemetery: Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados, France Veterans Affairs Canada

Robert Wilson Hickson Private 11047676 Company B, 1st Battalion, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, US Army Date of Birth: April 26, 1918 Place of Birth: Worcester, Worcester Co. Massachusetts Date of Enlistment: February 7, 1942 Place of Enlistment: Bopston, Mass. US Date of Death: Killed in Action June 6, 1944 Age at Death: 26 Cemetery: Hope Cemetery, Worcester, Mass, US (Son of Alice Loretta (Niford) Hickson (1885-1978) born in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia)