LEST WE FORGET

BY: Moustafa KazanCourse: Canadian History

Teacher: R. Collishaw

Personal Information

• Name: Aitkenhead, Lloyd Duncan• Age:19 years old , died on the 18th of July, 1944• Address: 837 Carling Ave. Ottawa, Ontario.• Social status: single• Physical Characteristics: 5’11” in height 127 in weight colour of eyes is blue• Personality: Keen and has ability to make good soldier.

Military Service Information

• Rank: Private/Unknown

• Date of Enlistment: 11-5-42

• Place of Enlistment: Connaught Ranges, ON

Reason for Participating

• It seems that Lloyd Duncan wasn’t interested in schoolwork. (He ran away from school)

• He participated in the army for the sake of adventure. He wanted to try a different style of life where he could face some risks despite the danger.

• Keen to enlist in the army without a promising job after discharge.

His Journey in the War

Aitkenhead’s journey was from:• Place of enlistment Connaught ranges from

12-5-1942

His Journey in the War

• He went to Sussex from 25,8,1942 until 5,9,1942

His Journey in the War

• Dartmouth: A college in New Hampshire from 8-9-1942 until 24-9-1942

His Journey in the War

• He was sent to UK on the 24th of September, 1942 until the 19th of February, 1944

His Journey in the War

• He was sent to France on the 6th of July,1944 and got killed there in action.

Several Canadian Soldiers were killed in France during WW II

D-DAY On the sixth of June 1944, the largest sea-borne invasion in history, the D-Day landings involved

more than 156,000 troops from the United Kingdom , Canada, the United States and the forces of the Free French.  Nearly 7,000 vessels of all types were involved, of which more than 4,000 were landing craft.  The operation was supported by approximately 12,000 aircraft, a task which included flying sorties, dropping of bombs, and the transportation of parachute troops.

The objective of the invasion and the creation of a lodgement in Western Europe was long held and thought essential to the defeat of Germany.  Since 1942, plans had been drawn and re-drawn, eventually emerging as "Operation Neptune", the assault phase, and "Operation Overlord", the invasion itself.  The site chosen for the landing was the Caen area of the Normandy coast, approximately 350 kilometres southwest of Calais, where the Germans waited in anticipation, fooled by the Allies deception operations.  While this site would require a lengthier and more hazardous passage for the invading fleet, those landing would find the beaches more accommodating and the enemy defences lighter.  The invasion plans called for a wide landing in which five infantry divisions, each assigned a specific beach, would wade ashore along an eighty kilometre stretch of the Normandy coast.  Units of the 1st Canadian Army would join with the British Second Army in forming the left side of the assault, while the 1st United States Army would take the right.  They would be preceded by three airborne divisions, including members of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, all intended to impede German movements, thereby allowing the establishment of a beachhead.

D-DAY• Two brigades of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Divisions were to land in the first wave at Juno

Beach, one of the two most heavily fortified beaches targeted in the assault.  The Canadian units were tasked with establishing a beachhead, capturing the three small towns which lay directly behind it, and then advancing inland to take a position on the high ground west of the city of Caen.  More than 15,000 Canadians would take part as actual members of the landing force, while the remaining elements of the First Canadian Army would be expected to move in on Normandy in the weeks that followed.

Although the location of the landing was a surprise, the Germans, weakened after five years of war and battered by the Soviets, were well aware that an invasion was imminent.  In 1942, as the planning of an invasion was in its earliest stages, they had began working on the "Atlantic Wall", an extensive system of coastal fortifications, in anticipation of such an attack.  Stretching from the Atlantic border between France and Spain to Norway, the wall consisted of artillery, mines, wire, bunkers, mortar pits, beach obstacles and machine gun nests.  In early 1944, under the direction of Field marshal Erwin Rommel, the wall had been strengthened further through the construction of a line of reinforced, concrete pillboxes.

Invasion of D-day• The D-Day invasion was to have taken place on June 5th, but storms forced a postponement,

despite the fact that several ships were already at sea. Meteorologists predicted only marginally better weather for the following day, and the decision to proceed fell to Supreme Commander of Allied Forces Dwight Eisenhower.  He recognized that, given the tides, another month would pass before conditions were again right for invasion. This judgement, questioned privately by some commanders, was shown to increase the element of surprise. The Germans were certain that no invasion could take place for at least several days, and Rommel himself saw the inclement weather as an opportunity to take a few days of leave.  Rommel was with his family when, in the early morning hours of June 6th, the first Allied forces reached Normandy.  Paratroopers, including 450 Canadians, landed behind the Atlantic Wall. Though greatly outnumbered, the paratroopers managed to create havoc and confusion within the German ranks, and a headquarter was seized, a bridge destroyed, and transportation links severed.

As this was taking place, Canadian landing craft were approaching the Normandy coast.  At just after 8 o'clock, the Regina Rifles became the first to land. Their advance on the beach was supported by tanks from the 1st Hussars.  Many of the German fortifications had survived bombardment, but together, the tanks and infantry managed to fight their way from the beach to the town of Courseulles-sur-Mer, and by late that afternoon, had started to advance inland. Supported by naval gunfire, the Victoria's Canadian Scottish  landed succesfully at Mike sector, and members of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles came under enemy gunfire while still far offshore. Many were killed as they left the landing craft. Some of those who made it to land managed to advance past the beach defences, where they occupied the nearby coastal villages. If anything, the Nan sector proved less inviting as bombardment from the Channel had failed to dent German defences. One particular concrete bunker destroyed several tanks of the Fort Garry Horse, and brought heavy casualties to the North Shore Regiment before being silenced. 

It was in this sector that the Queen's Own Rifles received the worst battering of any Canadian unit.  Although their landing was to have been preceded by tanks, this was no possible due to high waves.  The Queen's Own arrived at the beach more than half an hour behind schedule. Although they arrived pretty much intact, the killing began almost immediately. With no cover, the Canadians were forced to scramble from the shoreline to the seawall, a distance of more than 180 meters. Two thirds of their number were cut down by a German 88mm gun. A second company of the Queen's Own had the misfortune of hitting the beach directly opposite a German strongpoint. Half of those who landed were killed before the Germans themselves became casualties. The experience of the Queen's Own stands in contrast with threat of the Canadian Scottish, who arrived in the second wave.  While the Canadian Scottish suffered fewer casualties than any other battalion, their fellow reserve unit, Le Regiment de la Chaudière's, were not so fortunate. As they approached the coast, the Chaudière's landing craft struck a concealed mine.  As a result, the Quebec regiment had no choice but to abandon their equipment and attempt a swim to shore.

Of the Canadian units involved in the invasion, only one managed to reach their D-Day objective. Nevertheless, they had left the first line of enemy defences in ruins. As dusk set, the Canadians had advanced farther inland than any other of the invading forces. Three hundred and forty Canadians died, with another 574 wounded, and forty seven taken prisoners.  

What was happening where he died

At sea and in the air, Canada also played a major role in Allied victory during the war. Thousands of tonnes of essential supplies, cargo and war materials were shepherded across the ocean by Canadian naval vessels, always at risk from German submarines, the weather, and the sea itself. The Royal Canadian Air Force provided aircraft and pilots during Britain's darkest hour, when the Germans attempted to occupy the island. Countless more Canadian air force personnel served in bombers, with the coastal patrols, or in a ground crew capacity.  At home, Canada provided training and facilities for thousands of Allied aircrew, as well as producing war materials which included explosives, tanks, ships and aircraft.  Many prisoners of war were also housed in Canada.

By the time the war had ended in 1945, 42,000 Canadians had died on land, at sea, or in the air and Aitkenhead was one of those who died and got buried with all his secrets like his rank and other things. Thousands more had been wounded, or taken prisoners. This information shows the large role played by the Canadian military during the Second World War. Many people wrongly believe we were merely a part of Britain, however, we were not. Canada's contribution is often overlooked by historians of the Second World War.

• Aitkenhead joined the army but unfortunately he got killed after 2 years of enlistement

Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery -France

Visual information

• Glebe colligate institute profile of the student and the soldier Aitkenhead Lloyd Duncan

• Websites: www.Canadianmilitary.com www.Canadaatwar.com www.veterans.ca