Trooper William Charles Wilson
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
William Charles Wilson was born at Hemmingford, Quebec, on 27 September 1918. A driver and motor mechanic before enlistment, he joined the Canadian Army at Montreal South on 13 August 1941. He served with the Canadian Grenadier Guards and later the 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Regiment) in the Canadian Armoured Corps, including overseas service in the United Kingdom and Northwest Europe. He was awarded the 1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, and Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. Wilson was released on demobilization on 15 January 1946.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
D27152
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Armoured Corps
Battalion:
District Depot No. 4
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Hemmingford, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
22 years 10 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
27 years 3 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
49 years 6 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Driver - Motor Mechanic
Next of Kin:
Cora Wilson, mother, Fisher Street, Hemmingford, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Fisher Street, Hemmingford, Quebec
Religion:
United Church of Canada
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal South, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 7.5 in / 171 cm
Weight:
143 lbs / 65 kg
Chest:
38.5 in / 98 cm
Expansion:
3.0 in / 8 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Montreal South, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1616 days in service
Buried at:
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
District Depot No. 4 |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
No. 3 Repatriation Depot |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
549 Canadian Draft, Military District No. 4 |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
28th Canadian Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Regiment) |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
X-3 List |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
28th Canadian Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Regiment) |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
Headquarters, 5th Canadian Armoured Division |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Guardsman |
Canadian Grenadier Guards / Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
Headquarters, 4th Canadian Armoured Division |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Guardsman |
Canadian Grenadier Guards |
Army |
Canadian Grenadier Guards |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Guardsman |
Canadian Grenadier Guards |
Army |
1st Battalion, Canadian Grenadier Guards |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Guardsman |
Canadian Grenadier Guards |
Army |
District Depot No. 4, E Wing |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
1939-1945 Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
France and Germany Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp |
|
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1918-09-27 — Born at Hemmingford, Quebec. Hemmingford, Quebec
1941-08-13 — Attested for active service at Montreal South, Quebec. Montreal South, Quebec / District Depot No. 4
1941-08-14 — Taken on strength District Depot No. 4, E Wing. District Depot No. 4, E Wing
1941-08-15 — On command and attached for all purposes to 1st Battalion, Canadian Grenadier Guards at Sussex, New Brunswick. Sussex, New Brunswick / 1st Battalion, Canadian Grenadier Guards
1941-08-16 — Taken on strength Canadian Grenadier Guards. Canadian Grenadier Guards
1941-09-25 — Absent without leave from 1700 hrs; later admonished and forfeited one day's pay. Canadian Grenadier Guards
1941-11-24 to 1942-01-24 — Attended Unit Equipment Repair Course, Golden Ball Garage, Saint John, New Brunswick. Golden Ball Garage, Saint John, New Brunswick
1942-01-26 — Passed Driver (IC) Wheeled, Class III test. Canadian Grenadier Guards
1942-02-21 to 1942-03-06 — Granted furlough. Canadian Grenadier Guards
1942-03-13 — Struck off strength to Headquarters, 4th Canadian Armoured Division. Headquarters, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1942-03-14 — Attached for all purposes, including pay, to 22nd Canadian Armoured Regiment (Canadian Grenadier Guards). 22nd Canadian Armoured Regiment (Canadian Grenadier Guards)
1942-03-30 to 1942-04-16 — Admitted Debért Military Hospital for chronic interstitial mastitis of right breast; surgery performed 31 March; discharged after treatment. Debért Military Hospital, Nova Scotia
1942-05-27 — Medical category changed from D to A. Headquarters, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1942-06-02 — Ceased attachment to 22nd Canadian Armoured Regiment for all purposes on reporting to Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division. Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1942-06-03 — Ceased attachment to 22nd Canadian Armoured Regiment and returned to Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division; rank shown as Trooper. Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1942-08-06 — Qualified in Divisional Course on Hygiene and Sanitation, Class III. Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1942-08-21 — Struck off strength Canada for overseas service. Canada / Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1942-08-22 — Taken on strength Canadian Army Overseas. Canadian Army Overseas / Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1942-09-01 — Overseas service in the United Kingdom began. United Kingdom / Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1942-11-12 to 1942-11-21 — Granted nine days privilege leave with ration allowance. United Kingdom / Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1943-01-01 — Daily rate of pay increased to $1.50. United Kingdom / Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1943-01-13 — Granted six days privilege leave with allowance. United Kingdom / Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1943-03-04 to 1943-03-13 — Granted nine days privilege leave with ration allowance. United Kingdom / Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1943-06-01 — Granted daily rate of pay $1.50. Field / Canadian Armoured Corps
1943-06-07 to 1943-06-16 — Granted nine days privilege leave with ration allowance. United Kingdom / Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1943-08-05 — Attached for all purposes to Headquarters, 5th Canadian Armoured Division. Headquarters, 5th Canadian Armoured Division
1943-08-05 — Attached for all purposes to Headquarters, 5th Canadian Armoured Division. Headquarters, 5th Canadian Armoured Division
1943-08-12 — Ceased attachment to Headquarters, 5th Canadian Armoured Division. Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1943-08-13 — Awarded one Good Conduct Badge. Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1943-12-06 — Struck off strength Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division to 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment. Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division
1943-12-07 — Taken on strength 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment from Headquarters Squadron, 4th Canadian Armoured Division. 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1944-01-29 — Awarded Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1944-03-16 to 1944-03-25 — Granted nine days privilege leave with ration allowance. 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1944-07-22 — Embarked United Kingdom. United Kingdom / 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1944-07-22 — Embarked United Kingdom for Northwest Europe. United Kingdom / 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1944-07-24 — Disembarked France. France / 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1944-07-24 to 1945-05-08 — Served in Northwest Europe with 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Regiment). Northwest Europe / 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1944-07-24 — Disembarked France. France / 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1945-05-21 to 1945-06-03 — Granted eleven days leave in the United Kingdom with allowance. United Kingdom / 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1945-06-22 — Struck off strength to X-3 List, Canadian Armoured Corps. Field / X-3 List, Canadian Armoured Corps
1945-06-22 to 1945-06-29 — Admitted to No. 1 Canadian General Hospital for acute conjunctivitis of the left eye; discharged to duty. No. 1 Canadian General Hospital / British Liberation Army
1945-06-30 — Taken on strength 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment from X-3 List. 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1945-08-31 to 1945-09-15 — Granted fourteen days privilege leave. 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment
1945-10-17 — Struck off strength 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment to 549 Canadian Draft, Military District No. 4, for repatriation. 549 Canadian Draft, Military District No. 4
1945-10-19 — Disembarked United Kingdom and attached to No. 3 Repatriation Depot. United Kingdom / No. 3 Repatriation Depot
1945-10-23 to 1945-11-02 — Granted ten days privilege leave with ration allowance. No. 3 Repatriation Depot / United Kingdom
1945-11-14 to 1945-11-21 — Granted eight days privilege leave with ration allowance. Canadian Army Overseas / repatriation
1945-12-02 — Struck off strength Canadian Army Overseas during repatriation to Canada. Canadian Army Overseas
1945-12-03 — Taken on strength District Depot No. 4 from Canadian Army Overseas. District Depot No. 4, Montreal South, Quebec
1945-12-08 to 1946-01-10 — Granted leave and rations during demobilization processing. District Depot No. 4, Montreal South, Quebec
1945-12-08 to 1946-01-10 — Granted leave and ration allowance during demobilization processing. District Depot No. 4, Montreal South, Quebec
1946-01-15 — Released on demobilization under Routine Order 1029 paragraph 5; address on discharge Fisher Street, Hemmingford, Quebec. District Depot No. 4, Montreal South, Quebec
Notes
At enlistment he was 5 ft 7½ in tall and 143 lb, with a 38½ in chest and 3 in expansion, medium complexion, brown eyes and dark hair. He was single, United Church of Canada, and worked as a driver-motor mechanic. Medical history records a pre-service right-breast operation in 1939 and further treatment during service. His address on discharge was Fisher Street, Hemmingford, Quebec.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Born at Hemmingford. Que. Sept. 27th, 1918.
Enlisted on August 13th, 1941. Longueuil,
Name Charles William Wilson Birth 28 sept. 1918 (28 Sep 1918) Death 7 avr. 1968 (7 Apr 1968) Hemmingford, Quebec, Canada Residence Hemmingford
Request confirmation number EA2026_0172760
Additional Service Notes
Enlisted 13 August 1941 and served with the Canadian Grenadier Guards and later the 28th Canadian Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Regiment), Canadian Armoured Corps. Served overseas in the United Kingdom and Northwest Europe. Released on demobilization through District Depot No. 4 at Montreal South, Quebec, on 15 January 1946.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Mother Cora Wilson, Fisher Street, Hemmingford, Quebec, was next of kin and received an assignment of pay. Father Elmer Wilson is identified on medical history forms; both parents were resident at Hemmingford.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-30 02:05:04
by: marc
