A couple of years ago I had the honor to listen to two veterans of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division, who had seen combat during the battle of the Scheldt. The story of the opening of the Scheldt is long and unpleasant. It begins in mid-September when the task was allotted to General Crerar. It ends, so far as First Canadian Army was concerned, only on 8 November when organized resistance ceased on Walcheren Island. There was much difficult, nasty and costly fighting in the interim. Both veterans served with the 4th Canadian Armourd Division. The first with the Canadian Grenadier Guards (22nd Armoured Regiment), the second with the Lake Superior Regiment. Both units were part of the 4th Armoured Brigade. For me, it was only the second time I had the honor to listen to the story of a veteran. It made a huge impression on me, hearing the LSR veteran say: "We lost many good men during the battle of the Scheldt".
Lake Superior Regiment Battle of the Scheldt casualties 001 BELAIR E - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 002 BELL TB - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 003 BELL FAJ - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 004 BINCH ER - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 005 BRANCH FC - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 006 BROWN JK - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 007 BROWNLEE J - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 008 FISHER FL - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 009 GALLANT HJ - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 010 GRAHAM JE - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 011 GREENE DL - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 012 HIEBERT DH - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 013 JEFFREY FC - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 014 KLYNE JO - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 015 NEUFELD J - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 016 ROBINS AH - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 017 ROMANIUK LL - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 018 RYAN A - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 019 SKINNER WT - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 020 SMITH FJ - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 021 STARK DD - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 022 SWEENEY AWP - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 023 THOMAS MB - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 024 VERMEERSCH RJA - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 025 VOST JH - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 026 WHALEN HI - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C. 027 WOODBECK CI - LAKE SUPERIOR REGIMENT (MOTOR), R.C.I.C.
Name: BELAIR, ERNEST Initials: E Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 24 Date of Death: 13/10/1944 Service No: H/45926 Additional information: Son of Cleophas and Anna Belair, of Kenora, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: III. A. 10. Cemetery: ADEGEM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Picture made by Marg Liessens
Name: BELL, THOMAS BOWDEN Initials: T B Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 20 Date of Death: 25/10/1944 Service No: A/118123 Additional information: Son of Joseph Milburn Bell and Sarah Jane Bell, of Sandwich West, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. C. 8. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: BELL, FREDERICK ARTHUR JOHN Initials: F A J Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Date of Death: 25/10/1944 Service No: B/127693 Additional information: Son of John J. and Ethel M. Bell, of Toronto, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. C. 6. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: BINCH, EDSON R. Initials: E R Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 20 Date of Death: 30/10/1944 Service No: B/116811 Additional information: Son of Walter Cyril and Julia Binch, of Thornloe, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 3. F. 3. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: BRANCH, FRANCIS CLYDE Initials: F C Nationality: Canadian Rank: Corporal Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 25 Date of Death: 26/10/1944 Service No: K/45383 Additional information: Son of Karl H. and Anastasia Branch, of Cranbrook, British Columbia. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 3. E. 10. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: BROWN, JAMES KALLETHE Initials: J K Nationality: Canadian Rank: Lieutenant Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 25 Date of Death: 25/10/1944 Additional information: Son of Edward G. and Margarete Kallethe Brown, of Vancouver, British Columbia. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. C. 9. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: BROWNLEE, JOHN Initials: J Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 23 Date of Death: 08/11/1944 Service No: H/46558 Additional information: Son of James and Nellie Brownlee, of Dinorwic, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. A. 4. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: FISHER, FREDERICK Initials: F L Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Date of Death: 26/10/1944 Service No: H/45676 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 3. E. 12. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: GALLANT, HARRY JAMES Initials: H J Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Date of Death: 23/10/1944 Service No: H/9787 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 2. C. 1. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: GRAHAM, JACK EDGAR Initials: J E Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 23 Date of Death: 31/10/1944 Service No: H/46086 Additional information: Son of Charles and Mattie A. Graham, of Toronto, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 2. A. 4. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: GREENE, DONALD LAWRENCE Initials: D L Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 30 Date of Death: 28/10/1944 Service No: H/16145 Additional information: Son of Lawrence A. and Katherine Greene, of Port Arthur, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 12. H. 8. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Source: Veterans Affairs Canada
Name: HIEBERT, DAVE H. Initials: D H Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 21 Date of Death: 03/11/1944 Service No: B/138956 Additional information: Son of Jacob J. and Susanna Hiebert, of Kleefeld, Manitoba. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 2. A. 8. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: JEFFREY, FLOYD CHARLES Initials: F C Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 28 Date of Death: 27/10/1944 Service No: H/45912 Additional information: Son of Charles A. and Annie Jeffrey; husband of Mary C. Jeffrey, of Port Arthur, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 3. E. 11. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: NEUFELD, JOHN Initials: J Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 28 Date of Death: 01/10/1944 Service No: H/17816 Additional information: Son of Heinrich Martin Neufeld and of Katharina Neufeld (nee Schellenberg), of Herbert, Saskatchewan. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: III. A. 6. Cemetery: ADEGEM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Picture from Marg Liessens
Name: ROBINS, ALBERT H. Initials: A H Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 20 Date of Death: 08/10/1944 Service No: B/149839 Additional information: Son of Albert H. and Margaret Gillespie Robins, of Toronto, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: III. A. 8. Cemetery: ADEGEM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Picture from Marg Liessens
Name: RYAN, ALEXANDER Initials: A Nationality: Canadian Rank: Sergeant Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Age: 35 Date of Death: 26/10/1944 Service No: H/45582 Additional information: Son of Alexander Ryan, and of Mary Ryan, of Pembroke, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 9. C. 2. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Source: Veterans Affairs Canada
Name: SKINNER, WALTER THOMAS Initials: W T Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Date of Death: 21/10/1944 Service No: H/42316 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 12. G. 12. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Name: SMITH, FRANCIS J. Initials: F J Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), R.C.I.C. Date of Death: 23/10/1944 Service No: H/45888 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 11. H. 1. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY