Remembering World War II

Nova Scotian Officers in British Army Ranks during the Second World War The CANLOAN Program and its Nova Scotian casualties CANLOAN was a volunteer program that loaned Canadian officers to the British Army during WWII. The scheme began in late 1943. At that time, the British Army was fighting on a number of fronts and had a shortage of junior officers in contrast to the Canadian Army which had a surplus. Canadian units were only fighting on one front (in Italy) and two Home Defence divisions had been disbanded, leaving many trained officers waiting for active duty. In total, 673 Canadian officers volunteered for service with British regiments. This included 623 infantry officers and 50 ordnance officers. The majority were junior officers (Lieutenants), although some Captains also volunteered. CANLOAN officers were primarily involved in the 1944–45 campaigns to liberate northwest Europe. Other Canadian officer did serve in British and Indian Army units in WWII, if not specifically through the CANLOAN initiative. The Wartime Heritage Association has previously shared the stories of Capt. Peter Innes Lowe of Halifax who served in the Indian Royal Artillery, and Capt. Roland Clinton Bacon of Cumberland Co. who served with the Rajput Regt of the British Army, Force 136, SOE. The A-34 Special Officer's Training Centre was established at Camp Sussex from 1944-1945 to train CANLOAN officers. The Sussex Military Camp was located on the southeastern edge of the town of Sussex, NB. Among those tasked with organising the CANLOAN program, was Nova Scotian Brigadier Richard Edward Graham Roome of Dartmouth, NS During WWI, he served with the Royal Canadian Artillery, British Royal Field Artillery, and was a member of the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force. Of the 678 who served, the casualty rate for CANLOAN officers was high. By the end of the war, 27 became prisoners of war, 310 were wounded and 128 CANLOAN officers had been killed. Of those 128 CANLOAN officers lost, there were 9 with ties to Nova Scotia who died. They are listed below. Of these nine, four served with the West Nova Scotia Regiment, either in the Non-Permanent Active Militia (NPAM) or in active service in WWII, prior to transferring to British Army units: Lt. Robert Grant Howlett, Lt. John Orrell Levine, Lt. Malcolm Rudolph Rose, and Lt. Everett Edward Young. This initiative, like the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, the RCAF personnel that served in RAF Squadrons, and the Manchester Regiment recruits from Halifax, NS in the early days of the war, was part of the broader cooperation between Canada and the United Kingdom in WWII. Robert Grant Howlett Rank: Lieutenant Service Number: CDN/161 Service: 6th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division, British Army Date of Birth: July 1, 1920 Place of Birth: Bath, Carleton Co., New Brunswick Date of Enlistment: September 11, 1939 Place of Enlistment: Bridgewater, Lunenburg Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 19 Address at Enlistment: Middleton, Annapolis Co., NS Date of Death: December 23, 1944 Age: 24 Cemetery: Springfield West (Baptist) Cemetery, PEI Commemorated on Page 339 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on July 22 Canadian Virtual War Memorial William Gordon Hunt Rank: Lieutenant Service Number: CDN/163 Service: 1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, British Army Date of Birth: January 3, 1916 Place of Birth: Halifax, Halifax Co., NS Date of Enlistment: October 4, 1939 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, Halifax Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 23 Address at Enlistment: 9 John Street, Halifax, Halifax Co., NS Date of Death: November 7, 1944 Age: 29 Cemetery: Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Netherlands Grave: 7. E. 5. Commemorated on Page 340 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on July 22 William G. Hunt was the son of Frank William Hunt (1884-1966) and Margaret Ann (Healy) Hunt (1881-1939), the brother of Viola M. Hunt (1907-1985), Douglas Walter Hunt (1909-1986), Hazel Hunt (1910-1977), Ruby Jean Hunt (1917-1985), Ruth Patricia Hunt (1919-2009), and Pearl Elizabeth Hunt (1921-2000), and the husband of Mary Madelyn (Powell) Hunt (b. 1907). He enlisted with the Princess Louise Fusiliers in the Non-Permanent Active Militia (NPMA) in one month after the war began, before later being seconded with CANLOAN to the Worcestershire Regiment in the British Army. Lt. Hunt was reported missing August 14, 1944, was taken prisoner by the enemy, escaped four days later, and was reported safe on August 20, 1944. He was then wounded by a land mine at Mook, Netherlands, with 18 Platoon, ‘D’ Company, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, British Army, on November 6 and died of his wounds November 7, 1944. William Hunt Ave in the Westmount neighbourhood of Halifax is named in his memory. Canadian Virtual War Memorial John Orrell Levine Rank: Lieutenant Service Number: CDN/417 Service: 2nd Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, British Army Date of Birth: July 1, 1921 Place of Birth: Inverness, Cape Breton, NS Date of Enlistment: June 23, 1943 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, NS Age at Enlistment: 21 Address at Enlistment: Inverness, Cape Breton, NS Trade: Journalist Marital Status: Single Religion: Jewish Next of Kin: Lena Levine (Mother), Inverness, NS Date of Death: July 2, 1944 Age: 23 Cemetery: Hottot-Les Bagues War Cemetery, Calvados, France Grave: I. A. 7. Commemorated on Page 365 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on August 4 John ‘Jack’ O. Levine was the son of Mejer Zelik ‘Maurice’ Grondowski Levine (b. 1893) and Lena Esther (Wener) Levine (1892- 1955), of Inverness, Nova Scotia. His parents were married March 6, 1917, in Sydney, Cape Breton. He was the brother of Arthur, Pearl, Edith, Ruth. and Dorothy. Edith served in the Royal Navy Overseas during the war. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He enlisted with the West Nova Scotia Regiment and was later assigned to the Gloucestershire Regiment of the British Army under the CANLOAN program. Lt. Levine was killed in France during the Normandy Campaign. Canadian Virtual War Memorial Evatt Francis Anthony Merchant Name: Captain Service Number: CDN/594 Service: 5th Battalion, The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, British Army Date of Birth: April 20, 1914 Place of Birth: Halifax, Halifax Co., NS Date of Enlistment: August 16, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, Halifax Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 26 Address at Enlistment: 15 South Park Street, Halifax, Halifax Co., NS Trade: Law Student /Journalism Marital Status: Single (at enlistment) Religion: Roman Catholic Next of Kin: Eva Merchant (Mother) Date of Death: November 18, 1944 Age: 30 Cemetery: Mierlo War Cemetery, Netherlands Grave: VII. A. 12. Commemorated on Page 393 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on August 24 Evatt F. A. Merchant was the son of Francis Patrick Merchant (1875-1940) and Ethyl Eva Anne (Butterworth) Merchant (1876-1972), the brother of Francis Eric (1906-1976), and Robert Thomas (1917-2010). His brother Robert served, in the Royal Canadian Artillery overseas in WWII. Evatt married Maria Margharita “Sally” (Smith) Merchant (1919-2007) on May 3, 1941, in Halifax. For five summers prior to his enlistment, he was employed on the editorial staff at the Halifax Herald. His intention was to finish his last year at Dalhousie Law School and practice law after the war. Capt. Merchant was killed in action while commanding the first platoon to cross the junction of the Rilwalemgs Canal and the Pannevish Canal, south of Dindhasun during the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944. Known as ‘canal jumping’his platoon undertook a dangerous plan to secure the canal. Canadian Virtual War Memorial Harry Cecil Roper Rank: Lieutenant Service Number: CDN/652 Service: 5th Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, British Army Date of Birth: November 30, 1918 Place of Birth: Glace Bay, Cape Breton Co., NS Date of Enlistment: October 14, 1939 Place of Enlistment: Sydney, Cape Breton Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 20 Address at Enlistment: New Victoria, Victoria Co., Cape Breton, NS Date of Death: October 1, 1944 Age at Death: 25 Cemetery: Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Netherlands Grave: 14. A. 3. Commemorated on Page 432 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on September 19 Canadian Virtual War Memorial Malcolm Rudolph Rose Rank: Lieutenant Service Number: CDN/502 Service: 1st Battalion, The King’s Own Scottish Borderers, 3rd Infantry Division, British Army Date of Birth: June 24, 1918 Place of Birth: South Chegoggin, Yarmouth Co., NS Date of Enlistment: June 10, 1941 Place of Enlistment: Yarmouth, Yarmouth Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 22 Address at Enlistment: South Chegoggin, Yarmouth Co., NS Date of Death: August 6, 1944 Age at Death: 26 Cemetery: Bayeux War Cemetery, Calvados, France Grave: XVI. B. 24. Commemorated on Page 432 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on September 19 Canadian Virtual War Memorial Lawson Mitchell Smith Rank: Captain Service Number: CDN/196 Service: 7th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's), 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division, British Army Date of Birth: September 27, 1919 Place of Birth: New Glasgow, Pictou Co., NS Date of Enlistment: January 15, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Mulgrave, Guysborough Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 20 Address at Enlistment: New Glasgow, Pictou Co., NS Occupation: Student Marital Status: Single Religion United Church Date of Death: October 30, 1944 Age at Death: 25 Cemetery: Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands Grave: XV. B. 6. Commemorated on Page 447 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on September 27 Lawson M. Smith was the son of Henry Mitchell Smith (1859-1937) and Lottie Estelle (Harlow) Smith (1864-1949), of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and the brother of Henry Harlow Smith (1915-1972). Before signing up for the war Lawson sought a career in music. He was an accomplished concert violinist. He was also part of the Canadian Officer Training Corps at Mount Allison University (1938). Lieutenant Roper enlisted with the Pictou Highlanders, completed command training in Kingston, Ontario. He also trained in Brockville, ON and later at Aldershot in Nova Scotia. He departed Canada on April 6, 1944, arriving in the UK on April 23, 1944. Assigned to the 32nd Reinforcement Holding Unit (32 RHU), Lawson departed the UK June 17, 1944, for North West Europe, disembarking the next day. Capt. Smith was killed in action in Holland, while serving with the Seaforth Highlanders. Canadian Virtual War Memorial Philip Geoffrey West Rank: Lieutenant Service Number: CDN/661 Service: 6th Battalion, The Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division, British Army Date of Birth: March 22, 1919 Place of Birth: Halifax, Halifax Co., NS Date of Enlistment: September 30, 1939 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, Halifax Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 20 Address at Enlistment: 8 Fawson St, Halifax, NS (Grandmother B. A. Freeman) Date of Death: September 24, 1944 Age at Death: 25 Cemetery: Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands Grave: VIII. G. 6. Commemorated on Page 475 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on October 11 Philip G. West was the son of Stephen Clair West (1892-1958) and Mildred (Freeman) West (1889-1982), of Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA, the brother of Stephen Freeman West (1916-1994), and the half sibling of Gaylord Max West (1924-2003), and Patricia Joan West (1928-1999) from his father’s second marriage. Lieutenant Philip West died of wounds received in battle in Belgium. Canadian Virtual War Memorial Everett Edward Young Rank: Lieutenant Service Number: CDN/667 Service: 7th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's), 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division, British Army Date of Birth: November 9, 1911 Place of Birth: Belle Isle, Annapolis Co., NS Date of Enlistment: November 14, 1940 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, Halifax Co., NS Age at Enlistment: 29 Address at Enlistment: Belle Isle, Annapolis Co., NS Date of Death: February 22, 1945 Age at Death: 32 Cemetery: Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands Grave: XXV. E. 12. Commemorated on Page 577 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on December 2 Canadian Virtual War Memorial In 1961, Governor General of Canada Georges P. Vanier unveiled the CANLOAN Memorial in Ottawa’s Stanley Park, on the banks of the Ottawa River in Ontario.

The CANLOAN Program Nova Scotian Casualties

Sources: The Canadian Encyclopedia Canadian Virtual War Memorial (background photo: Mierlo War Cemetery, Netherlands)