Remembering World War II

Alexander Vingar

Name: Alexander Bonaventure Vingar Rank: Private Service Number: F/40106 Service: West Nova Scotia Regiment, RCIC Date of Birth: November 16, 1917 Place of Birth: Glace Bay, Cape Breton, NS Date of Enlistment: January 15, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Aldershot, NS Address at Enlistment: 27 Poplar Ave, Glace Bay, NS Age at Enlistment: 22 Height: 5 feet, 9 inches Complexion: Medium Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Trade: Laborer, coal miner Marital Status: Single Religion: Roman Catholic Next of Kin: Alexander Vingar (father), Glace Bay, NS Date of Death: December 3, 1944 Age: 27 Cemetery: Ravenna War Cemetery, Italy Grave: Plot V. Row E. Grave 13. Commemorated on Page 469 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on October 8 Alexander Bonaventure Vingar was the son of Alexander (1893-1958) and Elizabeth Travis Vingar (1888-1965) of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. His father was of Yugoslavian descent, born in Russia, and immigrated to Canada in 1911, and worked as a coal miner. His mother was born in Newfoundland. Alexander had three brothers; Joseph, Leo, Pius and Jackie and one sister Marguerite. Prior to enlistment he worked for five years as a coal miner with the Dominion Coal Company in Glace Bay. Pastimes included boxing, swimming, skating and hockey. Alexander married Mary “May” Theresa Nolan on January 14, 1940. His brother Pius died in a mining accident in 1945. After enlistment and initial training, Alexander departed from Halifax for the UK on May 12, 1940. He took part in military training exercises with the West Nova Scotia Regiment on the river Adur on January 6, 1942. Seven Nova Scotians died as a result of the capsizing (6 on the day of the event and one a month later due to medical complications as a result of the accident). You can read more about the River Adur accident. Private Alexander Vingar was in the boat in question, but made it to the opposite shore by swimming on his back. He remained with the West Nova Scotia Regiment and embarked the Polish liner ‘Batory’ at Gourock, Scotland on June 15, 1943 with the Regiment for the first part of Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. The soldiers were issued tropical kit which they thought was a security ploy. On June 28, 1943 the convoy headed for the open sea and the Mediterranean. Private Vingar landed in Sicily on July 10, 1943 with the Regiment and the subsequent landings in Italy itself on September 3, 1943, and was later wounded on December 17, 1943. He was awarded the Military Medal September 30, 1944 “in recognition of gallant and distinguished actions in Italy” on May 23, 1944. He was killed in action on December 3, 1944 and is buried in the Ravenna War Cemetery, Italy.