McLeod, Gordon Murray

Private Gordon Murray McLeod was the son of Alexandria Ross and John McLeod (a former reeve of East Nissouri Township) of part Lot 16 Concession 11, Kintore. He attended the Continuation School in Thamesford and Westervelt Business College in London before the full impact of the Depression hit and he was forced to work whereever he could. By 1944 Murray was a carpenter working for Wartime Housing Limited of Toronto.  He was enrolled in the Canadian Active Service Force in Toronto on May 9, 1944. He received his initial training at 25 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre at Simcoe, and then did his advanced infantry training at A29 Canadian Infantry Corps Training Centre at Camp Ipperwash. On October 13,1944 Gordon was posted to 1 Training Brigade at Debert, Nova Scotia. Then on November 20, 1944 he sailed to England where he joined 2nd Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit. He crossed the English Channel March 3, 1945 as a reinforcement for the Princess Louise's Dragoon Guards, then serving as an infantry battalion with the 5th Canadian Armoured Division. On his arrival, Private McLeod found that the Louise's Dragoon Guards had been transferred back to the Armoured Corps. As of April 12, 1945 he was posted to the Essex Scottish Regiment then serving  in Germany with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. Very shortly after his arrival at the battalion, he was killed on April 25, 1945 in a skirmish with diehard German rearguards near Oldenburg, Germany.

Personal effects found on Private McLeod's body consisted of five postage stamps and 21 cents in Canadian Currency. Besides his parents, he was survived by six brothers, Corporal J.Cecil McLeod of the Perths, Lance Corporal Ralph McLeod, Walter, James and Hector.

 He is buried in the Holten Canadian War Cemetery in Holland.  -- Courtesy of St. Marys Journal Argus.