Canadian War Veterans Memorial Project
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Gunner Douglas Melrose Laurie

Survivor of WW2

Date of Death:

Biography General Links Ranks Awards Chronology Print

Service Biography

Douglas Melrose Laurie was born in Montreal, Quebec, on 11 October 1896. He completed four years of high school, graduating in June 1913, and later earned a B.S.A. from McGill University's Macdonald College in 1921. A fruit farmer at Hemmingford, Quebec, he had previously served in the Great War as no. 549829 with the 10th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, from 2 December 1917 to 27 May 1919. He enlisted again at Montreal on 12 August 1940 as Gunner D-10109 and served in Canada with the 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery. He was classified Motor Mechanic II and spent a period on command with No. 4 Army Field Workshops. A longstanding left wrist and hand disability followed a wrist fracture in 1915, surgery in 1916, and a saw injury to the hand in 1925, leaving permanent weakness and restricted movement. Following medical investigation and a Medical Board, he was discharged at Montreal South on 11 February 1941 as physically unfit for further military service, after 184 days of wartime service in Canada.

General Information

Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
D-10109
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Artillery
Battalion:
5th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Montreal, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
43 years 10 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
44 years 4 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
68 years 2 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Farmer (fruit)
Next of Kin:
Mrs. Edna Marguerite Laurie (wife), Post Office, Hemmingford, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Post Office, Hemmingford, Quebec
Religion:
United Church of Canada
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 11.0 in / 180 cm
Weight:
166 lbs / 75 kg
Chest:
39.0 in / 99 cm
Expansion:
5.0 in / 13 cm
Marital Status:
Married
Prior Military Experience:
Yes
Saw Service in:
Canada
Place of Discharge:
Montreal South, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Medically Unfit
Discharge Notes:
Medically unfit for further military service because of permanent impairment of the left wrist and hand; discharged under R.O. 39, para. 10.
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
183 days in service
Buried at:
Ancestry.com

Ranks

Conflict Rank Regiment Branch Unit Company Date From Date To
WW2 Gunner Royal Canadian Artillery Army 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery

Awards

Conflict Award Action Date of Award Date of Citation Source
WW2 War Service Badge, General Service Class Issued
WW2 War Medal 1939-45 Recorded / dispatched
WW2 British War Medal Already in possession
WW2 Victory Medal Already in possession

Service Chronology

1896-10-11 — Born.
1917-12-02 to 1919-05-27 — Served in the Great War as no. 549829 with the 10th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery.
1940-08-12 — Enlisted in the Canadian Active Service Force as Gunner D-10109; joined No. 4 District Depot.
1940-09-15 — Transferred to his unit at Montreal.
1940-09-16 — Taken on strength of 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery.
1940-09-23 — Classified Motor Mechanic II.
1940-11-07 — Placed on command with No. 4 Army Field Workshops.
1940-11-12 — Authorized Tradesman's Pay, Class C, while employed as Driver Mechanic.
1940-12-09 — Ceased to be on command at No. 4 Army Field Workshops.
1940-12-30 to 1941-01-05 — Granted six days' leave.
1940-12 — Fell on ice, striking the left knee; later reported sick for persistent pain.
1941-01-21 — Reported sick for left-knee pain following the December fall; X-ray and surgical opinion requested.
1941-01-27 — Clinical review found no significant knee abnormality; longstanding left-wrist disability considered incompatible with mechanical work; discharge or clerical employment recommended.
1941-01-29 — Struck off strength on transfer within Military District No. 4; destination wording is partly unreadable.
1941-01-30 — Taken on strength on temporary attachment after reporting from his unit and posted to 'Driving pending disposal'.
1941-01-31 — Medical Board approved Category E / medical discharge recommendation.
1941-02-11 — Discharged as physically unfit for further military service under R.O. 39, para. 10, after 184 days' service in Canada.

Notes

Completed four years of high school, graduating in June 1913, and four years at McGill University (Macdonald College), graduating in 1921 with a B.S.A. He was a fruit farmer at Hemmingford, Quebec, and English-speaking. Before his Second World War enlistment he had served in the Great War as no. 549829 with the 10th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, from 2 December 1917 to 27 May 1919. The 1940 family form records his wife, Edna Marguerite Laurie, and six children.

[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]

Reported July 31, accepted August 12, 1940.
Born at Montreal, Oct. 11, 1896. Served in WW1
BIRTH 11 OCT 1896 • Montreal, Quebec DEATH 7 JAN 1965 • Ormstown, Monteregie, Quebec, Canada
Request confirmation number EA2026_0171634

Additional Service Notes

Previously served in the Great War as no. 549829 with the 10th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, from 2 December 1917 to 27 May 1919. For Second World War service he enlisted in the Canadian Active Service Force at Montreal on 12 August 1940 as Gunner D-10109. He joined No. 4 District Depot, transferred to the 5th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery, and was classified Motor Mechanic II. He was on command with No. 4 Army Field Workshops from 7 November to 9 December 1940 and was authorized Tradesman's Pay, Class C, while employed as a Driver Mechanic. In January 1941 he was transferred for disposal following medical review. He completed 184 days of Canada-only wartime service and was medically discharged at Montreal South on 11 February 1941. His Second World War records document the War Medal 1939-45 and War Service Badge, General Service Class no. 031826; a 1949 application also records that he already possessed the British War Medal and Victory Medal from his Great War service.

Additional Next of Kin Notes

Wife Edna Marguerite Laurie, Post Office, Hemmingford, Quebec. The family form states that they had six children (one boy and five girls). Four are explicitly named on the form: Margaret Mary, age 14; Jim, age 13; Barbara, age 12; and Carol, age 10. The remaining two children are not named in the visible entries and are not inferred. His father, William Melrose Laurie, and mother, Mary Scott Laurie, were both living at 5469 Melrose Ave., Montreal, Quebec.

Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-19 18:52:11 by: marc