Private Wilfred Michael Flynn
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Wilfred Michael Flynn was born at Huntingdon, Quebec, on 6 October 1890. Before the Second World War he worked in several trades, including carpentry, plumbing and steam-fitting, service-station work and logging. Contemporary material also described him as a veteran of the First World War, although his earlier service record has not yet been positively identified. He enlisted at Vancouver, British Columbia, on 17 July 1940 as Private K98551 with No. 6 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps. He embarked from Halifax on 15 February 1941 and served in the United Kingdom, principally in Scotland. During 1942 he underwent extended medical investigation and was returned to Canada under medical supervision. He was discharged at Vancouver on 9 December 1942 as physically unfit for military service under existing standards. His medal entitlement was the Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, and War Medal 1939-45. He died at Vancouver on 14 April 1957.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
K98551
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Forestry Corps
Battalion:
No. 6 Company Canadian Forestry Corps
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Huntingdon, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
49 years 9 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
52 years 2 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
66 years 6 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Logger
Next of Kin:
Mary Grace Flynn, wife, Vancouver, British Columbia
Address at Enlistment:
1050 Melville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Place of Enlistment:
Vancouver, British Columbia
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 7.3 in / 171 cm
Weight:
143 lbs / 65 kg
Chest:
37.5 in / 95 cm
Expansion:
3.0 in / 8 cm
Marital Status:
Married
Prior Military Experience:
Yes
Saw Service in:
Great Britain
Place of Discharge:
Vancouver, British Columbia
Discharge Type:
Medically Unfit
Discharge Notes:
Discharged as physically unfit for military service under existing standards. A Medical Board at No. 1 Neurological Hospital on 21 September 1942 placed him in Category E and recommended return to Canada under medical supervision, stating that with return to Canada and settlement of domestic worries he would probably be fit for home service. The hospital discharge notification records Chronic Anxiety Neurosis and Physical Inferiority—over age. Later Canadian medical-history records retain Chronic Anxiety Neurosis (code 0623).
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
875 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Private |
Canadian Forestry Corps |
Army |
No. 6 Company Canadian Forestry Corps |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Medal 1939-45 |
|
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1890-10-06 — Born — Huntingdon, Quebec
1940-07-17 — Joined/posted to No. 6 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, C.A.S.F., as Private K98551 — Victoria, British Columbia
1940-08-08 — Married Mary Grace Flynn — Vancouver, British Columbia
1940-08-14 — Permission to marry recorded; next of kin changed to Mary Grace Flynn, wife — Victoria, British Columbia
1940-12-25 — Granted one day furlough — Victoria, British Columbia
1941-02-15 — Struck off strength at Halifax on embarkation for overseas service — Halifax, Nova Scotia
1941-02-16 — Taken on strength overseas in transit; qualifying overseas-service period begins — Overseas transit
1941-03-01 — Disembarked overseas — Gourock, Scotland
1941-05-12 — Returned from landing leave — United Kingdom
1941-05-13 — Admitted from unit with mild shave-related infection; attached to No. 6 Company — United Kingdom
1941-05-31 — Granted 48-hour leave — United Kingdom
1941-07-08 — Returned from 48-hour leave — United Kingdom
1941-10-06 to 1941-10-13 — Granted privilege leave — United Kingdom
1942-01-12 — Struck off strength/posted from No. 6 Company for medical treatment; admitted to Raigmore Military Hospital — Inverness, Scotland
1942-01-13 — Temporarily posted/attached through Canadian Forestry Corps reinforcement/medical administration — United Kingdom
1942-03-08 — Invalid medical history records end of Raigmore treatment period — Inverness, Scotland
1942-03-10 — Formal Raigmore Military Hospital discharge notification; illness recorded as gastritis — Inverness, Scotland
1942-03-11 — Posted back to No. 6 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps — United Kingdom
1942-04-27 — Left No. 6 Company for medical board — United Kingdom
1942-04-29 — Admitted to No. 7 Canadian General Hospital — United Kingdom
1942-05-28 — Temporarily struck off strength from No. 6 Company / medical administration — United Kingdom
1942-06-05 — Medical Board at No. 7 Canadian General Hospital placed him in Category C2 for station duties; no further treatment required — Marston Green, Warwick, England
1942-06-12 — Discharged to duty from No. 7 Canadian General Hospital after 43 days; N.A.D. (Physical Inferiority) — Marston Green, Warwick, England
1942-06-16 — Posted to No. 6 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps — United Kingdom
1942-08-31 — Struck off strength / partial posting to Canadian Forestry Corps reinforcement establishment — United Kingdom
1942-09-01 — Admitted to No. 1 Neurological Hospital from No. 6 Company — United Kingdom
1942-09-21 — Medical Board placed him in Category E and recommended return to Canada under medical supervision — No. 1 Neurological Hospital, United Kingdom
1942-09-22 — Discharged from No. 1 Neurological Hospital to N.E.T.D.; diagnoses recorded as Chronic Anxiety Neurosis and Physical Inferiority—over age — United Kingdom
1942-10-17 — Overseas service terminated — United Kingdom
1942-10-18 — Taken on strength No. XI District Depot on return from overseas for discharge/disposition — Vancouver, British Columbia
1942-10-30 — Specialist assessment after return to Canada; period classification 'psychoneurotic, mixed type' — Vancouver, British Columbia
1942-11-01 to 1942-11-16 — Granted sick leave — Vancouver, British Columbia
1942-11-16 — Final medical-history examination records diagnosis Chronic Anxiety Neurosis (code 0623) — Vancouver, British Columbia
1942-11-16 to 1942-11-29 — Granted further sick leave — Vancouver, British Columbia
1942-12-09 — Discharged as physically unfit for military service under existing standards — Vancouver, British Columbia
1957-04-14 — Died — Vancouver, British Columbia
Notes
Wilfred Michael Flynn was born at Huntingdon, Quebec, on 6 October 1890, of Irish descent. The 1940 attestation stated 6 October 1896, but detailed 1942 specialist and medical-history records give age 52 and 6 October 1890; the later records are internally consistent and the attestation appears to understate his age by six years. The WWII file varies his forenames, commonly recording Michael, Michael Wilfred, M. W. Flynn or Michael Flynn; the verified CWVMP identity Wilfred Michael Flynn is retained. His 1940 medical examination recorded a medium complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He left school before completing Grade VIII. Civilian work included carpentry for about four years, plumbing and steam-fitting for about 21 years, three years at a Shell Oil station at Port Alberni, and two periods of logging lasting about six to seven years each. He married Mary Grace Flynn on 8 August 1940; no children were recorded. A 1942 specialist history records five brothers and three sisters and notes that one brother had served in the First World War. Verified CWVMP material separately identifies Flynn himself as a First World War veteran, although his 1940 service record records no prior military qualifications; the exact earlier service record remains unidentified. During 1942 he had persistent epigastric pain, periodic vomiting and approximately 20 pounds of weight loss over six months. Investigations did not establish organic pathology. The later medical records use the period diagnosis Chronic Anxiety Neurosis; a specialist classified him as 'psychoneurotic, mixed type.' He died at Vancouver, British Columbia, on 14 April 1957.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Born: October, 1890
Wilfred Michael Flynn BIRTH 06 OCT 1890 • Township of Hinchinbrooke, Huntingdon County, Quebec, Canada DEATH 14 APR 1957 • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Request confirmation number EA2026_0173308
Pte. M. Wilfred Flynn, a Veteran of World War No. 1, has returned home after serving for the past two years with the Forestry Corps in Great Britain. Pte. Flynn is a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Flynn, of Boyd Settlement, and a brother of Capt. J. P. Flynn, who was one of the firs
Additional Service Notes
Enlisted at Vancouver on 17 July 1940 as Private K98551 and posted to No. 6 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps. He embarked at Halifax on 15 February 1941, was taken on strength overseas in transit on 16 February, and disembarked at Gourock, Scotland, on 1 March. A later War Service Badge application independently records service in Canada from 17 July 1940 to 15 February 1941, in England from 16 February 1941 to 17 October 1942, and again in Canada from 18 October to discharge on 9 December 1942. In 1942 he underwent prolonged medical investigation. A Medical Board at No. 7 Canadian General Hospital on 5 June placed him in Category C2 for station duties. He returned to duty on 12 June. He was admitted to No. 1 Neurological Hospital on 1 September; a Medical Board on 21 September placed him in Category E and recommended return to Canada under medical supervision, and he was discharged to N.E.T.D. on 22 September. War Service Gratuity records 876 qualifying service days, including 609 qualifying overseas days. He was discharged at Vancouver on 9 December 1942 as physically unfit for military service under existing standards. Medal entitlement: Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, and War Medal 1939-45. Final rank Private.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Mary Grace Flynn, wife, 1254 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia. They married on 8 August 1940, three weeks after his enlistment. A 1942 specialist history states that she was then age 36 and that the marriage was the first for each; no children were recorded. Both of Flynn's parents were deceased by 1940.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-19 18:46:31
by: marc
