The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, part of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, landed at Juno Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. They landed at what was code-named Nan Red Beach, near Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer. Thirty-five were killed in action that day in Normandy, and two the next day.
Yesterday at the Bény-sur-Mer cemetery in France, North Shore (NB) Regiment veteran Norman Kirby paid tribute to his comrades in a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
The Canadian Mint commemorated that anniversary with a silver dollar. It features Private George Baker from Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Pte. Baker survived D-Day and the rest of the war. He passed away in 2003.
D-Day Silver Dollar
Pte. Baker’s image was taken from film footage of the North Shore (NB) Regiment landing at Normandy.
North Shore (NB) Regiment R.C.I.C. deaths on D-Day
Below are the names of those who did not survive that day, taken from Canadian Fatal Casualties on D-Day (pdf). I have added information about each of them that I found online. All but a few are buried at Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery in France.
ASHFORD, Roger Alfred Edward, 38, Private, B/68655.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Alfred Henry and Florence Ashford, of St. Catharines, Ontario.
Born 5 Nov 1906 Selbourne UK. Enlisted 27 Apr 1943 Hamilton ON.
BLANCHARD, Alfred, 22, Private, G/23165.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Benoit and Laura Blanchard, of East Bathurst, New Brunswick.
BRANSFIELD, Claude, 21, Private, G/23034.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Ambrose and Frances Carroll Bransfield, of Escuminac, Northumberland Co., New Brunswick.
CLANCY, Rupert, Private, G/22885.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Born Chatham NB.
CLOUSTON, Murns Sydney, 26, Sergeant, G/22325.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of James and Francis L. Clouston, of East Bathurst, Gloucester Co., New Brunswick.
Born 17 Apr 1918 East Bathurst NB
CRABBE, Victor Charles, 28, Corporal, G/18306.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Charles Colby and Geneva Bertha (née Burlock) Crabbe; husband of Katharine J. Crabbe (née Scott), of Argyle, Carleton Co., New Brunswick.
Born 3 Jan 1916 in Peel NB, married 1936, two children. Enlisted 21 May 1940 Woodstock NB
DALEY, Harold Stanley, 22, Private, G/22937.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Stanley and Annie Daley, of Chatham, New Brunswick.
Born 15 Apr 1922 Chatham NB
DOUCET, Aldie, 24, Private, G/23445.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Wilfred and Beatrice Doucet, of D’Aulnay, Gloucester Co. New Brunswick.
ELLIOTT, Bruce Franklin, 26, Sergeant, G/19083.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of George Burton Elliott and Emily Elizabeth Elliott; husband of Alfreda Marie Elliott, of Kentville, King’s Co., Nova Scotia.
ELLIS, Gordon Hubert, 23, Private 1st Bn., G/22375.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of William James Ellis and Lucy Melvina (née Good) Ellis; husband of Joan Norah Ellis, of New Carlisle, Bonaventure Co., Quebec.
Born 10 Mar 1921 Salmon Beach, Bathurst Parish NB
FORKER, Norman Alexander McEwen, 21, Private, D/137992.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Alexander McEwen Forker and Sarah Forker, of New York City, U.S.A.
GALLAN, Clyde Sydney, 20, Private, G/29013.
Bayeux Memorial, France.
Born 9 Apr 1924 New Carlisle, Que. Enlisted 5 Sep 1942 Fredericton NB
Son of Howard and Sarah Gallan, New Carlisle, Que.
GIONET, Antoine, 25, Corporal, G/23530.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Leon L. Gionet and of Zenobie Gionet (née Pailin), of Middle Caraquet, New Brunswick.
Born 10 Sep 1917 Caraquet, Gloucester Co NB
HACHE, Bernard, 24, Private, G/18987.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Born 10 Jan 1920 Riviere du Portage NB. Enlisted 18 Jun 1941 Woodstock NB.
Son of Marcel and Marguerite Haché
HACHE, Lionel, 24, Private, G/18858.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Born 3 Jun 1920 Upper Caraquet NB. Enlisted 10 Jun 1941 Tracadie NB.
Son of Edward and Arma Haché, Burnsville NB
IRVING, Andrew Edison Stewart, 23, Private, G/22858.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of William Wallace Irving and Ruby Irving, of Millbank NB.
Born 20 Dec 1920 Millbank NB. Enlisted 12 Jun 1940 Chatham NB.
JAMES, Emerson Robert, 18, Private, B/131672.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Roy and Elsie James, of Hamilton ON.
Born 28 Jul 1925 London ON. Enlisted 21 Aug 1942 Hamilton ON.
His father was in the Canadian Merchant Marine. His brother Capt. William Albert James was also overseas, according to the Hamilton Spectator 12 January 1945.
KINGSTON, Earl Stewart, 28, Private, G/23245.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Born 29 Feb 1916 Bay du Vin NB. Enlisted 6 Jun 1941 Newcastle NB. Husband of Agnes Kingston.
LANDRY, Levie Joseph, 22, Private, G/51472.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Alex and Delphine Landry, of Upper Sackville NB. His brother Denis Joseph also fell.
Born 23 Jul 1921 Upper Sackville NB. Enlisted 1 Jan 1943 Fredericton NB.
(Landry, Denis Joseph, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada. Born 28 Dec 1919 Upper Sackville NB, enlisted 16 Jan 1944 Borden ON. Died 31 Oct 1944 Service No G/59546. Buried Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands)
LEWIS, Harold Thomas, 26, Private, G/32609.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Amos and Belinda “Linnie” (née Sabean) Lewis, of Port Lorne, Annapolis Co NS; husband of Elsie Mae Lewis, of Port Lorne.
(ancestry.ca gen records has 1900-1944 for him, while age 26 would mean born 1918)
MAIN, James Ralph, 29, Lance Corporal, G/22152.
Bayeux Memorial, France.
Son of Amos and Jane E Main of New Carlisle, Bonaventure Co Quebec.
Born 21 Jul 1914 New Carlisle, Que. Enlisted 9 Jun 1940 Campbellton NB.
MALLALEY, John Thomas, 33, Private, G/23340.
Bretteville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery, France.
Son of Thomas and Clara Mallaley (née Clara Jane Carrier?), of Lorne, Restigouche Co NB; husband of Opal Mallaley, of Lorne.
Born 1 Jan 1914 Lorne NB. Enlisted 9 Jul 1941 Rivière Jacquet NB.
MERSEREAU, Cyril Seton, 28, Lieutenant.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Claude Middleton Mersereau and Brigid Mary McGinley. Born 4 Jan 1916 Bathurst NB
MacNAUGHTON, John Archibald “Archie”, 47, Major.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of John Archibald and Maria MacNaughton, of Black River Bridge NB; husband of Grace Helen MacNaughton, of Black River Bridge.
Born 7 Oct 1896 Black River Bridge NB. Enlisted 7 Jun 1940 Chatham NB. Also in WWI ,104th Battalion, then 26th Battalion.
Major Archie MacNaughton, D-Day Heritage Minute
McCORMACK, Hugh Michael, 22, Sergeant, G/22831.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Born 29 Jun 1921.
McLEOD, George Bud, 27, Private, G/60509.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Born 6 Feb 1917.
PALMER, Earl Roderick, 21, Private, G/28691.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Born 20 Jan 1923, from St. Stephen NB
PITRE, Randolph, 21, Private, G/52076.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Born 11 Jun 1922 Bathurst NB. Enlisted 6 Jul 1941 Richibucto NB.
Son of Joseph Pitre and Josephine Watson of Big Cove NB, Elsipogtog First Nation. (CTV News: NB students travel to Normandy to visit Canadian war graves)
RIGLEY, Edward Joseph “Ned”, 23, Sergeant, G/22845.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Born 7 Sep 1920. (Brother-in-law of A Company 7 Platoon Commander Lt. Fred Moar, who survived war)
ROY, Joseph Edgar, 21, Private, G/23307.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Jerome J P and Louise Roy, of Petit Rocher Nord NB.
Born 9 Sep 1922. Enlisted 9 Jul 1941 Woodstock NB
SAVOY, Albert Joseph, 27, Corporal, G/22044.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Adolphe and Marie (née Pélagie) Savoy; husband of Pearl (née Lloyd) Savoy, of Escuminac, NB.
Born 10 Jan 1917 Chatham NB. Enlisted 10 Jun 1940 Chatham. 1 son.
STRANG, Arthur William, 26, Private, G/22728.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
s/o Jacob Ross and Jane Annie (née Stymiest) Strang, of Price Settlement, Northumberland Co NB; husband of Kathleen Ellen Strang(née Shepard) , of Price Settlement.
Born 28 Jan 1918 Tabusintac, Northumberland Co NB. 2 daughters.
Private Arthur Strang, video by Stephen Wilson
WALKER, John Ernest, 24, Lance Corporal, G/22835.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of George and Hazel Walker; husband of Rita Walker, of Hassocks, Sussex, England.
WALSH, Joseph Patrick, 28, Lance Sergeant, G/23259.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of James and Nellie Walsh, of Doyles Brook NB.
WIGGINS, Lambert Whitfield, 29, Corporal, G/18379.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, France.
Son of Lambert Williams Wiggins and Florence Alberta Wiggins, of Mars Hill, Maine USA.
Born 20 Apr 1915 Muniac NB. Enlisted 4 Apr 1940 Woodstock NB.
D-Day Memorial, Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer
On the D-Day memorial at Saint-Aubin, the North Shore (NB) Regiment names are engraved on the left side. Two more men, killed in combat the following day, are also included.
AURIAT, Jean Marie Joseph, Private, F/65252.
Douvres-la-Delivrande War Cemetery, Calvados, France.
Son of Francois Auriat and Victoire Montes, Saint-Front, Saskatchewan.
Three of his brothers were also in the Canadian Forces. Marcel, like his brother Jean, joined the North Shore (NB) Regiment. (See Auriat-Lamoureux Family History at saskhistory.ca.)
CORMIER, Azade, 19, Private, G/23432.
Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery, Calvados, France.
Son of Joseph and Marie Cormier, of Pokesudi, Gloucester Co., New Brunswick.
Battle of Normandy begins
Three hundred and fifty-nine Canadians died on D-Day. More than 5,000 Canadians were killed in the following two months during the Battle of Normandy, and more than 13,000 wounded. To all who died and all who survived, thank you.
Other sources
Soldiers’ photos came from the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Veterans Affairs Canada.
CBC has more on Archie MacNaughton and his Heritage Minute.
At Maple Leaf Up, you can read about the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment on “the longest day”. See Nation and State for more on the film taken during the landing.
Jennifer
23 Feb 2024The group picture of the North Shore Regiment A Company is fantastic! I was so happy to see it as my Pépère is in it. I would just like to correct his name. He is in the 5th row and listed as Lisette, A.J. and it is actually Lirette, A.J. (for Albert Joseph). I know it is so hard to see everyone’s names on there and you did an excellent job with such a tiny picture. Thank you!
Dorothy
23 Feb 2024Hi Jennifer, I’ve made the correction. Thank you! Yes, it’s a wonderful picture. I wish I could find a bigger version but so far no luck.
Seb
6 Apr 2020Hello Dorothy,
thanks you for this informations.
Any chnace to get the NSR A compagny group picture in better quality (on which we could see faces and names) ?
best regards from france.
Seb
Dorothy
6 Apr 2020Hi Seb, I got the picture from Veterans Affairs Canada. You will see it near the bottom. But it is the same size as what I posted. So I increased the resolution and tried to read the names. I will add them under the photo as soon as my eyes recover 😉 but there are some I just can’t make out. I haven’t found a list of all the men of the company to help identify those in the photo. Anyone who can add or correct what I post, please do! Thanks for writing.
Bruce Morton
6 Dec 2019Well done