Name: Norman Mitchell Maling Rank: Private Service Number: F/95697 Service: Irish Regiment of Canada, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps Date of Birth: October 8, 1911 Place of Birth: Bear River East, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia Date Enlistment: March 17, 1942 Place of Enlistment: Kentville, Kings County, Nova Scotia Address at Enlistment: Bear River East, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia Age of Enlistment: 30 Height: 5 feet, 3 ½ inches Complexion: Fair Eye Colour: Blue Hair Colour: Brown Occupation: Labourer (Logging) Marital Status: Single Religion: Baptist Next of Kin: Edith Reece (Sister), Bear River, NS Date of Death: September 13, 1944 Age: 32 Cemetery: Gradara War Cemetery, Italy Grave: Section II, Row G, Grave 21 Commemorated on Page 377 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on August 10 Norman Mitchell Maling was the son of James Wilson Maling (1864-1935) and Pauline Abigail (Mitchell) Maling (1872-1941), and the brother of Edith Juliana (Maling) Reece (1893-1953), Ethel Jean Maling (1894-1957), Reginald A Maling (1896-1984), Edna E (Maling) Richards (b. 1898), Dulcie Pearl (Maling) Blackadar (b. 1900), Esther Cyvila Maling (1903-1999), Grace (Maling Long) (b. 1904), Emma May Maling (1908-1972). Norman’s brother Reginald served as a Corporal in WWI with the 25th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Norman enlisted on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1942, in WWII and went on to serve with the Irish Regiment of Canada. Much of his siblings lived on the East side of Bear River in Annapolis County, Reginald, Edna and Grace had moved to the United States, and his sister Ethel lived in West Bear River in Digby Co., NS. Norman departed Canada on March 28, 1943, and arrived in the United Kingdom on April 3, 1943. Six months later, he embarked in the UK on October 23, 1943, and disembarked in the Mediterranean Theatre on November 10, 1943. He died in the fighting in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, Italy, during the Battle of Coriano Ridge. Private Norman Mitchell Maling is interred at the Gradara War Cemetery in Italy. He is also remembered on a family stone at the Clementsvale Cemetery, in Clementsvale, Annapolis Co., NS.

Source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial findagrave - Gradara War Cemetery findagrave – Clementsvale Cemetery

Family Monument - Clementsvale Cemetery