Name: Louis Peter Brooks Rank: Private Service Number: F/56525 Service: Royal Canadian Regiment, RCIC Date of Birth: September 28, 1922 Place of Birth: Springhill, Cumberland Co., NS Date of Enlistment: March 23, 1943 Place of Enlistment: Halifax (Kjipuktuk), NS Address at Enlistment: Eskasoni Chapel, Cape Breton, NS Age at Enlistment: 20 Height: 5 feet, 6 inches Complexion: Medium Eye Colour: Brown Hair Colour: Dark Brown Occupation: Labourer Marital Status: Single Religion: Roman Catholic Next of Kin: Noel Gould (Foster Father), Eskasoni Chapel, NS Date of Death: May 30, 1944 Age: 23 Cemetery: Cassino War Cemetery, Italy Grave: Section V, Row B, Grave 6 Commemorated on Page 259 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on May 31 Louis Peter Brooks was the foster-son of Mr. and Mrs. Noel F. Gould, of Eskasoni Chapel in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Louis had ties to both the Indian Brook (Shubenacadie) First Nation in Hants Co., NS, and the Membertou First Nation in Cape Breton, NS. Louis was adopted by Mrs. Maggie Isaac of Whycocomagh Reserve (We'koqma'q) in Inverness Co., NS, who received him from his mother Bessie Pictou, who lived somewhere on the mainland of Nova Scotia. Known as Louis Pictou, he became Louis Isaac while under the care of Mrs. Isaac. Some years afterwards he was sent to the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School and on being discharged from there he returned to his foster- mother, remaining with her only a short time when he made his home with Mr. Noel F. Gould of Eskasoni, Chapel, NS, and from where he enlisted in the Canadian Army. At the time of his enlistment, Louis reported his date of birth as September 28, 1922, though his sister, Mary Ellen (Pictou) Sapier of Trenton, NS, later claimed it was actually December 27, 1922. His next of kin, who completed the Department of National Defence Estates Branch form, recorded his place of birth as Burnt Church, New Brunswick. Initially, Louis listed his father, Benjamin Brooks, as his next of kin but later updated it to his second cousin, Noel Gould, on January 4, 1944. It is possible he adopted the surname Brooks from his stepfather, whom Bessie married in 1926. On April 1, 1943, Louis began his basic training at the Canadian Infantry Basic Training Centre (CIBTC) No. 60, also known as Camp 60, in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. He remained there until August 5, 1943, before transferring to Aldershot on August 6th. On October 2, 1943, he was granted a 10-day leave, returning on October 12th. Shortly after, on October 21st, he was transferred to the No. 1 Transit Camp. On November 4th, he moved to the Training Brigade Group, then departed Canada on December 15th, arriving in the United Kingdom on December 21, 1943. He left the UK on February 17, 1944, bound for the Mediterranean. Private Louis Brooks served during the Italian Campaign for three months. He was killed in action in Italy on May 30, 1944, and interred at the Cassino War Cemetery.

Sources: Library and Archives Canada Canadian Virtual War Memorial findagrave Aboriginal Veterans Tribute Honour list