November 29, 2023.  After posting a photo search request for WWII soldier James ‘Jim’ Andrew MACLEOD on a Restigouche Facebook page, Pieter was contacted by Sheila Braun, who wrote that “…his brother Earle lives on Prince Edward Island…” and she let Earle know about the request. 

Very quickly Pieter and Earle were in touch with each other and we met him and his wife Nancy at their home in Little Sands. “…I was only 2 years old when my brother died...” Earle explained.

… Jim altered his birth year in order to enlist…

Born in Campbelltown, New Brunswick, James ‘Jim’ Andrew MacLeod was the son of John Earle and Christina MacLeod.  According to his Attestation form and Militia documents, he was born on December 19, 1924, but Earl and Nancy explained that he lied about his age and he was actually a year younger.  This matches what was filled out by his mother on the Estate Form, listing his date of birth as December 19, 1925.

When Jim enlisted with the No. 7 District Depot in Fredericton, New Brunswick on July 16, 1943, he had already been in the 2^nd Battalion, 103^rd Battery Non-Permanent Militia since October 25, 1941.  He also had a full time position as a watchman at Fraser Company, a pulp and paper mill in Campbelltown. 

The interviewer for his Canadian Army Personnel Selection Record noted that Jim enjoyed “…hockey, swimming, fishing….” and wanted to be in the “…infantry so as to take Basic and Advanced Training in New Brunswick with friends…”

On August 5, 1943, Jim was sent to No. 70 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre (CA(B)TC) in Fredericton for basic training.  On September 28, 1943, his Personnel Selection Record was updated, stating that Jim “…is not satisfied with Infantry.  He had training in the Royal Canadian Artillery Reserve and desires an allocation to that arm…..He had some experience as a truck driver and as a mechanic’s helper. Could be used as a driver i/c …”

On October 8, 1943 he was posted to the A-30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Camp Utopia, located northeast of St. George, New Brunswick.  After his 5^th week of training, his Personnel Selection Record was updated. “…Very good progress in Advanced training (Infantry)….Good stability, well disciplined….Outstanding in platoon….”

… Jim became a driver mechanic…

On December 5, 1943, Jim was sent to Woodstock, Ontario for a Driver Course i/c course at the S-5 Canadian Driving and Maintenance School (CD & M School).  He successfully completed this on January 21, 1944 and was qualified as a Driver i/c Class III.  (The term ‘Driver i/c’ refers to ‘Driver, internal combustion’.  Class III meant he was qualified to drive heavy trucks and armoured cars.)

Jim remained in Woodstock to take a Driver Mechanic Course, and on March 15, 1944 was qualified as a Driver Mechanic Class I.

On March 18, 1944, Jim returned to the A-30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Camp Utopia in preparation for overseas service.  He received two weeks of embarkation leave, from April 14 to 27, 1944, the last time he would see his family.

… Jim left Canada for overseas service in May 1944…

On May 1, 1944 Jim left Canada for the United Kingdom.  Upon arriving on May 7, 1944 he was assigned to No 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU).

While in the United Kingdom, Jim continued his training, completing a First Aid Course shortly after his arrival, and then qualifying as a Driver i/c (T) Q2 in July 1944.

On September 10, 1944 he was sent to France with the X-L infantry reinforcement troops of the 21^st Army Group.

… Jim joined the Algonquin Regiment in Belgium…

On September 19, 1944 he was assigned to the Algonquin Regiment, joining them in Assenade, Belgium, located not far from the Dutch border.  The Regiment had suffered heavy losses during the battles to capture the canals around Moerkerke and needed reinforcements as they slowly advanced towards the Scheldt and the need to liberate the port of Antwerp.

By October 18, 1944, the Regiment was near Westmaele, north-east of Antwerp.  In ‘Warpath The Story of the Algonquin Regiment 1939-1945’, author Major G. L. Cassidy wrote that “… on October 19th, a battalion reconnaissance party went north to Camp de Brasschaet for a look at the terrain where the next day’s battle was to be fought…..” 

… Jim was hit by a mortar shell while on patrol…

That night, orders came to “…advance and capture the town of Esschen, moving along two centre lines in two brigade groups….”

While the Algonquin Regiment was in Esschen (Essen in English), Belgium, the October 23, 1944 War Diary entry recorded that “…patrols were sent out during the night.  An ‘A’ Company patrol which went out to recce a bridge east of town came under heavy mortar fire and one man was killed and two wounded…”

‘Warpath’ provided a bit more clarity. “….An ‘A’ Company patrol, sent out to recce a bridge to the east, came under a mortar concentration and lost two men wounded, Ptes J.  Burant and J. Bordignon, and one man killed, Pte J. A. MacLeod….”  Jim was only 18 years old.

… Jim is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom…

Jim was initially buried in Brasschaat, Belgium, along a road at the entrance to the Sanatorium, before being reburied the following year in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands.

Earle remembers that “…my mother would never put up the Christmas tree before December 19 after Jim died.  That was the first official Christmas day….” Needless to say, this is a family that never forgot the loss of a beloved son and brother.

Thank you to Earle and Nancy MacLeod for providing photos and information.  Thank you also to Sheila Braun for help with contacting family. Do you have a story to tell? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or send a tweet to @researchmemori1.  

© Daria Valkenburg

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