WHITMELL, NORMAN
Norman Whitmell was born November 10, 1903 in Hagerman Township, the son of Joseph Henry and Martha Sarah (Sands) Whitmell.
Norman is understood to have enlisted in 1940 and to have served until 1945.
He is identified as having been in the Queens Own Rifles, Highland Regiment; Ordinance, Canada and Britain
Norman and Kitty Whitmell. Norman and Kitty married April 20, 1942 in Brighton, England
In the summary of war service prepared by the Dunchurch Women’s Institute in their Down Memory Lane series of books it is suggested that Norman’s service was in Canada and Britain. However, the Queens Own Rifles also played an important role on the continent.
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, CASF was mobilized for active service on 24 May 1940. It was re-designated the '1st Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, CASF' on 7 November 1940.The unit, which served in Newfoundland from 10 August to 15 December 1940, embarked for Britain on 19 July 1941. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, the regiment landed in Normandy, France as part of the 8th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, and it continued to fight in North-West Europe until the end of the war. The overseas battalion was disbanded on 30 November 1945.
The regiment also mobilized the 3rd Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, CASF' for active service on 12 May 1942. It served in Canada in a home defence role as part of the 20th Infantry Brigade, 7th Canadian Division. The battalion was disbanded on 15 August 1943.
On 1 June 1945, a third Active Force component of the regiment, designated '4th Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, CIC, CAOF', was mobilized for service with the Canadian Army Occupation Force in Germany. The battalion was disbanded on 14 May 1946.
The battle honours of the Queens Own Rifles include: the Normandy Landing; Le Mesnil-Patry; Caen; Carpiquet; Bourguebus Ridge; Faubourg de Vaucelles; Falaise; Quesnay Wood; The Laison; Boulogne, 1944; Calais, 1944; The Scheldt; Breskens Pocket; the Rhineland; Waal Flats; The Hochwald; the Rhine; and, Emmerich-Hoch Elten; Deventer.
