Guardsman Leslie Archibald Cameron

Survivor of WW2

Date of Death:

Biography General Ranks Awards Chronology Print

Service Biography

Leslie Archibald Cameron was born at Huntingdon, Quebec, on 17 August 1905. A store keeper, he enlisted voluntarily at Montreal on 18 September 1939 with the Royal Montreal Regiment (M.G.), service number D-76295. He proceeded overseas in December 1939 and served in the United Kingdom and Continental Europe, later serving with the Canadian Armoured Corps and the 21st Canadian Armoured Regiment (Governor General's Foot Guards) as a driver mechanic. He returned to Canada in March 1945 and was honourably discharged at Montreal South on 7 June 1945 at his own request after long service. He was awarded the 1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp, and War Medal 1939-45. Cameron died at Surrey, British Columbia, on 8 June 1980 after a lengthy illness and was buried at White Rock, British Columbia.

General Information

Conflict:

WW2

Regimental No.:

D-76295

Cause of Death (in war):

Survived

Branch:

Army

Regiment:

Canadian Armoured Corps

Battalion:

21st Canadian Armoured Regiment (Governor General's Foot Guards)

Company:

Date of Birth :

Place of Birth:

Huntingdon, Quebec

Date of Enlistment:

Age at Enlistment:

34 years 1 month

Date of Discharge:

Age at Discharge:

39 years 9 months

Date of Death:

Age at Death:

74 years 9 months

Country Born:

Canada

Trade or Calling:

Store Keeper

Next of Kin:

Sarah Neely, aunt, Huntingdon, Quebec

Address at Enlistment:

Huntingdon, Quebec

Religion:

United Church of Canada

Place of Enlistment:

Montreal, Quebec

Was a Prisoner of War:

Height:

5 ft 10.5 in / 179 cm

Weight:

135 lbs / 61 kg

Chest:

35.0 in / 89 cm

Expansion:

2.5 in / 6 cm

Marital Status:

Single

Prior Military Experience:

Saw Service in:

Europe

Place of Discharge:

Montreal South, Quebec

Discharge Type:

Resigned from service

Discharge Notes:

At own request by reason of long service.

Battle Died/Wounded:

Length of Service:

2089 days in service

Buried at:

Ranks

Conflict	Rank	Regiment	Branch	Unit
WW2	Guardsman	Canadian Armoured Corps	Army	21st Canadian Armoured Regiment (Governor General's Foot Guards)
TOS 21 C.A.R. 19 Mar 1944; final/default rank and unit.
WW2	Trooper	Canadian Armoured Corps	Army	Canadian Armoured Corps training / delivery units
Transferred from R.M.R. (M.G.) to C.A.C. effective 26 Jan 1943.
WW2	Private	Royal Montreal Regiment (M.G.)	Army	Royal Montreal Regiment (M.G.)

Awards

Conflict	Award	Action	Source
WW2	1939-45 Star	Add	Canadian Army Awards card
WW2	France and Germany Star	Add	Canadian Army Awards card
WW2	Defence Medal	Add	Canadian Army Awards card
WW2	Canadian Volunteer Service Medal	Add	Canadian Army Awards card
WW2	War Medal 1939-45	Add	Canadian Army Awards card

Service Chronology

1905-08-17 — Born
1939-09-18 — Voluntarily enlisted; Private, Royal Montreal Regiment (M.G.)
1939-10-02 — Admitted to military hospital for urethral discharge following exposure
1939-10-12 — Discharged from hospital
1939-12-06 — Proceeded overseas
1939-12-08 — Struck off strength C.A.S.F. Canada
1939-12-09 — Taken on strength C.A.S.F. overseas
1939-12-18 — Arrived/disembarked in the United Kingdom
1942-09-08 — Awarded two days C.B. for drunkenness, first offence
1942-12 to 1943-01 — On command for special vehicle course
1943-01-26 — Transferred from Royal Montreal Regiment (M.G.) to Canadian Armoured Corps; taken on strength as Trooper
1943-01-01 — Pay increased to $1.50 effective
1943-05-05 — Granted seven days privilege leave with ration allowance
1943 — Further Canadian Armoured Corps reinforcement/training postings
1944-03-19 — Taken on strength 21st Canadian Armoured Regiment (Governor General's Foot Guards); Driver Mechanic M.V.
1944-03-24 — Granted seven days privilege leave with money allowance
1944-06-01 — Struck off strength 21 C.A.R. to 25 Canadian Armoured Delivery Regiment; Driver Mechanic M.V. Class C
1944-08-14 — Struck off strength to D Squadron, 25 C.A.D.R.
1944-08-17 — Taken on strength from D Squadron, 25 C.A.D.R.
1944-09-12 — Taken on strength from X-4 List, 25 C.A.D.R.
1944-09-30 — Struck off strength to X-4 List, 25 C.A.D.R.
1944-10-20 — Taken on strength 21 C.A.R. from X-4 List, 25 C.A.D.R.; Driver Mechanic Tank Class C
1945-03-09 — Struck off strength 21 C.A.R. to X-8 List (No. 3 N.E.T.D.) to proceed on rotation leave to Canada
1945-03-16 — Struck off strength X-8 List for Draft EXAG 68 to Canada
1945-03-28 — Returned to Canada
1945-04-14 — Attached for repatriation/rotation-leave administration
1945-05-23 — Taken on strength No. 4 District Depot from Canadian Army Overseas for release processing
1945-05-29 — Medical Board/release processing
1945-06-07 — Honourably discharged at own request after long service
1980-06-08 — Died after a lengthy illness
1980 — Buried

Notes

Completed Grade 10 and part of Grade 11 at Huntingdon Academy. Before enlistment he worked as a store clerk/store keeper in Huntingdon, including employment with his father's general store and with the Steel Company of Canada. He was English-speaking. Postwar obituary states that he died after a lengthy illness at Surrey, British Columbia, on 8 June 1980, in his 75th year; he was the son of the late William Cameron and Sara Neely Cameron of Anderson's Corner and was buried at White Rock, British Columbia.

Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Cameron of Huntingdon.
Born at Herdman, Que.. August 17, 1906.
Died and Cremated in 8 Jun 1980 New Westminster, BC
ATIP Request confirmation number EA2026_0170908

Additional Service Notes

Leslie Archibald Cameron enlisted voluntarily at Montreal on 18 September 1939 with the Royal Montreal Regiment (M.G.), regimental number D-76295. He proceeded overseas on 6 December 1939, was struck off strength of the Canadian Active Service Force in Canada on 8 December, taken on strength overseas on 9 December, and arrived/disembarked in the United Kingdom on 18 December 1939. He later transferred from the Royal Montreal Regiment to the Canadian Armoured Corps effective 26 January 1943 and served as a trooper. His subsequent armoured service included the 21st Canadian Armoured Regiment (Governor General's Foot Guards) and the 25th Canadian Armoured Delivery Regiment, with employment/qualification as Driver Mechanic. He was taken on strength of 21 C.A.R. as Driver Mechanic M.V. on 19 March 1944, struck off strength to 25 C.A.D.R. on 1 June 1944, and later returned to 21 C.A.R. after delivery-regiment/X-list postings. He returned to Canada on rotation leave in March 1945 and was discharged at Montreal South on 7 June 1945 at his own request after long service. His War Service Gratuity record credits 2,090 days of qualifying service, including 1,396 days of qualifying overseas service.

Additional Next of Kin Notes

Next of kin at enlistment: Sarah Neely, aunt, Huntingdon, Quebec. He was single and reported no wife or children. Family form states his father and mother were not living and records that he had supported his widowed aunt, Sarah Neely. The 1980 obituary identifies his parents as the late William Cameron and Sara Neely Cameron of Anderson's Corner.

Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-20 03:12:17 by: marc