Private Benjamin Harrigan
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Benjamin Harrigan of Huntingdon enlisted in the Canadian Active Service Force at Montreal on 13 July 1940 and served as a private with the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders of Canada). He went overseas to the United Kingdom in February 1941. In 1942 he developed pleurisy with effusion and underwent extended treatment in Canadian military hospitals in England before being returned to Canada. He was discharged on medical grounds on 6 October 1942. Harrigan later married Anita Clark. He died at Barrie Memorial Hospital in Ormstown on 15 November 2005 and was buried in Huntingdon Protestant Cemetery.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
D82611
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Black Watch, Royal Highlanders of Canada
Battalion:
1st Battalion
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Huntingdon, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
21 years 4 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
23 years 7 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
86 years 8 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Chauffeur
Next of Kin:
Annie Harrigan, mother, Huntingdon, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
R.R. 1, Huntingdon, Quebec
Religion:
Baptist
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 7.0 in / 170 cm
Weight:
130 lbs / 59 kg
Chest:
34.0 in / 86 cm
Expansion:
4.0 in / 10 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Great Britain
Place of Discharge:
Montreal, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Medically Unfit
Discharge Notes:
pleurisy with effusion
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
815 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Private |
Black Watch, Royal Highlanders of Canada |
Army |
1st Battalion |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Black Watch, Royal Highlanders of Canada |
Army |
No. 4 District Depot |
|
|
|
| For record/discharge purposes after return to Canada. |
| WW2 |
Private |
Black Watch, Royal Highlanders of Canada |
Army |
N.E.T.D. |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Black Watch, Royal Highlanders of Canada |
Army |
2 C.D.I.R.U. |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Black Watch, Royal Highlanders of Canada |
Army |
2 C.I.H.U. |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Black Watch, Royal Highlanders of Canada |
Army |
C.I.(Rif.)T.C. |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Black Watch, Royal Highlanders of Canada |
Army |
1st Battalion |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
War Service Badge, Class I |
Issued |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
Entitled |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp |
Entitled |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Medal 1939-1945 |
Entitled |
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1919-02-17 — Born at Huntingdon, Quebec. Place / Unit: Huntingdon, Quebec
1940-07-13 — Enlisted at Montreal, Quebec, as a Private with 1st Battalion, Black Watch, Royal Highlanders of Canada. Place / Unit: Montreal, Quebec / 1st Battalion, Black Watch
1940-07-24 — Posted to duty with the Canadian Infantry (Rifle) Training Centre at Aldershot, Nova Scotia. Place / Unit: Aldershot, Nova Scotia / C.I.(Rif.)T.C.
1940-12-04 — Admitted to Camp Hospital at Aldershot, Nova Scotia. Place / Unit: Aldershot, Nova Scotia / Camp Hospital
1940-12-06 — Discharged from Camp Hospital at Aldershot, Nova Scotia. Place / Unit: Aldershot, Nova Scotia / Camp Hospital
1940-12-09 — Granted combined furlough and Christmas pass while at Aldershot, Nova Scotia. Place / Unit: Aldershot, Nova Scotia / C.I.(Rif.)T.C.
1941-01-09 — Tested and qualified as Driver (I.C.), Class III, at Aldershot, Nova Scotia. Place / Unit: Aldershot, Nova Scotia / C.I.(Rif.)T.C.
1941-01-22 to 1941-01-28 — Granted leave while serving at Aldershot, Nova Scotia. Place / Unit: Aldershot, Nova Scotia / C.I.(Rif.)T.C.
1941-02-16 — Struck off strength at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on embarkation for overseas service. Place / Unit: Halifax, Nova Scotia / Black Watch
1941-03-01 — Disembarked at Gourock, Scotland, and began service in the United Kingdom. Place / Unit: Gourock, Scotland / 2 C.I.H.U.
1941-03-17 to 1941-03-21 — Granted five days leave with warrant while serving in the United Kingdom. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / 2 C.I.H.U.
1941-05-20 — Admitted to No. 9 General Hospital while serving in the United Kingdom. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / No. 9 General Hospital
1941-06-13 — Returned from hospital to unit in the United Kingdom. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / 2 C.I.H.U.
1941-07-07 to 1941-07-16 — Granted nine days privilege leave with warrant while serving in the United Kingdom. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / 2 C.I.H.U.
1941-08-21 — Struck off strength of 2 C.I.H.U. on posting to the Black Watch in the United Kingdom. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / Black Watch
1941-08-22 — Taken on strength of the Black Watch in the United Kingdom. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / Black Watch
1941-10-06 — At Tweseldown, England, was awarded seven days C.B. for conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline after failing to comply with an order. Place / Unit: Tweseldown, England / Black Watch
1941-10-14 — At Tweseldown, England, was admonished for conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline after stopping his steel helmet. Place / Unit: Tweseldown, England / Black Watch
1941-10-24 to 1941-10-31 — Granted privilege leave while serving with the Black Watch in the United Kingdom. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / Black Watch
1942-01-23 to 1942-01-30 — Granted privilege leave while serving with the Black Watch in the United Kingdom. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / Black Watch
1942-05-12 — Admitted sick to St. Mary's Hospital, Eastbourne, England, with influenza/acute bronchitis and struck off strength to 2 C.D.I.R.U. Place / Unit: St. Mary's Hospital, Eastbourne, England / 2 C.D.I.R.U.
1942-05-13 — Transferred to No. 1 Canadian General Hospital, Horsham, England; pleurisy with left pleural effusion was diagnosed during this admission. Place / Unit: No. 1 Canadian General Hospital, Horsham, England
1942-06-05 — Transferred from No. 1 Canadian General Hospital to No. 7 Canadian General Hospital, Marston Green, England. Place / Unit: No. 7 Canadian General Hospital, Marston Green, England / 2 C.D.I.R.U.
1942-06-07 — Pleural-fluid culture during treatment at No. 7 Canadian General Hospital was reported positive for M. tuberculosis (two colonies). Place / Unit: No. 7 Canadian General Hospital, Marston Green, England
1942-06-20 — Medical Board at No. 7 Canadian General Hospital found him unfit for service in Categories A, B and C and recommended Category E treatment. Place / Unit: No. 7 Canadian General Hospital, Marston Green, England
1942-06-23 — ENT consultation at No. 7 Canadian General Hospital found a deviated nasal septum; treatment was not indicated. Place / Unit: No. 7 Canadian General Hospital, Marston Green, England
1942-07-02 — Medical board proceedings recorded Category E / permanent unfitness for further military service. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / No. 7 Canadian General Hospital
1942-07-03 — Struck off strength to N.E.T.D. for return to Canada. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / N.E.T.D.
1942-07-04 — Taken on strength from 2 C.D.I.R.U. by N.E.T.D. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / N.E.T.D.
1942-07-08 — Struck off strength Canadian Army Overseas and N.E.T.D. for repatriation to Canada. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / N.E.T.D.
1942-07-09 — Taken on strength of No. 4 District Depot, Montreal South, Quebec, for record purposes after return from overseas. Place / Unit: Montreal South, Quebec / No. 4 District Depot
1942-07-19 — Admitted sick to St. Anne's Hospital, St-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, for continued treatment of pleurisy with effusion. Place / Unit: St. Anne's Hospital, St-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec / No. 4 District Depot
1942-10-06 — Medically discharged at Montreal South, Quebec, as unable to meet the required military physical standards under R.O. 1029, para. 10 and 502. Place / Unit: Montreal South, Quebec / No. 4 District Depot
2005-11-15 — Died at Barrie Memorial Hospital, Ormstown, Quebec; buried at Huntingdon Protestant Cemetery. Place / Unit: Ormstown, Quebec / Barrie Memorial Hospital
Notes
Born Huntingdon. Died Ormstown.
ATIP Request confirmation number EA2026_0170700
Additional Service Notes
Served with the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders of Canada), including overseas service in the United Kingdom from February 1941 until medical repatriation in July 1942. Hospitalized for pleurisy with effusion and medically discharged 6 October 1942.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
During service he was single. Parents William Harrigan and Annie Harrigan lived at Huntingdon. His 1940 will named his mother Annie Harrigan as beneficiary. The 2005 obituary identifies his wife Anita Clark and children Gerald and Steven, with grandchildren Randy, Ryan and Brent.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-24 02:05:03
by: marc