As I have done in a couple other forum areas I have found a number of Canadian PWs that passed through or were liberated at the PW Hospital in Rennes France. I am trying to identify the units that these individuals were assigned to. They were captured between 6 June and 31 July 1944 and treated at the facility by US, British and French doctors. It is also of interest to me as where they went after being liberated on 4 August 1944. A US Evacuation Hospital arrived to take care of the PWs but I have not found any Canadians on the 35th Evac's Admissions lists of the approximately 50 that were liberated. This list was compiled from the Allied PW Doctors Admissions and Disposition List. The comment on Canadian PW Listing is from an Official Communication from the British Government to the Canadian Government based on the PW A&D where Canadians were sent back to the Stalag after being healed. If anyone can help by identifying the unit for one of these guys and/or their full name I would greatly appreciated it. Code: Rank Svc No. Name Diagnosis Comments Arrived Departed PVT F/3563 Aucsin, F. N. Right leg amputation 23-Jun-44 PVT D/116732 Baker, H. GSW left leg 27-Jul-44 RFL H/41578 Bast, C. J. Shrapnel left calf On Canadian PW listing 13-Jun-44 16-Jun-44 PVT L/105890 Bell, T. C. GSW right arm On Canadian PW listing 21-Jun-44 26-Jul-44 CPL E/22604 Berube, L. GSW chest and right arm On Canadian PW listing 4-Jul-44 12-Jul-44 PVT F/60008 Bishop, L. N. Bishop, R. W. GSW right thigh On Canadian PW listing 13-Jun-44 5-Jul-44 WO C27452 Blair, W. Shrapnel right buttock 5-Jul-44 RFL H/4727 Burdett, C. W. GSW right foot, GSW left leg 23-Jun-44 PVT F/13201 Carfan, L. Shrapnel left arm, hand, knee and shoulders 27-Jun-44 PVT D/71612 Clarke, A. GSW right leg 27-Jul-44 RFL H/20794 Cook, Albert Amputation right leg Pelle's Room 27-Jun-44 PVT 114015 Cuima, M. GSW, shrapnel both legs 27-Jul-44 CPL H/40932 Cullen, J. GSW left chest 4-Jul-44 12-Jul-44 CPL F/44999 Diggins Shrapnel wound of left side of head On Canadian PW listing 11-Jun-44 12-Jul-44 PVT D/82026 Ducat, R. Shrapnel head, both arms, right leg 27-Jul-44 PVT B/155389 Dunford, C. Shrapnel back 27-Jul-44 PVT D/76949 Dunlop, J. Shrapnel right arm 27-Jul-44 PVT F/36126 Dunn, R. L. Perforating wound right hand On Canadian PW listing 16-Jun-44 12-Jul-44 PVT H/41640 Dutiaume, H. J. Shrapnel left arm and left leg On Canadian PW listing 21-Jun-44 12-Jul-44 PVT M/7513 Evans, K. GSW fracture ankle, shrapnel shoulders 29-Jul-44 RFL L/28201 Ewalk, W. J. GSW right arm On Canadian PW listing 24-Jun-44 1-Jul-44 PVT F/56085 Fisher, A. Fracture left leg 27-Jun-44 PVT D/123434 Fortier, H. Shrapnel back and leg 27-Jul-44 PVT D/71284 Franstein, A. GSW head, right shoulder 29-Jul-44 RFL H/41207 Garnett, S. GSW shoulders 16-Jun-44 12-Jul-44 RFL H/121061 Georgeson, W. E. GSW left thigh On Canadian PW listing 13-Jun-44 16-Jun-44 PVT F/49719 Glennie, A. Amputation 3rd right hand finger, fracture finger left hand 4-Jul-44 PVT D/82981 Goodale, C. Shrapnel left leg 27-Jul-44 PVT F/45199 Gordan, D. B. GSW right Femur 23-Jun-44 CPL F/49723 Gourley, C. O. Shrapnel right shoulder, chest and neck On Canadian PW listing 4-Jul-44 12-Jul-44 PVT K/50624 Hunchak, J. Shrapnel left leg 27-Jul-44 PVT G/23117 Kelly, L. J. GSW Left Chest On Canadian PW listing 11-Jun-44 5-Jul-44 CPT Kemp, J. GSW fracture right leg 27-Jul-44 PVT B/755186 Kennedy, J. GSW jaw 27-Jul-44 PVT N/33820 Knupp, A. Shrapnel right leg 27-Jul-44 PVT C/118592 Knuth, H. Shrapnel left shoulder 27-Jul-44 PVT A/102829 La Foret, G. A. GSW right elbow On Canadian PW listing 4-Jul-44 12-Jul-44 CPL B/70269 Labrick, M. P. Amputation right arm 23-Jun-44 CPL H/17354 Lavalle GSW back 19-Jun-44 PVT D/62856 Leclair, ?. P. GSW right leg 23-Jun-44 PVT D/82582 Leduc, A. GSW back 27-Jul-44 PVT F/44824 MacDonald, M. Fracture left shoulder 4-Jul-44 CPL F/60362 MacIntyre, A. GSW right foot 21-Jun-44 CPL D/83061 Mason, S. GSW back, shrapnel face 29-Jul-44 PVT A/102942 Masse, R. J. U. Abrasion to calf, patella twisted On Canadian PW listing 16-Jun-44 28-Jun-44 PVT D/81969 McAran, B. GSW right arm and chest 27-Jul-44 PVT A/104355 McConnell, P. F. GSW right buttock On Canadian PW listing 4-Jul-44 12-Jul-44 PVT F/78406 McCulloch, H. E. Shrapnel left Auxilla On Canadian PW listing 11-Jun-44 12-Jul-44 PVT L/106403 McIntosh, M. H. GSW right foot and left leg 23-Jun-44 CPL H/41725 McLean, H. C. GSW back, right thigh On Canadian PW listing 16-Jun-44 12-Jul-44 PVT F/55254 McNeill, J. Buttock and leg shrapnel wounds On Canadian PW listing 13-Jun-44 12-Jul-44 PVT D/81403 McWilliams, D. Shrapnel left leg 27-Jul-44 PVT F/50310 Melanson, D. Amputation 2 fingers 4-Jul-44 F/SGT R/194196 Minet, J. Superficial burns of face RCAF? 16-Jun-44 18-Jun-44 PO J/19712 J/35736 Murphy, N. P. Injury to head and back (Crash) RCAF 25-Jun-44 30-Jun-44 PVT D/135610 Myhill, G. GSW right leg 27-Jul-44 PVT F/2907 Peters, E. Shrapnel right leg On Canadian PW listing 4-Jul-44 12-Jul-44 PVT F/50021 Pyke, N. W. Shrapnel left leg and arm, fracture right arm On Canadian PW listing 4-Jul-44 12-Jul-44 SGT D/83195 Raulston, M. GSW left leg 27-Jul-44 PVT D/139988 Raymond Shrapnel left foot 23-Jun-44 PVT D/139263 Rice, Jack A. Shrapnel in right temple On Canadian PW listing 13-Jun-44 11-Jul-44 PVT F/87703 Richards, R. GSW left chest, multiple shrapnel 4-Jul-44 FO J22382 Ross, J. W. Facial burns RCAF ended up at Stalag Luft III 23-Jun-44 12-Jul-44 PVT D/81395 Royston, F. GSW right leg 27-Jul-44 PVT F/89974 Sampson, S. A. GSW right Femur, penetrating wound right hand 23-Jun-44 CPL F/45467 Sceetes, G. L. GSW left leg 23-Jun-44 LCPL K/15360 Shelford, H. M. GSW left foot On Canadian PW listing 21-Jun-44 12-Jul-44 TPR H/26744 Speight, S. L. Burns face and legs 23-Jun-44 LCPL F/29968 Stevenson, W. S. GSW left shoulder On Canadian PW listing 15-Jun-44 5-Jul-44 PVT M/38838 Swanlund, A. GSW right arm, shrapnel left hip 27-Jul-44 PVT G/19498 Sweeney Amputation right leg 19-Jun-44 PVT G/4430 Wade, L. A. GSW right arm and back On Canadian PW listing 23-Jun-44 PVT F/52101 Wardrope, A. R. Shrapnel right shoulder, left head On Canadian PW listing 13-Jun-44 16-Jun-44 PVT D/135646 Weeks, H. J. Shrapnel in buttocks On Canadian PW listing 13-Jun-44 18-Jun-44 SGT F/30033 Wilson, R. H. Fracture right ankle 24-Jun-44
I copied your list and will try and assign units over the next couple of days based on Service numbers. I will probably not get to it until Friday.
View attachment CanadianPOW1944.xls I am afraid the information will not be as helpful as you would like. The Service Number is based on the unit that the soldier joined when he enlisted or was conscripted (NMRA) into the Canadian Army. Each service number starts with a Letter that indicated the military district where he joined. These Letters indicate: A - Military District No. 1 - London, Ontario B - Military District No. 2 - Toronto, Ontario C - Military District No. 3 - Kingston, Ontario D - Military District No. 4 - Montreal, Quebec E - Military District No. 5 - Quebec, Quebec F - Military District No. 6 - Halifax, Nova Scotia G - Military District No. 7 - Saint John, New Brunswick H - Military District No. 10 - Winnipeg, Manitoba K - Military District No. 11 - Vancouver, British Columbia L - Military District No. 12 - Regina, Saskatchewan M - Military District No. 13 - Calgary, Alberta P - Permanent Force Since the numbers represent the unit that was initially joined, it may not represent the later units that the unit joined. For example, there are two privates that are listed as members of the Victoria Rifles of Canada, a Montreal-based unit from Military District No. 4. This unit never served overseas so more than likely these two soldiers went active from this unit and were sent to the reinforcement stream to join a unit that eventually served in France 1944. On the other hand, the eight soldiers that are listed with the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch of Canada, are probably correct since this unit served in France in 1944 and sustained heavy casualties there. I have attached a spreadsheet with units for you to look at, but I would take many of the units with a 'grain of salt' because of what I have mentioned above.
Thanks for this. Do you know which of the units might be questionable as being in the right place and time other than the obvious military districts? I have 1 guy from the Black Watch in the Hospital already so others would make sense.
Unit in Normandy from the list are: Fusiliers Mont-Royal Royal Montreal Regiment 1st Battalion, The Black Watch of Canada The North Nova Scotia Highlanders The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment The Fort Garry Horse (10th Armoured Regiment) The Royal Winnipeg Rifles The Regina Rifle Regiment The rest were either transfers or recruited into District Depots, etc.
Thanks for explaining that. I have the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada history upstairs & wondered what the letter at start of their numbers meant. Cheers.
So the little units (Bridging Co., Clearing Station, Arty Batteries, etc ) didn't make it to Normandy then.
The various artillery batteries listed were home service units. For example, Heavy Batteries were coast artillery. As the was went on their home role diminished and the men were recruited for the infantry.
Wish I could provide some more substantial assistance, but it's a tough area to research. Official casualty lists included PWs, but they don't seem to be commonly published. You may need to get into War Diaries and/or regimental museums to access this info. I can say there are no Regina Rifles or Canadian Scottish on this list, the only two PW lists I have found. The man identified as an original RRR was serving with another unit when captured. It's known that there were a lot of North Nova Scotia Highlanders and Royal Winnipeg Rifles PWs at this time so those would be units to look at. The North Novies regimental site includes a list of 'originals' who went overseas in 1941 and there are several matches, but that doesn't help much more than indicating their original unit as suggested by dryan67.
Thanks for the tip. I already had a bunch of North Nova Scotia and some Winnipeg Rifles identified on the roster.
