Lieutenant Edna Marguerite Bustard
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Edna Marguerite Bustard of Hemmingford, Quebec, was a registered nurse who joined the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps as a Nursing Sister in January 1944. After service at military hospitals in Canada, she went overseas with No. 24 Canadian General Hospital and served for about seventeen and a half months in the United Kingdom. Promoted Lieutenant (Nursing Sister) in July 1944, she returned to Canada in November 1945 and was released to Reserve status in June 1946. Her awards included the Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, and War Medal 1939-45.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
NA
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
Battalion:
No. 24 Canadian General Hospital
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Hemmingford, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
28 years 6 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
30 years 11 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
48 years 4 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Registered Nurse
Next of Kin:
John Bustard, brother, Riverfield, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
2384 Beaconsfield Avenue, Montreal, Quebec
Religion:
Church of England
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal South, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 7.3 in / 171 cm
Weight:
155 lbs / 70 kg
Chest:
Expansion:
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Great Britain
Place of Discharge:
Montreal South, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
880 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Lieutenant |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
No. 24 Canadian General Hospital |
|
|
|
| Promoted Lieutenant (Nursing Sister) 20 July 1944; default final substantive rank. |
| WW2 |
Nursing Sister |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
RCAMC General List |
|
|
|
| Parallel nursing appointment row. |
| WW2 |
Second Lieutenant |
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
RCAMC General List |
|
|
|
| Officer-equivalent rank held on appointment. |
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
1915-06-24 — Born at Hemmingford, Quebec. Place / Unit: Hemmingford, Quebec.
1933 — Completed high school at Ormstown, Quebec. Place / Unit: Ormstown, Quebec.
1939-1942 — Completed nursing training at Montreal Homeopathic Hospital and graduated as a registered nurse. Place / Unit: Montreal Homeopathic Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1942-1943 — Worked as a nurse at Ormstown General Hospital. Place / Unit: Ormstown General Hospital, Ormstown, Quebec.
1943-1944 — Worked as an industrial nurse for Defence Industries Limited. Place / Unit: Defence Industries Limited, Verdun, Quebec.
1944-01-20 — Appointed Nursing Sister in the RCAMC General List with officer-equivalent rank of Second Lieutenant. Place / Unit: Alberni Military Hospital, Alberni, British Columbia.
1944-02-18 — Reported for duty at Kingston Military Hospital. Place / Unit: Kingston Military Hospital, Kingston, Ontario.
1944-02-23 to 1944-03-18 — Attached to Brockville Military Hospital, then returned to Kingston. Place / Unit: Brockville Military Hospital, Brockville, Ontario.
1944-04-15 — Taken on strength No. 24 Canadian General Hospital. Place / Unit: No. 24 Canadian General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario.
1944-06-10 to 1944-06-11 — Granted embarkation leave. Place / Unit: Kingston, Ontario / No. 24 Canadian General Hospital.
1944-06-26 — Taken on strength Canadian Army Overseas. Place / Unit: No. 24 Canadian General Hospital / Canadian Army Overseas.
1944-07-20 — Promoted Lieutenant (Nursing Sister). Place / Unit: No. 24 Canadian General Hospital, United Kingdom.
1945-11-06 — Reported to Canadian repatriation depot for return to Canada. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / Canadian repatriation system.
1945-11-20 — Reported in Canada after overseas service and was granted leave. Place / Unit: No. 4 District Depot, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-05-10 — Reported sick with gall-bladder indigestion. Place / Unit: Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-05-14 — Admitted with cholelithiasis. Place / Unit: Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-05-17 — Underwent cholecystectomy for gallstones. Place / Unit: Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-06-18 — Struck off strength of the Canadian Army on return to Reserve status. Place / Unit: District Depot No. 4, Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-06-19 — Discharged from Montreal Military Hospital to DVA care. Place / Unit: Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1963-11-03 — Died at the Jewish General Hospital. Place / Unit: Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
Notes
Completed high school at Ormstown in 1933 and trained as a registered nurse at the Montreal Homeopathic Hospital from 1939 to 1942. She worked at Ormstown General Hospital and as an industrial nurse for Defence Industries Limited at Verdun before enlistment. In May 1946 she underwent surgery for cholelithiasis at Montreal Military Hospital. A 1963 obituary records her married name as Edna Marguerite Shirley, wife of William Walter Shirley.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Married William Shirley 1956
Died Jewish General, Montreal
Buried Havelock
Request confirmation number EA2026_0173982
Additional Service Notes
Appointed to the RCAMC General List as a Nursing Sister/Second Lieutenant on 20 January 1944. Served at Canadian military hospitals before proceeding overseas with No. 24 Canadian General Hospital in June 1944. Served 17½ months in the United Kingdom, was promoted Lieutenant (Nursing Sister) on 20 July 1944, returned to Canada in November 1945, and was struck off strength on 18 June 1946 on return to Reserve status.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Brother John Bustard was next of kin; his address was changed from Hemmingford to Riverfield, Quebec in June 1944. The 1963 obituary names husband William Walter Shirley; brother John Bustard of Riverfield; sister-in-law Mrs. Morton Bustard of Montreal; and the late Elma Brownlee.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-22 02:05:03
by: marc
